I went through surgery L1-L5 in January. I am having a lot of pain in my left leg. I feel as though I'm going backwards instead of forwards. I'm scheduled for an MRI on Monday. I have started going to PT again to see if that helps. I've had to go back to using my walker and I'm not happy.

Thanks Back, I am really sorry to hear that:( I hope it gets better soon:)

Hello Bubble, I have it in the L3-L4 and L4-5 and L5-S1, With the L4-L5 and L5-S1 being the worse ones;( I dont really want a surgery but if there is a chance it will help..I am willing to try:)... I use a cane to walk with now....a wheel chair for LONG walks.

I just cant do anything that I did before....

I have that listed on my last MRi that there is signs of Stenonsis, but because my surgeon is a butt hole, he doesn't explain these things to me, so I am no longer seeing him again. Can someone give me the cliff not version of what Stenonsis is and what does it do? I did have a PLIF in Feb., but sill have issues and am most likely facing surgery on my L4. Thanks for your replies.
Pebbles

Hey- new member here.
Has anyone gone through a corpectomy and cage w/titanium plate fusion?

Hello to all,
About three years ago I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis (before that a doctor had told me it was simply a herniated disc). I was told that it was located at L4 and L5 in my lower back. I'd been taking simple Ibuprofen (800mg tabs) since I was in my mid to late thirties. I stopped taking that a few years ago, as it became less and less effective ..... and was soon after diagnosed with spinal stenosis. Fortunately I have a high threshold of pain, so I have never had a lumbar injection in the site ..... I've been able to do without it. I take no medication at all for my back now. I've had the usual low back pain on and off since my late twenties. By the time I was in my late thirties, the numbness was only in my right leg. But, as I've grown older, the pain in my lower back is now constant and is accompanied (in the last two to three years) by a numbness in both of my legs and feet (which makes driving a car a little more adventurous at times than I would like). About two years ago I noticed my calf muscles would sometimes cramp up (like a "charley horse" injury when I was in sports). Fortunately, that hasn't happened for well over a year now. I hope that doesn't come back, as it was extremely aggravating to say the least. If you've ever had that type of cramping, you know the kind of pain I'm talking about. Sometimes, I would curl up my toes (like balling up your fist) and I couldn't straighten them out voluntarily for a minute or so. That scared me, but it dissappeared as well.
I'm 53 years old now, and the only regular exercise I get is riding my stationery bike and some light stretching. Even simple walking is something that I'm very limited in, as I've been through four knee operations. I used to do heavy weight training when I was in my twenties (a mistake I now recognize). That's something I haven't done in many, many years. I'm not overweight by any means and I'm not ready to give up exercise completely, but I am limited in what I can do. I'm even limited in the amount of time that I can sit or stand in one place. Sometimes I just have to get up and move around. Luckily, lying flat or at an incline helps, so I don't have too much trouble sleeping (though I've taken to sleeping on my side more than I use to). I've also been diagnosed with cervical dystonia, which is a pain in the neck ...... literally. But I know that others have far more serious issues to deal with than I have. My best to everyone.

What is a realistic timeline until I'll be pronounced a canidate for surgery? My symptoms of tingling then numbness of the outer thighs followed by screaming pain in the lower back (relieved by sitting or laying down). My GP had ordered an x-ray done 2 yrs ago, the result: spinal stenosis caused by bone spurs. Course of treatment: staying as active as I found comfortable, take OTC pain meds and try to loose weight. Several weeks of ice storm(s) this winter left me housebound to a degree I've never experienced before. During that period my symptoms got a whole lot worse, now I cannot stand for the length of time it takes me to cook a small meal or wash-up afterwards. Over a month ago my GP ordered an MRI (non-contrast, contrast=>$) which showed the stenosis had "progressed". Treatment was a week of oral steroid, that's it.
Then 2 weeks ago, after sitting at my dining table doing household paperwork for far too long, when I went to stand up I couldn't, not fully. The best I could acheive was little better than 70 degrees! Inorder to get upright I had to stand in a doorway and brace against the opposite jamb with my arms. Problem was that my vertical position was very wobbeley at best. Once reclining I found another disquiting thing; when laying on my side, I did a pelvic tuck while tightening the glutes and I heard (and felt) a crack so sharp it could have been King Kong cracking his knuckles that had never happened before. My GP ordered emergency x-rays (standing front and side) diagnosis: "spinal slippage"; treatment: Celebrex 200mg and 6 sessions of P.T. (our insurance never approves more than that, at any one time). Thus far 50% of PT has consisted of electrical stim w/heat paks and 50% very conservative crunch and leg lifts which I'm to do at home 2-3x per day. It was my Physical Therapist, not my GP, who bothered to spell out for me Spondylolesthesis and explained it in better detail.
I haven't always been like this. I was a normal weight child. In my 20's I did everything from TaiKwanDo and long distant bicycling to backpacking and canoing. I've done some of our own rough carpentry and expanded our extensive kitchen garden; now I cannot even maintain the garden, my husband has been doing 98% of the garden and yard work.
Meanwhile I find doing the simplest things like pushing a shopping cart, lifting a bag of laundry or walking more than 75' is becoming more and more daunting. Do I insist my GP consider me for spinal injections or do I get him to consider surgery now while I'm still covered by my husband's insurance. In 2+ more years he will be retiring and then we'll both be on Medicare. Does Medicare cover all, or some, of this? Also in addition to all of the above I'm seriously considering LapBand surgery as I'm morbidly obese and a 3+ yr stint w/Weight Watchers, although initially sucessful (to the tune of 34.6 Lbs), ended with plateau after stalled plateau. Several years later and all pounds regained+ I've come to the conclusion WW's sucessful business model is to welcome back, year after year, their failed former clients with a few new customers responding to their word of mouth.

Bonni,
Has your GP referred you to a specialist yet? With you MRI results you probably need a neurosurgical opinion. And if the OTC meds you're taking are not adequately treating your pain, then maybe you should see a pain specialist. Mine has helped me tremendously.

Hi Polly

I had the same surgery a year ago that you are going to have end of this month! If i would stop doing things that hurt my back,"i live alone" so i have to do them, my back would feel much better!! Please do only what you doctor tells you and i'm sure you will be just fine!

I know just what you are going through and i will keep you in my prayers!! Take care and God bless!

Evelyn