Spinal Stenosis, Bulging Herniated Discs, And Degenerative Disc Disease

[Wildflower]

Anyone here have this? If so, can you tell me how your doctor is treating it?

I've been having lots of pain in my lower back and numbness, tingling, pinching and burning sensations running down my backside into my legs. My recent MRI shows degenerative disc disease, bulging herniated discs at L5 and L6, and spinal stenosis. My doctor sent me to a Neurosurgeon immediately. He says I am in very bad shape with the spinal stenosis causing the most problems. My right leg is very disabled from it, weak and barely responsive to reflex testing. My other leg is better, but not by much. I could potentially wind up in a wheelchair from this, but I am very scared to have surgery as was suggested would probably be my only recourse. I guess I would love to hear some success stories, as I've already heard plenty of bad outcome spinal surgery stories....but please tell me the bad as well. I'm a person that deals in reality, not wishful thinking. And the Neurosurgeon is the top in his field in the area so I am not apprehensive about his surgical skills or his opinion....

[redfox]

Oh, my dear... No experience, but sending warm, gentle hugs.

[freein05]

I had back surgery two times to fix herniated discs. Both were successful. I needed the second because scar tissue had formed from on the sciatic nerve going down the left side of my body from the first surgery. My second surgeon was real good better then the first. I had so much pain before the surgery I was popping pain pills all day and they did not help much. I felt 100% better after the surgeries. After the second surgery I had numbness on the left side of my left leg. The doctor said there was nothing they could do about that.

It has been over 15 years since I had the last back operation. I get around fine and do not have any pain. I do limp some with my left leg but I do not have any pain. The pain I had before surgery was almost unbearable!

Edited to add: The surgery was scary but worth it. I do not have any back pain now.

[Zoebird]

Some experience -- second hand:

1. I had one student whose left leg was dropping and lots of pain (walked with a limp, too), from ruptured and degenerative discs. Her last ditch effort was to do yoga. It worked, 6 months later, no pain, leg was fine, everything good. She still hasn't had surgery and it's been 10 years. If you are going to try this (and/or physical therapy) YOU MUST get someone who is EXPERIENCED AND WELL TRAINED (i can help you with this if you would like).

2. i had other students who had surgery before trying yoga. Yoga helped with any stiffness due to the surgery. The newer surgeries are better than the older ones, they use some sort of "spring" system in some of them -- not just rods. AGAIN get a good teacher.

It's totally possible for you to not be debilitated and handicapped and in pain. Find the route that works for you, ok? You will make the best and right decision.

[rose]

No success story. My mom has spinal stenosis and herniated discs and scoliosis. She is 81. She has a lot of pain in her legs and insists that it is her varicose veins even though the doctors keep telling her it is the spinal stenosis. She was offered a cortisone shot for pain though the spinal surgeon didn't give that much hope of solving the pain because of the location of the stenosis. He wouldn't recommend surgery at her age. She has done some physical therapy (seems to be a lot of stretching and strengthening) but she gets tired from that and refuses to go much of the time though she does seem to get relief from the pain for a while. From what I read spinal stenosis is quite common as we age. I think the pain varies by person.

[freein05]

You must be careful. If you really have a ruptured disc and pain shooting down your leg that means the disc is pushing against a nerve. The disc will eventually permanently damage the nerve as in my case.

I am not a doctor see an Orthopedic Doctor and decide for yourself. Be sure and ask questions about what will happen if you have or do not have the operation. Also should you feel uncomfortable with one doctor see another one.

[frmeital]

I have heard success stories and stories about surgeries that made the whole thing worse, or just weren't helpful. I would use what ever time I have to try every natural and alterantive treatment out there. I would try spinal decompression exercises or home devices, inversion table, natural anti inflammatories and muscle balance therapy. These are 2 articles that talk about alternatives, hope it helps:

http://www.natural-alternative-therapies.com/degenerative-disc-disease-in-neck/

http://www.natural-alternative-therapies.com/herniated-disc-in-lower-back/

[puglogic]

I too would research ALL non-invasive alternatives first, Wildflower. I'm getting up-close and personal with my own spine over the past few weeks, and though it is still in acceptable shape, I've been exploring things like frmeital mentions above. I'm even going to buy my own inversion table (a gently used one in good shape) because the relief I get from it is nothing short of astonishing. I've also been doing VERY gentle yoga to decompress and lengthen everything, massage for the same reason, and my pain is almost gone (and my posture is 1000% better)

Talk to a naturopathic doctor and get the alternate story from the "you've got to go under the knife" story, then follow your heart and choose the one that's right for you. Sending you gentle hugs!

[pinkytoe]

Nortin Hadler who wrote the book The Last Well Person also wrote a book about back pain which might dissuade some from surgery as a treatment option.

[gimmethesimplelife]

My mom just had spinal surgery due to stenosis and it has been six weeks and she is improving....so far her balance seems to be a bit off but a little better already than before the surgery. She will be going to physical therapy outpatient very soon here and the prognosis seems to be good in her case - though I will say the week right after the surgery was very scary and she seemed to be a wreck unable to walk and barely able to use her hands. Thank goodness that has passed.....The surgery has been stressful for all involved but so far in this case it is seeming to help and like I said, the prognosis seems to be very positive in her case. Rob

[lizii]

I have 3 slipped discs in my lower back. After suffering great pain for years, I finally went to a back specialist. He took x-rays and discovered I had a curvature of my spine and told me there was nothing to be done for it, but definitely warned me against surgery.

After my fall, my back was broken, but strangely is no longer painful, although I've had to give up driving or being able to go for my usual walks.

[chrisgermany]

DH is 5 years after surgery now with spinal stenosis, with sliding vertebra and herniated disks. He chose surgery when nothing else helped anymore, even though 3 disks had to be aligned. Surgery went well. Last year some pain seemed to come back but went away quickly when he returned to careful weight training, something the surgeon had advised against. Up to now, the surgery is a success.

[Wildflower]

Thanks everyone for your input. I appreciate it so much.

After further discussion with my primary care doc and the neuro guy it has been decided that we take a very conservative approach first. I am to have Lumbar Epidural Injections several weeks apart to help with the pain and inflammation. Once that gets under control then I will be seeing a Physical Therapist who will help me with what exercise will be best for me, that won't hurt me more. I am feeling really positive about this now. Of course, there is a chance that the injections won't help, but I won't allow myself to think otherwise....

The main reason for this less aggressive approach is due to my having Lupus. I've had bad recoveries from other surgeries in the past because they have triggered serious autoimmune reactions which really impedes the healing process....

[HumboldtGurl]

Wildflower I'm so sorry to hear that. My Mom has it too and she was given the same bad news.

My Mom is 78 and her doctor didn't recommend surgery. Now that could be because of her age and lack of physical conditioning, or it could be because she belongs to a lousy HMO that does all they can to avoid paying for surgeries (we had to fight just so she could have the MRI).

So far she is managing it with steroidal epidural injections every few months. I hate that and wish that she would go back to trying acupuncture, but she's not into it. I can't see this being a good long term solution.

I would look acupuncture, yoga and chiro before doing surgery. Taking the least invasive route first always seems to be a good idea.

Hope you feel better soon.

[lhamo]

Glad they have recommended a conservative approach. My DH has a different condition -- spondiolysthesis (say that four times fast in a row...), which is where one of his vertebra is slipping forward out of alignment, along with some disc damage. When he was originally diagnosed with it here in China, they handed him hospital admissions paperwork and said he needed surgery the next day. Thankfully I dissuaded him from that idea. He got a second opinion at a great spine center in Seattle, and they strongly DISCOURAGED him from having surgery -- he went for PT for awhile, which helped some, but what really helped in the end was losing weight (he was probably a good 20-30 lbs overweight at the time). Losing the weight and improving his physical fitness and muscle tone so far has kept things in check.

lhamo