Surgery

Hello to all,

My name is Ellen and I was diagnosed with Spinal Stenosis about three years ago. At the time it wasn’t bad enough to do anything with. However, the pain got progressively worse the past four or five months, so I went back to get rechecked. The MRI showed that it was now moderate to severe along with a slipped disk. I have constant pain in my lower back along with with severe pain down the backs of both legs, hip pain and tingling and numbness in both feet along with tingling up both legs at least to the knees. I saw a neurosurgeon who couldn’t tell me a lot because the MRI place had given me the wrong films. I saw a spine surgeon with the right films and he said that the slipped disk is compressing the nerves constantly. I also have narrowing in the same disks along with osteoarthritis in my spine. I have done all the other options, so the only thing now left to do is surgery. I will have to have a laminectomy along with fusion. I’m nervous about the surgery, but more nervous about not having it and having things get worse. Any comments? Has anyone had the surgery and how was it for you? Your help is greatly appreciated.

Ellen

Hi, hope I am not responding too late.

I just had a cervicle laminectomy with pedicle screws with instrumentation/fusion to decrease my impinged nerves of C5-T2…an 8 hr operation that I still cant believe I made it thru.
The drs tell you it could get worse after operation…mine did with the weakness part…my R arm is so week I have rehab now to see if I can go back to work, I am a hairdresser. The vicodin I was on made me a mess, but took away pain…I am now off that after the 4th week, now I am 7-8 wks away from operation in MAy. It might work out, I will have to see…good luck…Charlene

Hi Charlene,

How are you? Thank you for replying to my post. I haven’t posted here for awhile, been so busy. Sorry! I had surgery on Feb 1st. They removed the disk that was bad, took bone off of my pelvis, fused from L4 - S1 with cages, screws and rods. I knew as soon as I woke up that the pain was different. I am going to pt to build up the muscles in my back again. They keep telling me that the right side of my pelvis tilts forward and they put it back in place. Too weird. Anyway, I still have pain on the right side. The surgeon said it could be from where the separated the muscles to get the bone from my pelvis. Even though it goes back together, it can be irritated for a long time. A woman on my weaving list had a very similar surgery as mine. She told me it took about a year until she felt 100%. Five months down, seven left to go.

Have a great day.

Ellen