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Posted 9/10/2010 11:52 PM (GMT 0)
Do any of you suffer from spinal stenosis?

I've just been diagnosed with it and I'm curious about it. My back is killing right now dispite a Cataflam and Flexarill. I'm resting with a heating pad turned super high.

Did you have to get PT, surgery, nerve blocks, or just suffer?

Posted 9/11/2010 1:34 AM (GMT 0)

 

  CT,

     It is good to see you again. I am so glad you had a moment to stop by  :-)  

     Stenosis and the treatment depends entirely on the "cause" and the area of the spine effected. IE Herniation, fractures, deformities.. So, the treatment is based on the cause/area and usually the most non invasive measures are tried first, unless it is something that needs to be addressed surgically.

~~~> http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/spinal-stenosis/DS00515

     When you were diagnosed what did your Doctor say was the cause? What part of the spine was the narrowing located at? Does he/she know that your current medications aren't helping? You might need something a bit stronger to help with the pain.

*warm hugg*
        dani

Posted 9/11/2010 3:54 PM (GMT 0)
I was in a car accident 20 years ago. I didn't get it treated right and have suffered off and on with it since. These last few weeks I've been really hurting. It starts around 11:00 am every morning and gets worse as the day progresses. If I lay in the bed longer than 8hrs I wake up in a lot of pain.
I'm a teacher and I have to do alot of walking around the classroom. I've read that walking and standing causes more pain.
The narrowing is at L5 and L4.

I'll be walking fine, suddenly I'm feeling like I've been stabbed in the back, left butt cheek, and back calf of the left leg. I want to scream when it hits me. I have to stop, grit my teeth, and then take a small step to get started again. I'm at the point I'm walking like a little old lady. Tiny steps seem the least painful. If I drag my left foot a little it's even better. I'm craving a wheelchair at this point.

I don't like the cataflam. It seems to make me very cranky and easy to cry. The flexarill makes me loopy.
Posted 9/11/2010 7:05 PM (GMT 0)
Joy, sorry to hear you are feeling so rough. Narrowing & stenosis are the same animal. Many times there can be some nerve involvement going onat which sort of sounds like what is getting you causing the pain in the butt cheek and the leg pain. Is the stenosis at L4-5 and L5-S1 at two levels or one. Has your dr ever tried you on a medrol dosepak which is a steroid taper to try to calm the nerve inflammation down? This would be a quick way to see if the nerves are inflamed as the medrol dosepak should calm things down somewhat. Before I became intolerant of steroids many times I was given this to get the nerves calmed down and it worked well. My sister has some pretty bad stenosis problems and she flat refuses to see a dr let a lone take medication for it. However, she came down with pneumonia and was given a dosepak for the inflammation in her lungs, not only did it help the lungs but totally got rid of her back pain that had been giving her fits for nearly a year. Anyway, she called me all excited and I told her it was not a cure but it could sure help her out when it flares up.

I don't do Flexeril either, it makes me sick at my stomach. There are other muscle relaxants out there but yet they still rx it and it is a very old one. I do not know what Cataflam is but is sort of sounds familiar. What is your dr telling you the plan is for your problem? Are you seeing a specialist or your PCP? I hope you can get some relief soon. Take care.
Susie
Posted 9/11/2010 7:05 PM (GMT 0)
Joy, sorry to hear you are feeling so rough. Narrowing & stenosis are the same animal. Many times there can be some nerve involvement going onat which sort of sounds like what is getting you causing the pain in the butt cheek and the leg pain. Is the stenosis at L4-5 and L5-S1 at two levels or one. Has your dr ever tried you on a medrol dosepak which is a steroid taper to try to calm the nerve inflammation down? This would be a quick way to see if the nerves are inflamed as the medrol dosepak should calm things down somewhat. Before I became intolerant of steroids many times I was given this to get the nerves calmed down and it worked well. My sister has some pretty bad stenosis problems and she flat refuses to see a dr let a lone take medication for it. However, she came down with pneumonia and was given a dosepak for the inflammation in her lungs, not only did it help the lungs but totally got rid of her back pain that had been giving her fits for nearly a year. Anyway, she called me all excited and I told her it was not a cure but it could sure help her out when it flares up.

I don't do Flexeril either, it makes me sick at my stomach. There are other muscle relaxants out there but yet they still rx it and it is a very old one. I do not know what Cataflam is but is sort of sounds familiar. What is your dr telling you the plan is for your problem? Are you seeing a specialist or your PCP? I hope you can get some relief soon. Take care.
Susie
Posted 9/11/2010 8:36 PM (GMT 0)
In the past rest, ibuprophen, and heat always made me feel better.
All the nurse said over the phone is L4 and L5????

I'm going to see the PCP as a follow up to the MRI. I had gone to his urgent care center in spasm last week and one of his PAs set up the MRI. She said since I was still hurting I'd need to see him.
I've never had steroid pack for my back, my lungs - yes, but not my back. Maybe it will help. There's a PT clinic in a nearby city I can go to if I need to.

Is it normal to have a tingling numbing feeling in your leg? It feels so odd. :l

I forgot she mentioned the bone marrow was doing something...it sounded like edema???

I've just got to hang on and see the doc on Wednesday. I'll come back and let ya'll know what the MRI report is fully when I pick it up on Monday.
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