Spinal stenosis/laminectomies/My turn :-(

[Guest guest]

Hey all,

Looking for any LPs in who have spinal stenosis and have had a laminectomy

recently. I'm 34 years old, 4'4 " achon. I weigh about 135. I've had back

problems for the past few years. When I walk long periods, my legs go numb.

I had an MRI of my back and the neurosurgeon said L5 looked compressed. He

ordered a mylogram(sp?) of my spine last week(I wouldn't wish that procedure

on anyone). One comment the radiologist, who specialized in neuroradiology,

said my spine appeared very stenotic because the iodine moved down very

slowly on the flouroscope. I'm going to see the neurosurgeon Thursday

afternoon to discuss the results. I imagine he's going to recommend a

laminectomy.

I would like to avoid surgery if possible. My question to all of you is,

who has been diagnosed with stenosis and had laminectomy recommended but

chose against it? Have you tried therapy, weight loss, did it work? How

long did you forego surgery?

Am I just having wishful thinking or is surgery inevitable? If you had to

have the surgery, how was it? How was your recovery?

Thanks for any info.

Nick Scalan

Round Rock, TX

marlin@...

[Guest guest]

Hey all,

Looking for any LPs in who have spinal stenosis and have had a

laminectomy recently.........

Nick, I am also achon-43 yr old woman and yes also been diagnosed

with spinal stenosis-back in 1976, I was 16.

.........When I walk long periods, my legs go numb.

I had an MRI of my back and the neurosurgeon said L5 looked

compressed. He ordered a mylogram(sp?) of my spine last week(I

wouldn't wish that procedure on anyone). I imagine he's going to

recommend a laminectomy........

I had a myelogram then and it was awful-the pain was excruciating! I

also would not wish that procedure on anyone. Dr wanted to operate, I

hesitated.

.........I would like to avoid surgery if possible. My question to

all of you is, who has been diagnosed with stenosis and had

laminectomy recommended but chose against it? Have you tried

therapy, weight loss, did it work? How long did you forego

surgery?.....

I did and still do avoid surgery-and also have the numb legs which

comes and goes. It has not gotten worse. But I am glad I never got

surgery, I see too many LPs worse after surgery. My dad who was also

achon went through 4 surgeries between ages 12 til his final one at

age 55. After that one, he ended up using a scooter. After seeing

what he went through-I refuse surgery.

I can still get numb legs here and there, some days it acts up and

some days it does not. But hey, I can still walk.

Hope this helps.

Dawn

Thanks for any info.

Nick Scalan

[Guest guest]

Nick and to those others who may be considering possible back

surgery,

The main thing that the dwarfism specialists will stress, is to try

and lose the weight, before proceeding with any surgery

possibilities. Surgery isn't a cure all, but it will help stop the

progression of the stenosis and paralysis and give you a more

quality of life back. Pain if present before surgery, can become

less and noticeably more controlled after surgery.

Unfortunately in a lot of cases as has been mine, the bone will

slowly grow back around the spinal column in about 5 years or so,

but sometime thereafter the surgery may need to be repeated. Each

time doctors go in to operate, they are dealing with more and more

scar tissue and so each time, the recovery time is more intense and

lengthy. Your ability to walk " normal " (normal as is how you walked

before your first surgery) becomes less. But has been proven as

with my last 3rd laminectomy, that the quality of physical therapy

you engage in is just as or even more important than the actual

surgery procedure itself.

So there are pros and cons to doing both. I personally think though

if pain is lessening your daily quality of life to a greater extent

to where you're having to live on too many prescription pain pills,

and even after attempting a successful weight-loss, then surgery

should be more of a sort-after option.

Also if you are dealing with bowel and bladder incontinence, then

that's another warning sign that surgery is more likely needed. One

thing that I must stress though is to try and search out the best

and most favored dwarfism specialists in the country..ones who have

operated on more than just a handful of little people.

As we age too, unfortunately, we have to realize or come to term

with the fact that some of us may never actually walk the same as

when we were younger. There are more and more of us or I have

noticed as we age, commuting around on scooters, electric wheel-

chairs, canes, walkers, etc. Another option to seek out in all of

this, is a good pain management specialist. I am still in pain

after my most recent surgery, but at least now my pain is not

controlling me..I'm controlling it! Through all of this, that's the

best part.

Wishing you much need relief.

Ann

Ann

> Hey all,

>

>

>

> Looking for any LPs in who have spinal stenosis and have had a

laminectomy

> recently. I'm 34 years old, 4'4 " achon. I weigh about 135. I've

had back

> problems for the past few years. When I walk long periods, my

legs go numb.

> I had an MRI of my back and the neurosurgeon said L5 looked

compressed. He

> ordered a mylogram(sp?) of my spine last week(I wouldn't wish that

procedure

> on anyone). One comment the radiologist, who specialized in

neuroradiology,

> said my spine appeared very stenotic because the iodine moved down

very

> slowly on the flouroscope. I'm going to see the neurosurgeon

Thursday

> afternoon to discuss the results. I imagine he's going to

recommend a

> laminectomy.

>

>

>

> I would like to avoid surgery if possible. My question to all of

you is,

> who has been diagnosed with stenosis and had laminectomy

recommended but

> chose against it? Have you tried therapy, weight loss, did it

work? How

> long did you forego surgery?

>

>

>

> Am I just having wishful thinking or is surgery inevitable? If

you had to

> have the surgery, how was it? How was your recovery?

>

>

>

> Thanks for any info.

>

>

>

> Nick Scalan

>

> Round Rock, TX

>

> marlin@t...

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I just had this done last week. I suffered several years myself and tried

many things over the years. Last year, I was able to get to see doctors at

s Hopkins, Dr. Ain included, that led to the surgery taking place last week.

Even though it has only been 1 1/2 weeks, the numbness is gone as I am hoping

it will stay gone. I am getting around pretty good now. Still VERY dependent

on my husband to help do things we take for granted. But, at this point, I

am very pleased. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me

directly. Good luck in the decision you make.

Susie