Wellness

[KACEE1115]

Has anyone ever had back surgery for spondylolisthesis/spinal stenosis? Please give your experience if you have.

[Stevie Nix]

I had major lower back surgery due to several misaligned discs.  I was in the hospital for a week then I was transferred to a rehab center for therapy.  I was there for 3 weeks.  I contined therapy at home for another month - until I could navigate comfortably with a cane.  This was in Sept 2020 and I am now pain free in the surgery area.

Hopefully your surgery and recovery won't be as extensive as mine was.  Good luck.

[meem120]

I had back surgery in October.  A couple of discs pressing on nerve and significant spinal stenosis.  It was done in a out patient facility.  I would not recommend that.  The first 3 days are quiete hard.  I had a longer recovery than  anticipated.  Definately need a walker for support at first and then a cane afterwards.  I probably could have really used the raiser, for lack of better word for the toilet.  Getting up was really difficult.  I had out patient PT for 12 weeks.   I feel fine now, and glad I had it done, but it was more than I expected.

[msgb]

My mother had vertebroplasty twice and it helped her each time. My father had spinal stenosis but he did not have surgery but probably every 3-4 months he would have an epidural for the pain. I know that after those procedures he would feel better until just before it was time for the next treatment.

[zitawins]

I have this condition (can't even pronounce it; just call it spinal stenosis). My ortho had told me no surgery will help. My discs are bone-on-bone evidently. The recomendations were patches (Salon pas), tylenol and PT. The epidural injections didn't work. No opiod drugs.

I am sorry so many people have had extreme surgeries. I just go along and am careful about reaching and bending. I use a cane when I'm out to help my balance. Several falls have taught me to move more slowly and be aware of every movement. Limiting, but I manage.  

Good luck to all of you who have this condition. Aging is tough!

[PamfromCT]

@zitawins, I feel sorry for anyone e during back pain.  I suffered for quite a while and then started taking Andrew Lessman’s Pro Caps “Turmeric 400 Curcumin” - two pills daily.

His products are sold on HSN, Amazon, Pro Caps site, and some on QVC.

Nothing is perfect, but it has really given me my life back.  You have to wait a while to see if it helps you once you take it.  These ingredients are now being recommended by my PCP

(board certified in internal medicine) for back pain.  These ingredients are all natural.  You may want to give this a try.

[PamfromCT]

@zitawins, I neglected to tell you that Lessman’s supplements do go on sale.  Yes, they are expensive.  Nothing but the best researched and best ingredients, even manufactured by his company in the USA.  I buy what I use on sale and stockpile.

Yes, the sales are excellent.  I have the email notification set for whenever Lessman is on HSN.

[hckynutjohn]

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@KACEE1115 wrote:

Has anyone ever had back surgery for spondylolisthesis/spinal stenosis? Please give your experience if you have.

@KACEE1115 

I have had 2 back surgeries, mine however were for ruptured Lumbar Discs: L-3/L-5/S-1.

My friend, who specializes in only the Spine, did my last surgery in about 2006-2007.  He now mostly does the Micro Surgeries in his group practice, Nebraska Spine.

The 2 things you mention are pretty similar to a herniated or ruptured disc, in that they all cause pressure on the spinal nerves. I have not talked with him about the 2 specific things you mentioned here.

I have to think, from what I know from my own surgeries and things my friend as told me, that when spinal nerves are affected, irrespective of the cause. The surgeries would have to be somewhat similar as their purpose is to eliminate pressure on those spinal nerves.

There are different surgical options, depending on a specific surgeon. Some choose 1 method others do what they have found to best for their patient. They have to take age/overall physical condition, and the location on the spine where the problem is addressed.

I can honestly say that in spite of my spine missing 3 Lumbar Discs, it has never limited my ability to continue my active lifestyle. Sure, as I have gotten older, I may be little more stiff after say my 2 hour ice skating sessions. That however is only temporary.

For me there was no choice but surgery, unless I wanted to forgo my active lifestyle and continue doing the things I wanted to do. I was only 35 when I had my 1st surgery, which removed both lower spinal discs.

Should more spinal issue occur, if my friend recommended surgery, I wouldn't give it a second thought. Just, "when can I get it done".

hckynut  🇺🇸

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[KACEE1115]

@hckynutjohn Thank you for the information, I feel like I'm way too young to be suffering with this, and I just retired in2019.  I'm not sure when the injury occurred to cause this extreme pain but I've been really suffering since last year. Again thanks.

[hckynutjohn]

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@KACEE1115 wrote:

@hckynutjohn Thank you for the information, I feel like I'm way too young to be suffering with this, and I just retired in2019.  I'm not sure when the injury occurred to cause this extreme pain but I've been really suffering since last year. Again

thanks.

@KACEE1115 

While my back issues were different and were caused, I believe, partially by my job, and partially by my choice of physical activities. As I mentioned, I was 35, when i had my 1st surgery. If fact, I was in the hospital on my 35th birthday in 1974. 

For some physical maladies, age can certainly be a factor. In other instances it can be a genetic predisposition to certain health issues, or body structural issues.

For others not in those things mentioned above, it can be their lack of enough movement type of lifestyle, were muscles are not strong enough to support certain joints, including those of the spine.

My retirement many years ago was similar to what you experienced. I was planning on running twice a day, and also getting more time on my ice skates.

Well!! It didn't turn out that way. The 1st week I retired I started having issues with my knee. It turned out to be Patella Tendinitis, which is not a knee structural problem, but a bad inflammation of the Patella Tendon.

I could not run/could barely walk up or down steps/could not ice skate, or do any lower body exercises. I went to Physical Therapy 3 times a week for the first 4 months of my retirement. It was 8 months before I could ice skate again, and almost a year before I could run.  

Nice start to my retirement and I was only 52 when I retired. I spent over 18 months after my retirement working to regain the physical fitness I had the day I retired.

Many spinal problems are cumulative from years of abuse, which can be just standing/bending over/lifting/vacuuming, and many other everyday functions. I tell the analogy that my doctor told me.

"Take a pipe and bend it 90° then bend it back to it's original position. Repeat and repeat, and eventually? That pipe is going to break, maybe from just sneezing".

Until someone has back pain so bad it hurts to even bend over, it is then they realize how little it takes to actually abuse one's back. Who thinks "making a bed/just a sneeze/pushing a vacuum" will be the final blow?

Not many, but that was similar to what finally put me in the hospital. I was reaching into my car to grab a loaf of bread I bought. The next day I was almost crawling into the hospital.

hckynut  🇺🇸

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