Hi, I've read this forum before but have never posted anything before today.

I have cervical spinal stenosis that became very severe before I got surgery in December, 2006, three years after diagnosis, and many years after it became symptomatic. I think my fusion is at C4-C5 and C5-C6. Before the surgery, I had every symptom you can possibly have, short of complete paralysis, and the doctor thought I might be only days away from that. I think I've now got some permanent nerve damage, with continuing neck and shoulder pain, but this is nothing compared to what I went through before the surgery. I rarely see information on anybody who went so long without surgery as I did.

Now, I continue to have lower back problems, and am wondering if I might have lumbar spinal stenosis (in my lower back), in addition to the cervical spinal stenosis (in my neck). Does anybody know if that's possible? Or could the back problems be the result of the neck problems? My neck problems were so severe that I haven't had any diagnosis or treatment for my back problems.

I have low back pain, and difficulty standing or walking for very long, which causes severe pain in my hips in particular, but it also radiates down my legs a bit (the pain is often so severe that I don't even know where all I'm feeling it). Standing and walking also increases the pain in my back, while sitting down gives a little relief. I also get horrible leg cramps, sometimes.

I don't have any insurance right now, but I'm on Disability (SSDI) and will have Medicare in a few months (July, 2008), so I'm going to try and get treatment at that time. It's hard to get anything for the pain, in the meantime, and NSAIDs don't work any better than sugar pills. Any suggestions? Thanks.