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.

I am not familiar with this problem but we do have many forums that can help you. If you go to the bottom of this page you can run through each one and see which one might help give you some ideals. I do know there are several.

There are so many good people on each one and I am sure you will run in to many on here that will know about meds that will help you and good info for you.
Welcome to the forum and I hope you hang around.

Ada

Hi Catfish and Welcome to Nt. I saw a post of yours regarding this subject on another thread, so glad to see you intro'd yourself.

Glad to have you with us...

My MRI results say:

Mild, diffuse degenerative changes seen with spondylosis and diffuse facet degenerative changes. Also changes in the cervical spine.

Says 'demyelinating plaques are grossly stable.

Mild contouring of the ventral aspect of the spinal cord.

All I know is I have almost constant mid back to lower back pain.

Long ago (in my 20's) i reached to cut a flower and locked up and couldn't move without extreme pain.

I had some therapy for muscle spasms and that seemed to help. At the time they also gave me a cortisone injection.

I didn't have any clue of MS at the time and I doubt it is from that. Frankly I think we often have back problems secondary to the MS.

I'm 63; not looking forward to surgery if I can help it but also want to be free of pain and continue walking! I suppose I can't have it both ways but I need to follow up on this (yikes...yet another specialist).
Good luck with your situation.

Tootsie

welcome~!
here's a link to info from answers.com

http://www.answers.com/spinal+stenosis+?cat=health