I have spinal stenosis at L3/4 severe stenosis in left and right side of L/5 foraminal. Disc bulges

I seem to be the only MD here- I am retired now, I am a board certified anesthesiologist/pain management specialist.  I too have a totally messed up spine, both lumbar and cervical.  I am curious why you went straight to surgery before trying conservative approaches first?  Once you do surgery and it doesn't help you become what is called "failed back surgery symcdrome".  It is a dreaded term.  First of all, surgeons don't want to deal with you anymore.  Surgeons like to operate, get a good result and then send you on your way, they are ill equipped to handle taking care of patients on a long term basis and they hate when their surgery doesn't help.  No one like to have to put down that their best did little good.  Now, did your surgeon send you for any physical therapy before, during or after your surgery?  That could be a simple explanation for the continuing problem.  You could merely have become quite deblilitated by the back injury and problems and while the surgery alleviated the problem it hasn't built your muscle back to where you were prior to all your problems. You'd be surprised, but depending upon your age and physical fitness, as little as a few weeks of bed rest can really leave most people quite debilitated.  You may need to start physical therapy, start in the pool to counter gravity to begin with, work back up to working out on land and all this may take up to 12 weeks.  Back injuries can take a long time to recover from.  In the mean time, those drugs you are on will help you progress faster because you will tolerate more physical therapy.

Howver, that brings me back to my first question, why go so aggressive as your first approach?  I have a genetic disease that leads to arthritis along with other complications.  Once you do surgery you close off the epidural space with scar tissue and limit what pain management specialists can do for you, did you see one of them?  Were you having one of the emergency symptoms like bowel and bladder problems or something like that that lead you to surgery? I am just so anti-surgery I will do just about anything to avoid it.  Right now I am walking around with a flattened spinal cord in my neck that I did have a surgeon look at in a consult, but he realizes I am attempting all forms of conservative surgery prior to coming back to him because he's already told me that once he starts removing osteophytes (bone spurs) my neck will become unstable, I get fused.  Heck, I already feel somewhat fused as my muscles are so tight I can't turn my neck LOL.

Anyway. you are where you are... and right now you really need a good physical therapy referal.  Make sure the place has access to a pool so you can start in a pool, it makes a HUGE difference.  I have been in your shoes, not having had a surgery, but starting from ground zero and being sent to PT in great pain being able to do so litte.  I spent my entire first 6 weeks in the pool, three appointments a week. It was hard, hard work.  You must stick to it, do your homework.  You will make slow, but sure progress.  Hopefully, with physical therapy you can get from "failed back surgery syndrome" to "well".  You can also add things like acupuncture, yes, as an MD I tried alternative medicine too.  And, it would still help to visit a pain management doc if you don't have one.  They will follow you over time, surgeons just operate and move on.  I hope I have helped in some way.  If I have gotten too personal I apologize.  Just trying desperately to help!

Lynn

Cured my stenosis...

Consider an LLIF.  They go in from your side LATERALLY (LLIF) instead of from your back (TLIF). Overnight stay and zero rehab vs. a lot more.  Just had mine done at L2/L3 almost four weeks ago for stenosis.  Yes, there is post-op nerve pain because they have to retract all the nerve roots to insert the device.  First two weeks suck but then it gets better fast.  If you can't, or won't, take nerve meds (Gabapentin, Neurontin, Lyrica, etc.) because of the horrid side effects, heating pads and Aspercreme with 4% Lidocaine help.  Muscle rubs have no effect; neither do opioids...it's NERVE pain!!!  Should have asked for Lidocaine patches... 

Need a General Surgeon to create the 12" long "tunnel" from side to spine and then the neurosurgeon does his work.  Insert, expand, backfill with bone graft from your hip, close. Picture of mine is attached (it's above my L3-S1 fusion).

Search YouTube for "Globus RISE-L" for a cute animation of the procedure.  Because they have to use an Allen wrench to crank it open, I have now given my neuro the honorary Brooklyn Sicilian Wiseguy nickname of "Tommy The Wrench".

Put the whole story plus updates here...

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/the-expandable-spacer-570509

Comes in parallel (the whole thing expands uniformly) and lordotic (they can control the posterior and anterior expansions separately...like my 15 mm rear / 5 mm front expansion to maintain good curvature).  Give it some thought as an option to slicing open your spine.  I was walking swiftly and climbing stairs within a few hours of waking up.  All stenosis gone; but then the anesthesia wears off and you get the nerve pain.  

I've had 3 back surgeries, a new hip and a metal knee...plus four kidney stones.  For me, this was FANTASTIC.  Yeah, there's post op pain but after a knee replacement, this is a cakewalk.  After 45 years of hockey, ya gotta pay the price sometime.  This one had its moments but, for me, very doable.

Just sayin'...