Leg pain with spinal stenosis

Hi Chillout,

I have multiple issues including stenosis, in particular with my lumbar spine, L1 right through to L5 with issues in the C and T areas too, see here https://patient.info/forums/discuss/assistance-help-required-long-post-complicated--36322?page=0&utm_campaign=forumemail&utm_source=sendgrid&utm_medium=email#comment-124595

Unfortunately I am only able to walk a few feet before the symptoms you describe and a few other lovelies kick in.

To be completely honest, I would pay a lot of good money to be in the position where I had the severe pain for one event in the day and was then able to continue with normal activities. I'm not belittling your issues at all, pain is an extremely subjective thing, what I do know is that when my worst pain kicks in it literally floors me to the point where my left leg becomes useless, I have to somehow gt to my bedroom, stretch out on the bed, take my ,morphine and ride out the storm. I am on 3600mg of Gabapentin daily but really do wonder if it does very much for me.

I would suggest that you see your GP and perhaps get a referral to a neurosurgeon, hopefully get an MRI to see just how bad the stenosis is, however, from my personal experience, take the surgical route as a last possible resort. I was promised the earth by my neurosurgeon but three surgeries on I am left badly disabled and was retired by my employers 18 months ago on severe ill health grounds. I detest being in this position at 53 years of age.

As I say, in all honesty you seem to manage well with your condition, visiting shops is not really possible for me now unless I am accompanied as I have no strength in my legs now due to severe nerve damage, this in turn has left my balance very poor, as I have now been retired, I would ideally love to have a dog as a companion for during the day when my wife is working but I would simply not be able to walk the poor animal, leaving yet another job for my wife.

I know this isn't really answering your question as you may want but yes, see your GP, get the MRI if only to ascertain how bad the stenosis is and please, take a medical approach rather than surgical, if you go surgical there is a high possibility you will end up much worse off than you are.

Go for an MRI my pain changed dramatically 3 months ago to unbearable and now I am on 20 pain meds a day and hooked on 2 lots, I tried to stop them and got very poorly. It turns out my discs were herniated and my spine twisting when moving due to the 2 discs being flat and useless. I have an op on Tuesday. It has to get better than this.

I'm 39 I cannot stand or walk for more than 5 minutes and all exercise has had to stop, I have no quality of life, our holiday is cancelled but I am hopeful thee is light at the end of the tunnel. Keep smiling and having a positive mind frame certainly does help. Whenever I feel sorry for myself I have a good cry and think about my younger friend with throat cancer and realise how lucky I am

Hello,

   I found out I have it and two bulged disc . I have severe leg and feet pain . The MRI show that my spinal canal is totally packed and you can't even see the nerve . I am having a decompression and spinal fusion nov. 5th . I hope this helps because this really sucks . I take vicadin just to sleep .

Hi, Chillout:  I had had scoliolis and Spinal stenosis for many years...Yes, leg pain, back aches, lost 4 and a half inches of height, and on and on...Hope they can find a cure for what we have...It's horrible trying to sleep at night with all this pain...Feel better soon.

Regrettably, it's a common symptom especially in the hamstring region. It is also fairly common to experience numbness in the foot too. If you find that by resting it relieves the problem then you are very fortunate. It is sometimes possible to relieve symptoms by leaning forwards onto your shopping trolley😊 There's no rhyme or reason to when the pain will grip you which can be problematic, let alone agonising and I ended up taking a walking stick with me to lean on if out walking. Hope it helps to know that you are not alone in this experience