Spinal stenosis

My husband ( 64yrs old) had decompression surgery in jan 2024, he was in terrible pain for about 18 months before the op. He only has the odd twinge of pain now, his quality of life is a lot better, back at the gym three times a week. Take advice from the surgical team.

I have spinal stenosis, scoliosis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and spondylolysthesis. Spinal injections helped but things are still deteriorating. I was scheduled for an operation 8 years ago but bladder cancer put that back, when I had fully recovered from all the treatment I was seeing a surgeon to decide on the operation again only to find I had developed breast cancer. I am reluctant now to proceed with any major operation.

My DH has had surgery twice (11years apart) for spinal stenosis. Both were successful in relieving the severe pain. Bony spurs can grow and put pressure on the spinal area. The surgeries were carried out by a neurosurgeon. He was advised to go down that path.

I have a quite bad scoliosis which is getting worse day by day. I have had injections in my back several times injury fee4t, in my groin and just about everywhere nothing helps for longer than a week. The surgeon recommended an Segmental Decompression op. on the L3/4 , cutting a bit off the bone, but did warn me, that there was 70 % change of improvement, 20% chance of a no change result at all and 10% chance og it going pear shape. Sadly for me that is what happened. I cannot stand upright now and now walk with 2 poles. I still drive though although I had to change to an automatic as I could not manage the clutch any longer. 3 years later I had a Lumbar Epidural to check if it was nerve pain which it is not, but that took some of my feeling in my left foot away, I often feel it numb other times I have pins and needles in it. I am on Morphine 3 times a day plus 8 cocodimol every 24 hours, even that does not remove the pain totally. I should have had the op as a child I am told, but was not aware then that I had a scoliosis. They told me one leg was shorter than the other and gave me insteps but change the diagnoses in my forties, when I started to suffer with severe back pain and seizing up with spasms. Back pain is horrendous and affects everything you try to do.

I have been diagnosed with Spinal Stenosis and also have a bulging disc
I amin agony and have been told it's at least a year
It took a year to diagnose.
If I thought it would definitely work, I would scrape the money to go privately.
My partner has mettle cell Lymphoma so its all a bit grim. I don't feelIhave any quality of life.

Or sorry for those of you who are suffering, and good to know there have been positive results.

After trying injections - helpful for a while, but the effect wore off - I had decompression surgery some years ago. That almost fixed the problem, and I have done exercises daily to stretch the spine and keep everything flexible. My back will never be perfect, but most of the time it is fine, and so much better than it was before having the surgery.

Remember that the risk of not having surgery and what might happen if the stenosis worsens are also going to be many and probably pretty awful. I think people forget that when they are offered surgery. It is likely that apart from infection and bleeding the risks of not having surgery are similar as the spinal chord is damaged. As has been said ask your surgical team all the questions you need prior to going ahead including what not having surgery might look like, but as waiting lists are long I would agree to going ahead asap as you can always decline later. Good luck.

Know this is sn old thread but wondering if anyone has similar situation. My problem started with knee pain, back pain followed very quickly. This started a year ago. MRI and x ray results mean I need a total knee replacement, I also have spinal stenosis with disc bulge. Back pain is far worse than knee. Can't walk or stand for more than 10 minutes. I dont know whether to 1) continue with physio/stretches/pilates which seems to help one day and not the next, 2) have knee surgery in the hope it will help back pain as physio thinks knee is the cause 3) go straight to decompression or similar to help back pain. I dont want any surgery but have been in pain every single day for over a year.

Having started the thread last year, here’s an update! To begin with the surgery solved the sciatic pain , but a new pain started in thigh. The back pain was marginally better , but standing still painful. I won’t say I regretted having surgery as I would never have known if I’d be one of the successful cases.
If the MRI shows that you need a knee replacement , it may well affect your back pain , and at least one body part pain free