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#390921 05/04/10 02:16 PM
Joined: Feb 2002
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gd7405 Offline OP
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Hey all. I know its been a while since I've posted & I'm sorry I don't get here as often as I should.

I wonder if anyone would have any knowledge about Lumbar Spinal Stenosis? I've been wondering how it (or if) it can be related to AS. Is it one of the wonderful by products of the disease or what? I've done a little research about my worsening back pain and this seems to fit every symptom. I had never considered anything before other than just the common morning stiffness that clears up after a few hours or so. Seems like lately it stays with me all day and fortunately form me, I sit most of the day at work so its not so bad as it is when I'm working outside on my feet all day. I tried that last weekend and my back was toasted for several days!!
Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone who's gone through this or had it or has any information could give me some advise. What do you do to alleviate it? What has your doctor done for you? My Rheumy has always given me steriod injections followed up with a Medrol dose pak. The past few times she's done this, its had 0 effect. What would be the logical choice for my next treatment?
I appreciate any comments anyone might have.
thanks,
Glenn


"If God were small enough for your minds, He wouldn't be big enough for your needs."
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Hi Glenn,
Yes I have been there and still am some days its the progression of your fusing.You have heard this before but you must keep moving don't sit too long without stretching think positive about your posture at all times.I would suggest your Rheumy reviews your medication maybe you can get on to Biologic s they help a lot of people.


Kevin

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Hi Glenn...it's so nice to see you, I have often wondered about stenosis myself for the same reasons that you describe...I have complete lumbar fusion but I've never been told that I have spinal stenosis, which doesn't mean anything, at any rate, I hope that you get some resolution to this problem and I agree with Kevin's suggestions, especially given the fact that you're deskbound...Big Hugs... hugss


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gd7405 Offline OP
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I forgot to mention that I'm on Humira and have been now for over a year along with MTX. The effects seem to be gradually wearing off. She has put me on higher doses of Prednisone which generally works better than the standard Medrol dose pak. When I say higher doses, I mean I started out at 80mg and tapered down from there. Esentaially I was free of pain, but my mood was HORRIBLE. My own family hated to be around me. That and I ate like a horse and I can't really afford to do that. I also should have mentioned that I joined a gym a while back and was working out on the cardio machines every day, but was in miserable pain while on the treadmill. The stationary bike wasn't too bad, but the walking hurt like *&%$^. I also volunteered to do some work with church friends a couple weekends ago and after Friday doing a lot of bending & heavy lifting I was wasted the next day (Saturday) and had to spend the entire day sleeping in my cabin because I had to take mass doses of Vicodin to ease the pain.
The more I read about this, the more I think its a possiblity. I've got an appointment with my Rheumy on Monday and plan on going in armed with information.

Thanks!
Glenn


"If God were small enough for your minds, He wouldn't be big enough for your needs."
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Hey Glenn,

Good to hear from you, although sorry it's because you're having some new problems. I don't have anything to add on how to make things feel better, unfortunately, but I did want to let you know about an experience I had years and years ago. I forget what tests I went in for--perhaps it was after my nerve conduction test, I really, truly can't remember--but I do remember meeting with a neurological specialist to discuss my spinal issues. Based on whatever he was looking at, he was very certain I did have stenosis happening in the lumbar region, and, while he didn't think it was a big problem yet, he was fairly certain at that time that it would get worse.

Since then, I have noticed a tiny bit of numbness in my feet, but it hasn't progressed beyond that in recent years. Perhaps the spinal osteotomy I had made it so that the stenosis would no longer get any worse. As so often happens with our illness, who really knows for sure? Just wanted to let you know that stenosis was a very definite diagnosis I received years ago, so your self-diagnosis might be right on track.

Good luck, keep us posted.

Brad


He who has a 'why' to live can bear with almost any 'how'.
--Friedrich Nietzsche

Sounds like everything takes time, discipline, and patience, and those are seven things I don't have.
--Jon Dore




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Just saying Hi. As for your stenosis quesion, my very uneducated answer would be yes. As Kevin said the more you find time to move about the better. A ay onmy feet and I have lots of numbness. Even without a day on my feet I get numbness.

Many days it feels like my right anterior thigh is MIA. Nothing there except a dull tingle.




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Hi Glenn, Spinal stenosis is the term used when there is entrapment of the nerves in the spine, be it Cervical, Thoracic, or Lumbar. This entratment causes Pain and numbness in the extremidies. Spinal stenosis can be caused by many things. Talk to your doc about it if you have these symptoms.
Cindy


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gd7405 Offline OP
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Hi Cindy,

I've done some research and printed off articles for my Rheumy to look at. I've got all the symptoms. At first I thought it could just be sciatica but in my research I learned that sciatica is just a symptom of something else which includes but not limited to Lumbar stenosis. This is the only one though that fits what I'm going through. When I was first dx'd with AS, I just had morning stiffness that went away after a little while (most of the time). Once I got on Enbrel then Humira after that, I didn't even have the morning stiffness. It was wonderful. Over the past several months, my morning stiffness won't go away. It will alleviate to some degree but its never gone. She's had me on several regimens of prednisone, but now that won't even do much to relieve it. Now I wake up in the A.M. and can hardly even walk when I get out of bed. This morning, for instance, I got up at 5:30 and was in abject pain for almost 1/2 hour before I could even walk to my car. Its now almost 11 a.m. and its still about a 6 on the pain scale. I just hope she's open to the possibilty it could be lumbar stenosis. She's always been receptive to my idea before, so I can only hope & pray she will this time.

Thanks much,
Glenn


"If God were small enough for your minds, He wouldn't be big enough for your needs."

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