Did anyone ever have spinal decompression surgery?
I did last Dec 6th- I have bilateral spinal stenosis and my ortho cleaned out my left side which is great- I can feel my toes and walk without screaming but my right side hurts now- not as bad but there
Also I can't sleep- was always a belly sleeper but that's bad, bad , bad
I was always active anmd I do push myself still- did all the therepy- exercise 5 days a week but I feel like I've lost a little bit of me- anyone else gone through this?

Hi Patty,

I am undergoing spinal decompression therapy. It's kind of like traction except they put you in a harness kind of thing and a computerized motor kind of pulls you in both directions at once in a sort of pulsing type action.

I am also having cold laser treatments to my back along with accupuncture. I am doing all I can to avoid back surgery. I have a torn ligament and a ruptured disc from a car accident.
so I may need it sooner or later.

Can you tell me more about the surgery? How was the diagnosis made? What were the symptoms? How long was the surgery? How long was the recovery in the hospital and at home, etc.? Was it very painful? Would you do it again?

Thank you for any information you can provide. PM me if you would prefer though there are probably others who might also need info.
smile

Yes, yes, I would have the surgery again
I suffered for months. it started as tingling in my toes which I panicked and thought was a stroke- the idiot physician's assistant thought I was depressed and gave me zoloft so being stubborn I ignored the pain for months til I couldn't take it. Went back to my osteopath and he tried adjusting my back- said I had mild scoliosis- that didn't work- so went for an mri and two days later I was at the orthopedic surgeon- he said I had blockage on both sides of my spine and no reflexes in my left foot from pressure on the sciatic nerve- he just cleaned out the calcium on that side- had I gone for both sides I would have needed a plate- no thanks.
The surgery took an hour and a half- three inch inciscion. I was out of bed in four hours- home 10 hors. The pain was gone- I was sore. I was out of work 11 weeks but I have an active job with heavy lifting to 50 pounds.
I went to therepy for twice a week- did work on my abs and bending twisting. About six weeks after surgery I needed a cortizone shot for a sore spot. The pain was managable- I got morphine- never took it- I take ibuprophen now and use a capsacian creme for the arthritis I have in my spine. I may need added surgery later- calcium deposits come back and I get depressed because I sleep with 5 pillows so turning over is fun.
How does your therepy work- are you in traction all the time?
Know what really7 helps- when I am on the computer I sit on one of those balance exercise balls- works the core and you get to chat
let me know if you have any questions-I feel your PAIN!!!!

[ July 09, 2005, 07:18 PM: Message edited by: Pattyann ]

Sounds like you are still having to manage your pain, but thank heaven it is manageable.

This is a long story, but sounds like we need to share. The traction decompression has helped my back to about to the same point you describe. I was sleeping with pillows and still awake with pain before the therapy. Now I am sleeping with no pillows and without pain. I am sometimes stiff in the mornings and can't stand for long periods, but I have more mobility and much less pain.

I had laser Therapy to speed the healing for reconstructive surgery on my ankle and leg Dec. 9, 2004. I was in a cast for four months and in terrible pain. The cast worsened my back and hyper extended my knees which cause them to also hurt. I was insane with pain and couldn't stand, walk, sit or lie down without pain until I started the decompression and laser therapy.

Now I am naving decompression therapy for my back, laser for my ankle and back and accupuncture for my back and ankle. And next week I also start physical therapy to improve the flexibility of my ankle.

The decompression therapy feels wonderful, but the lazer and accupuncture makes me hurt for a day or two. The physical therapy will probably hurt also. It is all so exhausting, but in the long run, I believe it helps.

My back and ankle problems result from car accidents and I have had mulitple orthopedic surgeries. I always came through because I kept active. I was walking 2 miles a day plus regular walking when I went to the surgeon. It was killing me, but I just knew it would get better. It always had before. week tried that with the ankle, but it just made it worse. I was in excruciating pain when I went in. When I saw the x-rays, I almost cried and I thought the doctor was going to cry too. He said I'm a surgeon and I don't prescribe narcotics except after surgery, but I'm giving you some morphine and he handed me a prescription. Then he said "You may have to have a handicap sticker. and gave me that. Then I really cried. He said I think I can correct this but it will be a very difficult surgery. And you need it as soon as possible. He cancelled another surgery to do mine the next week. I am a nurse and checked him out with other nurses and he was extremely well respected so I went with it. I was hospitalized for four days and in horrible pain. I had no weight bearing at all for two months and the cast made my back so much worse.

When I started the decompression therapy, I was sleeping with a pillow, taking medicine, and awake with pain all night. But now I sleep without any pillows and rarely need medication. My problems are when I stand for long periods.

Long term the surgery on my ankle helped my back because the leg bone had worn a 3/4 inch groove in the long bone of my foot and I was about 3/4 inch shorter on that side. I had compensated and didn't realize it until it was fixed. Now I can tell my pelvis is more balanced which seems to help my back.

Sorry for the long whine. It just sounded as if you were undergoing some of what I'm just coming out of. I'm still avoiding surgery as much as possible. But I'm very anxious to get back to running and walking. I just hope I can soon. I love it.

I'll pray your back continues to improve. Let's continue to compare treatments. It's the only way to know what works.
smile

Smilinize, I want to hop on a plane to "outer space" just so I can give you a big hug, GF. (((((smiles)))))

I can so relate to your back pain. I have congenital spinal stenosis and there is no surgery that can help it. Eventually, my spinal canal will narrow to the point where it puts so much pressure on my nerves that I can't walk anymore.

I've done the physical therapy, had the cortizone shots, and even had additional injections in my spine and sciatica but nothing works. It's all temporary fixes.

Smile, I'm so sorry about your pain. I would avoid surgery as well. My mom has had 2 back surgeries and needs another one. She says that the pain keeps coming back along with the calcium deposits that attach themselves to her disks and spinal canal.

Pattyann, it sounds like you're going to have to have another surgery, doesn't it? I wish you lots of luck and a good recovery.

Having long term chronic pain can cause depression. You might want to consider getting treatment for it so that it doesn't do further damage. I've been there and am currently being treated for depression as well.

Hugs to you Vicki- you have to be a strong woman.
I don't know how I'd manage if there was no relief. When I filled out my pre-surgery questionaire they asked to rate my pain from none to suicidal- I never got that bad but I was up there. I felt like I was losing myself but being the person I am I was hiding it- i slugged my wat through. This isn't really pain- it's artritis ache and tiredness and just not being the 100% I stubbornly want. My depression is gone- this is manageable. You're the heroine here

Thank you Meredith. You can hop on that plane any day. I need all the hugs I can get out here in outer space.

Vicki, My ex-husband had spinal stenosis. The M.D's said there was nothing they could do, but he got a degree of relief from chiropractic maniuplations. Maybe that would help you as well. Also don't forget the smile therapy. It works for me (at least it did for a long time)

I am so sorry to hear of such pain. All we can do is pray and as someone else said, maybe that it the most we can do. Hang in there.
smile

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I am a Chiropractor in New York City and I offer this service and get great results and would love to help more people or refer them to a doctor that offers this great service. again it is www.drshoshany.com

I definitely see this as an ad, but I am going to leave it just in case it can help someone in here. I have emailed him and shared that this is a women's only forum.