Facts and Tips about Spinal Stenosis

"Many years ago, spinal stenosis was called 'creeping paralysis' because it gradually gets worse as you get older."

I can understand why! But...there are possibilities today. This site was recommended by the surgeon I visited and it has a lot of resources. It will keep me busy for awhile...

One surgical procedure that I'm going to ask about is MEL

X-Stop Interactive Video

From Spine-Health

Update

I seem to be quite chatty this morning. A good thing. And I think it's because I have awakened with less pain than normal. Will it stay that way? I sure hope so, but I'm continuing with the ibuprofen therapy anyway. And I will do some more Wii Fit exercises. I am very unsteady because of a loss in core strength and I need to maintain what I can of it.

I went to my appointment with the doctor at the Chico Pain Clinic but I didn't see the doctor, I saw a nurse/practitioner instead. A good thing as he seemed to have the answers I was looking for and I really wasn't looking forward to what Dr. Lal might have said.

Steve, the NP, said that it didn't make sense to pursue any more RF Ablation procedures. Mine didn't work and another one wouldn't help. He thought I should try another epidural steroid (cortisone) injection to get some temporary relief and then it was time for a referral to another surgeon for a second opinion and to a physiatrist. He wants to see me go to San Francisco for that. I'm not sure that I want to go all of that way and then be linked for future visits to the Bay area forever. I'm going to ask about some local doctors as well.

I spent some time browsing the net again after my meeting with the NP at the Pain Clinic and I found this link…

I've already talked to one surgeon about the X-Stop, an Interspinous Process Spacer. But I had no idea there were so many others! A good thing… as the surgeon I talked to said the X-Stop had a 40% failure rate. Yes, that does mean a 60% success rate, but with my recent luck…

So now I wait for the Pain Clinic to call and give me a date for the epidural. For some odd reason, they are unable to give you 'instant' appointments while you are at their office; it always requires a wait. A feature of modern medicine.

 

Yes, That’s Mii

I'm having another typical pain day today. Nothing special. I can probably get by with ibuprofen and avoid the Vicodin. And I will return to the Wii Fit and see if I have improved in any of the exercises. Some of them are very frustrating. But it's good frustration. They make me want to do them again and again.

Core strength exercises, which includes balance are the toughest for me. I have been trying the Tight Rope Walk and so far I've covered just a yard on the high wire before 'falling to my death'. But, oddly enough, I've been great on the Super Hula Hoops; 147 revs! And in real life, I can't keep a hula hoop going for over 10 seconds. And there's more to come! As you spend time exercising, Wii rewards you by opening new games for you to try.

Did I mention Soccer? You have to 'head' the balls as they are kicked at you. And they kick everything at you…even old soccer shoes and pigs! You are supposed to dodge those.

What?

I will mention that I have an appointment with Dr. Lal, the pain guy, on next Wednesday afternoon. No treatment, just another consultation. One where I will repeat myself, telling him once again, in detail, where it hurts. And he will look incredulous.

Sort of fit

I hadn't planned on making my racewalking blog a health issue blog, but there you are. Things happen. And although I haven't made it back to training yet, I still have hopes; sort of. Some days are positive and others not. But until I can make it past the Stenosis pain barrier, I'm somewhat stuck here in the middle, emotionally.

Yesterday, I made it through another milestone of sorts. The family physician had noted my irregular heartbeat and odd EKG and so he had referred me to a cardiologist for an echo stress test. The problem had been noted and resolved some ten years ago with a similar stress test, but no records exist locally. A benchmark needed to be established and so I was in the cardio lab for a stress echocardiogram.

It's a painless test where you get to pedal a 'bicycle' while laying on your back. And attached to the EKG machinery. Before and during this test they view your heart with an echo transducer that is moved to various spots on your chest to view the heart. Short story, it's hard work getting your heart rate up to the level they want and then it was all anticlimactic as the doctor pronounced me in fine health.

Yes, fine. Cardio fine. But the ten minutes of horizontal biking had me in pain later in the evening as the Stenosis problem reacted to the abuse. So it's back to the pain management doctor to see if he has any more tricks in his bag. It's obvious to me that the RF Lesioning procedure has failed…

Ps. The technician told me that I looked fit. I would have kissed him, but it seemed somewhat inappropriate.