Husband nerve decompression surgery for lumbar stenosis has produced excellent results.

CTyankee

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Tue Jul-20-10 01:47 PM
Original message

Husband nerve decompression surgery for lumbar stenosis has produced excellent results.

Edited on Tue Jul-20-10 01:50 PM by CTyankee

He is in Intensive Rehabilitation in the hospital but will go home Friday. The surgery went even better than we expected. His drop foot is much better and he walks (with a walker) without toe dragging. He may not need a splint on that foot/lower leg. Needless to say, his pain is gone and has been gone for several days (he had surgery on July 12). Even the incision wound gives him minimal discomfort.

He's getting both OC and PT 7 to 3 every day. He'll have home rehab OC and PT after he goes home for a while (luckily it is paid in full by Medicare). They will help him negotiate our not so handicap accessible house (to say the least!).

We are both SO encouraged!

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MineralMan

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Tue Jul-20-10 01:50 PM
Response to Original message

1. Excellent. My mother had that surgery and did very well, too.

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aquart

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Tue Jul-20-10 01:56 PM
Response to Original message

2. A good medical story is VERY nice to hear.

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CTyankee

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Tue Jul-20-10 02:08 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. I was anxious because we just didn't know whether we were dealing with

permanent nerve damage in his foot and we still don't know the final outcome, of course. But so far so good. We were concerned because he has atrial fibrillation and for a couple of days after the surgery his heartbeat was rapid. It calmed down considerably, tho, and his blood pressure is good, too.

It's so nice to see him out of the horrible pain he was in...

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aquart

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Tue Jul-20-10 05:13 PM
Response to Reply #3

6. Yes.

And I just got off the phone with my mom who finally talked to a doctor she trusts and the relief in her voice was like dancing. Good day all around.

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GrannyK

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Tue Jul-20-10 02:10 PM
Response to Original message

4. Had your husband had previous

surgery that created the drop foot? I have drop foot that was caused by nerve issues from spinal surgery about 16 months ago. It is somewhat improved, at least I don't have to wear the shoe insert to keep from dragging my toe now.

No one had noticed before I stumbled and did serious damage to my left ankle. Still having quite a bit pain from that injury.

I'm glad your husband's surgery was successful and he has relief. Tell him: "Good luck on his continuing recovery."

I'm not sure that I would have more surgery to correct the nerve damage. But maybe it could help.

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CTyankee

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Tue Jul-20-10 02:17 PM
Response to Reply #4

5. No previous surgery. The drop foot was brought on by the nerve compression.

It was a very fast phenomenom. He was favoring his left leg a bit around Mothers Day and was practically unable to walk, even with a cane, by the time of his surgery. It's kinda a good thing it came on so fast and got acute so quickly because he took immediate action. It didn't have a chance to cause that much degeneration.

He's been moving that foot well ever since the surgery and it seems to improve every day. That's why we are so hopeful...

Thanks for your good wishes, grannyk!

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JanusAscending

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Sun Jul-25-10 11:41 PM
Response to Reply #5

7. This is encouraging news for me to hear.

I'm facing pretty much the same thing. I will be making an appointment with a neurosurgen tomorrow. Mine came on pretty sudden, and has worsened rather quickly since my 4 day hospital stay in late June for colitis! I'm at home with VN care and PT twice a week. I have to use a walker as I'm losing strength in my left leg pretty rapidly, and my foot is beginning to drop as well. Hope I have the success that your husband had. I'm hoping they will do the surgery as I have COPD, and am 71 years old.

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JanusAscending

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Sat Jul-31-10 08:36 PM
Response to Reply #5

8. I'm in Ct. too,

Edited on Sat Jul-31-10 08:37 PM by JanusAscending

and was wondering what Hospital he used? I wasn't able to get an appt. with the N.Surgeon until Aug. 16th. I have my MRI disc back from St. Mary's in Waterbury to take for him to see. My leg is stil getting weaker even with therapy.

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whistler162

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Tue Aug-10-10 03:58 PM
Response to Reply #5

10. Sounds like me.... luckily it happened when I was

home and not away on vacation as I had been 2 weeks earlier.

I hope he is feeling better.

I have two weeks until my decompression surgery, L3-L5. Hope it is as successful.

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uppityperson

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Sun Aug-01-10 03:45 PM
Response to Original message

9. I am very glad for him and you. Congrats.

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postulater

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Fri Aug-13-10 09:57 PM
Response to Original message

11. I know a man whose foot drop was fixed by six weeks of chiropractic adjustments.

He had stenosis also but refused to have any more surgery. He thought the ostomy bag was bad enough and worried what the outcome of a bad back surgery would be.

Glad your husband's is turning out well so far. Hope it lasts longer than the usual four years.

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Dappleganger

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Fri Aug-13-10 10:50 PM
Response to Original message

12. Very glad to hear this!

I'm currently having major back issues and am in PT three days a week (was out this week due to gallbladder surgery). I could not move my left foot or toes for a couple of weeks but there's been enough improvement that surgery may be put off this time. The mri showed several herniated discs/disc degeneration and severe stenosis. They used traction at the PT with good success.

Hope you hubby is back to feeling his old self very soon! I know that this can be scary and that improvement takes time but a little bit of change is always encouraging.

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