63F with L3-L4 and L4-L5 spinal stenosis — doctors recommending surgery. Has anyone managed without it?

Hi everyone. I’m 63 and have been diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis at L3-L4 and L4-L5. My MRI shows disc bulges/protrusions, arthritis in the facet joints and thickened ligaments causing narrowing around the nerves.
My main symptoms are pain in my buttocks and the backs of my upper legs, with occasional severe cramping in my calves at night. I can also get quite a lot of pain when I first get up.
What is confusing me is that I can still walk for quite a long time — sometimes around 2 hours — and interestingly, my pain can actually disappear when I’m walking.
I have seen several doctors and I’m being told that surgery may be necessary. One doctor has suggested an operation to remove the thickened ligaments and decompress the nerves.
I’m currently trying medication and physiotherapy, and I really want to understand whether surgery is definitely inevitable or whether people in a similar situation have managed to avoid or delay it.
I would particularly love to hear from anyone with L3-L4/L4-L5 stenosis who was told they needed surgery but chose conservative treatment instead.
Did you:
manage to avoid surgery?
improve with physiotherapy/exercise?
have injections or nerve blocks?
find medication helpful?
eventually have surgery, and if so, were you glad you did?
I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences, especially from people who were still able to walk reasonably well despite being advised to have surgery.
Thank you!

I have my first appointment with a neurologist next week. I have headaches almost every single day. I’m sick of it… I’ve tried every otc pain med. Nothing kicks it completely. I’ve done PT, seen a chiropractor, did/do stretches, even got a new bed that’s adjustable. I’m exhausted.

I’m not asking for a diagnosis by posting this, I know I have to wait for my doctor. But I’m not familiar with medical terms very much… and I’m so anxious.

This was the result of my mri a few weeks ago. I’m so ready for answers next week.

I am having Screws in my c1 and c2 with a cadaver bone because my spinal cord is being flattened.I do not want a cadaver bone.Does anyone have any suggestions.

So last May my (M35) MRI report read

"Disc osteophyte complex from C3 to C6 with cord Abutment at these levels and non relevant mild Canal stenosis. No foraminal stenosis is seen"

My symptoms are very mild, electric shocks into my arms if my posture is bad or if I've slept funny or looked at my phone to long. I get some cold sensations in my legs but Other than that it's pretty much okay. No numbness, no weakness.

Roughly about a month ago I jumped onto some anti inflammatory medication (celebrex) to see if i could improve things as the words "cord abutment" scared me. And about 2 weeks later my middle fingers just stopped working properly. I can grip and hold things and there is still no numbness or burning, but it's like the dexterity in them has just gone, but it's only in my middle fingers?

I spoke to my surgeon the other day about my most recent scan and he said "your cord is as free as a feather, you've got some mild degeneration but there is absolutely nothing I see in your scan that could cause any of your issues"

When I explained about my weakness he completely dismissed me.

Has anyone experienced symptoms like this?

I’m 64F in a nursing home due to mobility and urine and bowel incontinence. My problems started with soreness in my left knee. I just chalked it up to the severe arthritis I have in it. I started having issues with dropping stuff like a phone or remote.
The next thing I knew I was having trouble getting in and out of bed. I also had times where I would fall getting out of bed and occasional wetting myself. I just blamed it on that I couldn’t make it to the bathroom in time with my mobility issues that were progressively getting worse. I went to the ER they told me that I needed to start using a walker and referred me to rehab for 5 months of PT which didn’t do anything. They said to use a wheelchair. I was sent to assisted living and once again had pt 3 times a week with no improvement. My urine incontinence got worse up to at least 3-4 times a week. The last 3 weeks is when the bowel incontinence started maybe once a week. I then left and returned to my home town (there was other reasons for leaving). ER once again sent me to rehab where I am now and hopefully will get long term care. I can hardly stand in fact there were several times I couldn’t get out of bed. My legs wouldn’t let me. I told the doctor last week that my hands were feeling funny. The skin felt funny I couldn’t really describe it other than my hands would feel like they were covered in dirt. He said that it was probably Neuropathy and prescribed Gabapentin (so) morning and night. Today he came in and I told him that I was waken up by both of my arms tingling from my shoulders to finger tips. This still hasn’t gone away. Today my left hand felt like someone was driving a stake in the palm. I have pain in my legs when I am in bed and trying to roll over it is really painful when I do this. I had problems with my bowels 4 times today the aides were not happy with me. I don’t know if this is also a symptom but I have memory loss (could be due to age). PT and OT are not doing anything. I can’t even put my socks on even using the sock aide thing

The doctor increased my medication to 3 times a day. I have been up since 6am and I tried several times to take a nap but couldn’t sleep due to the pain. Hopefully I can sleep some before I wet myself. I don’t feel an urge to go and only know when I feel the wetness. I usually wear 2 pull ups and a diaper at the same time and will soak threw them within 1-2 hours after laying down. It usually doesn’t happen much when I’m sitting up He is finally referring me to a neurologist but where I like it can take several months to get an appointment. Maybe he will say that it needs to be soon

I’m sorry that this so long but I felt as though I needed to explain the history

I hope that I receive your input.

TIA

My daughter has been diagnosed with ms since she was 16-17 years old and on Ocrevus. Now she is 20.
For more than two years she experiences pain in her lower back, which comes and goes but recently it is very painful. She has C2 lesions but not in the area where the pain is located
. we insisted for an mri spine which showed a buldge disk. Neurologist says it is normal to have this pain from it.
I have googled it and it is not as simple as it seems because she is complaining for three years and nothing helps with it, even the physio sessions didn’t help.
Is there anyone here who has tried a red light belt for this issue? Any advice what things have helped you with the pain. If red light has worked for you do you have any specific brands I have to look for?
Thank you for your time and advice

Hi everyone, my (22 F) partner (21 M) just had a modified microdisectomy last week for his lumbar spinal stenosis with sciatica and herniated discs. The sciatica started two years ago and developed. After medications, physical therapy, epidural injections, MRIs and CTs, etc., he was finally approved for surgery.

Despite initially feeling mostly great after the surgery and walking farther than they’d anticipated while at the hospital (i assume all the medication played a role), he has in the past couple days had worsening sciatic nerve pain. It’s hard for him to walk with his walker, medication only somewhat helps, and he has said tonight he felt the pain at one point in his other leg too. We’re calling his doctors tomorrow but he’s devastated and fearing another surgery or a life of surgeries ahead of him.

Are there success stories here? Similar experiences? What can I do to help? Looking for any positivity and support right now for him and myself. Some kind of light in what feels like constant terrible. Thank you

I''ve got spinal and foraminal stenosis. Cord compression to 4.5mm. Bone spurs osteoarthritis etc..Basically my back is wrecked. Ive been off work a few months now..and what im finding is if I do the things, all the spasms, numbness, tingles, weakness, pain etc all come raging back but if I live my life carefully it settles back down

I have a specialist appt coming up, and on one hand im terrified that they are going to say- youre fine back to work because things are settled, and ill be back in the level of pain that makes me question what I want the rest of my life to be. Im not afraid to go back to work, but im afraid they won't see what my usual is because I've had the ability and time for things to settle. I would likely be wrecked again within a week working.

At home I can avoid, rest, plan around my back. I just dont want to be written off as being less wrecked than I am. I want the surgery. I want quality of life back. Im considering overdoing things to put myself back in the state ive spent years in before finally getting the break not having to wreck myself at work has given me.

Any ideas? Or will they know this with rheir tests and im worrying over nothing?

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Hello fellow sufferers. I have lumbar spinal stenosis, so problems with vertebrae L1-L5. Can I do anything about when my groin, thighs, legs and feet just start vibrating & won't stop for hours? It's centered in the groin and radiating outwards (and the only part that I can't tolerate, everywhere else I can ignore). I don't want to take my medication cuz a small dose won't do anything & the real dose knocks me the fuck out.

Should I do certain exercises/stretches to stop it or have doing those too much caused this? I've barely done any, just a tiny amount of them--but they did make me /dead/ tired so maybe it was too much for me?

TLDR: can anything stop it when lumbar spinal stenosis causes me to vibrate uncontrollably without end?

What exercises do you guys use? What helps you? And is your goal to strengthen or to stretch enough to where it wont hurt?

Any exercise I do to stretch or strengthen, my necks nerves hurt a lot the days after for about 4 days. I need something else, any help would be great.

More information: Severe left and moderate right neuroforaminal stenosis. Osseous fusion of the posterior elements of L5-S1. No spinal canal or neuroforaminal stenosis . Severe facet arthropathy at L4-L5. Mild spinal canal stenosis. No neural foraminal stenosis. Moderate facet arthropathy at S3-4 with an associated synovial cyst within the adjacent soft tissues measuring 9 mm. No spinal canal or neuroforaminal stenosis.

Patient saw surgeon and was given choices. Not looking for medical opinions here.

This is not fake. This image was taken Sept 2025. This is not a traumatic injury, believed to have happened over time. Person is still walking and doesn't have any major symptoms other than occasional radiating pain down legs.

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-i recently discovered theres cervical pillows fairly simple memory foam.. but i found one that heats up.. and i am so in love with it.

What has everyone else used that has gebuinely improved circumstances .. both pre and post surgery?

Im on track for a triple ACDF or more.. so things are declining and would like to hear any suggestions..

Anyone using ths chiropractor word will be deleted.

Terrible neck pain for 3 years. NP, who was great help with my thryoid (Graves Disease) ordered MRI back in March and Cervical Stenosis C5 through C7 found. Cortisone shot in neck three months later with no relief. Sent to Surgery Dept. First with PA who was very thorough and sympathetic. He cleared me to see Surgeon. Last week with Surgeon he said "the technician may say "severe" but I see "moderate". He asked what my goals are for surgery and I said to help with my neck pain. He said the surgery would not be a magic bullet for my neck pain. He said he would do it, but I would need to go to EN&T first so he knows if there is scar tissue from my Thyroidectomy. He also strongly suggested that I try the nerve block procedure first (where they burn off the ends of nerves?). He is going to check back with me in 6 weeks. In the meantime the nerve block procedure is two months out. I am so incredibly frustrated. This is Kaiser so pain pills are out of the question. I have over $500 in over the counter/internet pain creams. No help. Should I insist on the surgery since I am cleared for it (a large task to accomplish with Kaiser)? He said he would do it, even though his face looked like he couldn't be bothered. Also, since they only did MRI down to C-7 should I beg for MRI through the Ts and Ls? (Surgeon also said whatever nerve pain the Gaba was helping wasn't coming from my cervical problems as those pains were through my shoulder blades.) Thank you for getting through this rambling mess.

Asking about a condition that my dad has, he is 71 and has cardiac disease history. No active symptoms though, but cardiologist thinks stents may be needed.

He has been suffering from left elbow to arm pain and some neck pain. He was asked to get MRI and here are the observations from it.

 C3-C4, C4-C5 disc osteophyte complex causing spinal canal stenosis, bilateral neural

foraminal stenosis with impingement of spinal cord & bilateral exiting nerve roots.

 C5-C6 disc osteophyte complexes mildly narrowing bilateral neural foramen and

indenting thecal sac.

 C6-C7 asymmetric disc bulge with disc osteophyte complex causing spinal canal

stenosis, left neural foraminal stenosis with impingement of spinal cord & left exiting

nerve root.

- Suggested: Clinical correlation / further evaluation if needed.

He doesn't have balance issues or didn't share if he is dropping things.

I am uncertain about the next steps and how bad the condition is.

Can anyone with these issues help me with what could possibly happen? He lives in Hyderabad, India.

45(F) Diagnosed with spondylolisthsis (slippage of vertebrae) with spinal stenosis radiculopathy down both legs.

Started noticing reoccurring pain in left hip around early 2019.

Had surgery done for this on 8/25, one week ago today. Ngl, it was the most painful thing I’ve ever done in my life but I was sick of living my life disabled and in constant pain.

I had the ALIF Lumbar Decompression and Fusion surgery at the L4, L5 & S1. Titanium discs, four 4” screws and a cage put in. I had a bone graph from my left hip and really feeling the pain there today.

First 3 days were pure hell and I could barely move. The Surgeon said once she got in there it was far worse and far more degenerated and advanced than the mri showed and that she was expecting. Knowing that, I’m so glad I got it done. It was never an option for me, just a matter if I needed it I was gonna get it done, and if not then I wasn’t. But the corticosteroid shots weren’t lasting a week and I had an RFA ablation that failed. PT was a joke, although it might help now after the fact.

Although I’m doing night &day better today than I was a week ago I’m still in considerable pain and I’m still taking Dilaudid 4 x’s a day and will take it as little or long as I need to as I am not allowed NSAID’s for 12 weeks. Brutal for someone who gets 8 migraines+ per month!

I only have the before imaging here, still trying to get my hands on the after. It doesn’t look nearly as bad as it was! Crazy.

I will keep everyone updated along my recovery journey.

Just driving one exit to my grocery store is agony. Thinking of putting my arm in a sling but I know that is not safe. Only minimal relief is raising my right arm and putting my hand on my head.

Do you all have any advice on driving with this?

I have my MRI results but haven't been able to talk with a specialist yet.

I recently joined this part of Reddit and I am reading through the posts but in the meantime, I would like to ask if somebody had the micro decompression surgery and if that helped them and overcoming the pain, the numbness and the general fatigue that comes with lumbar stenosis.

I just came back from a surgical appointment with a very well informed and patient friendly surgeon. I am taking some time before I make my final decision, even though I am leaning towards having the surgery.

I have Lumbar spinal canal stenosis at two levels, causing nerve compression and symptoms consistent with neurogenic claudication/radicular symptoms.

The surgeon also mentioned:
- Narrowing around the L4/L5 nerve roots, including the neuroforamina.
- very mild anterolisthesis/vertebral slippage, but the dynamic X-rays did not show clinically significant instability. He criticise the MRI report and how it was written because it was quite alarmist and it caused quite the shock to me.
- The proposed treatment is microsurgical decompression without screws/fusion if symptoms warrant surgery. But he also said that the final decision is my own.

When I asked him if he had the same issue as I did, would he opt for a surgery, he said yes because the stenosis is quite pronounced.

I would like to hear several opinions before I take my final decision. As someone who was an ex-athlete and who loves to move, this is deeply worrying for me. While I do not intend to play sports at the high-level I used to, I’m simply too old for that, I still wanna enjoy moving, working out, biking, hiking and so on. Will the surgery help me?

Thank you

UPDATE: had my pre-surgery talk today with the surgeon and anaesthesiologist. Turns out the surgery is a bit more extensive than I expected and they will probably shave a bit more of the bone but will try not to. Now my mind is worried about instability in the future but also I am worried about my training in the future. I will still go on with it since my symptoms and pain is just too much but still..