u/International-Wolf31

51M, cervical spondylosis. I spent most of my adult life training; bodyweight work, high volume. I still carry the muscle from those years. People look at me and see a guy who looks like he could help you move.

What they don’t see is that my whole day is built in 10–15 minute windows. Do something, recline. Do something else, recline. If I push past that, I pay for it with a flare that can cost me the rest of the day.

Things had been building for a few years, little stuff I kept writing off. Then earlier this year something tipped, and the decline got fast. I went from thinking of myself as someone who trained to pacing myself through dishes in a matter of weeks.

I’m also a full-time caregiver for my elderly mother, which adds a weird layer to all of this. I can still manage parts of that role, but only because my life is completely controlled. I’m home almost all the time. If I get weak or foggy, I can lie down immediately. If something can’t get finished, it waits. Take that structure away, and I honestly don’t know how I’d function.

The hardest part is that even doctors have to look past what I look like to see what I can actually do. The hardware is still there. The wiring is going bad. It’s gotten to the point where even getting to a doctor’s appointment can feel like part of the illness, not just the appointment itself, but the ride, the sitting upright, the walking in unsteady, and trying to look normal while I’m already wiped out. 

Anyone else deal with this gap between how you look and how you actually live?

I'm working with my doctors on a spinal condition and I'm trying to understand the practical side of things from people who've been there.

I stopped driving a couple years ago because of safety concerns. Medical rides work but sitting upright for longer stretches can really wipe me out. It's not just the appointment, it's whether I can physically tolerate the ride and still have anything left when I get there. My day is already built around short bursts of light activity with rest in between, so adding travel on top of that is a lot.

I'm starting to wonder when it makes sense to bring up mobility support or better positioning with my doctor or PT/OT. For those who reached that point, what made you realize it was time to ask?

51M. Got my MRI results back in April — significant multi-level foraminal stenosis from C4/C5 through C7/T1. Worst level is C5/C6 with severe right-sided foraminal stenosis. Also have L5/S1 with severe disc narrowing, recess stenosis, and moderate bilateral foraminal stenosis. Spinal cord looks fine, no myelopathy on imaging.

The reason for the MRI was leg and arm weakness and loss of balance. Of course neck and back pain, headaches, only being able to be up doing light activity for 10 minutes without feeling like i was going to pass out. My symptoms had been progressing but took a sharp dive after shoveling snow in January (big mistake and didnt’ realize my neck was so bad)

My PCP referred me to a spine neurosurgeon's office for recommendations. The PA-C diagnosed me with spondylosis and cleared me for light PT, stressed the importance of following up with neurology (September — long wait here), and also suggested I see a rheumatologist.

Here's what I'm curious about. I see posts about the burning, tingling, radiating pain but the symptoms that actually mess with my daily life the most are the motor ones, and I don't see as many people talking about those.

I'm talking about hand clumsiness — I drop stuff constantly although it’s a little better since my worse point in January. Doing dishes I lose grip on plates after a few minutes. I fumble with pill bottles. My triceps and forearms feel weak in a way that's hard to describe — not painful exactly, just unreliable. Like I can't trust my arms to finish what I started. It’s bilateral.  And my legs usually feel like the day after running a marathon minus some of the soreness. I fatigue very easy and if I don’t manage my symptoms I get a flare and lose the rest of the day or more.

Is this common with foraminal stenosis at these levels? I know C5-C7 controls a lot of the arm and hand function but I'm wondering how many of you deal with this kind of thing vs. the more typical radiculopathy symptoms.