Anyone else suffer from Ist...hmic Spondy....lolisthesis?

[woowoo]

After two rounds of x-rays and an MRI, this is the final diagnosis as the cause of my lower lumbar/left hip pain.  It is a Grade 1 (less than 25%) L5 verte...brae slip with the start of some impingement of the nerve roots.

Prognosis is A) Deal with the pain however I see fit and B) strengthen the core as much as possible to prevent a further slip.  

Dr. isn't telling me to stop training or doing everything I love, he's basically telling me that I can do whatever I can deal with (re: the pain).  Steroid injections/etc won't really help.  He prescribed PT for 8 weeks to help me with building better core strength then I'll need to do a lot of core work 3-4x a week for the rest of my life. 

My bigger issue?  We've been trying to get pregnant and he's recommending I hold off for a little while until I get through PT and a few more months of strength training.  He's also warned me that there could be real effects on my spine/vertebrae slip when carrying a baby both due to the weight and the change in core muscles and pelvic makeup.  To the point where (if the slip gets worse) the nerves affecting bladder control, movement of my left leg, etc could be permanently affected or damaged.  Surgery is an option but he will recommend waiting 1-2 years after surgery before carrying a child, and surgery isn't typically recommended for just a Grade 1 slip.

WTF. 

Has anyone else dealt with this?  Anyone successful carry a child and not end up peeing on themselves for life??

Shit.

[hannahb]

First off, I am sorry you are dealing with this.
I have not personally dealt with this but do see it frequently. You want to avoid extension for awhile so while he didn't say you couldn't avoid exercise I would probably avoid most for awhile. Maybe recumbent biking for now or pool running. Swimming isn't good because you're extended.
Being pregnant could exacerbate it. Increased laxity and increased lumbar lordosis would cause more slippage to occur. However, if you're conservative, don't push through pain, and strengthen those deep core muscles, you should be able to manage this without surgery and be able to get back to normal activity

[woowoo]

Jun 1, 2015 12:21:28 GMT -5 hannahb said:

 You want to avoid extension for awhile so while he didn't say you couldn't avoid exercise I would probably avoid most for awhile. Maybe recumbent biking for now or pool running. Swimming isn't good because you're extended.

Thanks for responding!  He definitely didn't say anything about any of this...but he's one of the best spinal surgeons in Chicago.  Should I be concerned?  He just really wants me to listen to my body and do the work (core strengthening). 

[hannahb]

I would listen to him. I will say though if you were my patient and wanted to get pregnant I would have you hold on those things for a bit. This may just be me being conservative. Talk to your PT about it. Good luck!

[mrs.jacinthe]

Not a doctor, but I play one sometimes. Spondylolisthesis is SUPER common and is often not diagnosed for years because it can be totally asymptomatic. For a grade I slip, I'd definitely go with conservative treatment. Strengthen strengthen strengthen. You want a super-strong core and back muscles in order to support the spine. Give PT a chance and talk to your therapist about non-weightbearing activities. My doctor actually recommends swimming once the core is strong as a non-weighbearing exercise, but not until the core is in a good place.

And yeah, if you've got pain now, I'd wait until your core is stronger before you go for a baby.