I have a messed up back and need advice from other sufferers

I have back issues.....spinal stenosis.....I would highly recommend before you consider surgery to try physical therapy.....it has done wonders for me and my back pain. 

A second on the physical therapy recommendation, it seems crazy, impossible and foolish... but in my experience it improved things tremendously.

For the kitchen, you can get foam support mats for standing.  They have them a kitchen supply stores.  

Quoting TylersMom999:

I have back issues.....spinal stenosis.....I would highly recommend before you consider surgery to try physical therapy.....it has done wonders for me and my back pain. 

One thing that does seem to help back pain in the long run is if you build up your core muscles. Even doing simple side twists can help strengthen the muscles that support your back. I started doing simple yoga poses to help develop my balance and these seem to help my lower back pain.

I know exactly what you mean. I have Lupus, and during a flare I'm in 24/7 horrible pain. My back, neck, ankles, wrists, shoulders, you name it, it hurts. I feel awful because by the time I get a little bit of sleep, clean up the house, cook (when I can, sometimes I just heat up a frozen pizza, which i feel shitty about by its self since my kids are used to home-cooked meals)...but after I get done what i have to get done, I don't have much energy left for playing. The kids tell me I'm boring and we never do anything fun. I feel like such a crappy mom. :(

I cannot stand long enough to fry an egg, let alone make a whole meal. I have spinal stenosis that they can't do surgery for, ddd, and arthritis in my spine. I bought a stool for me to sit on in the kitchen, cause I refuse to ask someone to make my eggs, I use it to load the dishwasher, wash pots and pans, etc, I sit in my chair in the living room with a tv tray and peel and chop veggies and such. I never dreamed that I would be in this shape, but I am learning coping skills out the wahzoo.

 I think you should see a physical therapist if you haven't already.

I have a spinal disease, and these are some things that help me with my day-to-day things:

They make special rubber rugs to relieve back pressure when standing in 1 place for long periods of time. MSC.com, northerntool.com or other factory supply places should carry them. I am not sure of the costs, anymore.

For Laundry, I recommend a front loading washer and dryer, with the pedestals. You can store your detergent and such in the pedestal drawers, and sit in a chair to change loads, and to fold clothes.

Also, for getting out bed, you might check craigslist for a hospital bed that raises and lowers both ends of the bed, making it easier to sit up, and they also make special handles to make it easier to pull yourself up using your arms, instead of using your back directly. I wish I knew the name of these handles to help you. You can google these things to get prices to buy new, then check craigslist, ebay and such to get discounted prices.

These things will help you be more independent, while your back is healing and you regain strength, and I can give you a LOT of tips on regaining control over your back pain in general, if you'd like. Using these tips, along with my doctor, I have gone from having so much nerve damage I couldn't walk up or down the stairs nor to the mailbox without my legs literally folding under me, to walking 2 miles per day, in less than a year. I use my walking distance and number of reps of each therapy as my guide to how much I am gaining per week or month.

I would recommend chiropractics, acupuncture, deep tissue massage and physical therapy before surgery. I have had two surgeries, and I wouldn't recommend spinal surgery to my worst enemy.

Quoting Onemiracle:

A second on the physical therapy recommendation, it seems crazy, impossible and foolish... but in my experience it improved things tremendously.

For the kitchen, you can get foam support mats for standing.  They have them a kitchen supply stores.  

Quoting TylersMom999:

I have back issues.....spinal stenosis.....I would highly recommend before you consider surgery to try physical therapy.....it has done wonders for me and my back pain. 

Physical Therapy helps a lot, and they can also teach you exercises to help strengthen and  stretch.  To sit up from lying down in bed, roll over to your side, push up with your arms to a sitting position. Then use a chair or cane to help you stand up. - or even a walker so you have both hands to help lift.

Your shoes or rugs can make a difference. I find I can't stand very long on a concrete floor.  Maybe a rubber pad near the sink for you to stand on. Can you get a stool to perch on while you are at the sink?

I have heard this more than once. I am sorry it was a bad time for you.

My physical therapist used deep massage, and although it hurt, I think it did loosen the tissues that had tightened in my spine.

Quoting gingersnap30:

I would recommend chiropractics, acupuncture, deep tissue massage and physical therapy before surgery. I have had two surgeries, and I wouldn't recommend spinal surgery to my worst enemy.