Lumbar Spinal Stenosis - when am I classed as disabled?

squipper

hi everybody, I am 57 years old and i am suffering with Lumbar Spinal stenosis and have been for the past 6 years since I was diagnosed. I have had 3 lots of pain injections which lasted about 3 weeks each time and have been told surgery is not an option. I am a pretty optimistic kind of person who still works full time as a LGV trainer and assessor. My question is at what point do I class myself as disabled? I can only walk 50 metres, I need a mobility scooter for anything further, I cannot stand long enough for a kettle to boil, and I cannot sit for longer than 30 minutes without stiffening up. Oh, I only take pain relief if I am really bad or not needed to drive anywhere.

Alex_Alumni

Hello there @squipper and welcome to the community You raise a very interesting question, and I'm sure it won't be first or last time it's asked. 

I'm not sure anyone can tell you at what point you should or shouldn't class yourself as disabled. How you choose to define yourself is really down to you. Some people prefer to call themselves disabled, other would rather say the have a chronic or long term health condition or mental illness, or impairment, or perhaps limited mobility, hearing or sight for example. There's no obligation or time limit to decide either! 

How long have you been and LGV trainer and assessor, and is it something you always wanted to do?

If you'd like to connect with other members, perhaps who also have spinal stenosis, then I can encourage you to share your own experiences in our Chronic Pain and Pain Management category. You are welcome to explore the rest of the forum of course. 

Here's a few of the best places to get started:

• Recent discussions is where you'll find all the latest conversations our members are having
• The categories page shows all the different topics for discussion
• The virtual coffee lounge is a place to chat, get to know other members, and play games too

If you have any other questions let us know, and we'll be here to help, I hope you enjoy having a look around

Alex

Cartini

Hi squipper,

That`s an interesting question you ask.

If you were to see me, you would think there is nothing wrong with me.

However.... I was medically discharged from the Royal Navy in 1998 with lumbar spondylosis and asthma (cervical spondylosis was added shortly after).  Shortly after my discharge, I sat a medical board arranged by the NHS and was deemed to be 70% disabled.

My point being is that I never had to wonder at what stage could I call myself disabled because that decision was made for me by the NHS.

Had I not had the medical board, I wouldn`t call myself disabled, just someone with a few medical challenges.

Andy

SueHeath

Good afternoon @squipper I to have lumber spinal stenosis and a few other things wrong with my joints.
I was diagnosed when i was young with degenrative disc's and curviture of the spine. I had one Doctor tell me pack up work and take up swimming, easy for him to say, while i had a great Doctor who used to tell me you try what you want, if it lays you up you know it's not for you, needless to say i would always try to see the second Doctor if i could. I have worked most of my working life and have just had to pack up work as things have got worse, 18 months shy of gov retirement age.  Do i consider myself as disabled, i suppose i do as my life has changed a lot in the last two and half years, and there is a lot i can not do any more, so i would say it's life changing.

squipper

Hi again, in answer to your question Alex, I have been an LGV trainer and assessor for nearly 12 years and I dropped on the job by chance. I was a LGV driver for 13 years before that and I am ex RAF as well. I did Mountain Rescue in the RAF for a while and I always thought that was where my problems started but I have been told that this is type of illness is hereditary. So looking back through my family history and asking relatives it has seemed to come from my Grandmother as she suffered with arthritis for many years.
I am not sure if this Spinal stenosis is a form of Arthritis as no one has ever said so. I have asked and all I was told was it was a build-up of calcium in the nerve channel. Maybe someone could tell me here if it is a form of arthritis? Also any tips on how to help avoid causing the tenderness and pain. I am open to any and all suggestions. Thank you for your support by the way, it is nice to know I am not alone in this world.

SueHeath

Mine is hereditary @squipper run's through the women in our family but to be fair going back all them years all my mom and aunts had were a basic xray and was told it's curviture of the spine, we all have/had the same look about us like a figuire of eight and a hump at the top and right hip area sticking out oh and a big belly ha ha . My pain etc comes from a bone on top of bone which has sqaushed the nerves, the pain was awful, i was put on a nerve blocker as well as pain killers, my left side as gone numb now, but i don't mind that as it's reduced the pain.

Sandy_123

Hi @squipper and welcome. There's quite a few of us with spine problems. I had the injections, but like you they only lasted a few weeks if that. Was no point for me.  I'm limited in a lot of things that I can do with it, especially activities like bowling, pool, any sports. 
Its the flare ups that I hate.

janer1967

Hi there 

There is no such thing as being registered disabled anymore however the definition of disability referred to in the equality act is 

A physical or mental health impairment that significantly affects your ability to carry out day to day tasks . The condition must be expected to last 12 months or more 

There is no list of conditions that deem a 9erson as disabled because everyone is affected differently by their condition 

squipper

That answers my question then, thank you.

Alex_Alumni

I'm glad we can be of help and support @squipper and thanks for explaining about your working life, Mountain Rescue must've been quite something to be involved with!

squipper

Hi Alex
Yes, being part of a Mountain Rescue Team was like having an extended family. We all looked out for each other and had massive trust in ourselves and others. You needed to when dangling on a rope a few hundred feet up a rock face. The one thing I did learn in my time in the RAF was the motto Per Ardva Ad Astra means more now, then it did then. "Through Adversity To The Stars", yep that sounds pretty much my life now. So onwards and upwards.

SueHeath

That's a lovely saying @squipper sounds like you have had a very interesting life so far.