anyone who needs someone to lean on

Scooter ,

Most days,my pain is 4-6. I just had a radiofrequency on the nerves in my spine to bring it down to an average of a 3. If I am not on my band of meds I believe the pain would be unbearable. I sometimes feel stupid that my meds should be my meals.

Please tell me about you. I would love to hear about you cope with this stupidity. What does you pain have to do with? Injury? accident?

I would love to hear all about your struggles.

Beth

Hi again Beth, Hope things are going ok today. Well, here's my story.....I fell down  the stairs into my basement and broke my tailbone. It took about a half hour to be able to get off the floor. That fall loosened up my spine. I've had five low back surgeries because of bulging disks. I also had two nerve releases in my left leg. As a result of the back surgeries I now have scar tissue encased around the nerve roots. Therefore I have chronic low back and left leg  pain 24/7. I went from working at the same place for 20 years to being on disabilty. Let me know how you got to be where you now are. I would like to keep in touch. Have a low pain day.  Scooter

Well, I guess this isn't exciting. About 5 and a half years ago my father died, a month later I got sick. For 4 years I was told I was crazy and threw antidepresents Tegrrtol and Topamax helped for a year then I broke through. I was then put on Lyrica, my body hated it ( I later found out that the Dr. put me on the max dose without tapeing) I would fall asleep at work and still be dizzy. I held on for 6 months with the stupidity and the pain until I told the Dr. that it didn't work and worse I was dependent on it. He then told me I had no pain, it was depression and how dare I knock such a wonderful drug and called me a seeker.It took me 4 months to come off that stupid drug, then I ended up on Cymbalta.

My PCP told me to look for someone outside of the hospital I had dealt with. By miracle I Dentist I worked for referred me to a Neurosurgeon in Springfield MA. who finally diagnosed me with Trigeminal Neuralgia.

I had killed the nerve with Glycerol and I was told that that should do it for 3-5 years. 4 months later I was having pain again but more towards the back. I took me 3 months and for the pain to get up to a 5 before I went back to the Dr. Again, depression, but totally unrelated to the first nerve pain. I had gone to a different Neurologist because the Neurosurgeon dealt with the nerve and I knew this wasn't the same.

Then I was diagnosed with Occipital Neuralgia, same side of my head. ( according to them it wasn't related to my other problem so I went for Cortizone shots every month and PT to help loosen the muscles with no help.

I finally went to Columbia University in NY. I had seen one Neurosurgeon who told me that he thought he knew what I had but not his expertise and sent me to his boss. Within a half hour conversation and an exam he knew what I had.

I have been given Indomethacin which helps a lot but my pain gradually gets worse. Last week they burned the pain receptors inbetween C2-C3 and C3-C4. My head doesn't hurt so much but my body is still getting used to the damage inflicted.

I am only 32 years old, I still have to work a 40 hour week, although I have been cutting it down to 36. I am also a single mom of an eleven year old girl. I get so sick sometimes, but I don;t have a choice. disability wouldn't support my dog let alone us.

I know my job is killing me and I know disability is around the corner but, I can't stop.

I'm glad we have met, it's hard to tell people how lousy you feel so you put up a front, then it's not you anymore.

You have a low pain day aswell!!

Kerry