burke53

Health Interests

Radiculopathy,  Degenerative Disc Disease,  Neuropathic pain,  carpal tunnel syndrome,  foot spurs.

Drugs I am Taking

Lyrica,  MSContin,  Elavil,  oxycodone,  EC Naproxen

About Me

About 12 years ago, I began to suffer from sharp pains going down my left leg. I underwent comprehensive diagnostic testing that revealed only that I had some degenerative disc disease. The pain got worse, I had more tests and then had my first surgery for a herniated disc at L4-L5. The surgery did not help much, my pain got worse, I then reherniated the disc at the same level. I had a different surgeon operate. Shortly after he finished the surgery, he talked to my brother in the waiting room and asked him if he knew anything about the previous surgery because he found "a nerve bundle that was severed for no reason leaving nerves stripped and exposed." My brother knew nothing, nor did I. I had worked in an industrial laboratory for over ten years where I was exposed to many solvents, leading one doctor to speculate that this long term exposure caused nerve damage. Since that second surgery in 2000, I've had chronic pain in my lower back and legs. I have also been diagnosed with severe bilateral carpal tunnel, and more recently have had more pain due to foot spurs. I am interested in other people's treatment for the same causes of chronic pain.