fed up and ready to explode

I am glad you found HW for support.  You may certainly vent any time!  That's what we are here for...to provide support.

Many, many of us understand back pain and all the pain that develops from the results of a poor back.  It's like the back pain breaks us down and, even if you get the pain of the "back" under control, then you face the pain of the other parts that have been damaged because of the back.  Things like the feet, the arms, the shoulders, the feet the legs, the buttocks, you name it.  Most of us have this and we understand.

I don't always check the board and I don't always post anymore, but I do check in once in a while and I could see you needed help and understanding.  I cannot give the help, but I can give the understanding. 

I don't know your pain meds exactly, but I do know that it took me a very long time to get mine under control and even they don't work as well as they should from time to time.  It was the same way with the procedures.  After my "bad" fusion and additional herniations/other issues, I didn't think I could live with the pain.  Finally I found a phychiatrist that understood and he helped.  Then I found a PM who would give me meds (not enough, but some) and he'd do procedures....like RFA and trigger point injections.  Then he started to trust me and upped my meds.  I still take the meds, take the drug tests, do the procedures as often as possible and whatever else they recommend (short of implantation of a stimulator) and I have a life.  It's not the life I thought I would have, but it is my life and I'm OK with that now.

Don't give up.  Things will get better.  You will find answers and hopefully better medication/procedures to help relieve your pain.

I wish you all the luck my friend.

I wrote you a long response - but, in the ongoing saga of my life - it poofed and went away.  The jist of what I was trying to say is welcome.... but I'm sorr you are dealing w/ chronic pain issues.  The more you read here... and more you post.... you'll find many wonderful, compassionate people that truly understand what it's like to deal w/ chronic health and pain issues.  Our circumstances may vary slightly.... but the common ground that we all share is that we suffer. 

So, please continue to post with quesitons.... to vent.... whatever it may be.

You can also utilize the search feature (upper right corner) and plug in various topics and find threads where we've talked about just about everything under the sun, and then some! lol...

One thing I posted before is that I probably am the most patient person you'll ever meet - I have 8 kids - but, trust me, when my pain is flaring.... the kiddos drive me nuts, the politicians on TV, etc - all of that which you write of - I understand completely! 

Finally, I'm very sorry for the loss of your mom.  I do know that stress can make any health/pain issue worse... so please take extra good care of yourself... and keep reaching out. As someone else mentioned too - many of us here suffer from depression and/or anxiety - and use medications for these issues too.  So, it's just a thought.

Look foward to getting to know you better.... take care of yourseld Dave.... --Tina

Thank you all for your caring replies - I guess when you're like this you tend to think you're alone.

There were a lot of questions raised, I'll try to answer them as I go along.  (oh, I'm writing this in word, then pasting it in, so sorry if it appears disjointed)

Firstly, yes I am on medication for depression, have been since I left the Army 15 yrs ago (that's where all my neck problems started) - I used to run half marathons regularly and once the knees and ankles gave way I realised just how much of my worries were "exercised away".  The funny part is, once I damaged my neck the orthpaedic surgeon told me - well, no swimming, or rugby etc, why not try running - twenty plus years later and being unable to run, yep you can see this coming, the surgeon suggested - well, you can't run, why not try swimming. 

I am about to start seeing a psychologist "adjustment disorder" (sounds like something you do with furniture)..... we'll see how it all goes

I've now found out I'm allergic to the adhesive used in the patches, my upper arms and chest have red rectangles on them that look like heavy sunburn. I'm coming down from the medication from the patches.  The pharmacist tells me it takes 3 days for everything to leave your system, so I'm attempting to replace it with the stuff I have at home.   

Woke up about 5 or 6 times last night, tried watching TV for a while, then decided that I didn't need an ab-swinger, air purifier, or want to better myself through paying someone $$$$ for some DVDs.  My worry is that eventually work will say enough is enough - having already been down the path of one medical discharge (Army) and the promises about being looked after and helped... Not sure I'm ready to even contemplate sitting at home - I need to work, to feel like I'm contributing to something.

ok, it's 4am, don't believe it when they tell you Australia is all warm...it's freezing (about 40F) at the moment, and when you're used to the tropics....that's cold.  Thank you all again for taking some time to reply, reading your replies has helped me.

Dave