done playing the tough guy

have a LOT of problems with pain. Especially in my back. For over two years, and by choice, I've only been taking Endocet (like Percocet) on occasion when I need to clean or do lifting. I always pay a price the next couple days, though. The rest of the time I put up with it.

Well, Over the last few months the story's changed. I'm in so much pain now, all the other options are off the table as I've tried them. Surgury's out, too young. I'm going to my doc and upping the painkiller routine. Instead of the Endocet, I'll probably be taking heavy doses of extended release oxy and the occasional Lortab. He's already said several times if I need it he'll give it to me. I've been on it before.

I'm also going to try to get a referral to an ortho as the tech has changed some over the past 3 years.

The price? No driving. Ever. So I'll be using public transit. while we have a great light rail system here the bus part leaves much to be desired. Oh, well. that's life. I don't own a car anyway.

I'm also contacting Medicare and seeing if having somebody come in and do some cleaning once in a while is covered. Time for some princely treatment, I think. I'll be all gorked on oxy anyway.

My Dx's are as follows:

Degenerative Disc Disorder, slight curvature of upper-mid back, Exposed spinal cord at L4, mild Chrons, Gluten Intolerance, Myalgia throughout most of my back, Osteoarthritis of knees and neck, congenital hip problem, plus Simple and Basilar Migraines.

I can barely walk my dog around the complex most days.

Any thoughts?

Hi there...I was reading your older posts in the Fibro forum when you first joined to catch up and see what your issues are..

Personally, I would recommend seeing a Board Certified Neurosurgeon or BC Orthopedic surgeon.

You are 35 (I think I'm close basing on your older posts..LOL)...and any Dr. saying you are "too young" to need surgery if it's truly warranted to help your spine is just not that knowledgeable.

My first cervical fusion (two levels) was done when I was 33.

Seeing the appropriate Dr. will give you a much better diagnosis as DDD (Degenerative Disc Disease) is way too vague and not really a "disease" per say as pretty much anyone over the age of 25 is going to start having changes in their spines/discs.

Especially if you have ever smoked previously or smoke now. This is now proven to cause disc dehydration.

But they need to do appropriate MRI (s) depending on where your most severe pain and symptoms are. Then they can see if you have actual herniated discs or bone spurs.

I'm not sure what "exposed spinal cord" means? But if you have any issues that can be helped with surgery, you need to see the right Dr. who doesn't use age as some wimpy excuse!

I read that you used to take 20 plus meds a day so may I ask what made things change over the last years to go down to just the Endocet?

Again, hopefully by seeing the appropriate Dr. you can narrow things down and then get the best treatment which would include many other things besides medication. As well as getting on the best meds for specific issues.

Like with many of us with spine issues..there are actual nerve pain medications that can help. These are Cymbalta, Neurontin, or Lyrica to name a few. Along with a muscle relaxer like Flexeril, Robaxin, Skelaxin, or Baclofen. These can be very helpful with muscle spasms.

Not that an opiate isn't a med that many of us use, it's usually in conjunction with other meds that target specific issues and then other modalities to help with our pain.

Same thing with the Osteoarthritis, there are medications and treatments to help with this.

From you saying you are on Medicare and being in your 30s...does that mean that you are on Disability for at least a few years now? I don't know what services they provide like you mentioned, but maybe others can offer some thoughts..

I certainly hope that you can get into a great Board Certified Dr. soon!

Post Edited (Snowbunny21) : 10/26/2012 8:42:46 PM (GMT-6)

Thanks everybody for your replies.

It's good to know about the cleaning thing. I'll just bribe friends. as far as cooking, I keep it simple and there's not too much of an issue there.

Concerning everything I'm taking, It's a list of 22 meds and it's in a word doc on my parent's computer at their house. Would take a while to compile it. The only pain med I take is Endocet, a narcotic similar to Percocet but a bit stronger, at least for me. The reason I only take endocet is because 2 years ago I was living with a drug addict. He stole my oxy and most of my Lortab. Thought I hid them well enough. I couldn't file a police report because I needed him working so he could pay his portion of rent and bills. So, I just went off of it all and decided to tough it out. The withdrawals weren't bad and shortly after my doc prescribed the Endocet.

Oh and my migraines have been addressed. I have a separate set of meds for the Basilar-type and a separate set for the simple migraines each. Depending on which type of migraine it is, some meds aren't compatible. For instance, Triptans make Basilar migraines worse while they are effective for simple ones. But I'm sure some of you know that anyway.

As far as the driving goes, I was on a cocktail of about 18 meds plus Oxy and Lortab when I was driving along and blacked out without warning. I flipped over and hit a minivan head on at 35 mph. and missed death literally by half an inch. Totaled both vehicles. I was completely lucid prior and after. The other driver was fine, fortunately. It wasn't the first time I blacked out as later my parents said I'd stop in mid-sentence, lower my head, close my eyes and a couple of seconds later come out of it and just pick up where I left off. Everyone including my doctors spent months trying to pin it down until it was discovered the painkillers were the cause. Not to mention nobody ever told me about the other episodes. They were exceedingly rare. Ergo, no driving. I'm taking no chances with somebody elses life or my own.

I really do want to get into a ortho and get an updated MRI. They found a lot of this by chance, actually. As far as a neurosurgeon, it takes at least 6 months to get into one where I live but that's a good recommendation. I'll do that. As far as surgery, I think it's a must. at least to try to correct the curvature (if possible) and plug the hole at L4 before it gets worse. If I ask for it, my doc will give me referrals to both. He's very good at letting me do my own research, asking questions and directing my treatment if need be.

Addressing the exposed spinal cord at L4, there's a 1-2 mm size hole in the spinal column. it acts up a bit but not nearly as much as the myalgia and degenerating discs. Then there's the degenerating discs. that's been verified by multiple x-rays and MRI's over the years. I also have a small bone spur somewhere, but I forget. I don't think it affects much.

As an aside, I'm breaking a 19 year smoking habit. 24 days so far and going well.

Oh, and I guess "gored" wasn't the best word. I just get tired and a little more jolly than usual. Muscle relaxers are out due to drug interactions. can't take things like Lyrica, etc. due to the mood effects.

Thanks for taking the time to reply, everyone.

Thanks for the site, I'll check it out. I'm in the states. There's just a shortage of neurosurgeons in this state and there's no way for me to get out of state. I'll be able to see an ortho within a month.

Wow, david I just read your sig and it looks like you,ve been through the wringer yourself. Glad you're still kicking and thanks for the kind words.

I hope there's something that can be done besides painkillers at some point. Pretty much all, and I mean all options have been exhausted at this point but PK's and/or sursurgery.

I'm a Buddhist (and I have respect for any feelings you have for the religion, a lot of people think it's odd.) and in Buddhism there's a word: Anicca. It has many meanings but what it boils down to is impermanence. everything changes and everything is in a constant state of flux. Someday the technology may change. Someday a super-pill may come out. who knows? maybe a new treatment. Maybe my glial cells and/or nerves will die out or change and no more or little pain. Who knows? It gives me hope.

That will end today's sermon, folks. Please leave your generous donations in the box on your way out. lol

If you use a TENS unit correctly, it does not contract the muscles. What it does is kind of overload the nerve ending with information so they shut down temporarily. If you are contracting the muscles, the unit is set wrong. In your case. They can be used to contract or twitch muscles, but that's clearly not the use it's being intended for here.