Mid Back pain won't stop!

Okay, guys. Here's the latest findings...I went to see the general surgeon yesterday to talk about the gallstones. After three questions he decided I didn't need my gall bladder out. I am having no pain symptoms at all. Many people have gallstones without problems. Good news.

As for the rest...PART ONE: I called my gyn for an appt. I told the nurse what's up, and she was shocked and really didn't know what to say. She called me back and told me they want to talk to the radiologist who read the scan originally. He will be in on Mon, and then they will call me back. I told the nurse I had had a supra-cervical hysterectomy, so I "supposedly" have only my cervix left. So if that's all there is, then my cervix is the size of a uterus!! We had a good laugh about that! (laugh or cry, right?!)

PART TWO: I now have an appt for a real spine specialist and surgeon! I'm so excited! I have to wait until Jan though. He's already booking for Dec but I work retail and can't do doctor stuff in Dec. I can wait until Jan, no problem. It's been four years, after all.

Wow, Lori...It seems as if you and I have even more in common, with entirely too much on our proverbial plate.  You may HAVE TO cut back (or out) of some of your church duties.  I know, believe me.  It's hard to say "no" or "I simply can't do this", with "can't" being a word I abhor.  Sometimes we have to take inventory of our lives, and cut back (or out) those things that exhaust our aching bodies and stressed minds.  I had to make those hard choices last year, as my energy was depleted at the end of the day, and I needed my weekends to recharge.  I gave up my Sunday School class, which I had taught forever.  I left the choir (adult, youth and Son-shiners) including Christmas cantata and children's production.  I attend and enjoy, but I'm no longer responsible for making it happen. I resigned from several committees including Bible School and Youth Fund Raising.  I felt broken and ashamed, but I had to lighten my load where I could.  I still attend every Sunday.  I sing with the congregation instead of the choir. I am a student in senior adult SS class even though I'm 53.  I prefer a slower paced Sunday. I still provide cupcakes for Son-shiners, though often store bought now.  I participate in the Nursing Home Ministry. That's all I can give right now, with my demanding career deadlines, poor health, a needy mom and MIL @ 88 and 81, not to mention home and hubby with 2 Dalmatians.

I can't imagine the stress of sales and retail...having to deal with customers, period...especially with the holidays upon us.  That stress alone takes its toll on your mind and body, as you know.

I'm going to do some research on your GYN/RAD report of vaginal cuff imagery.  I will get back to you on that. The cause of your back pain remains unidentified, which is troubling.  I'm SO SORRY you're suffering, Lori.

Hugs~~Dixie

Lori,

I wasn't referring to your work/career, but your extracurricular activities.  Sweetie, I know how heartbreaking it is to lose the joy of participation and leadership @ church.  Something had to give...I couldn't any more.  I would never tell anyone to leave their place of worship...ever, ever...Just think about cutting back.  You, like I, have far too many plates spinning at once.  They WILL crash and so will you...We cannot be EVERYTHING to EVERYBODY.

More later...You can email me anytime.  Click on my icon for address.

HUGS~~Dixie 

Hi Lori, For me the Lyrica seems to only help nerve symptoms like pins & needles, numbness,soles of feet burning, shooting radicular type pain like sciatica but it doesnt help the deep aching pain that happens upon awakening, after standing too long, walking too much etc & for that i have to have pain meds. Maybe after the holidays you will be able to reassess but hopefully by then the dr will have the pain managed better so you will have more good days!

Hi guys- Hope everyone is doing well!!

Just a quick update. I went for a follow-up with my NP this week. I hadn't been feeling well this week (sniffling, sneezing, coughing, etc). I had also apparently pulled a muscle in the front center of my ribs- think front of where the bra strap hits- major pain to wear a bra! She said I had an upper respiratory infection, probably bacterial because it seemed to be working in a backwards way. So I'm on a Z-pack, and got an inhaler. I told her I know that Vicodin is also a cough suppressant, and that I had taken it twice in four days just for that reason.

I also told her that I was going to try the Lyrica at 225mg / twice a day for 30 days, then re-evaluate. I wanted to try it long enough to find out for sure if it was working or not. When I have a cold or other stuff, the back pain subsides, so it's hard to judge if it was the sickness or the Lyrica that was helping. (I am a firm believer that God doesn't let it all hurt at one time!)

She ordered the MRI (thoracic and lumbar) so it will be ready for my surgeon appt in Jan. I told her that my pain is usually a 1-2 at all times, but with flares to 3-4, and that's when I take a Vicodin or Valium. BUT there have been several big flares of pain over the last week or two that go up to a 7 on the scale. That's when Valium and Vicodin do not help at all. She wrote a new scrip for 5mg Vicodin, saying I can take 2 at a time if needed. She did say the next step would be Percoset. I actually mentioned Percodan, because I know that helps, but I'm willing to try gradual steps. I think she finally realizes I'm NOT pill-happy. I just want to feel better.

Oh! With all my coughing, I had wrenched my back and all the muscles were messed up. I got on my inversion table and gradually went to the 30-degree mark. Felt so much better! I don't like going to the 60 or 90 degree much- as my vertigo is strong when that far over.

So, now that the cold is better, maybe I can find out if the Lyrica really is helping. I can feel the pain in the same area, same intensity as usual right now. I am finding that I'm sleeping better though! But when I awake early, the numbness in both hands can be intense. Is it a trade-off in symptoms? Good night's sleep traded for more tingling? Not sure yet. That's why I want the 30 days to find out.

Thanks for the advice, Susie. I am very aware that I could do more damage than cure with the inversion table, and I am extremely careful what I do. That's one reason I really only do the first less-inverted setting. I have full control and just enjoy the slight pull of gravity. At my size, it doesn't take much for gravity to tug. I do know the relief I felt after coughing wrenched me so badly. I really went to bed feeling great that night. I knew I hadn't overdone it either, and that's good. Sometimes even with exercise we overdo, thinking we can push ourselves, and then we pay later. I try not to do that anymore.

I started Lyrica about a month ago, and titrated to 225 mg / 2x a day within the first week. When that ran low, the NP gave me 225mg capsules, and I have exactly a 30-day supply of them. Of course, if I really can't tell for sure by then I'll gladly continue longer. My first scrip fill was almost $500, so I was hesitant to check into more. I finally met my out-of-pocket deductible so I'm now in my 80 / 20 period. So paying $50 for a supply is more do-able, and I'm willing to take it for longer.

My NP told me I should know pretty quickly, like within a week or two, if it was going to help, and never mentioned having to take them for longer just to know. But I know my body, and I know this pain. I have had a "modis operandi" of getting a little better, then while I'm enjoying the relief, slamming back worse than before. This has happened not only with pills but also with therapy, shots, Botox, acupuncture, and chiropractic.

I am so desperate to feel better!

I will go back and look for a coupon, Susie. I had forgotten about that when I got them filled the second time. But really, paying **ONLY** $50 instead of $500 was great! A coupon would only make it better!

Was feeling the pain a couple hours ago, and took a 5mg Vicodin. Actually started feeling better. Could it be the addition of the Lyrica that is allowing my usual pain meds to work a bit better? Like helping with sleep?

I'm sure I'll have a couple "high pain" episodes coming up, as usual. I will try to be aware enough to judge the levels of pain vs relief so I can see if things really are getting better.

Then the question will be, should I still see the back surgeon in January? I know he's not knife-happy, as I've heard from many. Just don't know if it would waste his time?

Thanks,
Lori

My insurance won't approve new MRI's. That means I have to wait until Jan, see the new spine surgeon, who will then order the MRI's and the insurance will approve it. Then make another appt to see the surgeon to discuss the findings of the MRI's. What an impossible waste of time. I hate insurance companies!

I am trying to decide if the benefits outweigh the side effects of this Lyrica. I am awaking during the night with terrible tingling in my hands. Sometimes a single finger, sometimes the thumb, sometimes the whole hand, one or both. One of the early benefits was that I was sleeping better. Now I'm not; I'm back to waking up, and the tingling can be bad.

A couple years ago, when all this stuff was starting, I was having a lot of trouble with the tingling. Then that subsided, for the most part. Now to have that again feels like I've gone backwards.

If that early benefit of sleeping better had continued, then I think I could handle the tingling better. Just not sure yet what I should do.

Oh, and I think I'm gaining weight too. NOT a good thing, especially since I'm overweight anyway by a lot. I am not eating any more, or less really, just feeling heavier. I don't do scales if I can help it, so I don't know for sure if it's going up.

I would love advice from others who may have dealt with this stuff too.

Thanks all,
Lori

I have to admit you have something strange going on with this low grade fever & stomach issues. I really doubt this has anything to do with the back pain. I have never heard of anyone having this sort of a problem because of their back. I would keep an eye on this fever situation, something else is going on for that to be happening.

I have to think the Lyrica is what calmed down your back pain. No one can predict if the pain will return or not. I would keep that appt open I know that. Whether I had any pain or not, I would sure see the dr & let him know what had been going on previously for sure. You really need to know if this numbness & tingling is from the neck or strictly carpal tunnel related or both. It takes too long to get appts sometimes with these specialists so my vote is keep the appt & be seen.

Take care.

Well, 7.62x54, you made me laugh, if nothing else! I had a chiro tell me to have a couple beers before my adjustments, that maybe that would loosen me up. I do have my fair share of 'tastings', and always at home, no driving, but haven't had any lasting relief after it. Nice idea though!

I went to the doc again yesterday for continued low fever and tummy issues (diarrhea). He prescribed me a second batch of Flagyl, and also Cipro to take together. (NO drinking allowed at all while on these!) He wants me to see a GI doc if this doesn't work. I think he is suspecting diverticulitis.

I wonder again if adhesions can still be causing my problems, including back pain and even abdominal and intestinal. He thought that was a real possibility but the only way to know for sure is laparoscopy and to break up any adhesions they see, all while hoping no new ones form.

Even while all this is still going on, I am still enjoying some back pain relief for whatever reason. I don't think the Lyrica is responsible for my continued relief. I did enjoy a couple weeks of relief when I first got up to full dosage, but then I stopped responding to it, so I backed off when other things became worse.

I know I have carpal tunnel (both hands), as I had NCS done a couple years ago. I also know I have neck problems, dating back 15 years or more. My range of motion is affected, and I am certain could be causing some of the tingling as well.

I will keep the appt with the specialist on schedule for now, but I continue to feel great (in back pain) I will cancel a couple days before just to keep from wasting his time and mine.