Loosing hope

:) that's for your man and your love for each other. it touches my heart and soul. my lady says i give her strength. i say i have been loving you even before we met. ok, off topic. mushy......

dave my daughter had x ray guided injections into her tailbone and has not had any pain for past 2 years.!!! she couldn't even sit and she cried when she had to go any where. I had to have x ray guided injections into my ankle when I twisted it falling of the porch and it wouldn't heal. it was PAINFUL but it worked amazingly fast!!! good luck!! pat thomas

no nothing she thought it was a miracle it scares me that my kids might end up like me

Months prior to my 25 day stay in the hospital. I weened myself off all pain meds. I didn't want to go through the pain of withdrawals! Even after 3 weeks of taking nothing I was still in bad shape. My wife wanted to get away for the weekend so we headed off to our friends ranch. The ride there was difficult but I managed. When we got there the kidos wanted to fire the pistols I brought. I fired a few rounds just to be sure they were working ok. After they were done, so was I. It took everything I had to walk the 75 yards back to the house! I fired a 22 and a 9mm pistol. Neither had hard recoils. I Had to lay down and was DONE! We had plans to stay the night but I couldn't do it. The drive home was even worse. I was in tears! FYI I wasn't driving and I've never in my life gotten car sick.
I'm 99% sure that was when my L5 exiting nerve root was entrapped in scar tissue. Soon after that I had nerve ablation done on a few facet nerves. This was done by my old PM doc. about three weeks after that is when I had my fall. I went back on pain meds. 6-8 weeks later is when I was hospitalized.
Currently I'm searching for the BEST back doctor in Texas.

I just replied to your wonderful email. Thank you so much!

Oh believe me I went back on the pain meds! As soon as we got home I took what I needed.
I cut back slowly so 1 I didn't go through horrible withdrawals and 2 when I went to my next doctor appointment I could tell him where the pain was. I also kept a journal so I could refer back to any day. I kept detailed notes. Pain level, activities, food and liquid intake. Everyone needs to do this.
If I go through with the tailbone injection I will cut back on the pain meds prior to the procedure . If I don't I won't know how well or if it worked. Also I will have some extra pills for breakthrough pain if something goes wrong!
I'm doing PT now and the PM doc increased my meds because I'm a basketcase right now.

That sucks Pam.

PT does tend to cause extra pain, or a flare up, but you're right. Excessive pain that isn't relative to the action absolutely should be addressed immediately.

I think sometimes the problem lies in the subjective nature of pain. I had a conversation about this very thing with my physical therapist.

She said it takes a lot of experience and sort of a gut instinct on the part of the therapist to know when is *when*; how much is too much etc.

My best advice to anyone working with ANY medical professional is to be your own advocate. Trust your provider, but also trust yourself. If something doesn't seem or feel right, get a second opinion.

Through my own trial and error, the most helpful thing for me in any recovery process has been honesty. Be honest with yourself. YOU know when you're hitting your true limit versus your "lazy" limit. Or when the pain REALLY is too much, or its bearable but you just don't feel like dealing with it that day etc.

If you let yourself off the hook all the time, you'll never reach your full recovery potential. But at the same time, if you push too hard...it'll be like pam said and will hurt more than do any good.

There are good and bad drs just like in every other profession. It often takes a while to find the dr that is the right one for you. Just because a dr isn't right for you don't mean that the dr is a bad dr. A lot also depends on our expectations. Drs aren't mind readers and they aren't Miracle Workers. Although there are many wonderful, caring and compassionate drs that make us think they are mind readers and Miracle Workers. We have to apeak up and ask questions and let our drs know exactly how we feel, physically as well as mentally and emotionally. Chronic physical pain affects our lives in many ways.

Hi Dave. I may be late on this one, but I also had 3 back surgeries. 1 revision and now failed back surgery syndrome. I have bad nerve damage in my left leg now 4 going on 5 yrs. please if you can, I understand it may be painful, but do try to ambulate as much as possible. The more you lay down, the longer the healing process.

I have a pain pump, SCS and take Lyrica and Hydrocodone 10 3x daily. But yes I still have nerve pain but I try to be as active as possible thus adding to my quality of life. I also incorporate exercise and weekly Aqua therapy at my local YMCA..... Staying in bed add to our already depression. The more mobile, the better u will began to feel. Make that bed up and began your new life, lol hope you feel better.

Dave, we have some here, even in Texas, who have pain pump experience, plus others who are very glad they did that. I hope you are getting their input.

How did your last injection work for you, any better?

Hi Dave,

I just wanted to ask, have you found out what is going on yet with your lower back? As we talked about a month ago that it was suspicious that something else may be going on besides the healing. When is the last time you have had a scan done (MRI). I guess what I am asking is what are you being treated for - the cause of your pain?

I'm sorry that you didn't get good relief with the injection. I just had my 2nd SI joint injection and what a difference it made for me. Like you I couldn't sit, stand or walk - the pain literally had me on my back because it was so intense and NEVER let up!! I was trying to deal with it 24/7 and like you was very hesitant to get any injections. Now I know the source of the incredible pain I was feeling - my Sacroiliac joint. Has that ever been looked at on you, because you are absolutely mimicking my pain/limitations that I had. The doctor told me that the SI joint inflammation I have is the cause for really severe pain.

I too was offered the SCS at many points from my PM doc. For my circumstances though, I didn't want any intervention into my spinal column because of the disease I have but you know what - they still wanted me to try it and I refused.

I wish you luck if you decide to go with the pump, I know at this point that you must feel pretty desperate to get your pain under control. Remember to be your own patient advocate with your treatment,

Hugs from Texas,

Pam

Very sorry to hear about your struggles, please consider trying to soaring above your pain. When a storm approaches an eagle will immediately find a high perch and wait for the winds to approach. As the storm arrives the eagle will spread its wings and glide gracefully higher until it is above the storm. The eagle does not fight the storm, it uses the wind to draw higher toward safety. When I’m having one of those terrible days with pain that won’t let me do the things I enjoy, I know it may not be much, but I look for something useful or interesting that I can do. Purposeful activity helps take my mind off the physical pain as it lifts me up emotionally. My perch may not be as high as someone else can fly, but I can usually help lift another person’s spirit with a phone call or a note. I pray that you can find something meaningful to take you mind and heart off your pain.
Papawa

Hey Dave.My previous Pain Management Doctor required a "procedure" every 90 days.

The 3rd one he stuck my Sciatic Nerve and put me in He## for 49 days.

My present PMD doesn't believe in injections.If you want it done she'll send you to Birmingham to have it done.

I don't know anyone that's had them that would request more.

Take care and God Bless.

Rick