Completely lost on how to cope

Hi all,
I'm new here & if anyone could help me, I would be SO grateful & SO happy! I'm at the point where I can't handle much more. Just some basic facts, my name is Renee, 24 years old & I suffer from chronic neuropathic pain. My esr level has been in the 30's for well over 12 months & has now spiked to 42 (it hasn't been checked for at least 3 months). I initially had a prolapsed disc in my L4/5 disc which led to chronic nerve pain down my right leg, this has been fixed and the pain of the right side has ceased to exist BUT about 3 months after surgery I started to get pain in my left leg, that was over 3 years ago. Since then the pain has gotten worse over time & all MRI's have just come back with a slight bulge of the L4/5 disc on the left side. I've got chronic neuropatic pain in my back on my left side & most severely in my left hip & outer thigh. I can't lay on my left side due to the pain, bursitis has been ruled out & my doctor's are just as confused as me. I have a local GP, Rheumatologist and a neurosurgeon that I am/have been seeing. I've just been put on 900mg of Neuronitin per my request because I'm at the stage where I can't handle the pain any more & I don't know how to cope. Anyone with anything similar or any advice or things to try, I would be so grateful! Thank you in advance to anyone who can help me!

Thank you so much! Renee xo

Ive been going through the same pains for a while now. Did your mri get scans of T12-L1? The hips would be that nerve, I know that feeling very well. And I dont care what the doctors say, a disc bulge hurts regardless of the size, mine in T12-L1 started as a 3-4mm and it hurt just as bad as it does now, and it's out to 8mm. Thats major ouch time. Have you had any lumbar injections yet? They didn't help me, but I hear some people find a lot of relief from them. Also, I agree with the previous post about a pain management specialist, but I would also add an orthopedic specialist to that list, each doctor has their own set of skills to add to the equation.

I am curious what esr is, Ive not heard that term before, is that related to an emg? I also think a lot of my pain is probably nerve pain, I've got a disc in L3-4 that is totally hammered, looks like a bug splat all over my spinal cord, and has severed the left nerve root, there's bone on bone contact on the front side with a mid size fracture in the L3 vertebrate. And I've been dealing with a bad shoulder since high-school, went to see my family dr about that the other day, and he says I need a bone scan, an emg, and some kind of thermographic test, wont tell me whats wrong though.

It is aweful waiting day after day for answers that never come. I'm only 28, I can certainly understand how nerve racking it is to be hanging out in drs office's all day, instead of going out and taking advantage of our youth. It really sucks. Personally I'd rather be taking my son to the park, or out at work, than lay in bed all day.

The answers will come eventually, and I hope they come with solutions for you. I would really urge you to find a good pain management specialist, the nerve pain meds did nothing for me, I'm on Nucynta right now, and will be switching to some custom oxycodone capsules tomorrow. Keep strong and good luck. I don't know if things will get better for your pain, but I can say that you've certainly found the right group of people to lift your spirits, everyone here is awesome.

Take care. Matt

Hello,
My name is Wendy. I am a 44 year old who has suffered from SI joint pain for 3 years. Just found out that I have arthritis of the SI joint. I have been thru the ringer with steroid injections, nerve burning, physical therapy many times, without any significant relief. I feel like the only thing that relieves my pain are my meds and i promised myself i would never depend on medications. I take tramadol, neurontin, naproxyn, and xanex. I am a nurse who sits most of the day as my job is in an office. Some days i can barely cope with the pain. Feel like no one can help me and i am destined to live in pain until i die. Just needing a group of similar folks who can help me cope with what i am going thru. Although my husband is supportive, he has no idea how i really feel. I am missing out on so much that i would love to do and it saddens me deeply. Thanks so much for letting me vent.

Hi Wendy, welcome! If you're comfortable doing so, you might want to start your own thread introducing yourself. Some of us can easily over look the fact that you're a new member, and I know a lot of people like to "meet" the new members.

Hi Renee,

I have exactly the same symptoms that you have mentioned and I am still looking for answers. I have a L4-L5 bulge disc, and i have chronic leg pain...i had an attack of optical neuritis 5 years back and i was dx'ed for benign MS but subsequent mri's have shown improvement and my dr is not sure now. But leg pain refuses to go....i got a blood test done recently and most of it is normal except for esr showing 30. I dont know what it means and i am lost on whom to approach now...any ideas?

Ananth

Just a little heads up. The date of the original post is August of last year and Renee has not posted anything since.

See that now, forget new folks somehow manage to bring up way old posts.

Ana would you mind posting a intro thread of your own here and that way we can welcome you since the others are long gone.