My pain is enormous

[houghchrst]

My back and my legs are in agony. No matter how or where I sit my back is constantly throbbing. I am waiting for the call from my Pain Management clinic to set up back injections. My pain doc says that there is very little chance of them working but I will try almost anything at this point. He also is trying to help me get aqua therapy but I am pretty sure that the insurance will turn it down.

I don't dare go to the ER. Thank God for the MMJ because that is the only thing that makes it all tolerable. That keeps me from tears all day long. I do have my break downs now and then everyday but I know there is something out there that will help. Any out there who have had Ablations done on their lower back? Can it cause nerve damage in my legs and feet?

[stillstANNding]

Sorry you are suffering, Chris.

ANN

[alex44]

Houghchrist - having talked to a number of People who have had back surgery - I would use one word regarding abalations ( or any other procedure) -DON'T - My understanding is back surgery has an 80% FAILURE rate - do a search on failed back surgery syndrome - even though my legs and feet are either numb or screaming at me (hard to say which is worse) I will not let them cut on me. Good luck and I hope the injections help.
Hope this finds you as well as you can be.
Blessings
Skypilot Steve AKA Alex44

[LylaDubois]

I think you can try taking massages. It may help you.

[houghchrst]

Lyla thank you for the suggestion. I am going to see if I got PT if that is what they would offer me. I could do it then. I think I would benefit greatly from like even twice a month fibro massage. Hard to find anyone who is familiar with it. Guess I should make some calls again.

Alex as always good to hear from you. My back, legs, knees and feet scream at me daily, that is along with my fibro and arthritis chiming in. I get no pain meds because I use MMJ. The MMj helps a lot of my other issues but the bulk of my pain is too big. If I had something to take the screaming away just for a little bit each day I would be doing fantastic. I do still have Percocet ER left over from a script back in January but I feel like I have so few left that I have to be doing something monumental in order to take one because I know I am getting no more. I have even considered quitting the MMJ just to get some med relief but then I would suffer greatly in other areas, especially mentally. My lovely insurance has decided that since I need another back injection the first must not have worked so they are denying until a peer to peer from my pain doc. I plan to call them and see if that has been done. I have researched the nerve ablation and it is a minor procedure. I am afraid to have it done. Stuff happens to me lol. Usually not good.

[alex44]

Houchrist, I feel awful For you, I too suffer from many symptoms similar to yours and the VA keeps wanting to cut me back Etc, they say I can't have both my Xanax and pain meds, what Baloney, twenty years I have been on a much HIGHER dosage - no accidents, no abuse, have not used MMJ since 2010 (read (very careful) and they dropped the Fibro and the CFS from my problem list - I have the doc's just have to get well enough to pursue it. am now functioning half as well. As far as back Surgery, DON'T, whoever said 80% failure rate. is right, I will NEVER have Back surgery, even if it means a wheel chair. I do remember you well from a long time ago - getting old is no fun, Esp with this B.S. Opioid Epidemic. they had the in the paper that CVS and Walgreens Were dispensing too many C-2's this was amazing Esp Walgreens ( who have ALWAYS been tight fisted even before all this B.S. Anyway, Glad you are able to hang in there, Hope you had a Happy Holiday, I got together with my neighbor and a friend and his Grandma donated a turkey (this is a SMALL town, Very Cliquey, (do NOT need the Drama) but have received an invite for Christmas along with neighbor, Do hope you have someone to Join. Chris, feel better and let's all be thankful for the blessing we do have. I do NOT consider a nerve ablation a minor procedure either - I have known people who went to have it done and getting more surgery then they bargained for = be careful and AWARE of what you sign - do NOT give them Cart Blanche to "do what they need to do or think is nessacary."


Blessings
Happy Holidays
Alex44 (Aka (Skypilot Steve)

[houghchrst]

HI alex, I am sorry the VA is screwing you around. My primary is in a state run clinic so now every time I go in they do blood work, urine sample and the most basic of care. I am referred out to a specialist for any kind of care. He told me that the basic primary docs are slowly being phased out. Keeps messing with my meds and grumbling about the DEA. I take Klonopin and Neurontin so I see a problem developing there soon now that they have started screwing with Gabapentin. Fortunately my psych prescribes them both.

My doc keeps fluctuating back and forth as to whether or not I am prediabetic, which of course screws up my medical records when I am referred out, but I asked for a meter and his response was basically that since my A1C is 5.5 it is unnecessary. Don't mess with a good thing, his words.

My insurance has denied back injections. Says that since the first set under them did not work then they were not covering another. Someone there does not know how it works. Wants a peer to peer conversation with my pain management. I definitely have no intention of them doing any kind of surgery. I have seen two people close to me have even worse symptoms and never getting a decent life after the surgery. Am of the mind to change my insurance. I have done some research on the Medicaid HMOs here and mine is definitely not near the top. I would also like to find a private primary that would accept my insurance.

I am sorry the holidays are so rough for you. I love the feeling, the snow, the expectancy, the decorations. but with all that comes sadness for those who can't, sadness for lost family, sadness for family that is lost but still living, children, animals, homeless, greed, money, that is what makes it hard for me. so many more little things. The money makes it the worst and my mom being gone, she always got us all together on the holidays. I can't afford to buy gifts, kids now are happier with a gift card so they can spend their own money on what they want so that makes it easier. It is cheaper to buy them a toy they won't play with lolol. You could go to the flea market and buy pots, pans and cooking utensils for a toddler and they would be thrilled yet people spend hundreds of dollars on toys that will too soon quit drawing their attention. Anyway I digress, yes I have my boys to spend Christmas with. My oldest brother will probably come and eat. I will hear from everyone. I will probably go to my exes family so that my son can visit his dad's family. I try to keep them in the loop and right now he is not speaking to them, sad sad story, it is the only way my son sees them. Besides, they love me. They have become my secondary family these past twenty years.

I hope you have a nice quiet holiday. For many of us at this point it is the most we can hope for lol.

[alex44]

Chris - Good to hear from you - everything you said is so true. I am currently dealing with what I believe (and a R.N.) With Shingles, Probably brought on by a very bad fall, Hurts like the dickens but I will survive. Hope this finds you as well as can be and a happy holiday to you. I am glad to have someone to spend the holiday with, I also have an invite for Christmas dinner so at least we won't be alone (preferable though it may be sometimes:). Take care.
Alex44 AKA Skypilot)

[alex44]

Houghchrist - My God - where have the years gone? I am presently dealing with the VA, which IS going to taper me down since I like to go out and have a good time with Friends and drink a few Beers. My NP not even a real Doc. (VA) How are YOU? Well I hope, and yes, if she does(she will) I will resort to the medical - We have known each other for a long time on this board, keep in touch - PLEASE Thank you for the advice on the Lex-pro - Have stopped it. Thank You for the Heads Up
Alex44 AKA Skypilot
Happy New year

[houghchrst]

Alex!! Hello, wonderful to hear from you. Yes it has been a year here since this post yet I almost feel as though I could have written it yesterday. Nothing has changed except I did finally get those back injections but I had to ride the doc office and my insurance to get it done. They made me do PT for it. And currently I am in yet another session of PT to have my current, new back problem looked at. So yes not much changed. Oh I am titrating off of some of my meds. I take 14 meds, 16 pills a day and I am really beginning to wonder how much of my mental health issues have to deal with it. So I am titrating off with my psych approval and monitoring. Trintellix is going first then I want to work on Latuda going.

I am glad you got off of the lexapro. Hope the others go well. I didn't know you drank. I thought you refrained from drinking. I think I have drank maybe ten times in the last 7 years and then never to drunkenness and always in a very large social situation. I don't see the sense in drinking alone. I mostly miss the social situation that I use to drink in. I quit Jan. 1 2000, the booze, the pot, the crack, the LSD, mushrooms, cocaine. WEnt back to MMJ in 2012 due to pain and drank a few times since maybe 2013 at parties and it was always the same people I have known for almost 30 years. I don't miss it.

Having a terrible time giving up the cigarettes. Ugh, so disgusting and I am so sick of it but the thought of quitting and the process makes me feel ill mentally. I don't know if that makes any sense. I cry about it. The frustration. Anyway I do go on lol.

It is great to hear from you. How was your holiday?