Hello New here! Need Answers!

April 18, 2006

Hello all,

Im Susie and Im 51.

I hurt my back in the summer of 2002. The pain in my back was

intolerable. It hurt with every step I took and sharp stabbing pains

in my back. Also started with numbness in my right thigh.So started

checking for specialists.Finally found a Neurosurgeon and he said it

was a pinched nerve at the L2...so he operates and said that should

help me tremendously. HUH! The pain never got better,just worse. So I

started looking for an Orthopedic Specialist. He ran me through every

test imaginable.Myelogram,nerve density,ESI series,full body MRI's

etc.

Well he found that what the " Neurologist Specialist " absolutely did

nothing for me. He found that at L3/L4 the vertabrae's were rubbing

bone on bone and the disc's had some abnormality too. So in 2004 I

went through another surgery. Boy did he find a mess in there. L4/L5

disc's were totally disinigrated,there was nothing left of them. So I

ended up having an L2/L3 disectomy and a L3,4 and 5 fusion with a

cage and screws. He did say that since this had been going on for

awhile that he couldn't guarantee how much pain relief I'd have after

the surgery. Well..he was right.I still have constant numbness in my

right thigh and the low back pain is continous. I can only walk a

half a block and Im in severe pain.They(Pain Management Doctor) have

me on Lortabs 7.5mg 3x daily,Ultram 3x daily,Soma's 3x daily,Skelexin

3x daily and Lyrica 1x daily. Hahaha...each of these meds only gives

me an hour of relief after taking them. The only relief I have found

is if I take 3 Lortabs every 8 hrs. And Ive had enough cortisone

injections in one year to last me a life time. The PMD wants to do

ESI's again, why? They only give me relief for a day!So my questions

are:

1.Has anyone tried Acupuncture?

2.Im thinking about asking for a Morphine Pump, what are the pro's

and cons?

3.Has anyone been on Lortab or Vicodin for a LONG period of time

without causing damage to their liver?

4.And what about all these cortisone injections, I can't see where

that can be good for you either.

Any help or ideas would greatly be appreciated...Im just so tired of

being in constant pain.

Take care all,

Susie

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