MY BACK IS FUCKING KILLING ME!!!! FUCK YOU, "DR." SARNO!!!!

[Taverner]

MY PAIN IS FUCKING REAL!!!!!

And I'm expected to stay sober like this?????

Jeez

Now my left side, from overcompensating from my "imaginary" pain, is sending lightning bolts of sheer agony through my CNS.

[whistler162]

1. BTDTSS

been there done that stayed sober!

Boughts of sciatica and arthritis in the back at times not fun but always stayed sober.

Chiropractor for the sciatica and surgery for the arthritis and I am much better.

It can always be worse, or so they say.

[blueamy66]

3. our next move may be surgery

but, I've heard that once you have surgery or see a chiropractor, you're having surgery and seeing a chiropractor for the rest of your life.....true????

[whistler162]

4. Don't know about the surgery part

mine was 2 years ago and I haven't had any real problems YET.

As for the Chiropractor. I do see him once a month, just in case, since my surgery unless something goes wrong, back started acting up do to walking funny after burning my toes(Diabetis isn't fun). So saw the Chiropractor once a week for awhile.

[blueamy66]

2. Hi Taverner

My guy "broke" 2 verterbrae in his lower back about 3 months ago and has also had constant pain in his upper back that radiates to the front....over a year now.

He has had 4 nerve blocks (2 upper and 2 lower) and we have paid out over $1000 to try to alleviate the pain, after insurance. The lower back is okay, but his upper back is still killing him daily. He has had an MRI and a CAT scan - nothing. His nephew is "in the business" and gave us the name of a great spinal surgeon here in AZ and we have an appt. in a week.

We just don't want to keep throwing money away for co-pays and tests and other crap, ya know?

He can't take opiates, as he drives for a living.

I know that you have had pain for a long time and hope that maybe you could give us some advice.

I am sorry that you are in so much pain. I can't imagine. I have only had back pain for a short time.....

[whistler162]

5. Unless my back/spine goes out of alignment

and I see a chiro at least once a month so this doesn't happen often. After the surgery, opening L1-L3 and removing a disc, the pain has been little or nothing, usual aches and pain of age.

For my problems it started with untreated diaabetis, my fault, and escalated to a narrowing of the spinal canal due to arthritis. Chiro got me in to see the orthopedist once it became clear that something deeper than sciatica was the problem.

Talk to the doctors and see what they think about all options.

[blueamy66]

6. Thanks.

We think he had a seizure (I wasn't in the room), fell off the bed and hit his weights. I'm not sure which "L"s are involved, there are at least 3, but he has other issues due to age.

Hopefully this "great" doc will have some good advice.

It was kinda heartwarming to see the e-mail thread of his nephew (in-law) writing to at least 3 other people to get a name of a good doc out here.

Hope you get relief from your pain.

[whistler162]

8. Hope he feels better with or without

surgical intervention.

[blueamy66]

9. yeah, me too

he has already been out of work for 3 months because of this and we cannot afford any more time off

We'll see what this great doc has to say. Oh, and I am going with him this time....sick of getting no info!!!

[vanlassie]

7. Arrrg. Is there any chance you can try acupuncture? I don't know your history

but I had severe nerve pain in both my hands for 1.5 years and went for 4 sessions and it went away 95% and stayed away. All I can say is that it seemed to work even though I was not really optimistic and I have no idea how it worked.

[blueamy66]

10. Do you know if any acupunture is covered by insurance?

any insurance? is it expensive?

[Taverner]

11. I have tried accupuncture and chiro

They both work - for about a day, maybe two.

I have tried opiates, they work. Unfortunately they also turn me into a zombie.

I have tried MMJ. It works, and I DON'T become a zombie - but it only lessens the pain, not removes it.

I have tried alcohol (self-medicaation.) It works, but by flipping the "off" switch on your body.

I have tried stretching and exercising. This works, but like MMJ it only lessens the pain.

[vanlassie]

14. I know, I know. I actually had 13 years of extreme

Extreme back pain. Sciatic. One false move and I was on the floor for five days. With two young kids it was disasterous. I once missed a trip to Disneyland with them. My sister and husband took them. Anyway I believe it was cured with a combination of massage and chiro. The thing about chronic back pain is that your back muscles hunker down tighter than a drum in order to try to protect you from further pain. So chiro alone may not work. I found a husband and wife- he was a chiro and she did massage. It took three months to convince my back muscles to give it up and then the chiro worked. Bit I remember that I DID find that I could practice VERY mild stretches, and when I felt resistance, I started telling my back "its ok,you can let go...". Seriously. It seemed to help. Go slow though.
And today I would probably include some acupuncture. It's expensive but then again life is almost not livable with extreme back pain. It saps you.

[LiberalEsto]

16. I second that suggestion

I have a herniated disc and a bunch of other stuff in my lower back. I used to need a cortisone shot in the lower spine every 6 months, until my gynecologist found that it was reducing my bone density. The orthopedic specialist said he didn't recommend surgery for me because it might not help and could make things worse. He gave his blessing for me to try acupuncture.

I'm happy to say that in the 6 or 7 years since I had the acupuncture treatment, I have not needed a single cortisone shot to manage lower back pain. Gentle stretching, arnica gel and the occasional OTC ibuprofen tablet take care of any pain from overdoing things.

Check if your health insurance covers acupuncture, and see if they have any acupuncture providers. We have Blue Cross and it lists acupuncture providers on its website. Good luck.

[hedgehog]

12. Can you see a physical therapist?

My Mom was bounced from doctor to doctor until she finally was referred to PT. The guy did a careful wexam and realized that her hip was out of alignment (sorry, I don't have the details). Some heat therapy, some adjustment and some excercises and she was much, much better!

[benld74]

13. Chiropractic u need,,,,

I've gone to one more times in the last 30 years than my internist MD. They are real and they can assist you

[HopeHoops]

15. I'm at a point where I've got more vertebra that are broken than not - AND osteoporosis.

Fortunately I can take opiates, but I won't even run local errands on them. I wait until I'm in the house for the night before popping one and don't take them every day. Just a thought, but ask for a bone density scan. If you're T score is around -2.7 or closer to -3.5 (as mine is) you might be a candidate for a daily injection called Foreo. I'm about six weeks into testing it so I don't have any comments as to its effectiveness. It really doesn't hurt and most of the time I don't even feel a prick. Tiny little needle. Unlike the bisphosphonates, it doesn't just retard bone degradation, it's supposed to build bone structure. Anything's worth a try at this point.

[Taverner]

17. If I were retired...I would spend all my days in opiated bliss

Ahhh, there is nothing like that. Mix of morphine, oxy and gin...

Just float from one place to the next.

But that would also be suicide, so maybe I don't want that...

[HopeHoops]

18. Oxy & gin = good-bye liver.

At least it would be a short retirement.