Hi, I am new here and I am a nurse. Through the years I have had several back issues. I have had 2 microdiscectomies in 03 & 06. In 2010 I had a tlif of L4-L5 and L5-S1. I have a crappy back and I know it, lost my job last year r/t my back. Restrictions keep me from being hired for another position. I have applied for disability with no luck. Gonna have to downsize our home due to decreased income. I have handled that but my legs, the dr said it would take up to 2 years to heal the nerve pain in my legs. Well, 2 years have come and gone and still some days are complete agony, other days the numbness and tingling and poking on my legs is so irritable and painful. I used to be better with activty, but I fall alot. Last year I sprained both ankles and then broke my right ankle. I can't sit, stand for longer than 2 or 3 hours. I am still needing pain meds, gabapentin is 600-750 or 900mg. antidepressants, muscle relaxers and others. My brain is foggy, I seem to be so depressed...My whole life has changed and I know I am not happy with this...I just want to run away from all the pills and my body, but that isn't going to help. Does anyone else have these issues. I mean 2 years post with still residual pain??? Just really want to vent. Also, would like to see how others have dealt with this positively! I am hoping to find some different ways of dealing with all of the changes in our lives, so I can live again. I am also 54....View Thread
Thank you so much for the info. It helps to know others in the same boat. I am trying to go up a bit with the gabapentin. I take generics. brand name affects me the same. That is amazing how much you take. Doesn't it make you fuzzy wuzzy? I am really fatigued just taking one more tab. I take 1/2 tab extra here and there and that helps but knocks me out. Another tab, I end up on another planet. Afraid to drive....But I don't hurt so much. I am up and down depending on what I do with the pain. I hope I do get disability as of now I am waiting. But I sure can't sit or stand for long hours. I can stand a couple of hours, depends on pain. Sitting hurts more.... I have pain and go numb in my left hiney. Do you live in the US? thanks again for your help! BrendaView Thread
I do need to have the emg/nerve conduction tests, I have just heard they hurt, I am being a total wimp about more pain. It has been a year since I have seen my neurosurgeon. He is good but told me what I have left is what it is, so I have just given up. I don't have much hope. I understand now what the neuro pain is but I didn't realize that before surgery. It probably wouldn't have changed the need for surgery as I did have 2 large herniated discs. I do see my regular md, who just works with my meds. But we really don't change. I don't know what a physiatrist is, but i will check it out! Thank you. Are you working? Have you gained alot of weight on that much gabapentin? Maybe I do need more idk.....I will look into that. BrendaView Thread