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And thank you very much. I am crossing my fingers tht the injections work this time.View Thread

I have taken that gabaprentin (spelling) which is a nerve pain medicine, but that is the medicine I was taking that messed me up real bad. I was slurring my words and walking funny, and I fell asleep a lot, even while driving. I am on a few antidepressants and an NSAID plus the Norco 7.5/325. I was taking a different NSAID and Tylenol #3, which worked fine for over a year, then slowly stopped. My Rhuematologist (not sure if I spelled that right) changed my medicines a couple of times and then quit changing them. He acted frustrated and said he was just sending me to the Pain Center, for injections. (I think I should be the one getting frustrated)
My family Dr sent me for another MRI and gave me a Rx for Tramadol .(also not working) I got a copy of the written report sent to me and compared it to the first one. There are several differences. But it is still quite confusing. I do see thing in there like; "facet hypertrophy", "subtle effacement of dorsolateral thecal sac", "lordotic curvature with maintenance of the vertebral body heights", "disc desiccation and and narrowing are present at the levels of L4-L5", "thickening of the ligamentum flavum causes narrowing of the lateral recesses bilaterally", "small synovial cyst along right facet joint", "large hemangioma within the L4 vertebral body, a smaller second hemangioma on the left side of the L4 vertebral body.
All that kind of stuff I don't understand. Some of the other stuff like the spondylolisthesis (spelling again), osteoarthritis, and herniated disc I do understand.
I also do see where my Dr keeps telling me it shouldn't hurt this bad, when it does.
Maybe I'm just a wimp. But I do not like to be in pain. Just over a year ago i was fine..... I went to work, shopping, drives, walks and I played with my grandkids...I can no longer do any of that without serious pain. (sometimes with tears)
I will for sure be looking else where for help if this pain center does nothing more than push their injections.
Sorry for rambling. I just woke up and sometimes do that at this time of day.View Thread

Both of my brothers have arthritis and spondylolisthesis, and both have Dr.s that give them Morphine! My Dr. isn't willing to give me anything more than Norco 7.5/325. (which I have told him does not work)
I use a can, don't go many places, and spend a lot of time in a hot tub of water and on my heating pad. The heat does help, but as soon as I am away from it, the moderate to severe pain comes back.
I was told by many people to find a different Dr. Maybe you should do the same.
Good luck. I really hope you find some way to get relief soon.View Thread

I just got the results of the MRI that I just had done and I (to the best of my ability) can't see anything that should cause this much pain. I don't see the pain center Dr again until the 20th, so wont know for sure what it says until then. Going to be hard to wait.
Also on the 20th I am having the first set of 2 sets of those facet blocks. Then the 3rd set of shots will be the epidural steroid injections. I know the first 2 sets wont work as I've had those before. So, I have my fingers crossed about the epidural shots.View Thread

I had a new MRI done to compare to the one that was done over a year ago. The Dr hasn't talked to me about it yet, but from I am getting from the written report, I don't think it should be hurting this bad. I'm starting to thing I'm just a cry-baby or something.
The report says something about a " exaggerated lordotic curvature", and stuff about a hemangioma, large fatty filum, a cyst, an effacement of the thecal sac, and a few other things. But it does say that there are no pinched nerves. So I'm trying to figure out, if there are no pinched nerves, why would the pain be going down my legs?
Can not wait for my next appointment with the pain center so they can tell what the heck all of this means.View Thread

I did go to my PCP and got a cane and a temp. handicap parking permit (placard). She also gave me something to try to help with the pain. She has ordered another MRI as well. (the last one was over a year ago) she wants to see if there have been any changes since the last one. The other Dr.'s didn't do that.
Thank you and you take care too.View Thread

But being this way for over 15 months now, I'm not seeing much hope in that. :- (
Thank you for your advice. I will keep it all in mind. I watch my 5 month old granddaughter, so I do not want to take anything that will mess me up. I know it was a nerve pain medicine (Gabiprentin) (don't know if I spelled that right) that caused me to fall asleep all the time, including one time while I was driving to work, and I went off the road. Was not hurt bad, mostly shaken up. But am now terrified of those types of medicines.View Thread

That kind of stuff really makes you feel like crap. That's all you want to hear from your Dr. "I can't help you, go somewhere else."
I am still doing the exercising thing. It hurts a lot but I'm doing it. They all say it will help with the pain in the long run.
Both of my brothers have the one thing wrong with their backs too.....Spondylolisthesis. I guess it can run in families. Both of their Dr.'s have them on Morphine. And one is also on a very low dose of Methadone. My Dr. doesn't want to increase my Norco from the 7.5mg.'s to the 10mg's. I just don't get it. My brothers don't have arthritis and herniated disc's on top of it like I do either. I must (clearly) have the wrong Dr.
I did try that acupuncture thing for awhile, but I stopped, because I felt guilty, spending that much of my husbands money on that. If our insurance would cover it, I'd go, no problem. Or if I could work and pay for it myself. I tried ciropractic too. I have a few relaxation CD's in my room that I use now and then. And I use a lot of HOT baths and a heating pad on my bed. I think, my next thing to try is going to be Yoga.
I am looking forward to the 5th to see what the Pain Center will do. If it is anything like my Dr or totally different.View Thread

I hope some how something helps you too. I know living with pain is miserable. If I hear of anything thing that may work for you I will come let you know.
Good luck. And I'm sorry for my rambling. I tend to do that at times.View Thread

I will go to the hospital and ask for my records. I think it's a good idea to have them anyway, with all that's going on with the Dr.'s I've seen, not being able to do anything, to fix this.View Thread
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