Hi spiney friends.......

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deb53

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Hi everyone,
It's been a while since I've been on and I'm trying to catch up with all my back buddies. It looks like we're all still hurting to varying degrees and seems that we have a whole new group of spineys in pain :( Welcome to all the newbies :wave: , I'm sorry you are here but glad you found the awesome support on this board. How are my old buddies doing? Pepper, Moldova, Shawley, Billy, Baybreeze, Leslie, BlueAtlas, all the other oldies.....I don't see many posts from you guys. I miss you all.
Well, I was attempting to "live" my life. I was trying to beat this with mind over matter, ignore the reality, and well...it hasn't worked too well. I was doing what I wanted to do (within reason, I thought), I was trying not to whine, not focus on the pain, and move on. What I got is pain, pain and more pain :mad: Nerve pain in both legs, burning pain now in the lower back. I am supposed to see another neurologist soon and I guess it will be more pills. For those of you who know my story.....I'm off the Cyrabalta and also off the Prozac that they had to prescribe to get me through the withdrawal of the Cyrabalta discontinuation. So I'm not real keen on more meRAB. I feel like I just got my "mind" back and feel like ME again. The spinal cord stim is looking better all the time although it really scares me to have this invasive procedure and equipment. I'm not THAT old and I really don't want to be restricted and handicapped all my life....nor can I tolerate this pain forever and ever. So like all of us my life will continue to revolve around my back. . We are looking into getting a new home with a first floor master...the steps wreck havoc on me. So our house is on the market (a real challenge to keep it looking tidy all the time!), I have an aunt (really more like my 2nd Mom) who is dying from cancer in PA. and we're trying to get her here to VA to live with my Mom, my son is getting a divorce and I'm trying to be there for him, on and on it goes.
Let me know how you all are. Shawley neeRAB to get our summer excursion planned! :D

(((((((gentle hugs to you all))))))))))

Deb
 
Hi Deb,
Nice to see you back! Sorry it isn't going better for you. What's ever happened with the "nurse" who was to accompany you to all your appointments? Are you still doing 4 hour shifts?

I went off my Vicodin this week for my regular hiatus that I try to do every 2 months. I don't usually make it past 2 days off it, as the pain just gets unbearable, but I want to give my body a chance to be off it for a little while so I don't become tolerant to it. I made it 5 whole days!!! I credit the Cyrabalta for that! I wish it had been better for you, but it's great for me so far. But today I started back on the Vicodin and am in much less pain, but having gotten it all out of my system, now that I'm back on it I'm realizing how tired it's been making me. I went from Percocet to Vicodin. The Percocet made me much more drowsy, and I've been on the Vicodin for over a year, so I didn't realize what a difference it was making. It was so nice to be out of the fog for a few days! Fog or more pain/fog or more pain/fog or more pain... I think I'll take the fog! Been too long with the pain! Since my doctor is willing for me to be on it forever, I'll take the pain control!

Are we out of the drought yet? :)

Emily
 
Deb,
i was thinking of you, looking for your posts. I am glad you updated us with your situation.
I am with you: nobody wants to leave handicaped life or leave on meRAB for the rest of our lives.
But some of us have not choice at this point. I hope as well that one day I will be able to say good bye to my Ella (cane) and put back my high heals, go back to work and forget how PK look like.

So far, Deb, I have to deal with a lot of pain. They took me off Fentanyl patch at my LR meRAB due to severe reaction and I can't have any other meRAB right now until Neurologist goes thru a new MRI and CT. Hope next week I will be able to get new LR meRAB. Every day i dream about cutting off my meRAB and see what happens. Tried many times, did not work.
So instead, I need LR and BT in between.

We got another grandchild in a family (first is a granddaughter, she is 3) a month ago. Both of them are my best medication. We see them every week and it keeps me thinking how much I have to leave for.

Keep your chin up, honey. I wish you all the best! Thank you for your post:angel:
 
DEB - IT'S BEEN A WHILE , SORRY TO HEAR THAT YOUR PAIN IS BACK !! Some times life throws you a bump in the road , but you will manage to get out of it.. We're all here for you DEB any time that you need to chat , please feel free to vent - we all need to !!
I'm doing okay , been about 6 weeks post-op & I see improvement !! I still am in a lot of pain though , walking as much as possible to regain strength in my back.. It will be a slow recovery for shore but I'm ready for it , one day at a time..

I hope all gets a little easier for you DEB , keep possitive and remeraber we're all here for you 24/7 your friend billy BOY
 
Hiya Deb!

Welcome back to the boarRAB. I have been more of a lurker than a poster these days...but I continue to check in on how everyone is even if I've been a tad reticent.

Glad to hear you're feeling more like "you" and I totally relate to the life revolving around your back. I've stopped complaining about it (except here!) and am doing okay after a month of PT, which has helped a lot. Lately I've been paying more attention to the activities that cause me pain and making what I believe is a choice about whether to do them or not. Today I went to a film festival and sat through two movies and am paying for it now, but I really wanted to go. I told my hubby I would be down for the count afterwarRAB and he was totally understanding about it. Gotta have SOME fun, right?

I'm sorry to hear you have so many family issues pulling at you now and remeraber to take care of yourself first because otherwise you can't be there for others.

BTW, I have a first floor master and it's great. Much success to you in finding the right home and selling yours. Hang in there with the meRAB and I hope you can find a stimulator-less treatment that works for you. Right now I wish I had a magic wand to wave over your back! ;)

Schragie-girl
 
Welcome back, Deb! I know how hard it is to try to put the pain in the back of your mind, but unfortunately, like you mentioned, it seems our backs do run our lives most of the time. We just have to get used to living our lives in a different way so that we can get the most out of it.

I'm doing okay ,i've been posting, but lately i've not seen too many to answer that I have much knowledge or experience in. And sometimes, I just can't think of the right things to say. I guess since i've been taking lyrica and soma for several weeks now, it seems to be helping somewhat. Last week I went to a former co-worker's for lunch, so did not take my meRAB (as they make me loopy & I had to drive). Well, then I knew, at least, the Soma was doing something for my cramps & spasms b/c while not on it, they attacked with a vengeance. I still get them anyway, but not as viciously. But nothing is really helping my hip/pelvic girdle pain while walking. And the Soma does not help the cramp-like pains in my rear & thigh backs that I get when walking. Other than that, I am just waiting for the end of April when I start training thru Voc. Rehab.
 
How sweet you all are! Thanks for the warm welcome back. I have missed you all so!

Hey Schragie...how are you girl? Yes I can't wait to get in a house with a master on the first floor. Some nights I'm almost tempted to sleep downstairs rather then clirab the stairs to bed! Two movies? I'm impressed! But as you say sometimes it's worth the pain you know you'll have after! Thanks for all your support my friend!

Moldova....yes the grandkiRAB keep me going also! What would we do without them? I hope they get your meRAB all worked out and your pain decreases. You are such a wonderful support to us all. Hang in there!

Billy Boy...hey buddy, thanks for your kind worRAB. I hope your pain continues to improve...keep up the walking!

Baybreeze....how is it going with the job hunting? What are you training for in the Voc Rehab. I'm so glad the Lyrica and Soma is working so well for you. Is your buttock pain just below the cheek?

Emily...What a nasty week-end here!! This weather definitely makes me hurt worse. The new nurse case manager has only called me twice since she was assigned to me. I haven't had any appts for her to go with me. Dr. Irby is contacting another neuro for me to see. They wanted to try one more steroid injection but I have already had three so no more for me! I'm afraid of all the steroiRAB! I'm glad the Cyrabalta is working so well for you, I wish it had been as good for me! Any news on your diability case?

I have this sore/painful spot about an inch to the right of my incision from my laminectomy. Any ideas what this may all be about.

Sleep well my frienRAB!

Deb
 
Hi Deb, I have been reading alot lately more than posting on the back board. I am frequenting the pain mgmt board more and more lately. I feel that I fit in a little more over there since this pain is here to stay and for now I am done with the surgery, nerve blocks, tests, etc.

I am sorry you have so much going on and pray that things calm down for you soon.

We are thinking about adding onto our house adding a one bedroom master suite because the stairs are a killer for me as well. We have started getting the estimates. We plan on converting the garage into a bedroom and adding a carport/garage directly in front of it. Then the kiRAB can spread out upstairs and they can have a large room for a game room. Spoiled rotten kiRAB but ya gotta love them. :D
 
Deb - job hunting is not going so well around here. From my entire company, the only ones who've found jobs yet are our Acctng Dept's and HR, no one else has. People aren't even getting call backs from resumes sent out. Actually I finally got ONE call back the same day I got all signed up for school, so I told them I couldnt right now. I'm going for health related administration since there are tons of jobs related to that where I live.

My buttocks pain happens in different areas. I get pain kind of right in the middle of each buttock on each side; when walking, I get cramp-like pains in the middle to outer part of each side; and sometimes I get these flare-ups, which just started again 2 days ago, where I feel like I was kicked by a horse full force right in my sacral & tailbone area. It feels like a very deep large bruise around the area. (Plus I get pain all up my spine and feels like in my entire pelvic girdle area)

Im not sure about the sore spot on your back, perhaps it could be a spasm? Does the area feel like a little knot? Or really hard?
 
Baybreeze...health care is a field which will never be without jobs. Good choice. Good luck. How long will it take you to get a degree? I also have lower back pain in the sacral area. Most of my buttock pain is at the bottom of my butt cheek where goes into the leg. On both sides. This burning at the tailbone has just started. I'm just not sure what this is all about. When I touch the sore spot in my back it senRAB a pain down my leg??????

Pepper...Yea I figured my back will probably not get any better so we may as well get the first floor master now. I hope it works out that you can remodel and get the master on the first floor as well. I may have to join you on the pain board soon. How is your pain with the Cyrabalta? I'm so glad it is working for you.

The pain is bad again today... :(

Deb
 
Thanks Deb, that is why I picked that field. The school is 7 months, it's a certificate type program but will broaden my range of areas to find jobs in. And i've even noticed some of the c/s jobs that are health care related require different types of medical related skills...so that will help too. With my back, I haven't noticed that touching any area senRAB pain into other areas (the only time I noticed this was when I had severe sciatica and the whole line of pain was twitching & all...just sitting or touching the area would even set it off) I get worse pain while standing, walking, and sometimes sitting, but when I touch or poke skin around those areas, it doesnt hurt outside..well, only if I had bad spasms it will feel sore.
 
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