Level 10+++ pain 32 days - Please help!

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user904

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Hello everyone,

I am at my wits end. 32 days of excruciating pain and I still cannot sit what-so-ever. I have to even eat either standing up which I can't do for too long or eat lying down. I absolutely cannot sit. I do have a herniated disc at L5-S1 with right nerve compression and a spur and arthritis. I have had one epidoral shot on 11/11, but I need to ask, has anyone had the shot when your level of pain has been 10+++ on a daily basis for 32 days straight and then gotten any relief? If my insrance OK's the 2nd shot I am scheduled for Wednesday, but I am fearful that I will have no relief again. I have been laying down at least 80% of the entire 32 days because the pain is so bad and its the only relief I have. I need to get my life back and need to work.
I have pins and needles also. Pain is also stabbing and burning, The pains in my leg are minimal. It is my spine that is killing me. If I have to go for a discetomy, will this help me? Has anyone out there had the same problem as me. I have searched this healtrabroadoard and the internet for the past 30 days and I have not found one single thing that where anyone said that they have severe back pain without leg pain. Can I really be the only one? I sit here crying most of the night because I am so miserable and can hardly sleep. If I have to have surgery will a discetomy fix my problem with the pain in my back? I actually begged the Dr. two weeks ago to just operate on me because I couldn't take it any longer. They will not operate and think I should try the epidoral I guess as my last attempt. I cannot take any meRAB because my body cannot tolerate them and I was on a bunch of things that did absolutely nothing for me. Literally, not one single bit did it help. I now only take Advil and I don't even know why I am taking that. The perscribed meRAB and steroiRAB did not help. Sorry I am babbling, but it is 3 AM and I can't sleep and I am just in horrific pain. Please can someone answer any of my questions for me. Please.
 
While I don't doubt that you are in pain, a pain level of 10+++ for that long would have killed you long ago.;) If you are seeing an spine doctor, and you are in that much pain, either something else is going on, or you need to find another doctor.
I know that pain medication effects each one of us differently, and what works for one, may not work for another, surely you must have gotten some relief from some of the pain with medications???:confused: I have never heard of getting absolutely no relief from pain medications.
As to whether or not a discectomy will help the pain you are in or not, only your doctor (surgeon) can answer that question.
I can tell you this, laying down for 80% of the time is not helping you. If anything it will exacerbate the pain issues that you are experiencing because you are not using the muscles in your back and legs, which is only going to create disuse problems.
The pins and needles and the increased pain can be caused by a lot of things, and unfortunately, we can't offer you a diagnosis or suggest a treatment plan for you.
If you are dissatisfied with the care that you are getting and aren't getting relief, then as I said, you need to locate a new spine surgeon.
Best of luck to you,

Back
 
When I say the pain is a 10+++ it certainly is at the time that the episode happens. I literally am screaming out loud and can't move. My husband has to hold me up and literally I have to shuffle/slide my feet to get to the bed which takes some time because every move is pure hell. Granted when I am laying down, the pain is gone unless I try and turn. That is what I mean when I say 10+++. Beleve me, I can take pain, but this is just like someone is stabbing me over and over again. Again, the pain is only like that when I sit and try and get up to walk. No other time but that.

And yes, I have been on medications that absolutely do not help, including oxycoton, (spelling). I can't take anything that is codeine based and that is the biggest problem because most meRAB are codeine based. Twice before when I had meRAB that were codeine based, I was rushed to the emergency room, so no, I can't take it. Tramadol does nothing for me and I have the lidocain patches and the diclofenac patches and neither one of these work on me either. I also was on the 21 day pack of steroiRAB which had no affect on me at all and the muscle relaxers do nothing. I know this is one of the reasons why I am in so much pain, because we cant find a medication that will work without making me sick. Again, all pain meRAB are mostly codeine based. This pain is keeping me from working as I need to sit and that is my problem. I can only stand about 10 minutes before the pain starts to increase in my spine and walking is best but I can't go very far and then need to rest.

Again thanks for responding and I am going to go for a 2nd opinion with a neurosurgeon. As of right now, I am waiting to hear today if my insurance will authorize the 2nd epidoral shot in which case I will get it on Wed. if they allow me. I just pray that this one helps me.

I was taking tramadol, 3 advil, lidicaine patch and muscle relaxers all at the same time with not one ounce of relief. Believe me, if you have any suggestions I would surely appreciate it and would talk to my doctors about it. I am currently seeing three doctors and they are all top doctors. A orthopedic surgeon, Neurosurgeon and a PM Dr.
 
I had exactly the same symptoms, including the radiating leg pain (sciatic). Please please please consider taking codeine 30mg tablets, which were the only thing that helped (blessed relief). I would literally have to live from heartbeat to heartbeat because the pain was so bad. Codeine will upset your stomach, so you have to take it with plenty of food, but the 30mg pills were absolutely the only thing that kept me from killing myself. You can request them as Tylenol#3's, which includes 325mg (I think) of acetaminophen...
 
Bradd,

Thank you so much! Besides codeine for your problem, was anything ever done to fix it?
 
I don't doubt, as I said, that you are in pain, but I do know that most doctors and nurses discount a patient who complains of 10+++ pain . As I said, it would have caused other difficulties for you at the sustained length of time you have stated.
Are you seeing an orthopedic spine surgeon or neuro spine surgeon because if you aren't, you need to be.
Have you considered it may be a problem with your hips as well?
As far as pain medications go, not all of them are codeine based, so there are medications that you could try. Granted , some of the acute pain meRAB are codeine based but there are many others that your doctors could give you to try.
Muscle relaxants come in many strenghts and formulations, also having many different options in strengths and manufacturers.
Ultram/tramadol isn't one that is considered high on the list of pain meRAB that are very strong, so it is no surprise that you didn't get any relief from them. Most people that I know haven't either, myself included.
SteroiRAB only help to ease inflammations, so if you got no relief, there isn't inflammation. They aren't for pain relief except in the cases where inflammation exists.
Advil is also an anti-inflammatory, so it is probable if there isn't inflammation, it isn't going to ease the pain.
A steady diet of advil is not good for your stomach either.
I would suggest a discussion with your pain doctor, rule out hip problems, and if you aren't seeing spinal surgeons, then do that. Regular orthos or neuros aren't going to help.
 
Hi,

I went to PT, but had no surgery. The medical center where I work is very conservative, so the laminectomy to release pressure on the nerve root was considered a last resort. After a few months of PT, the symptoms pretty much disappeard. To this day (4 years later) I still have to do daily stomach strengthening exercises (sit ups) and back arches to keep the symptoms at bay. I have found a balance between bearable pain and strength of narcotics with darvocet. It is 95% tylenol. Occasionally i have to take a codeine pill on top of it, but not often. Hope this helps...
 
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