About Me: Male, 41, Hillsboro, OR, member since Oct 2012
Was paralyzed in left leg, went for spinal surgery and left abandoned as a chronic pain patient by my doctor. I brought it up with my doctor and he said "look, do you want the Vicodin or not?" I took Neurophysiology courses and began to research. Vicodin in the evening
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[More] worked but I would wake up each morning, from the pain, with tears in my eyes as the vicodin had worn off. Had to take anti-depresent due to long term opiate use. SUCKED!
Now I take testosterone cypionate injections at 3X the physiological amount with minimal side effects (anti-estrogen). I ended up in the gym isolating muscles so as to not work my back. Went from 38% body mass index to 18%. Back pain in minimal. My back is stronger and I still have to be careful. My legs still tingle from the knees down. The pain is next to nothing as long as I am careful.
If I take opiates for a setback or accident I find that I hurt more the next day than if I had not taken them. There is a definite drop in pain tolerance the following day even after years of not taking opiates. Since opiates also prevent nerve damage from healing in the most critical first 24 hours I refrain. I take a small course of Dexamethasone instead, no more than two timer per year. Anyone try neurological "repathing" or relearning? Anyone try localized injections of IGF-1? Anyone actually have a local spinal injection of cortical steroids actually work? Recent studies show this not to work any better than saline solution. Thanks.
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