So here's the scoop on my last Doctor's visit....

[Lotsatrout]

As some of you are aware, I went back to the spine clinic a few days ago with the hope of having another MRI scheduled.  Basically, I didn't get anything out of the appointment.  The discussion revolved around a lumbar fusion at L4/L5.  I am a prime candidate for the procedure and it really is the last resort as far as my back is concerned.  He would have scheduled me for the surgery but I told him that I was not ready to take that step right now.  I'm 39 years old and have pretty good mobility.  I suffer with chronic pain but....  I don't need a cane or a walker to get around.

I figure that if I have another herniation or some other sort of set back then it may be time to entertain the thought of having the fusion done but not right now.  The success rate is only around %70 so those odds aren't anything to get excited about.  

Here's what the doctor said, "you need to work on your core strengthning.  (I have been for the last 6 months in physical therapy), you need to excercise on a regular basis, (I walk at least 3 miles a day), It's just the same old blah... blah... blah.  We don't know what's causing your pain and when it comes to the MRI we won't do the scan if we have no plan of action after the MRI.  Since I don't want the fusion right now he says it doesn't make sense to do another MRI which I guess makes sense.  

BOTTOM LINE:  I have to deal with my pain right now.  There are times that I don't need narcotics for pain relief and there are other times when I honestly cannot function without them.  I've heard a hundred people on this forum say that when we're on the pills our pain is exagerated and that if we quit taking them that our pain will actually decrease.  

I don't know where those statements come from but at least in my situation they are completely incorrect!  My pain DOES get worse when I don't take them and is at times, unbearable.  However, when I am on my prescribed regiment of pain pills I can function like a "normal" human being.  I can honestly testify that pain pills DO work and for me, they work VERY WELL.  The problem is that I don't want to be a pill popper the rest of my life.

So anyway, that's the scoop.  I've made no headway and there is no light at the end of the tunnel.  I'll just keep praying that God will heal my back.  Thanks for reading.  

Trout