Help with questions to ask neurosurgeon

[MonkeyPeng]

I am a 46yo female. Smoker. Non-drinker. No illicit drug use. No steroid use. No accident causing injuries. Pre-menopausal. My doctors seem to be at a loss as to how to help me, other than treating individual symptoms with meds. My GP is sending me to see a neurosurgeon this coming Tuesday and I would like some help as to what questions I should ask while there. I will try to keep this as brief as possible but, it will still be a pretty long post.
About 10 years ago I started having severe lower back pain. Was diagnosed and treated (non-surgical)  for 2 bulging/ruptured discs. Condition improved with cortisone injections and PT. A year or so passed with no more problems and during that time I quit my job and started my own business, which left me with no insurance.
Began having problems off and on over the course of the following 3 or 4 years. Self treated with bed rest, ice & heat.
About 4 years ago, the pain in lower back became so severe as to interfer with work. Left with very little income (live alone, so no second income to rely on) and no insurance, I would go see a GP about every 4 months when the pain would become too much to bear. He treated me with 5 mg Vicodin (would have to take 4 at a time for it to even begin to touch the pain) and a week on prednisone (Z-pack I think it is called). The dr was great, he was pretty much taking my word for the back problems because I couldn't afford testing. After seeing me for a year I also developed severe pain in the cervical spine. He told me that I was going to have to try and get on medicaid so that I could get an MRI and long term treatment. So that is what I did.
I am going to have to write this in 2 (at least) posts as there is a character limit that I have exceeded.

[Zak_Han]

Hi,Severe pain in lumbar and cervical spine ,Burning sensation in face ,problems with urination..etc..My opinion: you got soft tissue inflammation around neck,back,lower back area,deep and intensive acupuncture can help.

[Prem Pillay, MD]

I would suggest that you do see the neurosurgeon. He is in a better position to give you an opinion after a physical examination and possibly a more up to date MRI then we are.
Please visit my blog at http://neurospine/blogspot.com for info on taking care of your neck and back.

[MonkeyPeng]

For the past 3 years I have been going to a teaching hospital/clinic. Have been diagnosed with several ruptured and bulging discs in both lumbar and cervical spine, degenerative disc disease, stenosis & osteoporosis.
Have had several rounds of epidural cortisone injections in both lumbar and cervical spine and they did not work for either.  Surgery has been ruled out because of the osteoporosis.
I got the feeling that my GP is sending me to this neurosurgeon just so that he can confirm that there is nothing they can do for me other than dope me up, so I really need to ask the right questions when I get there. This visit will be kind of a second opinion, as the last neuro I saw ruled out surgery and cauda equina syndrome.
My major symptoms are: Severe pain in lumbar and cervical spine on a daily basis. Pins & needles in both hands and feet, radiating up to knees and elbows at times. Weakness in both hands. Right hand and right leg often "give out" causing me to fall or drop what I am holding. Burning sensation in face is a new symptom that I did not have when I last saw GP.
I also have problems with urination. I can not go untill my bladder is so full that it hurts. And even then it takes several minutes for the flow to start and even then I have to force the urine out. If I quit applying pressure to force it out, the stream stops. The more my back hurts, the harder it is to urinate.
Relevant tests I have had: MRI of lumbar & cervical spine. EMG & Nerve Conduction were within normal limits. Thyroid tested ok. Bone Density (pre-surgery test) showed osteoporosis so no surgery.

Medications: Morphine Sulfate (45mg twice a day) & Vicodin (5 mg 4 times a day as needed for break-through pain) for pain. Works for all but the severe pain; Neurontin (800mg twice a day) was working for pins & needles pain. GP raised dosage a week ago but so far has not worked; Flexeril as needed for muscle spasm. Fosomax, Calcium, Vit. D for osteoporosis. Doc-Q-Lace stool softener.

Thank you in advance for any help you can give me. I will check back often in case you have any questions for me. I am not even 50 years old yet so I really want to get my problems resolved. I am not ready to just sit down and accept the fact that I can't work, or do anything meaningful with the rest of my life.