Cervical Radiculopathy - How do I get doctor to up pain meds?

[DockSheriff]

Hi there.. I'm 6'3" tall, 290 pound 45 year old male. No other known medical conditions than whats noted here. In 1999 I was rear ended by a tractor trailer which resulted in a c5-c6 disc herniation indenting on the thecal sac according to the MRI and what the doctors told me.

Fast forward from 1999 to December 2016.. the condition began giving me pains unlike I had experienced in the past 17 years for example I can only sit for short periods without having to continuously resituate due to my neck stiffening and more pain setting in, when standing I have to resituate often for the same reasons.. This may seem strange but if I do keep my neck in one position without repositioning while sitting or standing in addition to the pain and stiffness when I move my neck it actually pops. When I walk I hear a crunching in my neck with every step I take.

So due to the increase in pain and symptoms I told my primary doctor about in February 2016 she put in an order for me to get a new MRI in April or June of 2016 which now shows in addition to the herniation I have DDD, Spinal stenosis, spondylosis with radiculopathy and bone spurs. If I'm correct spondylosis is basically DDD.. On my medical record the neurology center I now go to wrote that the primary condition in my neck is spondylosis with radiculopathy.

Within the past few months it went to a whole new level when in addition to the cervical pain I began having severe pains radiating into my left anterior deltoid which radiates down my bicep and usually stopping around my antecubital space (the area opposite my left elbow) but sometimes goes on into into my forearm. I know this is odd but sometimes this pain also goes into my anterior chest and throat. I had thought I was having a heart attack when this began but an EKG showed good results and the doctors do not think it's my heart. This radiating pain feels like a deep burning sickening pain. Horrible pain that awakens me if I'm lucky enough to be able to fall asleep.

The doctors here say there's no medication that will reduce my neck pain and have referred me to physical therapy which begins next week. Have since February had me on Gabapentin 300mg which was recently increased from 3x per day to 5x per day, Diclofenac Sod EC 75mg 1x per day, and Tizanidine 4mg 1x per day. I did PT in 1999 with no positive results. The only true relief I currently get is sleep. The pain gets worst the longer I'm awake and the more I move and the more I stay in one position while awake.

I feel like the doctors have no concept of my level of pain although I've attempted to explain it to them the best I can. I don't feel comfortable asking for additional meds. The reason I feel the doctors have no concept is because the meds that I'm receiving are absolutely no relief from the pain and I've explained this to them. They've literally told me I'm going to have to learn to live with the pain and there's no medication that will relieve my neck pain. The doctors I'm seeing are in Lexington, Kentucky.

What can I do to get a doctor to increase my pain medication to the point that I deem suitable for my condition?