Young degenerative disk disease victim

I am 18yrs old, 6ft 2in tall, 152lbs, & mostly healthy. Two months ago I was diagnosed with "Degenerative Disk Disease" and have been thru all of the steps from a family physician to a neurologist who sent me to a pain clinic. They have tried multiple cortisone shots which have yet to decrease the pain what so ever which on a scale 1-10 is at a 20!  The doctor at the pain clinic told me I was the youngest patient that he has ever heard of having this condition in his 32yrs of medical practice, in other words he said that he had no idea how to begin treating the pain. First he set me up with cortisone shots once a month along with physical therapy 3 days a week. It has now been 2 months and nothing is working and he is out of ideas. Why is it that  when I asked for some sort of pain medication for short term relief until he could find out what else to do to take the pain away without narcotics I was told that was not an option that I was going to have to live with the severe pain?  I found that response to be extremely unprofessional as a doctor whom is supposed to be concerned about his or her patients... I need help to find out what else to do please!