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918198 tn?1243526859

sick and tired of bing in pain

hello all. this is my first post and i need some help. im 26 and have had sever back pain for 4 yrs. i have been to alot of different doctors. just got my MRI results in and they said i have Schmorl node endplate erosions. i have been on and off of pain meds all this time. i dont like taking the pain meds but it seems like that is the only thing that is working. i have done 3 yrs of PT, MT, and i also use a TENS UNIT up to twice a day. the only doctor i have not been to is a pain management place. is this my last resort?

thank you
Jaylee
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918198 tn?1243526859
ok well i went to the doctor again today to go over my MRI resolts and he told me that i have hurniated disks..... and that my scoliosis has got worse over the course of a year... i may end up having to wear a back brace the rest of my life and possibly having to have surgery on my back.    does anyone live in Oregon that knows a good back doctor to go to? any help would be great...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks Sandee1818 for answering that question.  That seems to make more sense.   I made sure to fax my MRI results to the head PM doc with a letter describing all the difficulties I'm currently going through so we'll see.  Wish me luck and thanks again for your response.  This place is really becoming a great source for information and support.  I hope I can return the favor for someone soon.  :)
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356518 tn?1322263642
Hi Minughman,
I am so glad you finally got some help. Pa's are allowed to prescribe non narcotics but in some states they can prescribe narcotics. The states that do not allow them to they usually see the Pt and the doctor actually sign the scripts.
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Avatar universal
Just wanted to say thanks jahlee for your advice and kind words.  As it turns out I finally got through to someone at the PM clinic and they got me in with a Physician Assistant who evaluates medication changes for the other PM docs.  I'm a little confused though because I didn't think PA's had the authority to prescibe or change narcotic medication??  I got my MRI done early and it showed several bulging disks that are causing the pinched nerves in my legs and the back pain.  Hopefully now  they'll take me seriously.  Anyway just wanted to say thanks and that I hope you are doing well in your struggle with pain management.  Take care!!
Helpful - 0
918198 tn?1243526859
have you tried using motrin or tylonol? i know it really dont help but for a break though pain it may help along with the pain meds. if not call to find out if you can take the pain meds every6 hrs instead of 12. some pain medication you can take sooner they just dont like to tell you so that you dont get hooked on them or keep looking at the clock thinking when can i take another one. and if this how the doc. and staff are treating you i would try and find another one in your area to go to. this may not be much help and im sorry.
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Avatar universal
I've just recently been referred to a pain management specialist for chronic left sided abdominal/back pain.  The doctors believe it's because of the numerous (8) ureter scopes I had done to break up a bunch of Kidney stones. (Two different occasions). I also had an umbilical hernia repair a month after the stones. (Sorry TMI). They believe some nerve damage was done during all of this.  Anyhow the PMP prescribed MScontin ER 15mg q 12 hrs.  The problem is that it only lasts about 6 hours then I'm in extreme pain again.  The pain feels like a really bad runners cramp that doesnt go away.  On top of that, I've now developed left leg numbness that wakes me up everynight burning like hell.  I believe the MScontin is wearing off because I built up a tolerance to opioids when i was taking about 80mg daily of Oxycodone for the kidney stone pain/procedures. Plus when I was hospitalized they were giving me 5mg of dilauded every 4 hours.  So When I attempted to contact the doctor to see if I could get something else for the break through pain they made me feel like a freakin drug addict who was drug seeking.  I've done a lot of research on pain management and many articles written by prominant pain specialists say that a break through med should be given in conjunction with ER medication.  I don't think this doc took any of my prior medication usages or tolerances into account when he prescribed me the lowest dosage possible for ER MScontin.  I guess I just want to know what I should do now.  I'm still in a great deal of pain and can't even get the PM clinic personnel to answer my phone messages now.  I don't want to be labled as a "doc shopper" but don't know what else I can do at this point.  My pain is definitely not under control and it's begining to weigh on me psychologically.  I'm scheduled to have an MRI done in two weeks.  Hopefully it will show whatever it is that's causing me all this pain.  I guess I'm just going to have to suffer and suck it up until that time.  Does anyone out there know of any other recourse I may have?  Sorry I rambled but I had to get this out!!!  Thanks!!!
Helpful - 0
872994 tn?1247865206
hi jaylee26 i am also 27, and have had back pain for the 4 yrs as well you sound just like me! when i read your post, i was like omg what have you had surgury on?
Helpful - 0
918198 tn?1243526859
thank you both so much. well the doctors said that this was nothing that was going to go away but just get worse at some poing. i had to take myself to the ER last night at around 11pm cause i could not deal with the pain anymore. the doc there gave me pain meds, muscle relaxers, and some kind of steroids to help with the other meds. i sure hope it works, cause when i got up this morning i couldn't move my neck to the left.  i have used my TENS UNIT already and it didnt do anything but make me hurt more. i just want to know why at such a young age i have developed all the illnesses that i have. i have had 6 surgerys already none on my back though. i have had 2 C-sections, galbladder removel, and a complete hysorectomy. im tired of being in pain everyday.
Helpful - 0
547368 tn?1440541785
Hi Jaylee,

Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am glad that you found us and posted. I'm sorry however to hear that you are in such pain at such a young age. At least I made it to thirty before mine began.

It sounds like you have done all the right things. Sometimes we have no choices but to take narcotics in order to function and lead a half way normal life. None of us like it but most of us have accepted it or are in the process of acceptance.

If your PCP is able to treat your pain and prescribe pain meds that work for you I see no reason why you must see a PMP at this point. Others will disagree and offer their suggestions. In my state PMP do not prescribe medications. They do offer treatments and some times new options but they do not prescribe medications. If your state is the same than I would agree that seeing one may offer you new or different treatment. If in your state they just prescribe meds and your PCP is able to do the same than maybe it isn't time to see a PMP.

One of the sites I researched your condition on said this, "As the prevalence of Schmorl’s nodes decreases with age from youth to adulthood, healing may be possible." I don't know if that applies to you but I am hopeful that it does.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing. I hope you will share your progress with us. We are here to support you. Sometimes just sharing, talking and venting can be helpful.

Best of luck to you, Tuck


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Avatar universal
I feel for you jaylee, I'm 23 and have pain that hasn't let up in years.

I did every conservative treatment as well and eventually got referred to a pain management place because I exhausted every option. It may be your best bet to find answers and get them fixed.

If narcotics help...they help. It's the only thing that gets me through, but many people worry about addiction when they shouldn't be. If you take them for the pain, and as prescribed you're not an addict. You may become dependent on the meds physically, but that happens to anyone taking them for extended periods.
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