Dale,
My symptoms after my 2nd surgery were arachnoiditis like in terms of pain and actually even before I started Neurontin I had nearly a year of relief from this type of pain after 5 years of it. I started Neurontin for some residual symptoms because of the location and have been on it since along with the very low dose of Methadone daily and basically my neuropathies were fairly well muted (guess those ESIs since 2001 helped greatly as well).
Skip to my bicycle riding up to 7 miles and daily for about a week on new bike and recurrence of symptoms with a VENGENCE!!! I was pretty shocked.
2 Toradol injections and about 6 weeks later I'm feeling back to normal tho a bit sceptical about getting back on the bike. Hmmm.. don't want this flare up again as way way way too limiting.
What I was wondering regarding your flare up if it was because of the long process with flying to Europe (or perhaps you have successfully done so previously). I just wonder if the all the preparation to leave, the actual whole process of traveling with sitting standing waiting and so forth didn't just aggravate your injury all to heck.
I know for myself if I sit as long as it takes to get cross country (East coast) I will greatly aggravate the nerve related pain as well as low back pain however if I lie down for the flight while I may be slow the first day I'm pretty good to go afterwards as long as I don't get a flare up going on.
If you've not tried a Toradol injection when you have a flare up I urge you try it even tho you may not think it will help because of the type of pain you have or the inflammatory mechanism however just give it a shot if you've not! (I had to do that rhyme)
Hope you're feeling better now and sorry your trip was interrupted by the increased pain. That truly stinks.