[Maria]

Hmm .. medicine is relatively cheap and implants are relatively expensive or at least a good amount of $ is generated for person implanting them I believe over prescribing medication. I would think a different longer acting pain med would be tried or several before making recommedation for trial for more invasive pain management modalities UNLESS there's a problem with taking medicine for any reason.

Again I don't know your case specifically so I can only speak with regard to my own but I was pretty much bed bound until I started low dose opiod pain medication and ESIs. The opioid pain medication while I don't like the side effect or the physiologic dependency has allowed me a much greater ability to function.

I realize that thoracic disc pain is probably more difficult to treat and perhaps there is less known to the general population of practitioners in terms of treatment however it would seem that offering you a trial on a different medication might be a possibility unless for specific reasons you cannot or it provides no help for thoracic level related pain (which might be a possibility).

Glad you're staying hopeful and please continue to research and seek other opinions/options. Wishing you the best and a life outside the recliner!