hello
Hi Claudine,
After my 2nd spine surgery in '92 (percutaneous discectomy) I had the most horrific burning pain from my waist thru buttocks, thru thighs, thru calves and down my legs 24/7 for nearly 5 years. It was thought I had Arachnoiditis. I was put on Elavil 50mg/day and some other drug I couldn't take for long and the edge was taken off the burning but it was still pretty horrific and I finally had to retire (RN/NP) in 2000.
The pain I had suffered though seemed to mute a bit in '97 and I stopped the Elavil tho started Neurontin in '98 at 1800mg/day which I took for 12 years.
It seemed to greatly help the burning pain which along with Epidural ESIs and low dose opioid therapy seemed to be alleviated in around 2001. Between 2003-2006 I was considering a 3rd spine surgery either 2 level ADR or ADR at L4 and fusion at L5S1 but I just was far too afraid to plunge myself back into the spinal hell I had been in so long with the horrendous burning pain.
This type of pain is so insufferable ~ it's horrendous... anyway I still have some back probs tho not nearly to the degree in decades before. I don't know how long this reprieve is for however I do hope it continues.
I also hope that you and anyone else with this kind of pain will somehow be relieved of it. Whatever the direct cause of this awful horrible pain I do hope there will be some way to eradicate it or prevent it.
thanks for posting your story. I too am sorry to hear that anybody suffers with it tho I know I really felt very alone back in those days (didn't even have a computer back then)!
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