[GrouchoTheCat]

Hi Teach,

I feel for you. I have had a full fusion with titanium nuts and bolts and stuff and the pain before the surgery was truly horrible.

I saw a chiropractor for a long time before I went to the surgeon. He helped me a great deal. For a long time I would leave his office pain free.

Unfortunately, my problems were due to a disk that was deteriorating beyond repair or regeneration. Eventually the chiropractor told me that he just couldn't help me anymore and that is when I went to the surgeon.

My Surgeon is very conservative and before he would operate, he wanted me to exhaust all of my non-surgical options.

I went through physical therapy, and it did help for a while.

I also had about two years of spinal cortisone injections, and I must say that they really did work for a long time.

So... you may wish to consider cortisone shots and chiropractic. Look at it this way, they can't hurt and if they don't work, you can just stop.

Never did the pincushion thing, but I was about to try it!

I am assuming here that you have had an MRI and have had it read by an expert? I mean someone who does back surgery (preferably a neuro-surgeon) as opposed to a radiologist. Even if you had one in the past it may be time for a new one anyway, as from what you report, your situation has changed.

I am not a Dr by any stretch, but from experience it sounds like you have some nerves pinched (mechanically).

I should also tell you that I did the pain pill thing, and eventually had to medically detox from them. Very nasty. My advice to anyone on the pill thing is to avoid it if at all possible. In my case I could not walk without them (heck, I could barely walk with them!) and, yes I would take them again if I should ever return to that excruciating level of pain.

I wish you the best,

Groucho