Chronic pain or fibro sufferers- question for ya-

[RamblinRoseRanc]

*sigh*
Long story short, I self-diagnosed fibro and my gp confirmed it a few years ago. I started seeing a physiatrist (doc who deals with the body's movement) perhaps a year and a half ago, he also confirmed the dx.

Since the beginning, I have complained of lower back pain. The physiatrist sent me for an xray on my first visit and said it doesn't show anything.

I have had significant back pain since my pregnancy with our second child- almost 14 years ago. For the past three years or so, it's been increasing in both severity and occurances. Right now, I am at the point where something so simple- bending over to load the dishwasher, leaning over to a 90 degree angle, emptying the washing machine- sends me into a pain so intense it literally immoblizes me and takes my breath away. It's a.......torquing down for lack of a better word.... feels like someone is twisting the muscles and nerves until they can no longer function and like my hips are being ground away. Movement is impossible... my legs feel like they are locked in place.

Each time I mention the pain to my fibro doc, he just mentions using a back brace (doesn't help) and ups my fibro meds. I have actually asked for some sort of pain reliever and he said he hates to use them as it's hard to go 'back' from them.
I currently take:
50 mg Pristiq
2100 mg Neurontin
150 mg Lyrica
50 mg Flexeril

Daily. I see no change in my back pain and I quote the doc from the last visit:
"Lyrica is a stronger version of Neurontin"
Um.... then why give me both?

I am uninsured and whatever meds I don't recieve via the Pfizer Cares program are paid for out of pocket.

Forgot to mention, he has given me samples of Lidocaine patches and they don't help.

My brother (insured) suffers from degenerative disk disease and after reading up on it, I suspect this may be my issue.

I really hate to complain of the same thing over and over again at each appointment and just have him up the dosage of my fibro meds each time. It's not helping and I am beginning to think it's falling on deaf ears. He did write a script for an MRI six months ago, but without insurance, no one really wants to see me and set up a payment plan. He says with an MRI we can 'have a better idea of what we are dealing with and how to treat it'.

This is really wearing me down....emotionally, physically and mentally- others have even noticed. 24/7 pain can do that, I guess.

I am considering going back to my gp over this. I will keep the physiatrist for fibro issues but not anything to do with my back- if all he is going to do is continue to raise dosages on meds that have shown to have no effect on my back pain.

I am desperate for some relief. Thoughts on this?

[Caitedid]

Rose- You might see if you could go to PT and try a TENS unit. I am in VERY much the same situation as you, and that TENS unit has done wonders.

[Sonshine]

Have they done an MRI? That should show if you have degenerative disc disease. Or a CT scan with the dye?

[RamblinRoseRanc]

Sonshine-
Nope. No insurance, so no one is in a hurry to do anything.

Caite- I could mention that to the fibro doc. The woman who refered me to him actually had a TENS unit implanted. Ewwwwww. Ordered by his office, so I know he has no qualms about using them.

The only test he's done other than the xray was an EMG EMG (electromyogram) Test Information on MedicineNet.com

Both intermuscular and the NCV.

Ow. Never thought I'd pay someone to use a cattle prod on me.....

[Sherry in Iowa]

I'm sorry you are in such pain. I had a few herniated disks that gave me a lot of the same pain you have. I wore a back brace..boob to butt..with stout zippers and staves in it. It took about 10 years, but they fused and Praise to God..do not hurt any more.

Have you tried a chiropractor? That's basically who has kept me going for 30 years.

Hope the pain fades soon.

[RamblinRoseRanc]

Sherry-

Nope. I'm quite honestly afraid something could be messed up further if someone goes to twisting and adjusting me.

I really don't know a lot about chiropractors, though.

[Judy in IN]

When someone "goes to twisting and adjusting me" the relief is immediate.

All chiropractors are not equal, though. Some want to adjust your wallet just like medical Drs.

In the 50's, if you had fibromyalgia, the Dr. would paint your uterus with iodine.

Google iodine and fibromyalgia.

[lonelyfarmgirl]

You really need to get an MRI to start with. I was in a terrible car accident in 05, and had a bulging disk. The MRI showed it clear as day. 40 some sessions of negative decompression therapy and 3x week with the chiro for 9 months, I can function, but it still hurts everyday. I live with it. I am as fixed as I can ever be, short of back surgery. I have my own TENS unit. But it doesn't FIX the problem, just helps with pain on my worst days. I improve after using it, because it stimulates healing, but a TENS is baby steps.

You need to find out whats wrong. Save up your money and pay for an MRI. Really.

[Sonshine]

What did the EMG show? When they did an EMG on me was when they found my nerve damage and muscle loss. None of that showed up on the other tests. I know some have good results with the TENS units, but it didn't do anything for me. Right now the doctors are doing spinal block injections. Those seem to be giving me a little relief.

[mountainwmn]

I have degenerative disks and if lidoderm patches weren't so expensive I would have no back pain at all. Only advice I can give is try a long soak in a hottub. There really isn't anything they can do to fix it, except shots which I don't want to try.

[libby]

Ask around and find a recommended chiropractor. He should take your history and thoroughly examine the painful area, then explain to you what he would do about it. THEN he will go to twisting on you, if he thinks that will help. They also have other therapies that might be more appropriate for you. If you have a problem they can treat, I second the above- the relief is immediate and it will change your life. I don't have insurance, either, but Mine charges $30 per session- very reasonable. When I worked on my feet all day it was the only thing that kept me going!

[Marilyn]

Have you considered an osteopath? After determining that I have/had a twisted pelvis, ("like a deck of cards", he said), that probably happened during pregnancy and/or childbirth, I received an adjustment that needed to be repeated 3 or 4 times over the course of 6 mos. Thankfully, those horrible out-of-torque backaches are very seldom now. Probably only 2-3 x year.

Backaches are horrible, I wish you relief.

[Pink_Carnation]

I would look into physical therapy to strengthen the lower back. The spinal Dr. my DH went to explained that a MRI won't always explain why a patient has the back pain and sometimes it will show things where they would expect pain and there isn't any. Many of the problems will respond however to physical therapy because they reduce the stress on the joints.

[TxMex]

I don't have fibro, but I did have back pain like you are describing. It was so bad that I got accupuncture for it....I'm a total needle-phobe! I finally mentioned it to my Naturopath one day and she immediately told me I was calcium deficient. It never occurred to me that it could be a mineral deficiency. I started taking powdered coral calcium...nature's sunshine brand...and within a couple of days that awful, incredible pain was gone!

Now, if my back starts hurting in that particular way, I tell myself I'm an idiot because I've been forgetting to take my calcium.

It has to be a really good quality, bio-available calcium.

[lorichristie]

I think it would be very wise to get the MRI, due to the symptoms of your back pain. Until then, I wouldn't let any one touch your back, ouch! I have Fibromyalgea, CFS, and have had back issues at times. Since I have serious reactions to most meds, take zero, gut everything out, so can't pass on any tips for pain relief. For FMS, the more fit I am, the better I feel, and diet helps tremendously (Gluten Free and also Paleo). I wish you the best and keep us updated!