I have had chronic myofascial pain and neuropathic pain for six years. I took anti-seizure drugs to help with the pain in the nerves and had weekly trigger point injections for years. In addition, I was taking Tylenol 3s, and Celebrex to try to control the pain. Nothing has worked as well as Lyrica. Now, instead of 2,800 mg of Neurontin, I take 225 mg of Lyrica. I have dropped the Celebrex and take Tylenol 3s rarely! Lyrica has changed my life, and after six years, I am finally ready to get back to work and living!

I have had multiple epidural's, routine injection therapy, a decompression procedure and medication for herniations in discs C-4, C-5, and C-6. To date, all procedures have only helped for a short period of time. The only thing that has stayed consistent in controlling the pain is the medication; Vicodin is taken three times a day for the last 3-4 years. Just recently, my doctor thought that I was taking too much medicine and cut the dosage down to twice daily. It doesn't seem to be doing the job quite as well.

I have had surgery on my back, and now only a partial disc with several deteriorated lumbar discs. You can hear the bones clicking. Since 1999, I have been put on opioids for pain management. First as Tilidin in Germany, and since relocating to the United States for a new position in 2005, the doctors here have been prescribing methadone. Depending on the pain level, the dosage I need to function is between 100 mg and 200 mg per day. As a long-term user there is no high: All it does is take away some of the pain. On bad days, even a full dose is not enough to enable me to function normally.

I have spent the last 12 years on pain medication. I have a neck fusion: C4 thru C7. I have lower back pain, scoliosis below my fusion, and bad knees. I have tried a lot of different pain medications and am still taking some. However, about two weeks ago, I found out about Norwegian Cod Liver Oil. I started taking two tablespoons a day, and I'm now taking one to two fewer pain pills a day. It is my understanding that it takes several months to get the best effect, and I can't wait! They sell it at most drug stores for less than $8 a bottle.

I have sacroiliitis and have had it for 2.5 years. I have had around 12 shots over the last two years for it. Part of them were just a regular Cortizone type injection, some were into my hip joint for bursitis and the rest were put into my ball and socket with ultrasound guidance. Not one single procedure has helped. I have begged for surgery but my condition does not warrant surgery nor would it benefit from it according to several doctors. I have two small children to take care of on a daily basis as I am a stay at home mom and it is so hard to get through the day sometimes. What I am using right now is a combination of somewhat scary narcotics and it controls it enough for me to function to care for my children. I don't know what the future holds for me as I am sure I will become intolerant to the Avinza (which is a time release morphine) and the Norco, but for now it is all I can do. I have also considered a spinal block but my doctor doesn't agree so I seem to have run out of options.

Approximately, 6 weeks ago I had a second epidural for low back pain. I had it under fluoroscopy, with a current MRI next to the screen so the radiologist would be more exact. He accidently hit a nerve, and the pain now is excruciating, the left leg is partially numb, around the medial knee area, and I don't know if is going to dissipate any-time soon. What are the chances of this happening? The nerve studies, and EMG, concluded the reason, and my pain is a thousand times worse than why I initially agreed to get them. I hold no grudges, and realize that there are side effects from anything, and everything. However, they now want me to get a sympathetic, ganglion nerve block. I am not interested in any more blocks. What are my choices, other than drugs, to move this along? Is there a chance it will be permanent? It feels like my L quad and knee are going to explode, like the pain I felt after and during a discogram, which was quite nasty.