Hi LikeMike,
I think I need to join this forum, and am starting with your problems.
I'm going through the process of finding out what is wrong with me too.
I have a good clue as I fell full force on my tail bone a number of years ago and have always had problems with my back, hips, neck.... A few years ago I started having problems with a shoulder so bad I couldn't get more then 2 hours of sleep. Sleeping pills and aspirin didn't cut it. The doctor gave me a muscle relaxant which helped till the pain got worse.
The reason I'm answering your post is that, 1. I have similar doctor problems and yesterday the doctor said my current problems are stress. I have almost all the symptoms for either syringomyelia or something similar.
2. and most important, my pain is so bad since I slipped on the ice about 6 weeks ago, I'm also now on 800 mg of Ibuprofen 3 x/ day along with the other pain meds etc.
The doctor is probably not believing you because you are not in need of enough pain medication.
I hate taking so much medication, but the pain is so bad, I'll go crazy if I don't. AND, not calming the pain down causes it to get worse.
The doctor also told me I might have herniation, but she doesnt really believe it. She really thinks I just need anti-depressants.
They all treated me the same when my shoulder was so bad. Finally I pushed enough to get an MRI. I had calcium deposits in it. Once I FINALLY got the surgery I was in such bad pain, I was ready to cut my arm and shoulder off.
I also was so bad, the doctor extracted enough calcium to make a nice size cookie. That's what he said. not me. He said I had an advanced case, and now I pay for it by continuing to have trouble with that shoulder along with my back etc.
I'm not trying to belittle your problem, just telling you what I KNOW about some (many) doctors tendencies.
Some people are able to withstand more pain too. Don't wait, please get the help you need.
I'm here for support while the doctor tries to say I'm stressed or depressed or both. The x-ray even shows the previous damage to my back, a few disk compressions, a schmorl's node and comparing an x-ray from 5 years ago, some curvature beginning. But only a chiropractor would compare those.
I'm on medi-cal, sort of thankfully.
I have the prescription for the MRI finally and now I have to fight with my own feelings of being able to deal with it if the MRI doesn't show anything.
You definitely should read the information about herniated disks. I never realized a herniation could be a really bad thing!
Don't underplay your pain, and realize that you could have some numbness that keeps you from feeling all the pain. And...find a different doctor.