Well, I met my neurosurgeon yesterday and got to see the MRI. The hernia is small, however it is (or was?) pressing on the nerve root(?). The doctor (female) was not really worried about it, since most of the symptoms related to this enjury have gone away, I do get pain if I tilt my head all the way back but that I can avoid, and the pins and needles I can live with. But, oh joy, I get to have my third Enmg in two years to see if there is something else compressed, she said that this disc can only give me pain in the thumb, not the other fingers. I don´t think they are going to operate, besides, its not like I´m going to get totally healthy anyway, this disc is the least of my problems..

Luckily, almost all of my doctors (neuro- and orthopedic surgeons and painclinicdoctors) are at the same university hospital so they all have the same info about me and can consult eachother. Most people in Finland are sceptical about the state of Finnish healthcare, but I have had excellent care all the way and feel really blessed for that. The taxes here are high, but the one time I had a series of blocks they costed me 6€ each

Septmystic, thanks for the welcome, and you are right, even these first few days here have really lightened up my life!

Carose, three discs?? That must really have hurt in a serious way... We have a saying here that bad things happen in sets of three, but hey, enough is enough! I´m sorry to hear about your... every different pain? But thanks for reassuring me!

Tayla4me, thanks for telling me about your sister, it was good to hear that her operation was a success, every bit of good/reassuring news is welcome here! Thanks for the good advice also, it is really important to know what oneself does not know and what that or this doctor doesn´t know about this disease, to really get the best care possible, having this ***** disease is problem enough. Thanks for the also!

JOAN_M, glad and sorry to hear that I´m not alone with this! I sometimes get a little paranoid about this, since there is no logic in the symptoms, I have wondered many times if I am somehow making these feelings up... I know that I`m not, but isn´t it scary that so many people think that you are? With a herniated disc I have gotten a lot more sympathy than before only because people know what it is...

I have to stop writing now, my arms are hurting, but thanks for caring, I hope that I can return the favor sometime!