Peter,

I wish I could add a whole lot more but I KNOW those headaches are BAD! I don't think anyone fully understands what they are like until they actually get the ones coming from the spine. Most people think you "just have a headache". Wrong answer! To me they were horrific...worst pain I have ever felt in my life and I have had a LOT of surgeries and such.

It is sad. I have had to cut way back on activities. And those that I do do can't be for very long. I have to admit I am better since having fusions but they can still hit (C2/C3 facets to be precise). And all I can do then is to up the meds or use heat and ice and even injections. The injections are what help me the most. And it SEEMS most people would prefer the meds over shots; but not me! Give me a shot any day of the week...it helps to the keep the meds low.

I was talking to my ob/gyn today of all people lol, and told him I had a bone scan done by my PM. I told him I had lit up like a Christmas tree. He just laughed and said...you never know how old "Arthur" will travel. There is just no cure and we have do what is best for our own given situations. I am just thankful I am retired and can lay down IF I need to. On good days I can do even more. But adapting is the key and just learning or having to say no to some things. I have dealt with the cervical spine stuff for 5 years now and it seems accepting it did get better over time. I think eventually too you know what will trigger it and when to stop. And sometimes just throwing on a soft collar will kick out any pain that I can feel start to come on. I am trying to remember but there have been maybe just two times since my fusions that I had to go the ER for a shot of Toradol. And that's a heck of a lot better than it used to be. Before I had surgery it seemed I was going to the ER once a week!

Anyway, I am rambling. I just wanted to say overall that I can relate to what you are saying.