Syringomyelia is now a part of my life. I am meeting with a neurosurgeon on the 22nd at the request of my workers compensation. Theyre calling it an IME (Independent Medical Examination). What I'm really thinking, is that this IME doctor is going to tell me that i've had this all my life and that they are not responsible for covering me. This injury happened at work and I never had any back pain or symptoms before this. How can one prove that i've had this my whole life or if this was caused by work. Also, the pain meds (vicodin) that i've been taking are beginning to not really work. I'm taking as many as 10 5/500 pills a day. Is that too much, do i need to go to something stronger? Some kind of patch, injection, neurological pill, what? Very scared about the future, will someone please ease my mind a bit....please.