Hi Allan,

Something like this happens with PN patients quite often, and in a way, it has to do with the stages of grief, which can apply to any traumatic life-altering events -- not just death.

Many people (maybe even most -- I went through it) feel compelled -- driven -- to find a cause/reason for their PN, and will expend vast amounts of time and resources on testing in order to find one. Sometimes finding one does matter, but often -- maybe even more often -- if they even do find a cause/reason, they find that it makes little/no difference; the treatment is still palliative -- the same as it would have been had they not expended all the time, energy, resources, and wear & tear (stress) on their systems.

I guess a pertinent question to ask might be, will finding out what's going on in your lumbar area matter, or make any difference in treatment or in the long run? Finding the answer to that may help you figure out what to do next.

I don't think it's giving up hope; I see it as being pragmatic. I still have no idea what's causing my PN, or why my spine is that of a man 50 years older than myself, or why I have IBS, or why a lot of other things... The stress of wondering and trying to find answers was killing me, and in the end, I am where I am, I have what I have, and I have to deal with the present situation and go forward from here. Treatment options for all are extremely limited -- palliative and maintenance for the most part. I just can't dwell/stress on it any further; I have to get on with whatever life I still have left ahead of me and find whatever joy I can.

All this may not help. I do hope that it at least provides something to consider/think about.

Doc