I like your attitude -- It's hard to keep one like that, especially after Ive been dealing with this life for 27 years. But just a suggestion for some medication. Instead of the Lidoderm patches, you might ask for the Fentanyl patches. The Lidoderm patches are only TOPICAL. They don't get into the blood stream, and thus don't offer proper pain relief. The Fentanyl patches DO get into the blood stream, and offer MUCH better pain control. You might ask your doctor about those.

I'm very very hard to medicate. I'm the type that actually WAKES UP during surgery. Even during general surgery, when I have tubes down my throat, and I'm on "life support" etc., I actually wake up!! During my 2 open spinal surgeries, when I'm on my face during surgery, I tried to let them know I was awake, but because I was on my FACE, they couldn't tell I was awake -- and I couldn't move because they'd given me curare'. It took me forever before they realized I was actually awake -- it was terrifying! So I'm very very hard to medicate. The point of this is it's taken all these years to find a combo of medication to HELP with my pain -- and we finally came up with 2 that work!

I'm now on OpanaER 60mg twice a day with Lyrica 75mg twice a day, along with Topamax 200mg twice a day and Cymbalta 60mg twice a day. I've finally found relative COMFORT after 27 years of AGONY. Except for a few days here and there of flares, this is absolute heaven for me. You just have no idea. So I just thought I'd let you know what has worked for me.

I know you've had a rough time, so maybe something in here will help you too. God bless and please take care. Hugs, Lee