Hi All,

Hope most of you are in a good place as regards your pain??

I am now on

Butrans Patches - Oxynorm - Palaxia - Arcoxia - Baclofen - Cymbalta - Paralief along with all other regular meds for my heart etc and the best news is that I no longer have mini strokes or seizures and I am off all those meds.

Took a bit of time and juggling around with meds but my pain is now under control but I am still not as active as I used to be which is hard when you run and manage an animal rescue and deal with the animals. I have stopped doing cruelty checks as I am not able wander around the fields with Dep Vets too much anymore.. lol.

My Talov Cyst seems also to have settled in the sacreal area as well and I dont feel as much pain from that either.

But I do miss being so active but have come a long way from all the crippling pain I had from last November when my lower lumbar just gave up.

Have not had the operation yet as things go very slow here in Ireland and I dont think I will have it either.

My BIG question is

How long can I remain on all these meds before something gives as in my health ??

I have been told by my Neuro Surgeon that my vertebrae will heal itself in about 4-6 years anyway and that the operation only has a 50% chance of working and that I will still be in pain anyway even it is a success??

Any of you had experience with your back healing itself that way as in the vertebrae fuseing itself??

Thank you for any replies or advice that you can give me.

I don't know that anyone can answer that. You're on a lot of relatively powerful medications, some overlapping, and apparently have some other health issues ("heart, etc."?)

Paralief is acetaminophen. This one in particular can be hard on the liver when taken long term and/or in high dosages. Our FDA recently lowered the recommended maximums to 1000 mg in any 6 hr. period and 3000 mg in any 24 hr. period. Some doctors have recommended no more than 2600 mg. in any 24 hr. period when taken for longer than 2-4 weeks.

I was told almost exactly the same thing, except that no time period was mentioned. I've experienced changes in both directions. I think some healing has occurred, but since I have severe osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease, there has been some deterioration as well.

I've been doing some PT exercises and massages since my dx, keeping my neck loose, which may also be slowing the fusing process, but I'm in much less pain by doing so than by letting things freeze up.

You might peruse the Spinal Disorders & Back Pain forum.

Doc

Thanks for all that info Doc