Hi my name is Debbie im 46 yrs old I have Psoriatic Arthritis along with DDS and the start of spinal stinosis and spondylosis and now the nerve is pressing on my spine causing severe pain. I go to a rheumy. I am on topamax, lexapro for depression prednesone backlafin for spasm cyclosporine im allergic to all arthritis meds. oxycontin and diliduid for breakthrough pain. my rheumy sent me to a pain mgmt dr. last week, i have severe arm pain which consists of severe stabbing/burning pain going down my arm and sometimes in my neck and shoulder area let me back up a little i had surgery in oct. for a total rotary cuff tear i have 2 pins put in and i also had bone spurs shaved off. since then the pain is unbearable and uncontrolable, and i also have sciatica pain that i cant lay on my right side the pain dr. came right out and said i had the pain so long its PSYCOSOMATIC and that its in my head and that i have to distinguish from pain and whats not pain. he wants to do an epidurial of the neck but he said it probably wont even work. so now the question im already on 200of topamax he wants me on 300 of lyrica also is this normal he is i will be so sleepy i am going out of my mind with pain. needless to say no one did an mri of my lower back since 2004 either my other question is should i be seeing a neurologist and have a nerve conduction test done to . im considering going to the er tomorrow if the pain doesnt ease up. sorry this is so long debbie in pa

Debbie
so sorry that you are suffering this severe pain, but I am glad you found us here at NeuroTalk so that you can connect with people who can support you through all this

Debbie,

It is great to have you with us. Here you will find a number of people here to answer questions and show comfort.

Darlene

I'm no stranger to pain, and if your pain is as bad as you say, I'd see anyone that I could. Rheumatologist, Neurologist...it doesn't matter. Let them know how much you are hurting! Call their office every day if you need to. I know
you probably want to be nice and polite, and you still can be, but also add insistent to your repertoire. You need help.

I am glad you found us here at NeuroTalk, and there are so many great people who will do anything they can to help you. But for short-time relief you need the help of a doctor.

There are other, longer-term ways to manage and control your pain, and you can learn a lot about that here. I'll be glad to help you all I can. But dear, I hate to hear about people in your kind of pain, and I hope with all my heart that you find some kind of releif VERY soon.

I am wishing you all the best,
Idealist

Debbie, go to the ER, ensure they do an MRI there. I know your in pain, I can understand how you feel. I hope you get some answers.

Debbie how are you doing today? Any relief? Welcome to NeuroTalk.

Can you try Cymbalta? Great for pain. Give it a couple of weeks. It is actually a antidepressant.

to answers ro your pain ive been on many of these and i have difficult time with toleratin medications but some of the depression medications do help but after awhile they may need to be altered and or changed to benefit if at all. I also have narrowing of the cervical spine stenolis, generative diease both of the neck and lower back as well have osteoarthritis in both of these and on top of all of these i have fibromyalgia, bilateral carpal tunnel, shoulder problems mostly the right one and is difficult to get anything done as well i'm not a candiate for surgery i know how you feel and i live pain daily to chronic in most levels and that most dr's don't support your symptoms if theres a history of mental issues least to say they don't support your pain as pysical least to say but youy feel it and its like weighing you down... i really know what's its like to not get the support, help and treatment one should inquire to get one better and feel that your on your own , i feel this way alot becauuse ther really hasn't been any dr's to pinpoint the various symptoms of my many complaints none of which haven't been really sucessful in my treatment here anyway... even going to the er will run up your bills and sometimes can be a waisted trip, i've had gone to the er many times and none of which could be helpful in finding the main source of the problem or problems of my pain. I wish you luck and hope you get better, find a nerologist and a good one can be very chaleenging at times due to this field of dr's is limited in the area i live at this time , one that's hard to get into is enogh to say this is the one in getting the treatment one would hope can be helped. Do you have fibromyalgia? some of your symptoms are similar to mine.