Your prayers are GREATLY appreciated and I can see that you know what it is like to live with chronic pain. And I feel exactly as you do about being cut loose from a job for NO good reason. I was being paid $60,000 per year plus travel expenses and per diem and was about to get good medical insurance benefits and then they fired me with no reason given just like your job did to you. There should be a way to sue them, but I signed that "at will" contract when I was hired, not expecting that they would use it on me one month later, and after only 8 days of actual field working experience. YES, I am VERY BITTER about how I was treated, and you should be too! Thanks for letting me know that I am NOT alone in being treated like this. I feel like a criminal.

worried about the amout of pills you are taking to essentially 'no effect'.
IF IT WERE ME...at this point, given all the run-arounds you've had...I would not pass go, and GO DIRECTLY TO HOPKINS!...Got my drift here?
Either PM me or BobB for their various doc's resources and centers....If you want, I can find and send you lots of Hopkins sites, they are after all the #1 Neuro hospital in this country now... That's not bad?

I seem to recall in the remote recesses of my brain that they have done research there about electro damage from lightning and hi-voltage contact issues...Worth a look see at least.. You aren't improving doing what you are now...and it's certainly worth a phone call or five in my book...Who Knows? They mite have a magic treatment? Think of it this way, could be your 'circuit breakers' are shot-maybe some re-programming? I don't know. But, the route you are on is not the best result in the end, I'm thinking.

HUGs and good thoughts to you good person, you did NOT ask for this, but have to LIVE with it! - j

Thank you for that VALUABLE info, Melody. I will call and see if they can help me.

I GREATLY appreciate your support, and I KNOW that I am not alone in this. You ALL have shown me that there ARE other people who KNOW the degree of pain I have endured, and I see that many of you endure pain even worse than mine. Thank you so much.

How many folks in this world FEEL as if they've been dropped into a DEEP FAT FRENCH FRY VAT while being plugged into a raw-ungrounded electrical outlet...w/NO let up on it? We may WANT to Forget, but, really it is impossible? Let's just turn the frustrations into some sort of CONSTRUCTIVE direction...such as: Getting properly diagnosed and treated...OPTIONS are unacceptable?

Keep yerself glued together - there are decorator colors of DUCT TAPE available cheap at Walmart! Helps to keep that in mind, ya know? - j

Hi. I was on Lyrica,neurontin,and cymbalta all that ranged in price. I had very bad side effects so was switched to elavil that is very inexpensive. I will say none of the meds have helped as I can barely leave bed and have been in worse pain this week then ever still with no dx. The vicadin helps a little but still horrible.I like you asked for something more cause the pain is unreal even through this and they said in outpatient that is all and when I went to the er they were little help. Now I'm going to a pc after the dx.Your not alone and still in my thoughts. Dahlek I'm confused about options and what you meant is it what doc offer to do or try? I feel like since no dx they just keep trying things that make it worse so was wondering.So much waiting too and I feel docs though I say don't understand the true pain. Take care to all

I mean that any doc who doesn't try to TRY to find alternative medications and therapies isn't really doing anything at all for the patient. Those docs who say 'there's nothing to be done for it' really aren't on the ball. By doing NOTHING they can be doing us harm either due to ignorance or stupidity.

Options mean finding a doc who knows that new anti-seizure meds are being developed all the time and will TRY them for those of us with the many nerve pains... That's been my case, and most of the meds many of us take are approved for use by insurance companies, but are considered 'off-label' use by the FDA...

The hardest issues at times are the ones that can't be seen. Our pain is usually not visible nor clearly tested. If physicians encounter those of us with these strange short-circuits, it's most likely that they've not HAD a patient and only read of similar cases way back in med school.

Back to OPTIONS, it's up to US to find options -better diagnosticians and treatments. When we are such a small percentage of the population having complex symptoms that resemble hundreds of other conditions-finding the experts to diagnose us so we can be treated is what we have to do!

Not all docs are bad guys. I sure hope that you find that one GOOD guy that you need! - j

Yeah, I would be interested in finding a doc at J.H. who knows more than these garden variety pain clinics that cater to people with spine and back pain. I haven't figured out how to IM people yet. I don't know if I am allowed to post my email address on this forum or not.

I tried the neurontin but it did not help. The cymbalta INCREASED my pain, and the amitriptiphane (elavil) caused me to stop breathing when I fell asleep...a very BAD drug...for me. But the Lyrica has provided relief...at dosages 5+ x the max "allowed" prescribed dosage. Maybe the ketamine injection could help. If I can find a doc at Johns Hopkins who knows something about nerve damage from electricity, maybe he can try that.

To PM, click on their name and a menu will drop down. Drag down to send PM and write a private message and then Send...

When they answer, you will see your Private Messages, at the right side of your screen reflect the # of messages unread.

Cathie