Chronic Back Pain: Help, Advice, Treatment Options? (prescription, specialist, legs)

[geeoro]

My father had extreme back problems. He coulod hardly walk and was in constant pain. He is 86, crumbling spine and he was mugged and kicked to the floor damaging his spine even more. I got him to try a over the counter pill called Backaide. Worked almost immediately. It seems that it takes fluid off the spine to relieve pressure and thus pain. It has no drugs in it. He is a London taxi driver and he can now still work. He gets the occasional twinge but he is such a different man now.

[DesertRich]

Have you tried the duragesic patch? It works well for me, pain managment specialist are usually the only M.D.'s willing to prescribe it. Good luck.

[anadyr21]

Have you tried the duragesic patch? It works well for me, pain managment specialist are usually the only M.D.'s willing to prescribe it.

I'm seconding the fentanyl patch. It's much more potent than morphine. That plus an oral painkiller for breakthrough pain (every 4-6 hours can do wonders). You'll be a bit groggy at first, until you develop a tolerance, though. Are you also allergic to hydrocodone (Vicodin)? As someone else noted, you really need to see a pain management specialist if the pain is now debilitating.

[skitow]

Originally Posted by Katie1

I would suggest chriopractor and or accupunchure. hot 90 degrees whorl pool....

What did they do to your back & how handicap are you?

Hi Katie. My first operation was at age 23 for an explosive herniation of a disc at level L 5-6. I have an extra vertabrae that never formed properly. That one worked for about 5 years. Then the other side started going with increasing pain. I took the pain until I was 40 and could no longer function. Had my second ops that just made things much worse than it was. Everything the doctor told me I had, I didn't have. He told me after the surgery that I had very advanced spinal stenosis, and very heavy scar tissue from the first ops. Anyway, no sense going on about it. I can walk with a cane on my good days for a very short distance. On bad days, I can't even get down the stairs. I have not done accupunchure. It's worth a shot. Thanks

[skitow]

Originally Posted by Steve Bagu

Pain can be miserable I know. I had sciatic pain in the past and now have a pain/numbness down my right side thigh/calf/ankle & foot which is due to a pinched nerve in my L5-L1 Lumbar (yailbone area), and may have surgery soon. (I hope). As to your pain, I have a list of PAIN RX relievers that may and may not help. For the sciatic my son found "Butalbital; 50 mg butalbital/325mg Acetaminophen/125mg Caffeine which comes in a 500mg tablet that did wonders for me and also for other pain problems. It is a prescription item in US and also in Mexico where I found a Pharmacy in TJ that sold it to me without a Drs signature. Other generic names are: Amaphen,Andlor-300,Andquan,Arcet,Butace,Dolmar,Endolor,Esgic,Esgi c-plus,Ezol,Femcet,Fioricet,Isocet,Medigesic,Pacaps, Pharmagesic,Repan,Tencet,Triad,Two-Dyne. Thesemay be available either in Canada or Mexico. Some pharmacys in Mexico referred to a US RX book and could not find Butalbital listed. My son said it was used for HORSE pain. Anyway it worked for me. Gave a few to a young man that had broke his back in three places and he loved it. Said it worked real good for him. Can understand your pain and hope my limited info helps you. Take care, Steve

Hi Steve. I have never heard of any of those drug names. I will copy your post and check them out. Thanks

[skitow]

Originally Posted by geeoro

My father had extreme back problems. He coulod hardly walk and was in constant pain. He is 86, crumbling spine and he was mugged and kicked to the floor damaging his spine even more. I got him to try a over the counter pill called Backaide. Worked almost immediately. It seems that it takes fluid off the spine to relieve pressure and thus pain. It has no drugs in it. He is a London taxi driver and he can now still work. He gets the occasional twinge but he is such a different man now.

Hi. I can't believe the things that gangs do to people. DAM! I just heard a gunshot. That never happens aroud here. Back to the subject. I'm sorry your father was attacked. I'm glad he has recovered. I always carry pepper spray, and a few other legal items. I know I am a walking target when I do go out. I see the punks watching me. I walk slow with a limp. So far all they ask for is money. They sense not to get to close. Love your father all you can. Mine is no longer here. Take care.

[skitow]

Originally Posted by DesertRich

Have you tried the duragesic patch? It works well for me, pain managment specialist are usually the only M.D.'s willing to prescribe it. Good luck.

Hi DRich. No, I have never heard of it. But I'll be trying it tuesday. Thanks for that one. Take care.

[skitow]

Originally Posted by anadyr21

I'm seconding the fentanyl patch. It's much more potent than morphine. That plus an oral painkiller for breakthrough pain (every 4-6 hours can do wonders). You'll be a bit groggy at first, until you develop a tolerance, though. Are you also allergic to hydrocodone (Vicodin)? As someone else noted, you really need to see a pain management specialist if the pain is now debilitating.

Hi. Good. the patch has 2 names. Makes it easier to find in my medical dictionary. That's my big hangup. Almost every drug I try, I am allergec to it. I now take flexeril with valium, but Iv'e been on them for so many years, they don't work. And yes, Vicodine is on my drugstore list of allergic to. A pain management pro is my last hope. I have had soooo many doctors and tests, I am near broke. All the docs Iv'e seen say the same thing. I have no discs left in all of my lumbar spine, plus bone spurs on all of my lumbar vertabrae. Now the middle of my back is going bad. Sounds like a nightmare huh? It is. Even the top dog back surgeon won't operate. Way too many risks, with doubtful results. I'd swear right now, but the moderator would cut it. I AM getting that patch tuesday. will let you all know if it works. Thanks again to all.

[skitow]

I just looked up the Duragesic and Fentanyl patches. Both contain codiene. I am very allergic to codiene. Thanks for the suggestions.

[Roselvr]

The mix I take is Oxycontin & Percocet with skelaxin for the spasms. I used to do the Lidoderm patches but ended up with an allergy after a few years. I've tried just about everything with no luck.

Vivodin - forget it. I think the mix of codiene that it has is what gets to me.

Fentinal patch - great for pain but couldn't sleep, I mean wide awake and speeding around.

Kadian - actually not bad, I have bladder issues it interfered with that after 3 months.

Look up Artificial Disc Replacement
Stenum Hospital

If I was never fused, I would be sending them my films. I met someone that went there, cost about $30k for 3 levels. Do a google search, you can find sites with results from a lot of happy people, many from the US

I live with the pain too. I'm a light weight when it comes to meds and get high from them. I can't live like that. I want pain relief without being stoned.

drugs I've tried:
Zanaflex - spasms
Kadian - pain
Methadone HCL - 5mg tab -pain
Baclofen - 10mg - spasms
Vioxx
Darvocette
Celebrex
Relafen - 500mg
Naproxen - 500mg
Neurontin - 100 mg - nerve pain - lyrica is the new one
Utracet
Topamax - 25 mg
Bextra - 20 mg
Trazodone - 150 mg tab
Duragesic - 25MGC/HR Patch

Originally Posted by skitow

Hi Katie. My first operation was at age 23 for an explosive herniation of a disc at level L 5-6. I have an extra vertabrae that never formed properly.

Where is the bone that did not form propertly? Is it in your sacrum area? I actually have that, my dad had it as well as one of my sisters, it's genetic from what I've been told.

I had the level fused back in 2006 along with rods added to L5 S1 which was fused years before. Now, the spasms are so bad they want to take the rods out.

Originally Posted by skitow

I have not done accupunchure. It's worth a shot. Thanks

Try acupuncture. They will want to see you a few times per week to start, hopefully you can manage that, I couldn't as it was an hour away and I had to be driven.