Shoreline

Hi Moose, I know things are very different as far as healthcare systems. In the Us yiou could see a new surgeon every month and get a different opinion from every DOC. There is alot more out there beside medication but the patient has to actually do the work like learn and practice biofeedback, self hypnosis, guided imagary, chiropractice may help, acupuncture, having a TENS unit, using TINS, getting nerve blocks, trigger point injections but most important for lower back is keeping your core strong as far as stabalizing your spine. If you see a dip coming and you know you truck is going to bounce and toss you around a bit, you learn to tighten your abs and eventually it becomes natural.

I could name at least 50 different techniques I've learned over the last 15 years, but if there isn't a doc in the area that uses those techniques or can teach you what to do, it's not of much use. I don't consider anything I tried a waste of time, some thngs helped, some didn't, some I use pieces of what they tought. Some , like excercising when in pain, I thought was totally absurd when I was first told this, have become part of my daily life.

When I reach the point where I simply couldn't hurt more I get on an elyptical trainer for 20 minutes. I have to tighten my core to do it, which corects my posture, puts me back in a neutral spine position and releases endorphins and distracts me from the pain that wouldn't allow me to sit for more than 10 minutes without getting up to look for somewhere more comfortable. I think there are alot of folks in this position and it's just a matter of trial and error. I would imagine you have a little less to choose from, but it may be worth doing some traveling and actually spending a few weeks in a PM clinic and learning about things other than medication so you have something to do other than take another pill when you have a bad day. When your talking about dealing with this for another 30+ years, 3 weeks at a PM clinic learning anything that might help as far as PM is worth while.

My bottom line is if it helps, it's worth doing. Staying active is certainly better than hurting just as much and being depressed about spending you days on the couch with a heating pad. I feel like if my only option is more medication which means more side efects or brain fog, I've turned over my life and responsabilty for what I make of each day over to a doc and the drugs. Everyone will reach a point where the meds themself can become more disabling than the problem we take them for if we don't recognize the limits meds have and look for an alternative.

Good luck, Dave