I guess I will start off by saying I am new here, and this is my first post. I actually found this website by chance looking for different health topics on search engines.
I will give everyone a little background info before I continue, sorry if it starts to sound like I am whining.
I am 27 years old, male and have had back pain in my life for the past 5 years or so. I sometimes wonder how can I be the way I am at a young age.
I have been going to a chiropractor since October of 1999. I did not have health insurance back then, but do now. It still does not cover my chiro expenses which total over $1,200 a year. I cannot afford that, but I have to, if you know what I mean? Lately I have been going 2 or more times a week, it seems he has to be constantly adjusting me for it to feel better.
I recently went to my new doctor M.D. after obtaining health insurance for a much needed checkup and blood work. I am still waiting for the results to my labs and will need to make a second appt. for the outcomes.
I have aching, burning pain across my middle and upper back and also across my chest where my ribs are, and my neck is always crackly as well. My worst areas are the direct center upper back and under my shoulder blades, but lately my chest area is pretty bad also with light sharp tearing like pain when I stretch back. It aches and burns even if I sit still, but really is painful if I arch my back or twist. My worst enemy is the morning, I just can't seem to get going, it takes forever because I am so sore and stiff.
It seems like my rib cage area covering my entire upper body front and back. I am in constant pain which is worse in the morning and at night. Sometimes though it's really bad all day!
I have been told before that my rib cage was pushed uneven? Has anyone heard of that before? I also know that my pain was not this bad in the past, it seems to be getting worse instead of better. My chiro says I need to lose some weight and he is probably right. But I do not understand all of this pain just by being somewhat overweight (65 lbs). And after 3 years of therapy you would think it would not be getting worse?
My bones feel crackly and I have to constantly stretch to make them feel better, later in the day they just tighten and dont want to move anymore. I was given "Skelaxin" but lately they have not been taking any pain away and the hard spasms are still happening. When it gets really bad I take a 5mg vicodin with the 800mg muscle relaxer dose. This helps a little but I still feel the pain! In the past week I have been taking 800mg of Skelaxin 3 times a day and 5/500 mg of Vicodin 2-3 times a day. It still hurts..
I did not get my scripts from the doctor, I got them from a friend who is a nurse (sample packs) but she can't get them all the time, and another thing is I got a refill through her doctors office on the Skelaxin which is not covered under my insurnce, I can't afford over $100 a month on meds.. The vicodin I get lucky, like my neighbor had hurt her back so she had some and din't need them anymore, so gave the bottle to me..
Has anyone ever had anything similar or have any idea what this might be? My doctor sent me to physical therapy which was the same thing my chiro does without the adjustment and told me to take motrin.
I was so upset!!! I need help not motrin!!! I told him I was taking Skelaxin and Vicodin and he didn't say anything, he says try motrin!!! Geez!! I am assuming if the Skelaxin and Vicodin does not work, then OTC motrin is sure not going to help me any..
This makes it hard for me to work so I work at home (I am a computer programmer), which sometimes puts strain on my marriage. I would like to work outside of the home again but it's so hard with the pain!
Plus we have our first newborn and it's hard for to wake up with him and run around. It is all very depressing for me. I am constantly thinking something is terribly wrong!
Any help or advice would be much appreciated.. I just need to talk about this before I go crazy and make my wife crazy from complaining all the time.. She is very helpful but I know sometimes it must irritate her for me to be so sickly and depressed all the time, I just want it all to be gone!!
I look forward to any advice or recommends...
Thanks for listening everyone, sorry it was so long...
im sos sorry you are having back problems,maybe you should see another dr if the one your seeing isnt taking your pain seriously,and as for the chiropractor,my husband was in a car accident 2 monts ago and he did have any back pain until he started going to the chiro!!lol hes miserable from this woman,she kills him,but he doesnt take any medication,he refuses to see a docter.anyway i really think you should see a dr who is willing to adress your need for physical medicine along with your physical therapy.just keep trying,make them listen,if he doesnt then call the next one and so on...good luck i wish i could be of more help,i myself am a headache suffer,thats why i sighned up on the boards here,but i can really identify with your pain ,,all here are very helpful and im sure someone will have better info for you than me,bye the way my husband is the same age as you,and he also feels angry about this occuring at such a young age,,i wish you the best and (did you try taking 2 of the 5 mg vicodens)im not a dr but i take lortab for my headaches and its the same as vicoden but i take 10 mgs not 5 thats equall to 2 of your 5 mgs,,i have given a couple of these to my husband for his back and they really worked great for him!!maybe you should ask for something like that along with your therapy..
Welcome and I'm sorry you are hurting so much. Nothing is more aggravating than not being taken seriously when you are in pain. I would suggest three things..
1) try to find a Pain Management Doctor (I don't know how your insurance is... if you need a referral or not.. but check it out.
2) push to have an MRI taken if it hasn't been. There could be problems with your discs and you may not know it. Do you have any tingling?
3) jump on to the Back Problems section here. There is alot of good info on different areas of the back. As you can see by my signature, mine is mainly in lower back, so I can't help much there!
Good luck and keep posting. This is a wonderful information/support place!!
Karen
------------------
9/22/00 24 hour labor, baby posterior, left tailbone killing me
12/00 MRI - PCP said nothing amiss - but, had to begin taking vicodin
2/8/02 - 2nd baby born after long, painful pregnance as weight gain
2000-11/02 various PT + pain meds
11/02 Referred to Neuro
3/03 NEW MRI - shows slight bulge L3-L4,slight DDD Neuro Refers to PM for ESI
3/03 PM Doc orders ESI
3/21,4/1,4/8 - ESI's no help
5/9 - Discogram - shows Tear L4 w/ significant leak onto nerves, DDD
Doc sched NEW discogram 'cuz performing doc oversedated, False Negative
Howdy H.R.,
I,m gonna follow up with a few suggestions that will help you and your family in another way:keeping Dad out of prison.One question,what would you have told your doc when you said you were taking Skelaxin and Vicodin for your back,if he had whipped out his note pad and asked back to you"Who,s writing your meds for you ?"That would have been it,Pal.You,d be screwed.Since you,re an adult,it would go on your permanent record that you aquired controlled substances for use without a Dr.,s Rx,the nurse friend would have been endighted for illegal drug dispensing,and your kind neighbor could also have gotten busted.You would have a very difficult time from now on trying to get any thing for pain from anybody.I,m just glad you did not get caught.I would not go back to the dr. you saw.The statement you made about the meds may resurface.It would be wise to start from scratch and find a new Dr.,since you have already told this other doc about the meds.If you go back,he,ll surely ask you about them.Please don,t EVER take or give meds that are/are not yours!I,m not tryin to give you a hard time,I,m tryin to keep you from DOIN hard time!Be strong,Be wise.Jack Beanstalk
Hotrodd,
If it is not working for you now, it will not work for you in the future. You need to see a specialist. A chiropractor is not a specialist, nor the kind of doctor that you need. A pain management doctor will only get you addicted to dependent drugs. The withdrawal effects from these drugs are far worse than the pain you are experiencing now. It is tough to deal with your pain, let alone trying to fight pain and withdrawal symptoms. Anytime a doctor prescribes medication for you, especially a naracotic based drug, please look up the information on the prescribed drug. This information is available on the internet, and is invaluable. A good specialist will correct or try to make your pain less painful without using dependant drug therapy. I wish you the best and there is help out there for you.
New on board, need help please! 
Linear Mode
