Hi Hope and Welcome to the boards!
I'm so sorry to hear of what you are going through, but I just wanted you to know you are not alone out there.
I also want to let you know that your post has given me a little hope. I've been at the end of my rope for the last week or so. I've been in constant pain, with that burning and tingling. And lately it seems it is getting worse. It starts in my butt, and goes to my great toe on my left foot and the two toes next to it. Mine was damaged in two different surgeries that I've had. You can see in my siggy what they were. Most here know my plight, but I've not been posting much lately because of extreme pain, and almost sheer desperation.
I didn't know the condition was called "
NEURALGIA". You've given me something to talk further with my PM doc about when I see him on the 27th of this month, and ask him if this is what I have or not, and what are treatment options for it. Little by little I've been decreasing my meds, but I think this last decrease on the 29th of April from 30mg of Avinza to 20mg of Kadian, for whatever reason, has done me in. What I don't know is whether it has been
THIS bad all along, and the previous meds were just helping so much more with the pain, or if it is getting worse?? I just can't even wrap my mind around "worse" right now.
I teach College, and now that the Semester is officially over, I have been trying to focus on my two months off for the Summer. My contract officially ends May 31st. Tonight is our Commencement Ceremony, and I'm so bummed. I have 9 graduates that will "walk", and for the first time in 12 years, I get to 'participate' in the ceremony like normal faculty does and "march" with them instead of Interpreting the ceremony. Well, go figure, that at present I can barely walk!!
My hubbs has also decided to surprise me with a night out, and overnight stay at a local casino, and I'm just not all that thrilled about it. The ceremony doesn't even start until 7 pm, and with 1000 grads walking it will be almost 10 before we get to leave the colisieum. That's three hours of sitting, with pain out the roof. My pain is sitting at 7-8 right now.
I'm sorry I made this about me, I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone. You have given me HOPE, like I said, and I'm so appreciative of that!! I don't know if you are a prayerful kind of girl, but if you don't mind, I will add you to my list. Right now prayer is about all that is keeping me going until I can make it to June first. I'm just so depressed right now, and with the prospect of Summer comming, and me feeling this way, after doing so well, frankly, it's quite a setback.
Just a question for you Hope, do you have any reflexes at all?? I have
none, ZERO, nada. Not at the knee, ankle, toes, foot,
NONE anywhere. Haven't had any since my 2 level fusion on March 9, 2007. Yet, every month he tests my reflexes, as if they have miraculously returned since last visit. It's very frustrating.
Take care Hope. And thank you for giving me something to talk with my doc about.
Respectfully,
~!~ Becky ~!~ 
My neuralgia = constant pins, needles & burn. Anyone else? 
