Hope everything goes well!  I know the feeling of not wanting to go to a Dr. because you feel like they'll just say there isn't anything to help you with.  But, now and then, you get a good Dr. and they give you some relief.  I hope this is one of those times for you.

Well, I'm back on it.  Now that I'm used to it it's not so nauseating.

Ok, here's the scoop.  I stay on the lowest dose Duragesic patch, but instead of rotating them every 72 hours I change mine every 48.  The third day wasn't really very effective, and I was having to rely on percocet to get me through.  So, still on Duragesic, still on percocet for breakthrough pain.  We've also upped the elavil to TWICE what I have been taking, and we've also added gabapentin.  He said that I have neuropathy, that he sees LOTS of people like me, and that 98% of them have walked out of his office happier than when they walked in.  I know I did.  He's a FABULOUS doctor; even Dave liked him.  His nurse was wonderful, she understood how it is to be in pain all the time and how it affects what you do and say.  He said that it might go away, or it might not.  Either way, he's going to look after me.  we're on the bottom rung of the medication therapy ladder, and there's a way to go before we get to the top and run out of options.

I am so happy, I cannot even begin to tell you.  Dave asked if I could start running with him, and the doc said yes...to take a percocet half an hour before I started to run, but then to have at it and try and get out and be active at least 3 days a week.

Me too, and from what I've been reading gabapentin is an effective medication with low side effects.  So, I'm much more optomistic.

It WAS one of those times!

Thank you, I think that your prayers have been answered.  It sure feels that way for me!

Hopefully both of us will be in much less pain soon......

As soon as I get done with thise thread I'll fire you one off.

Mines on the right, and I know EXACTLY what you're talking about.  I AM hanging in there, and in a way I'm glad that you feel my pain because you've had the same surgeries as me.  It makes me feel....not so alone.

I am felling better, and there was good news!

Elavil is a tricyclic antidepressant.  It also works well on neuropathic (nerve pain).  I was taking 50 mgs at night, he's put me up to 100mgs, starting tonight.

Gabapentin is an anti-seizure medication.  It's also used to treat neuropathy - nerve pain. 

Basically, when the disc in my back herinated, the jelly-like contents of it came out and, over time, calcified.  As they hardened, they put pressure on my sciatic nerve and other nerves that run down my legs.  Because those nerves were under so much pressure for so long, some of them died (which is why I have patches of numb skin on my thighs and my pinkie toe on the left is totally numb).  The ones that didn't die are probably permanently damaged, and it's those nerves that are causing the pain.  Nerve pain like that is called neuropathy.

Does that help any?