Im sure many of you deal with chronic pain. What are some things you do to cope besides meds? Right now, the meds arent working. I have a Back2Life back machine which helps quite a bit sometimes, but others it doesnt. Im pretty good at dealing with it on a daily basis but sometimes when its been real bad for a while, it really gets to me. Like right now.

Live with it. I have degenerative disc disease. It sucks. I have yet to hear a successful back surgery story. Seeing a chiropractor helps....

Already done back surgery. Add another to your list of unsuccessful stories. My bottom three discs are herniated with the DDD. Went to a chirpractor last time it got real bad.
Took my MRI films to show them. After looking at them and talking to me, they said they wouldnt be able to help and would be afraid to even try.

Exercise is the only thing I have found that makes much difference for me. I can feel every pound I gain in my back. As I lose the weight and strengthen the back muscles, the pain becomes manageable.

Good luck...not much worse than back pain IMO

Stay busy.

A lot of times you cant. I can barely walk today. Im switching between ice pack and heating pad while waiting on the oxycodone/tramadol and muscle relaxer I just took to kick in.

I hear ya', after my third hip replacement the muscles in my left leg are all jacked up and the pain is a daily occurrence. I wish I had a good answer, lots of rest and pain meds some days and lots of activity other days is what does it for me.

I had major back surgery in Feb of 2002. Got metal plates and screws along with wire mesh in my back. It is tough to live with sometimes but your body learns to cope. VA has tried to stick me on Vallum and every thing else but I dont like taking meds. I mainly stick to the prescription ibuprophin and do have to take the hydrocodine now and again. They have talked about a pain pump but I refused that also lol. I dont ever want to depend on meds. The best thing to do is try to build up the muscles in your back so you dont have to use the discs as much. Will help.

I feel you pain fellas. Chiropractic has helped me and I know of some people that have seen acupuncturists for chronic pain with success (myself included) but it's pretty expensive. If anyone is in the Austin area take a look at this website. https://www.aoma.edu/. Under the patient tab there is a link for the professional clinic and student clinic. Vets can be seen at the student clinic for $15. My wife and I go there for acupuncture and we take our girls there to get allergy treatments. Its worked so well for us that my wife is switching careers and applying to the school.

Kevin

I am going to be watching this thread. After my little adventure, I have been in constant and consistent pain. Worse in the morning. I made the mistake and actually slept eight hours, and couldn't move till back stretched out......

I have thought about accupunture, as I am tired of the pills myself...

Well my thing with pills is eventually you have to take more pills to counteract the damage the other pills caused lol

Cymbalta has cut my pain in half. I can live with half of what it was. The mood elevation didn't hurt none either.

No answers here, I just deal with it as best I can-some days are successful, others not so much...

One thing I will say from experience here guys is even though I hate taking medication, remember being in pain also makes you cranky. Watch what you say to your Wife and Children. Almost lost my Wife because of my temper. No I never touched her but sometimes things that come out of your mouth are just as bad. I have a wonderful Wife of 20 years and I would die for that woman and I have learned to be a more level headed person or just go out by myself when the paid gets to me. So just be careful.

Wish I had a cure for the pain for all of you fellas. I'll say my prayer's for y'all.

Its mind over matter and eventually your mind prevails.

Some people can deal with pain a lot better than others and you have to find a way to deal with it.One of the worst pains I can remember is when I broke my back and it took a few days even with meds to deal with it.Now I don't think about it but if I stand in one spot very long then it lets me know but I try to push it in the back of my mind,sometimes it works.
My wife is a little different story.Before her knees were replaced she was in agony at times but with pain pills they were tolerable.Seems arthritis has set in her joints but after fusing a couple vertebra in her back,both knees,both shoulders and one hip she is doing great.That is until the weather changes but with ibuprophin I think she puts it in the back of her mind.

Nathan....I had an auto rotation go bad on me after taking a couple of hits in the engine....result was # 1 and 2 verts were herniated. It bothers me about twice a year even 45 years later...the VA doc said keep your weight down (which has been the biggest help) try inversion (it provided immediate relief during a flareup) and back exercises.

Ditto...That's what I do for Parkinson's and neuropathy and back pain. I only sleep 3-4 hours a night because if I sleep any longer it is late afternoon for into the evening before I can function because of the pain/tingling/numbness/etc.

I have to keep my mind busy during my awake hours. That is why I started making knives. I can sit or stand or walk around while doing the knives. Of course, too much of anything comes with a price...you guessed it, PAIN.

Add a friend of mine at OH IVIE in Concho County to the list of unsuccessful surgeries. He's had 15 and is still in constant pain. I also try to remember that no matter how bad I have it, somebody out there has it worse.

I hope you can find some relief.

Another vote for inversion here. It works, even if only for a short time. I was told it wouldn't help my c 4-6 bulging disks much due to them being so high on the spine, and the head not being heavy enough to provide much 'traction'. But it tried it before my surgery and it would help during a flare up. I've since had the vertebrae fused.

Accupuncture worked great for my Dad, and got it done at the VA. Like several have said Inversion and exercise help also. While I do not have much back pain, there is that little thing of Diabetic Neuropathy in both feet and lower legs that is a constant with shooting pains at times. All the meds we have tried for that have side effects that I cannot deal with.

What's the thoughts on that implanted stimulator? My doctor wants me to have one put in. My Parkinson's doc said that she had heard that they have some success with them, but neuropathy isn't just in my back. It is in my feet, legs, hands and arms now.

I'm not trying to steal your thread,..just seeking relief and this group of people seem to have been there and done that for several different treatments. And, they have a lot of knowledge that I can certainly use right now. I'm suppose to go to the pain management doc next week.

Has anyone with any type of nueropathy ever used an implanted stimulator, and did it do any good?

Thanks.

Haven't tried that, I know neurotten, and Lyrica I could not stand the side effects. neurotten (SP) a friend called the stupid drug, it is supposed to work by slowing the fireing of the nerves. What is the Brain? I quit raking it when i could not get the garage door to open with the remote, then realized I was at the wrong house.

Lyrica might as well be a 12hour joint, Buzzed, munchies, reaction time slowerd, and kinda mellowed out but can sleep well when I was taking it. But in less than 2 months I gained almost 20lbs.

My neuropathy is at a state I can live with it, mostly just numb in both feet about half the calves and both hands. The hands less so than the feet but it is there. Ocassionally still get the shooting pains like someone has a set of vise grips pinching down on the flesh inside the foot and twisting but that has actually lessened over the years. One problem I have with the numbness is the loss of feeling catus spines or fireant bites do not hurt at all, got into fireants last year and got about 20 stings and never knew I was being stung. Wonder how bad the broken toe that I had last month would have been if I had good feeling in the feet

Prayers up for all the pain sufferers out there, I know my pain issues are minor compared to many.

The best advise is to stay active, do your "normal" activities even if you have pain. loose weight, dont get diabetes/control your diabetes. Studies show thatreducing your activity leads to poorer outcomes. Be careful with the pain meds. Ibuprofen and tylenol can cause problems, too.

If you have questions, ask a pharmacist or your doctor. You might try and get a referral to a pain specialists, but don't expect a miracle.

Good luck.

Also tried Neurontin - wow - talk about zombiefied!