26 years of back pain!

[Dawn_2105]

Hi I Dawn and I have had back pain for really as long as I can remember. I had my first operation at the age of 20 and 5 more followed them. I have had two fusions but am now in constant pain, catorigsed now as Chronic Pain. My left foot is numb due to nerve damage. I take about 5 different painkillers to get me up in the morning and now suffer from depression. I have just started taking Longset and Shortet as the MST and Sevredol wasn't working. I get epidural + root block injection, they ease the pain. I am never pain free and if I could turn the clock back I would never have had that first operation. Longset is a new one for me so would appreciate anyone's experiences on tnem

[paddy19]

Hi Dawn like you to suffer chronic back pain I to was offered an operation but declined it,l to have numbness in my left foot due to nerve pain,i was on transdermal patch 100micgrams but after using it for 3,years stopped working for me Iam on longset40micgrams every 12hours and shortest 20micgrams as needed I have just been on these for,4weeks after having the dose increased they're working for the moment but the pain is constant.Dawn I hope they work for you I know exactly what your going through,i know it's hard but try and get out and about if you can.Good Luck Dawn

[Dawn_2105 in reply to paddy19]

Hi. Thank you for your reply. Definetly keep declining those operations it's a slippery slope. For the numbness I take pregabelin 600mg a day and it helps.

Thank you for your reply

[Ilovemychildren1]

Ask for butrans patch they are ok

[Del123]

Dear Dawn, I have to sympathize with you as I unfortunately also one that lives with constant pain due to Nerve and Spinal damage after 7 major ops :-((

I also take 18 pills a day which after taking them for like 32yrs now seem to have little effect. I also suffer from depression, however, I have found "Mindfulness" (which is a form of meditation) has helped a lot with the depression. Its not for everyone,ut it works for me and at least 1hr a day i'm not thinking about pain!

Hope you have a better day today x

[Dawn_2105 in reply to Del123]

Hi I have heard of mindfulness I will certainly give it a go. I have been told my head goes with my back and my back goes with my head. If I am calm and unstressed my back isn't to sore if my back isn't to sore my mood is better!! Problem is at the moment my back sore whether I am calm or not!!!

Thanks for your reply x

[BaneBane2424]

May I ask what are Longset and Shortet? I never heard about this. And how much epidural and nerve block injections do you take? Once in a month, every three months? I wanted you to suggest these but you are already taking them.

[Dawn_2105 in reply to BaneBane2424]

Hi. Sorry said the name of the wrong slightly wrong they are shortec 5mg and longtec 5mg. These are the new names for oxycodone. I have been going to the pain clinic in Aberdeen where I live to get trigger injections. The clinic was so busy that the doctor would fit me in at 8.30am and I would get a many as I could tolerate, go home and rest afterwards then back to work next day. These were amazing giving me a couple of relief. Just as we were getting into a routine the doctor retired and there was no other doctor that offered them. I was put back on the waiting list then got an offer to go to Glasgow! It's absolutely madness really but I was put on the waiting list inicitive where the basic over flow from the Aberdeen waiting list was farmed out to other nhs departments in Scotland. I was given an appointment at a private hospital in Glasgow. All paid for trip down with a companion. Train tickets, taxi journey, food, hotel for my mum all paid for by Aberdeen nhs. I got an epidural + root block injection. I have had one and am now waiting for an appointment date for another. Same routine as before. All expenses paid for. It worked or I wouldn't be going down again, I think I got about 3 months relief from I.

[BaneBane2424 in reply to Dawn_2105]

Those pills are always perscribed, and I really don't know why do they give them since they are often ineffective and people only destroy their bodies with pills like that. But I understand the situation you are in and I'm in a pile of sh*t too my friend, and I would swallow any kind of pills out of desperation and expecting relief. And now you see that these injections somehow did the trick and reduced your pain for 3 months in comparison with a bunch od unnecessary pills. I will try injections myself, and I can honestly say that I could live all my life on those injections if they work. It would bring my life back. Keep it up my friend and good luck with second shots.

[Dawn_2105 in reply to BaneBane2424]

Thank you for listening to me go on and on. How are you feeling? what are your pain levels at? What medication do you take? I also take pregabelin and diazepam and with all this pain I suffer from depression now so take anti depressants., good ness it's never ending .

[BaneBane2424 in reply to Dawn_2105]

I exactly know how you feel. I now feel like a 98 years old grandpa. I am currently taking ibuprofen out of desperation wich doesn't do sh*t and I will stop taking it. I feel depressed and anxious but I don't want to take any pills for that too. I will schedule an appointment in a private pain clinic to have an injection immediately because I don't want to go trough unnecessary "treatments" with pills and bs like that. If injections help me, I would be glad to take them for the rest of my life and live in peace and doing things that I used to love doing. I was a fitness model, and now I'm literally like a grandpa. And I forgot to write, my pain levels vary troughout the day, from 4/10 all the time to 9/10 at some moments. I didn't slept for a month and urination and sexual problems kill me most of all.

[woodsey46 in reply to Dawn_2105]

hi im just reading your posts i to am suffering from backpain an i take 80mg of longtec a day an take 25mg of shortec these did work at start not im due an injection next week so hopefully this works

[Dawn_2105]

I am the same I feel double my age and it's a good thing not to start going down the pills root besause its never ending. I took ibuprofen based tablets for years and now have an ulcer as a result. Trigger injections are good short term but the epidural + root block is much more aggressive and longer lasting.

[BaneBane2424 in reply to Dawn_2105]

We are in a similar position, I feel you brother. You see, all those pills are worthless. I never belived in the pills, only thing i know that really work are steroids, anabolic or corticosteroids, injections, and surgeries. All other craps are useless and that is the reality.