Hi All
I am a chronic pain patient with mostly lwr back issues and Fibromyalgia. Have had Fibro for 10 yrs and some back problems for awhile but especially worse over last 2 years and even worse last 3 months.
Just started seeing a Back Pain Specialist Doc Friday and will be having another series of bilateral fluorscopic steroid injections. They helped a bit in past.
If this time the leg/nerve pain is decreased and the back is still in pain we will look at other options for releif n ie.. surgery or other treatments?
Considered surgery back in Mar 08 with neurosurgeon but he suggested not yet could possibly open a can of worms and wanted me to wait a year or so and see how the back calms down itself. Well it hasn't done that it actually worsened and now has arthritis.
After reading some posts I feel I can empathise with a number of you. I look forward to reading more and posting when appropriate and learning from one another.
Thanks for Reading!
Sweety 
I'm sorry to hear you suffer from so much pain. I've found Cymbalta helpful for the leg pain as well as the epidurals helped a bit also. I have DDD also but the same herniated disc L5-S1 has resolved but still have leg and back pain. Take care. Charry
Any answers I have is not medical advice only a Doctor can help you with that. Just sharing my personal experience as a fellow Spine Health member only. Mild DDD of complete lumbar area with recent healing of L5-S1 HD and annular tear.Leg &foot weakness nerve compression L4-L5.Mod. disc changes C5-C7 nerve impingement sore elbow and numb hand. Sept. 2011 MRI L4-L5 disc bulge and L5 facet joint and narrowing. Meds-Oxycontin 80mg,Cymbalta,Lyrica, Flexeril,Naproxen,Serax. Platinum Infrared heating pad. ER and Oncology trained and Cardiology RN on Disability. Keep the faith.
Hi Charry
Wow Did it the discs resolve on its own or did you have surgery. I have also have severe DDD they tell me.
Is the leg pain nerve pain, numbing, tingling? That is what I have in my legs. Have tried neurontin and lyrica could not do the side effects. This Doctor suggested Methadone for me in a low dosage he said they found it helps with nerve pain. It has gotten a bad rap from heroin users but it is a pain reliever. He gave me percocets for bt pain for now. I think he is waiting to see if the injections help first before trying something for nerve pain.
Thanks for the warm welcome
Rhonda
Your surgeon was a wise man not wanting to rush into surgery. Surgery holds no guarantees and can sometimes make things worse.
I also have arthritis in my facet joints so I can totally relate to your pain. The injections also temporarily helped me and it led to having rhizotomys (nerve burn) about 1 x a year.
Hopefully you are on the right course and will get some relief soon.
Good luck and keep us posted.
I am in no way associated with the medical field. Anything that I post comes from personal experience only.
DDD, Facet Arthropathy, DJD,Collapsed Disc, Sleep Apnea
PT, Epidurals, Facet Blocks,Medial Branch Block, Rhizotomy,Discogram,Annular Tare L3/L4 Endoscopic MicroD and PLDD,
Methadone, Percocet, Baclofen, Welbutrin
Thanks JJ
Yes my current Back Pain Doctor said the same thing that is was good at the time to take a conservative route. I took it though by his words and his look that he is concerned about the progress of my back. I think we will be moving a bit more aggresively now then in the past.
Only worsening not getting any better on my own.
What is this nerve burn is is a procedure or side effect?
Thanks again
Rhonda