Re: Injections for pain and disability

[Guest guest]

Joanne,

Good luck with the procedure you are trying. Is it the same or

similar as radio ablation? I don't have any experience with it

myself, but it sounds like it could be promising for some people.

As far as disability goes - don't worry about your age. I'm 32 and

applied (and was awarded) disability when I was 28. You asked what

kind of work others had done - I had been working fulltime doing

vaccine research & development in a lab, then I tried teaching

college for a few years, and went from fulltime to parttime work. I

have multiple sclerosis in addition to flatback, and the fatigue,

cognitive issues & bladder dysfuction are the main reasons I applied,

because they made it difficult to maintain a professional image in a

classroom environment. If you decide to apply, please remember to

keep your answers very detailed even if you feel that you are being

very repetitive (they ask a lot of similar questions), and be sure to

describe your challenges in a way to show that you cannot do ANY job,

not just your current job.

Why does your doctor not recommend surgery as an option for you? I

hope that you're able to find some help for your pain!

>

> I had an appointment with my pain management doctor yesterday. He

> increased the Avinza ( a slow-release morphine) and Percucet for

> breakthrough pain. He mentioned injections that will numb the

nerve to

> start. If I have relief for 6 to 8 hours, they do another one, if

that

> works another 6 to 8 hours, they do an injection to burn the

nerve. I

> don't recall anyone mentioning having tried anything like this

before.

> He said he has done it on patients with flatback. Just wondering

how

> it worked with others. Since my pain can go from the base of my

skull

> to both legs from time to time, that seems to be alot of nerve

burning??

>

> I have also wondered how many are on disability. I am trying to

hang

> in there, but it is getting very hard some days. I am an office

> manager and it is either up and down or sitting alot. My husband

is an

> above leg amputee, so he is already on disability. My company has

a

> great disability plan, but age 56 seems young to be stuck at home

all

> day. I wondered what kind of work you all are in and what you can

and

> cannot do. I guess I will take a " wait and see " attitude at this

> point. I am not considering the revision surgery at this point.

The

> scoliosis doctor said it was an option, but did not recommend it in

my

> situation. Anyway, for someone that " didn't have alot to say " , I

had a

> mouthful!! Sorry!!

>