New here + 3 Questions (SCS?, Pain Support Group?, Work?)

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I am new to the group so I wanted to introduce myself and ask a few questions

regarding your experiences. My name is . I have had 5 back surgeries: first

was as a teen for scoliosis, fusion of about 9 thoracic vertebrae. Then four

more surgeries after scoliosis fusion revision surgery (T2-S1 fused) in 2000. I

now have, and I suppose am stuck with, chronic pain which I think are

essentially muscle spasms up the back of both legs, up my back and into my neck

plus some right shoulder pain and some tingling and numbness of my right calf

and foot and tingling of my right arm sometimes. I am getting a divorce and now

must support myself somehow. I can't work full time; I have to lie down a time

or two during the day for a little while for relief. I do get SSDI so that is a

huge help but I can't live on that alone.

Basically I have three questions: 1)What work are you doing? This is for folks

like me with chronic pain. How do you cope with your pain? 2)Has anyone tried a

Spinal Cord Stimulator and how well did it work? I am so so sick of the meds!!!

and 3)Have you ever tried a chronic pain support group and was it a good/helpful

experience?

Thanks in advance for your input.

in SC