I have recently been referred by my doctor to pain management for sciatica, spinal stenosis from herniated disc as I am in constant excruciating pain. I have already had two microdiscectomies, 3 yrs physical therapy, four steroid injections back in 2007 & 2008, chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, prescription nerve blocker, muscle relaxer and ibuprofen and am currently scheduled for another steroid injection. The next step I want to avoid is disc fusion because it limits mobility. I questioned the doctor about burning the nerve like my husband is about to have done for varicose veins. He said it would render my leg useless. I asked about whether they replace the missing cartilage or disc, he said they couldn’t. I couldn’t sleep tonight because of pain, so I began researching on internet and found five different sources and articles on gel and cartridge disc replacement for spine as being successful during trials. I don’t know why the doctor would lie to me. I asked about CBD or medicinal marijuana also and he said he couldn’t officially give me a referral but that he heard that it could work and thought it’d be worth trying. After discussing with CBD store people and expressed that I only want to kill pain (not be high or non functional) I have gotten Kratum which gives me a couple hours of pain relief and does more than any prescription without the high. My problem is that I got turned down for reopening an L&I case from 2006 job injury even after appeal (though I was told I could reopen at any time as I was deemed as having a partial permanent injury disability. I am currently in appeal process for social security disability. So in meantime I am on charity program of this medical group while I wait. Also waiting on medicaid application.
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Well, it probably depends on which disks would be fused. Your doctor probably knows what he or she is talking about.
Doctors hate doing spine surgery because so many patients are just in it to get out of work and fake that they still have back problems after surgery which ends up being a black mark on the surgeon's record.
This is just pain management doctor. No surgeon currently and not in same state as I was. We moved to Missouri from Washington