I had read that before and my wife was not happy at first that I was going ahead with it. It did give some relief so we have decided to do one more and then make a decision if I will proceed with anymore.
I am like you, the Lyrica and Neurontin did not help at all. It didn't put me in a fog but it was causing some really crazy dreams and was falling out of bed all the time. I had no idea I was doing the latter and it really had my wife scared. She moved my nightstand so I wouldn't crack my head on it and continually woke up to check on me.
I am on 60 mg Cymbalta and Norco 10/325 three x per day. I have tapered the Norco back to two x per day on most days. I went over 18 years without taking any meds at all. I should have been taking some but the last 1 1/2 years I have gone down hill drastically. I can't do near as much as I was but I am gradually getting back to doing some activities.
I had read that before and my wife was not happy at first that I was going ahead with it. It did give some relief so we have decided to do one more and then make a decision if I will proceed with anymore.
I am like you, the Lyrica and Neurontin did not help at all. It didn't put me in a fog but it was causing some really crazy dreams and was falling out of bed all the time. I had no idea I was doing the latter and it really had my wife scared. She moved my nightstand so I wouldn't crack my head on it and continually woke up to check on me.
I am on 60 mg Cymbalta and Norco 10/325 three x per day. I have tapered the Norco back to two x per day on most days. I went over 18 years without taking any meds at all. I should have been taking some but the last 1 1/2 years I have gone down hill drastically. I can't do near as much as I was but I am gradually getting back to doing some activities.
It is scary how similar we are jeff1967, Until 2007, I had been really med free other than Ibuprofen which I took as needed. I feel the same as you about going downhill drastically and fast. Since 2010, the decrease in quality of life is very scary. I had more falls while on the Lyrica and Neurontin too. I have been almost 6 months without a fall now. Last one was at Craig on Ice walking the dog ironically.
I think maybe Chronic pain eventually wears away the brain's tolerance to deal with it. Hormones actually play a role too.
Did I tell you about the B12 supplements and Vitamin D? On days I have to be active, I was taking an energy boost powder from Whole Foods. I asked the my doctor and she said I could take it every day if I wanted. It's called B12 Energy Boost. She also said I needed to take Vitamin D double the normal dose and since it is fat soluble, I can take it all on one day. They taste horrible. She takes it herself because high altitude living depletes it faster than normal. I also have a deficiency because of the Questran I have to take to control hereditary Bowel issues with diarrhea.
Anyway, I have noticeably less burning when I dose the B12 powder.
I have also stopped eating processed foods in the last 5 months. I can tell you that if I drink a coke which I do occasionally lol, I burn more the next day.
A combination of all this...lets me have a few days almost pain free (5) which is pain free when you consider the misery of a 10 day. However, the pain chooses to come/go as it pleases it seems with no rhyme or reason.
I am fighting this with all I have but really growing weary like you are.
kilg0retr0ut, Yes just meeting Medicare's rules has been quite the obstacle.
New proposed legislation in the US threatens to harm all of us that need wheelchairs/prosthetics tailored to complex needs.