OK, you asked for it. Fell skiing hard on my lower back and buttocks in 2016. I had several epidurals and nerve ablations in the fall of that year. Neither helped. I had several orthopedi surgeons scan my MRI and told my to just learn to live with the pain. So, I set out to be my own, best advocate. In July of 2017 I went to a private practice neurolgist who spent and hour and a half assessing my issues(yes, an hour and a half). She ultimately prescribed trmadol, diclofenac K, and Gabapentin. After a couple of days adjusting to the dizziness, I actually was feeling better. Pain dropped from a 7 down to about a 2. Amazing. But, I still had some bad days. I was directed to an orthopedic surgeon who oredered another MRI. He told me that I had spondylithesis at L5-S1. No other MRI had reveled it before. he recommended spinal fusion. Being rather naive a the time, I went ahead. After the healing process, no improvement. Chalked it up to the good, old, "Failed back urgery syndrome". Very convenient.
In 2018 I was diected to a neurosurgeon who recommended a SCS trial. Never heard os such a thing. I had the trial done in the office of my pain specialist. It dropped my bad pain from a 7 to an 8. Felt great. I went ahead with permanent impalnt. Only 50% pain reduction, but enough to become functional, back to cycling 30-50 miles a week, working around the house. Even back to gentle skiing.
Then in 2021, the SCS stopped working. Pain returned with a vengeance. No more cycling. Still somewhat functional, though. In April. 2023 I had a pain pump trial, which dropped pain significanly. Went ahead with permanent impalnt. After innumerable adjustments of output, no pain mitigation. We moved to another state in August of 2023. Got a new pain doc to manage my pump. After 8 or 9 months, I practically begged him to try other avenues of treatment or to reach out to colleagues for advice. No good. He knows all. I finally had the old SCS hardware removed in May of 2024 in order to have an MRI, which revealed nothing extraordinary. In June I went to a new pain doc who recommended a trial of a new SCS, since the old one had given me relief fo several years. So, I will be having that trial in about two weeks. My current pain level is at about an 8 every day. I am not able to walk very far, can't cycle, can't work in my shop. Pretty much confined to sitting at my computer and recliner, or strtched out on the old bed, watching TV. Tried at home PT, but it only ramps up the pain even worse, There you have it.