Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

Hi,
My name is Karyn Benson and I live in lower Michigan. I have Adhesive Arachnoiditis and my back surgeon told me my disease has progressed rapidly in the past 3 years and now is really bad. He said there is nothing he can do for me. What does that mean? What is going to happen to me? I am scared.

My name is David, I've got a huge history of pain. I've had 3 spinal fusions ,l-1 to s-1 fused.ive been through 4 shoulder surgeries, Ankle,and some others not structure related and I can't get any help with pain relief, I've had the internal stimulater,but wires came unhooked and was removed,and finally a pain pump,well Dr missed port while refilling and injected stomach cavity with morphine. Had to have emergency surgery to remove the pump and several pounds of necrosis, ended up with 3 of the four types of staff infections and was septic.Had to leave surgery wound open to heal from inside,which ended me up in a nursing home for 2 months. Well ever since than the company that made the pump or the Dr that missed it never have contacted me. Ever since they removed the pump I cannot get anyone to help me with controlling my pain. HELP

I found this forum a couple of weeks ago, and have interacted with a few other people who suffer from chronic pain like I have for the past 10 years. My name is Bob, and I live with my wife in Mt. Vernon, Washington. We've been married for over 42 years, have 2 great kids, who now have families of their own, and 4 grand kids.
I've been retired on permanent disability since July of 2015, when I was forced to "retire" and walk away from my job after almost 17 years. We had to sell our home and move in with our son and his family for 2 years before we could afford to rent a place of our own.
I have osteoarthritis in my hips, knees, lower spine, neck, and my right elbow. I've had numerous surgeries on my knees, elbow, and my neck, including 2 separate spinal fusion surgeries in my neck(C5-C6 and C6-T1), and a total of 5 knee operations before finally getting a partial replacement of my left knee in late 2018.
Another factor in my forced retirement was the beginnings of neuropathy in my feet, which made doing my job(I drove a truck and delivered office furniture, supplies, and copy paper) more and more difficult. I started taking gabapentin for my feet, which meant having to give up my CDL, so I "retired".
It took several neurologists and 2 neurosurgeons 10 years of testing to determine that I have idiopathic poly neuropathy in my feet, which has been progressing and becoming more of an issue in my daily life. I'm taking 3600 mg of gabapentin a day to dull the pain, and started taking alpha lipoic acid a few weeks ago after my doctor recommended trying it. I think it does help a little.
I have chronic pain 24/7 from both conditions, and I'm taking 9 prescription drugs currently for several different things. Right now, my quality of life isn't great, but it's the hand that I was dealt.

Look, just because one doctor tells you that "there is nothing that can be done", that doesn't mean there isn't something that could be done. If I listened to the three orthopedic surgeons who told me the same thing, I would likely be an invalid or dead. You have to keep searching. Get several other opinions. Don't give up! Keep looking! You are stronger than you think.

I admire your positive attitude. Just wondering. Does that much gabapentin give you trouble with your balance? I am on 600 mg three times a day. My doc tells me that he believes that much may be affecting my balance.

Does he ever complete the thought by saying „and THIS is what we can do if you have balance problems?“ if not, quickly find another doctor! Archie

Thanks for your input. He told me to have my physical therapist design a regimen of activities to help my balance. Unfortunately, he is not much of a "think outside the box" kind of guy. I have already found things online to help balance issues.

Good Afternoon, my story is long but to sum it up I have DDD lower back L3-4-5-S1. I have problems walking sitting on chairs I’m only comfortable laying in bed at 30 degree up. I get severe migraines with passing out for couple seconds
Happening all day long when standing up sitting up, reading I have dyslexia so words change move around passing out comes on quick.
Nerve pains zaps down legs mostly left one. Cognitive problems remembering what I’m talking about.
Remembering what I’m doing like cooking, where is something. I rest a lot because of these problems. I’m Buddhist mostly so I’m not afraid of dying. I’m an introvert but like talking to people pets plants. Meditation is a tool I use for relief and Beauty everything. I’m still able to do chores cook clean make bed shower or bathe brush teeth and so on. I wish peace to you all god bless.

I completely understand everything you’re going through. I too have had six pack surgeries working on the seventh one now I’m running out of options. I have tried everything under the book. The only time I get out of bed is when I have to go to work, which I try to make it every day and use that example of why I need to go to work Just so that I don’t get bedridden. The only thing I don’t have that you do is the loss of consciousness, but I’ve tried it all acupuncture massage men’s it just never ends. The depression is getting hard. I feel like I’m letting my family down.

I don't know if it's the gabapentin, but I do have issues with my balance, mainly because of the numbness in my feet. I can't feel the soles of my feet anymore, so much so that I can walk around outside bare foot when it's only in the 30's and 40's here in the PNW. The temps don't bother my feet, even on the driveway.