Good Morning, RB,
Thank you for all of the helpful information and for the good karma!🙏

Like you, over the years, exercise has been what has kept my back in relatively good condition and helped to relieve my pain (along with heat & icing, and meds--when needed). I continued with all of the physical therapy exercises I learned, plus love to walk.

But during the last 3 years, my back pain escalated and included nerve pain. What use to help--exercises, my zero-gravity chair, etc.--now increase my pain. Fortunately, I can still walk--a
SLOW mile. I am looking forward to resuming P.T. post-surgery and regaining a more normal life. (My prior fusion is fine; it is everything below it.)

I have gone to 3 pain management doctors over the past 3 years.
As I had already been through the steroid injections routine, with the hope of being a candidate for RFA, the latest one focused more on pharmacological treatment knowing that I was scheduled for surgery in the future.

I am currently on 3 drugs that have really helped me survive the year.

Low Dose Naltrexone at 4.5 mg at bedtime. It Is a compound drug that must be purchased at a Compound pharmacy. It helps with chronic pain including nerve pain. My health plan covered it at first, but now I need to pay cash-- around $60 for a month. No side effects and it really helps.

Duloxetine 20mg., ( an anti-depressant at a very low dose) take in the morning-- It helps with Bone, Muscle, and Nerve pain. Difficult the first week-sleepy, Foggy headed, but resolves by day 6.

Generic Lyrica-25 mg for and added boost in nerve pain relief. Take one at night.

The 3 drugs are all taken at very low dose and each has an additive effect.

RB, these may be something to consider depending on your level of nerve pain.

BTW-- post-surgery
you are my Role Model!

Best wishes!!
Nadine
Ps. I'll send an abstract on the Low Dose Naltrexone