@calmmylife57 It seems that you too have been through many procedures to alleviate your pain. I am waiting to see if the intercostal nerve block might work. In the research I did it says it can take up to 10 days for the steroids to begin working so once again I am in a waiting pattern. I did have to take 1/3 of a pain pill when I got home from Bible Study today as I stayed after for about a half an hour chatting with some of the other women and I was standing the whole time and I was in extreme pain. I was so glad to get home and get into a chair and lean back and that took the pressure off my ribs and the pain finally subsided. I have a good support system with my husband and my friends and so many praying for me. Whatever happens I know I am in God's hands and He is allowing it to happen for a reason and so I am OK with that. On Sunday I was able to talk with a long time friend from my Bible Study who just happened to be going through something similar for the past 10 years and had also had a spinal cord stimulator implanted as well as having the Intercostal nerve root blocks and epidurals etc. and she didn't have success with any of the procedures. She also has the attitude that if this is God's will then she is OK with it. I did try Yoga, acupuncture, pool therapy, pilates and none of those things helped. Whatever is wrong doesn't show in x-rays, MRI's or CT scans so the doctor's are just trying whatever they can to get me out of pain. I try to not take more than 1/2 of a pain pill twice a week. I hate taking them at all but Tylenol and Alive just do not take any of the pain away. I have a reaction to the pain medication where I become very itchy (which my doctor tells me is common) so I stay away from them as much as possible.

I hope the pain management team at The Royal Orthopedic Hospital can come up with something that will help you and that you can move on with your life and not be hindered with pain. May God Bless you and help you become pain free.