@wsh66 Your final paragraph said that pain is back to where it is today. Are you saying that it's at the same level as when you got the pain pump?

I had a spinal cord stimulator implant in June of 2017, and after 4 years, my neuropathy pain is worse, and is moving up my legs. On the occasional good day, it's bearable, but most of the time, my pain level is between 7 and 9. At night, when I lie down, it is often the most painful part of the day, and I wonder how much longer I can stand it.

I spoke with a doctor at OHSU about a pain pump implant, but their protocol is to first have a DRG stimulator trial. I'm scheduled for that on July 20. If it helps, I won't want to have the implant until the fall because of the amount of yard and garden work I have to do. It normally freezes in September, so I can put away all of the hoses and soaker hoses in the barn for the winter. It would probably take that long to schedule the implant anyway.

I tapered off morphine sulfate contin a few weeks ago, in large part because of the hassle of getting a fresh prescription for it every month. And I'm tired of hearing all my doctors' lectures about how it doesn't reduce nerve pain. They're partly right, because I can't get a therapeutic dose. Between that and depression/anxiety disorder/PTSD, it's hard to get much enjoyment from the things I've always loved. My B.A. is in music, with piano as my major. I haven't played a note since the beginning of covid19.

It's now tomorrow, and I have to stop writing and go to sleep. One real blessing is that, as a rule, I sleep well with my Bipap mask on, so I get rest from the pain.

I appreciated what you had to say. I'll read it again after I've had my 9 hours.

Jim

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