[laid up doc]

Thanks Harrison, see my signature for my history... not as long and colorful as some i've seen on the site, but i am only 32!! i've had ortho issues here and there my whole life thanks to being active and hypermobile. i'm currently unable to work in my job (ER doc) b/c of this problem and am going to have to reconsider my career to avoid a life of chronic pain.

i read that thread on biacuplasty - my insurance doesn't cover it either like i said before... i am fortunate that my doc will have baylis donate the kit and should be able to have most of the cost written off by having it done at the hospital where i work(ed) and am still on the medical staff. being a doc does pay off sometimes! my pain doc has done a lot and says he has had very good success (at least 80% "success") in young pts w/ 1 level discogram proven pain generator w/o loss of disc ht and otherwise normal spine. so i will keep everyone posted... looking at another 3 months out of work after this is done thank god i was saving to buy a house!

i am lucky in that i don't have any significant comorbidities, except for some depression/anxiety premorbid but much much worse due to all of this... ie no fibro or other chronic pain. my mom does have fibro and lots of OA so i hope i'm not headed down that path! it does make recovery difficult and i'm working hard to not be on chronic narcs b/c i do think it affects the brain in ways we don't understand well. there are also some theories that chronic pain permanently affects the SC and brain, which may account for less than optimal outcomes in pts w/ chronic pain. again, my goal is not to have chronic pain and i'm willing to redo my life to avoid it. in my line of work i see the most burned out chronic pain pts and would do anything to avoid that type of lifestyle. i'm known to surf, raft, hike, swim, bike... and want to get back to those things!