Back pain: I'm desperate to hear some success stories

You don't become an addict if you take opiates for pain. You may become dependent but you wont all of a sudden become someone who uses more and more like an addict. You need to talk to the doctor and get more meds to carrry you through until you get the MRI and then get on a better med. I would not, personaly, opt for surgery. There is a Canadian based forum for those of us with chronic pain. http://chronicpainsite.com/mb/ good people and good advice.

For me, I find that vicoprofen workd better than percocet and I am more comfortable with long term ibuprofen use than with long term APAP use. There is also Roxycodone, it is percocet without the tylenol. It is IR (immediate release). If you stay with oxycdone you'll want to talk to the Dr about oxycontin and roxies, for breakthrough pain. Personally, and with some others I have talked to, I prefer just to use the vicoprofen because I have bad days and better days... so I am not stuck with something that I have to stay with the same dose everyday and night.

I have been on time released opiates and they really work (if you have something for breakthrough pain... like vicoprofen). I have been on Avenza (ER mrphine 90mg a day), Duragesic (fentanyl 5ug per hour, patch delivery, not good if you are hairy and may come off if you sweat too much... can over relese if you get too hot) they do work though; Nucynta ER (works but I didn't like the side effects); Butrans patch (worthless waste of time). I am back on the vicoprofen x5 a day and Lyrica 50mg x2 a day. The Lyrica really helps with nerve pain but not with muscle pain. There is also gabapenten (sp?) it is kin to Lyrica. I got leg cramps from it. Lyrica, with some people makes the feet swell and in most people causes a little weight gain but some people take 600mg and more a day.
Cymbalta works great for nerve pain but I had a rare side effect that I didn't like... but it worked really well on the spine pain.
My pain gets worse if I exert myself too much (the next day can get out of control) also a low pressure weather system moving in makes me hurt more. So, on better days I take less so that on bad days I have extra.... but in 10 years I have never run out of my meds.
A pain management clinic will likely subject you to random pee tests so smoking pot is off limits unless it is legitimate in WA. Actually, if it is available there as medicine, it may work for you.

For me, for now.. I am staying with the Vicoprofen/Lyrica, I aslo take klonopin and fioricet in the afternoon around 3:00, it helps too. Fioricet is usually prescribed for headaches but is a general pain killer, I also have Cephadyn because the fioricet has caffiene but other wise they are the same except the cephadyn has 500mg of APAP while the fioricet has 325mg. I also have to take extra ibuprofen sometimes.... but it is what works for me.

I'll also tell you this. People who do not have chronic pain are not very sympathetic... but pain will rule and ruin your life if you don't get help. The doctors have the DEA looking over their shoulder so they have to put you through a few loops but you can get help and NO... you wont become an addict, unless you already are.

Just be honest with the doctors. They will help you and this is VERY important... if you don't like a doctor or if a doctor is not helping you... find a new doctor. No one cares about your health more than you do and ultimately it is YOU wh is responsible for getting the care you need.

I wish you well. Now I have to get ready to go to the dentist to get a crown.... ugh!

Julien