The month before my surgery seemed like a year. I couldn't lay any way except on my stomach. I couldn't sleep and I became a completely different person. I was afraid I would never be me again. The best thing in the end was insisting on an MRI. The need for surgery was immediately clear and, after that, no one tried to tell me my pain was in my head.
It's especially hard with chronic pain because you don't know when the next treatment will be identified, and when it is, you don't know if it will help. It is so hard to be optimistic and You can't talk to most people because they think you are complaining...
Meeting my neurosurgeon was a blessing. After talking with me and taking a look at my MRI, the surgeon suggested surgery. I was so happy to walk away from that appointment with the microdiscectomy scheduled for the following month! I honestly was ready for surgery. I had done nearly everything else except give up: Chiropractor, physical therapy, vitamins, injections, pain meds, nothing helped. Physical therapy did help me from being stiff, but I still got worse and couldn't sleep.
