My Aching Back Part 4

In an attempt to fix my back, I had an epidural cortisone injection last week.  For the first few days after the procedure, the pain was much worse than it had been in weeks, but after a few days of decreasing intensity, the pain finally seems to be subsiding.  I’m able to move around fairly normally and the pain in my legs has faded to a point where I don’t really notice it.  It’s gone from a horrible constant burning sensation to a mild occasional cramping sensation.  And, while there is still some pain in my back and upper butt, it’s tolerable.

For the first time in a very long time I am able to stand straight without discomfort.  Now, though, I’m going to need to relearn how to walk.  For years, I’ve had bad posture and a horrible gait from back pain and now that the pain isn’t constant, I can tell that those things affect the muscles in the rest of my back, causing them to ache.  In a couple of weeks I go back to the doctor, then, hopefully, I will be entering physical therapy to help correct what needs to be corrected.

For now, I’m still taking Percocet and Cymbalta for pain relief, but there are times when I would rather have the pain than the side effects from the drugs.  Aside from the general lethargy that I have all the time and the many extra hours of sleep, I have gas and constipation constantly, my stomach aches most of the day and if I’m taking the medications as I’m supposed to, I have a complete inability to achieve orgasm.  There’s also the fact that I feel stupid when I’m taking these drugs.  I’m obviously not functioning at the same level that I do when I’m not on them which has led to some serious inconveniences over the past few weeks.

While I’m happy to be this far along, I’d be happier still to be completely pain free without the drugs.  Hopefully, that day is coming.  All I want is to feel normal again.

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