Thank you for my hugs and eaten gratefully. maizie how are you doing at the moment? Have you recovered reasonably from your surgery, it seems to have flown by since it was done? matilda how are you feeling today? Hope there is some let-up to the pain. live speaks wisely like she should be a medical professional or something with her theory of the injection irritating a nerve? Hope it eases soon and you don't have too long on the concoction of painkillers to keep you going (or lying flat!).
losty how are things with you? are you managing over the holidays ok without your H, has he stepped up and been helpful to you with the children? Hope your pain levels are ok.
denial how are you feeling after your shite appt? Have you got anywhere with the consultant finding out why the other one wanted your meds reduced? Are you feeling any better?
tadaa how are you doing, managing ok on pain levels with your busy schedules?!
Everyone else - I am thinking of you, even though I have not posted. I know there a few newbies who are having some tough times with pain, please do keep posting, I have a brain like a sieve, but a very fine one, so your names and situations will sink in without me reminding myself i do often sit here with a pen and paper to remind myself of what to write and to whom! but not today
My update: Recovered from hitting that stupid car door. New wing mirror delivered this morning, not fitted yet. Passenger mirror so still able to drive legally, although only did so today as I had a passenger to be my eyes!
GP appointment. GP suggested signing me of for another 4 weeks 
I have said 2 weeks as I really want to get back to work. He agreed 2 and review. Had a good discussion. He was at a) the attitude of the consultant ('arrogant' was his own words, not put into his mouth, I was attempting to be nice 'he didn't have the best bedside manner') and b) his decision to not proceed with fusion. He said that 60% was, in his view not accurate - there is a vertebral slip and the consultant himself has said that it's likely this is causing the pain and what is fusion for if not for fixing instability of the spine? He instantly agreed that I should have a second opinion and started the referral there and then. He also said the consultant should have asked for (can't remember the name he used) a motion x-ray to see my spine moving as it's being x-rayed, as it may be moving at any point during my movements not just in one or two static flexed(?) positions and that the consultant can be present (should be) to see the movements himself. He said I will most likely need to induce pain for them to see what they need to see by moving into positions that cause the vertebrae to move, but feels it would be worth the pain. losty maybe you will know more about those x-rays? oh and c) he refusal to commit to what is likely going on which he thinks is quite obvious (the disc is damaged and possibly prolapsed again and the vertebrae is moving causing pain) so that pain clinic have something to work with.
He has suggested I have the MRI before the second opinion so that surgeon has all the newest information to see what's going on. He thinks, as we have all said, that the consultant already made up his mind before this appointment. GP was not impressed. He suggested I try to arrange a telephone consultation with the pain clinic as i should not necessarily need to be examined to decide on injections, and my nurse friend said they might prefer telephone consultation as they have all the info they need to make a decision/get approval with the doctor who does the injections.
Has anyone tried anti-inflammatory suppositories? My nurse friend has said that these are quicker acting than tablets and are less harsh on the stomach. I might talk to the GP about them.
I decided to go to the beach after my doctors appointment. I felt a little more positive about things as although the GP cannot fix things himself, he does not make me feel that this is inevitably all fucked. A lovely, lovely day with a wonderful friend, her DS, my DC. In sooooooo much pain now! but i have more diazepam in case this does not subside it was worth it. But I was quite tearful near the end that I could not manage to carry a coffee and tea down a steep path (with my stick) without walking pigeon step and stopping every few minutes, I felt so old and hate the children seeing me like that.