B I G 10- 4 & Ditto on the G RRREAT NEWS>>>> HEEE HAh THe WOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO and Especially the THANK YOU LORD ! ! ! ! Couldn't have said it better my self...... Now do that therapy girlfriend.... and As we say on GJ " LET THE JUNKING CONTINUE ! ! ! " Love & Prayers ! ! ! God Bless ! SusieSunShine

My first thought was also gallstones, until you mentioned the tremendous amount of stress you've been under. I would BET the stress is causing your back pain. I know this will sound crazy, but you need to read the book: Healing Back Pain: The Mind - Body Connection by Dr. John Sarno. You are probably suffering from Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS), the name Dr. Sarno gave to this condition. The book teaches you how stress causes most back problems. Just reading the book will probably cure your back. Don't take my word for it. Read some of these reviews on Amazon. I bought my book on eBay for about $4. It stays loaned out to friends most of the time, so I'm thinking about buying a second copy so I will always have one on hand. Seriously, read some of these reviews so you'll know how much this book can help your back pain. This is one of the best books I own, and I reread it anytime my back starts to hurt, and it's always when I am stressed out about something. I first heard about Dr. Sarno on the TV program 20/20 about ten years ago, and it showed him healing three different patients, just by teaching them that they can cure their back with their mind. Just knowing about the TMS syndrome and how the mind works will make your back stop hurting. It's so simple, it's unreal. Good luck! Here is a link that might be useful: 318 book reviews on Amazon

I'm so sorry, Glenda. There comes a time that injections and PT just can't help anymore. I expect that surgeries seem absolutely formidable to you. My husband had a hip replacement and the recovery was amazingly swift. Everyone we talked to who had had a replacement said the same thing. I had rotator cuff repair surgery rather than replacement and wish that I had just gone ahead with the latter. But what a relief to be pain free. I wish the same for you. Please keep you KT informed, we care. I hate to admit it, but we are also a My Pillow family, too. We both sleep through the night with those pillows and stiff necks and sore shoulders are no longer problems for either of us.

I felt a growing pain from my right shoulder, 4 years ago. It was not from a sudden injury, but apparently more of a 'frayed' tear, caused by wear and tear, literally. My sister had rotator cuff repair surgery a year prior, and urged me to try physical therapy before opting for surgery. My doctor referred me to a physical therapist specializing in rotator cuff injuries. I did 3 weeks of formal therapy, then just took home the pamphlets they provided, and continued therapy on my own. I bought a stretchy bungee type strap and some light weights. At first it was pretty painful doing the exercises, but every week it became less so. Eventually I just did exercises, like the dangling arm rotation, without any accessories. About 3 months later I kind of let that fizzle out, as I no longer had any pain when using my arm. I've had no pain since then, but don't have full flexibility in my right arm, which I realize may have been recovered if I'd had surgery, or done the exercises for longer. However, the flexibility I lost does not affect anything I would need to do. With my 'good' arm, I can nestle my left elbow tight to my side, then move my forearm up my spine and reach the nape of my neck with my left hand, or lift my right arm over my shoulder and grab my left hand with my right one. But I can't nestle my right elbow right against my side, and can only inch my right arm to just above my bra clasp. I don't know if it's scar tissue or simply that my arm didn't heal fully from the exercises, to regain my former flexibility. Regardless, I have full flexibility in every other way with my right arm and shoulder, with no pain. So I'm satisfied with my choice to avoid surgery, as I don't do well with either anesthesia or painkillers.