Yeah I think I'm with you . It might come down to just perservering with a combination of pain relief and CBT then and finding the right level. I know how hard it is - I have three friends all with back problems and have all had ops and the pain is never completely under control and it is hard to not focus on it when you can't move about very much to do anything. Did someone mention acupuncture earlier in the thread? Alternative therapies might be another weapon to add to the armoury.