sweetie- plain and simple you got to stop smoking period. smking i s teh worst thing ou can do you for your bones worstthan booze or anything else.
give it up even if it means the patch.
iam on dilaudid and it just barely touches it. i been on pain meds for years.

here is what i read to day which is sad.

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2009/09/18/Pain-may-accelerate-aging-by-30-years/UPI-67901253297661/

I have a fused necky at C 5-6-7 with metal, multi level HNPS, bilateral ''tennis elbow'' lateral epicondylitis, swollen tendons all throughout my body cranky and in pain, on too many meds and none of them work for very long. currently on dilaudid, klonpin, prilosec, and other stuff.