I've had back pain for 17 yrs now and the most effective medication was AMITRIPTYLINE or also known as ELAVIL. I had to stop taking it cause it gave me dry mouth and started to cause dental concerns. Not everyone gets the dry mouth problem.....I would definitely give it a try!!!! It is very inexpensive if cost is a concern.....matter of fact it is dirt cheap!!! I wish I was still on it instead of the neurontin that they switched me to. Good luck and let us know how it works out. When you start out taking it, be sure to follow the warning items....heavy equipment, driving....cause it can really affect you at the start. It gets better in a couple of weeks. The dosage can be increased to an incredible amount over time.....it really was a blessing for me.