Great Jeanne,
I really feel for you in this. I have a couple of compressed disks in my neck and when they act up, it greatly inhibits my life and movement.
I too have trouble with NSAIDs. Stomach kills. I have to do minimal Ibuprofen.
Like you though, I did all the research I could do; founds ways to exercised (this is SO important). But, the most important thing was trying to be patient and doing just a little improvement at a timed. I found a great doctor who had the very same thing I had (this was the universe helping me); and he made a really good suggestion that while I'm trying things and adding new activities to monitor the changes with a journal; so that I can look back on what works and what doesn't. This was a significant thing for me as I would go months feeling good and get another session (usually from overdoing pottery or exercise) and not know what caused it or helped.
