1. < Chronic Pain

Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

Posted by Kelsey Mohring @kelseydm, Apr 27, 2016

Welcome to the new Chronic Pain group.

I’m Kelsey and I’m the moderator of the group. I look forwarding to welcoming you and introducing you to other members. Feel free to browse the topics or start a new one.

Why not take a minute and introduce yourself.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.

HazelBlumberg | @hazelblumberg | Aug 9, 2017
In reply to @boourbonman "I promised you all I would let you know when I got approved for Medical Marijuana...." + (show)
@boourbonman

I promised you all I would let you know when I got approved for Medical Marijuana. Judi and I did it. We then went down to Edgewater FL. and got two 500 mg bottles. $70 each. So we were suppose to start with 5 drops (each drop is a mg.) three times a day and slowly work up to 10 drops 3 times a day. Do the math. 16 days for $70. We are both at 5 drops 3 times a day and no relief. I sure hope it starts to ease our pain. Will Keep you posted.
Hoot

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It must have been so difficult to lose your first service dog! They are such true members of the family, and no one loves you as much as your critters do. Sadie sounds wonderful.

Our first dog was also named Sadie, and she, too, came from an animal shelter (in a small town in southern Georgia). We got her so that, with my fibromyalgia, I'd get exercise walking her every day. Since Sadie died, we've had Eddie, a mix of who knows what with a happy plume of a tail; then Joe, a treeing Walker coonhound, who'd been trained by an inmate in one of the local prisons; and now Sidney, the lab/hound mix and Butch, the Yorkie. They have all been so different, and they've all been so wonderful. Sidney must be about 200 years old in people years, but she still gets wildly excited about going for her walks, her car rides, her treats. She's still a puppy inside. Her face, except for her nose, is totally white, and her legs are turning white, too. The rest of her is black with brown spots.

Our cats are strictly indoors because we live on a main road. You wouldn't think it was a main road, though. It started its life as an oxcart trail from Florida into Georgia. It's very narrow and very twisty, and huge old live oaks grow on both sides of the road and meet overhead. It's lovely, but people take it way too fast, especially during our white-out downpours, and crash into trees and telephone poles. We've had several cars end up upside down in our woods, as well, and I've helped at least one poor, weeping woman get out of her car through the windshield; some idiot was coming the other way and wouldn't get out of the middle of the road, so all she could do was veer around him and end up in our woods. She was unhurt, thank goodness, but very shaken up.

Really, there is nothing like an animal to cheer you up. I wouldn't be able to work at home if I didn't have my critter buddies. Right now, three of them are sitting on the table with me, snoozing and snoring. My office is in a separate building, and no critters go out there with me. Five freelance projects are supposed to land on me, and will probably do so all at once. But for the moment, I'm enjoying the time off.

Hazel

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Mentor
Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Aug 9, 2017
In reply to @boourbonman "I promised you all I would let you know when I got approved for Medical Marijuana...." + (show)
@boourbonman

I promised you all I would let you know when I got approved for Medical Marijuana. Judi and I did it. We then went down to Edgewater FL. and got two 500 mg bottles. $70 each. So we were suppose to start with 5 drops (each drop is a mg.) three times a day and slowly work up to 10 drops 3 times a day. Do the math. 16 days for $70. We are both at 5 drops 3 times a day and no relief. I sure hope it starts to ease our pain. Will Keep you posted.
Hoot

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Thanks for sharing......here is my little love sponge..Roxie. She is an AKC Therapy dog....just for me. I made her get her certificate.
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Mentor
Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Aug 9, 2017
In reply to @hazelblumberg "I developed earaches in September 2016. My primary care found no ear or sinus infection and..." + (show)
@hazelblumberg

I developed earaches in September 2016. My primary care found no ear or sinus infection and sent me to an ENT, who diagnosed TMJ pain. I went to my dentist for help. He gave me weekly anesthesia shots into trigger points (OUCH!) and exercises to do, including massaging the trigger points and opening my mouth as wide as I could numerous times in the shower while my face was warm and wet. (I have been wearing a night guard made by my dentist for over 20 years; he replaces them as they wear out.) The pain continued and only got worse; it was at the top of my head, in my ears, in my jaw, above my palate (as though I'd eaten hot food). My dentist sent me to an oral surgeon, who did 360-degree x-rays and found no joint damage. He told me I was therefore not a candidate for surgery (YAY!) and prescribed Flexeril, a muscle relaxer. The pain only got worse, and I continued to wake up in the night with horrific pain. Ibuprofen didn't even touch it.

My dentist then sent me to a physical therapist, who didn't listen to a word I said. I came in on a "good" pain day: my pain level was about a 5 out of 10 (10 being the worst). After his examination and showing me how to do various exercises, he triumphantly told me that my pain level was now reduced. I said "No. My pain level is now about 7.5." He said he didn't believe me. He attempted to push me to go to his outside clinic to get "magnet therapy," and he tried to push me to see a friend of his who is a naturopath. Two days after this session, I was still in excruciating pain and doubt I'd ever return to this physical therapist, although he had me schedule 4 more 1-hour sessions with him.

I called my dentist again, and he called in a prescription for Tylenol plus codeine, which I can take every 4 to 6 hours. My dentist seems to have no further solutions for me.

My primary care is currently out of town, but I will see her when she gets back (in August); she may be referring me to a pain management specialist, which my dentist recommended--however, my dentist refuses to give me a referral to such a specialist, even though the specialist will take referrals from dentists or doctors.

I have been treated for many years for clinical depression and panic/anxiety disorder by my psychiatrist, and the meds have helped me immensely. On Monday I see my psychiatrist for my usual 6-month med check, and I'm going to ask him for help with the terrible TMJ pain. I have also had fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome for a long time. The fibro pain has greatly lessened over time and hardly bothers me, but the CFS continues.

The TMJ pain makes it difficult to concentrate. I'm self-employed, and I enjoy my work. But pain gets in the way, as it does in every single situation: work or pastimes. My dentist mentioned massage therapy, but I'm in too much pain right now to try it. Another friend mentioned using a TENS unit. I feel as though I'm not living; to be in constant pain is hardly living, at least to me.

Any other suggestions? Would a TENS unit help? I'm more than willing to purchase one. I'll try just about anything to be pain free. Sometimes I am pain free. But I spend about 2 weeks out of every month in serious pain. I am feeling very discouraged.

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Me too....Dilaudid was the only pain med that worked after 3 of my orthopedic surgeries. My surgeon was frustrated that everything else made me "vomit", literally. I thank him for thinking things through and finding the medication that was appropriate for those post surgery pain days.

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HazelBlumberg | @hazelblumberg | Aug 9, 2017
In reply to @boourbonman "I promised you all I would let you know when I got approved for Medical Marijuana...." + (show)
@boourbonman

I promised you all I would let you know when I got approved for Medical Marijuana. Judi and I did it. We then went down to Edgewater FL. and got two 500 mg bottles. $70 each. So we were suppose to start with 5 drops (each drop is a mg.) three times a day and slowly work up to 10 drops 3 times a day. Do the math. 16 days for $70. We are both at 5 drops 3 times a day and no relief. I sure hope it starts to ease our pain. Will Keep you posted.
Hoot

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Oh, Chris, she is just gorgeous! What a face! She looks like such a professional!

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GailBL, Alumni Mentor | @gailb | Aug 9, 2017
In reply to @boourbonman "I promised you all I would let you know when I got approved for Medical Marijuana...." + (show)
@boourbonman

I promised you all I would let you know when I got approved for Medical Marijuana. Judi and I did it. We then went down to Edgewater FL. and got two 500 mg bottles. $70 each. So we were suppose to start with 5 drops (each drop is a mg.) three times a day and slowly work up to 10 drops 3 times a day. Do the math. 16 days for $70. We are both at 5 drops 3 times a day and no relief. I sure hope it starts to ease our pain. Will Keep you posted.
Hoot

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@hazelblumberg. My pain doctor told me if I ever use MM he will not prescribe for me and will kick me out. He drug tests me about every 3 months. It's ridiculous since MM is legal in California, and I have a medical prescription for it. I won't use it because Tramadol really works for my chronic pain and arthritis, so I need to have him prescrbe it for me. He says it's because MM is illegal at the Federal level, so he can lose his license if he lets me use it. Yet, I read on Connect of others whose doctors still prescribe for them and help them get MM. Perhaps I need to find a new doctor. I'm hesitant to Only use MM because we travel a lot and it's not legal everywhere yet. Also, Attorney General Sessions is obsessive about ending marijuana as a legal herb anywhere. So, I think legalization at the Federal level is at least 4 years away. I feel stuck. I have used the MM cream for my neck where I have a C7 compression fracture that causes me pain. I would like to try the tinctures to see if I get more general pain relief. Gail B.

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GailBL, Alumni Mentor | @gailb | Aug 9, 2017
In reply to @boourbonman "I promised you all I would let you know when I got approved for Medical Marijuana...." + (show)
@boourbonman

I promised you all I would let you know when I got approved for Medical Marijuana. Judi and I did it. We then went down to Edgewater FL. and got two 500 mg bottles. $70 each. So we were suppose to start with 5 drops (each drop is a mg.) three times a day and slowly work up to 10 drops 3 times a day. Do the math. 16 days for $70. We are both at 5 drops 3 times a day and no relief. I sure hope it starts to ease our pain. Will Keep you posted.
Hoot

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@artscaping. Where do you live? My pain doctor will not let me use MM and still prescribe for me. I would like to change doctors to one who will still prescribe Tramadol for me. I take Tramadol for chronic pain and arthritis. I live in Southern California and had formerly used topical MM cream for my C7 compression fracture and it worked great for my neck pain. I have a medical marijuana prescription in California. I would appreciate any assistance you can give me.

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HazelBlumberg | @hazelblumberg | Aug 9, 2017
In reply to @boourbonman "I promised you all I would let you know when I got approved for Medical Marijuana...." + (show)
@boourbonman

I promised you all I would let you know when I got approved for Medical Marijuana. Judi and I did it. We then went down to Edgewater FL. and got two 500 mg bottles. $70 each. So we were suppose to start with 5 drops (each drop is a mg.) three times a day and slowly work up to 10 drops 3 times a day. Do the math. 16 days for $70. We are both at 5 drops 3 times a day and no relief. I sure hope it starts to ease our pain. Will Keep you posted.
Hoot

Jump to this post

Your pain doctor sounds, forgive me, like an absolute brute who's obsessed with power and control. Can you find another pain doctor who's more sympathetic? He'll "kick you out"? Who in the world does he think he is?

As to MM being illegal on the federal level, that seems to be in flux. I doubt that Jefferson Beauregard Sessions is going to be able to keep MM from people who're suffering. It's not going to go over well with anyone who's in pain, who's suffering from nausea from chemo, with their families and friends. And besides, since the president is feuding with JB Sessions, we have no idea how long Sessions will even be the US Attorney General.

I'd say that your pain doc is full of it. But that's just my not so humble opinion.

Having just dumped my dentist of 25 years because, even though he told me to go to a pain management specialist, he refused to write a referral to one, I just refuse to take crap from medical "professionals" with god complexes.

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Mentor
Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Aug 9, 2017
In reply to @boourbonman "I promised you all I would let you know when I got approved for Medical Marijuana...." + (show)
@boourbonman

I promised you all I would let you know when I got approved for Medical Marijuana. Judi and I did it. We then went down to Edgewater FL. and got two 500 mg bottles. $70 each. So we were suppose to start with 5 drops (each drop is a mg.) three times a day and slowly work up to 10 drops 3 times a day. Do the math. 16 days for $70. We are both at 5 drops 3 times a day and no relief. I sure hope it starts to ease our pain. Will Keep you posted.
Hoot

Jump to this post

I live in Idyllwild while in CA and spend a lot of time in San Diego. There are MM dispensaries and home delivery retail outlets all around. It may be that Tramadol is a no-no to mix with MM....just like Alcohol, and your pcp doesn't want you to do something that places you at risk.

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Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Aug 9, 2017
In reply to @boourbonman "I promised you all I would let you know when I got approved for Medical Marijuana...." + (show)
@boourbonman

I promised you all I would let you know when I got approved for Medical Marijuana. Judi and I did it. We then went down to Edgewater FL. and got two 500 mg bottles. $70 each. So we were suppose to start with 5 drops (each drop is a mg.) three times a day and slowly work up to 10 drops 3 times a day. Do the math. 16 days for $70. We are both at 5 drops 3 times a day and no relief. I sure hope it starts to ease our pain. Will Keep you posted.
Hoot

Jump to this post

Hi Gail - I think Chris (@artscaping) is right about taking Tramadol and drinking alcohol. Mayo Clinic has some warnings on it:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/tramadol-oral-route/precautions/drg-20068050

I think there are 2 labs in Minnesota that are "allowed" by the state to grow MM and extract the CBD and THC to use in pain management. LeafLine Labs is one of them. One of the doctors Gary Star, MD that helped the Minnesota legislature come up with a plan to allow MM use in Minnesota spoke at one of our MN Neuropathy Association meetings. He also is one of the co-founders of LeafLine Labs. He gave a really good talk about how cannabis was "renamed" to MJ or Marijuana by Nixon to put it in a bad light, etc. to help them in their drug war. Interesting article on it here in the Scientific American:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-science-behind-the-dea-s-long-war-on-marijuana/

You have to get on the state's list before you can be approved for using cannabis. Here's the link to Minnesota's Cannabis Registry Enrollment Process - https://apps.health.state.mn.us/cannabis/

The LeafLine Labs website has some patient information and what products are available (oral solution, sublingual spray, vaporization oils, oral capsules, and topical formats starting this month - https://leaflinelabs.com/become-a-patient/.

Hope you will be able to find a doctor that will work with you. One thing the doctor from LeafLine Labs mentioned was that the topicals give you the pain relief without the foggy brain effect (or whatever a person wants to call it) and works better in some pain applications.

John

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Cassie | @cassie123 | Aug 9, 2017
In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi all, I'm Colleen, Community Director and part of Connect's moderator team along with Kelsey. I..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

Hi all,
I'm Colleen, Community Director and part of Connect's moderator team along with Kelsey. I want to say a special thank you to @leh09 @19lin @seanbeck @suebreen54 @mlemieux @ladyjane85 @lolomarie @zjandre @briansr @salena54 @sharonmay7 for all your contributions and making new members feel welcome.

Cheers to continued connecting on Connect.

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hello Im Cassie and i live with chronic pain due to arthritis in both feet, my right knee and my neck. I am searching for pain relief as I have chronic kidney disease and cannot take ibuprofen which worked well for me. Tylenol does not help. Does anybody have any suggestions?

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