Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

My name is Bon. I’m 73. I live in Georgia. I’m in constant pain from Burning Mouth Syndrome and my world has become very small. I’m scared. I spend all of my days trying to be out of pain. My costochondritis is very bad too and I feel like I’m deteriorating. There’s just no help for me. I’ve been to millions of doctors and they don’t help or listen. I feel like I don’t want to be around anymore. I have so much fear.

I am a 74 year old woman who has been dealing with chronic pain for 20 years. First it's my back. I've had multiple injections followed by 4 surgeries. The last in March 2021 that was a take- down of past fusions and new fusion from S1 to T11. Though I have recovered from the surgery I have pain in the muscles that the surgeon says is because the muscles were displaced so many times.
Now 7 years ago I was diagnosed with idiopathic neuropathy. The pain in my feet is constant, most times starting in the afternoon till I try to go to sleep the burning is so severe that none of my meds give me relief. I have been through a myriad of meds and gadgets and none as helped.
Now I am just trying to find a way to manage and live with this scenario.

First time writing. Not sure where to put this. Have body pain, many tests, don't know what's wrong. Very depressed. Not sure where to put this. Can't always stand up. Curious what Mayo Pain Management program is like. Live about 1 hour away. Thanks!

I can sympathize with you as I have pain everyday in my feet, and like you, it gets worse in the evening.
I use salon pas pain patches, CBD ointment, and Tramadol for pain.
Sometimes these will take the edge off, and sometimes not.
I was diagnosed with CIDP several years ago and honestly I haven’t found a neurologist that actually has helped me.
None of the routine meds have worked for me, even Gabapentin,which I was on for years,with no relief.
Also had IVIG infusions for 8 months with no relief either.
Will be going to a new neurologist in few weeks, probably my 7th one.
I’m hoping this one can help.

Hi, my name is Francis and I’ve been dealing with tremendous low back pain for many years, enough so that I was put on disability at age 56. I’m 68 now and despite many different procedures from pain management specialists I am no better off, period, long term opioid use has been a big help but not near enough as the Dr’s I see are afraid of upping my dose or switching me to something stronger , afraid of a goverment that has no idea what they are talking about when it comes to severe chronic non cancer pain, I would get better pain relief if I actually had cancer. How sad is that.
Thanks for letting me ramble on 🙏🏻

That is terrible. No way to have to live. Have you considered a trial of the pain pump. The trial usually involves an injection of morhine or hydromorphone into the intrathecal space. Or, a temporary pump?catheter may be used. The goal is to see if you get significant pain reduction. If so, you can go ahead with the permanent implant which is a small device about the size of a large hockey puck. That goes in an abdominal wall. A tube is run under the skin and attached catheter is sutured into the space around the spinal cord. Unfortunately, the permanent implant has never provided any significant relief for me. Guess I'm in the unlucky ten percent who get little to no relief. It might ba worth having the trial if nothing else has worked. No guarantees of course.

I have been suffering with chronic pain for approximately five years now and my doctor said that she is more worried about me getting addicted to the pain medication, They obviously haven’t suffered from chronic pain and surgery is not an option. I have had multiple falls and the worst fall was having my feet taken out from under me and I landed very hard on packed down dirt in a field and I thought I broke my back. It took 3 X-rays and a ct scan to find the damage done to my back. My doctor sent me for physiotherapy, but I don’t feel it’s helping because I’m in worse pain after the appointment.
My doctor has me on Hydromorph Contin which is a slow release medication that I take every 12 hours. And it’s not even relieving the pain anymore.

Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I have found so much information and so many great people willing to share their experiences. I hope you find answers.

Looking at having the mini procedure done on L4-5 on my spine. Had multiple RF ablations, steroid shots, cupping and physical therapy. Anyone have any experience with this procedure. Pain from back runs down my leg and can be excruciating at times.

I was told to try the stimulator but refused. My daughter had the stimulator in both sides of her belly area and got meningitis both times. Very bad results from all 9 surgeries she had for her back. She passed away from a drug overdose in 2014. Scary to be in my position now. I’m truly looking for best options instead of taking the next thing offered.