Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

My name is Sandy and I have been diagnosed with Adhesive Arachnoiditis after 8 years of wrong diagnosis. I love Jesus and we walk the road of recovery of the spirit within. I feel crazy and have other health issues at 65. Grateful to be alive. Praying for answers that Drs say they don’t have. Happy Father’s Day Sandy🙏😉

@sisterpatriot. Hi Sandy, Jesus brought you to this Mayo group and that is a blessing in itself. Jesus brought me here, too. I've found so many wonderful people here who have helped me. I have spinal problems from 10 years ago that were brought on by treatment for cancer. Before I found this group, I could barely walk through stores without getting horrible cramping in my hips and feet. I actually felt like my hip joints were locking up on me. I've been taking 600mg of R-Alpha Lipoic Acid (stabilized) for 28 days and I walk so much better. I also apply a 5% Lidocaine transdermal patch on my spine (where I hurt the most). Sometimes I place a patch on my right foot, knee, and calf. My right side harbors the most pain. These two products help me live more comfortably. Plus I go to PT every week, sometimes twice a week. I'm not completely out of the woods with mobility issues. Some days are better than others. But my ultimate goal is to walk 1-mile without stopping. I hope you find some relief for your pain soon. The best to you. Hugs, CB

Pain begins at birth, as long as you are alive, you go through a multitude of pain syndromes. You accept what is and go on.
Pills help, but that is only temporary, you just have to deal with it and live the best life you can.

From my own pain journey I can tell you to keep on searching. As long as you can keep searching there is always hope that an answer may be on the horizon. Eight years ago I had a bad ski fall on lower back and buttocks. After shots, nerve ablations, MRIs, I had many experts tell me that there was nothing to be done. Everything that could be done had been done. At some point I said "NO". I decided to become my own, best advocate. Eventually I found ansers and was in good pain mitigation for several years. Now, I am back in severe pain ( probably worse than I was originally). I had a pain pump implanted a year ago. It has done nothing for my pain. The "pain management" doc who tends to the pump has been of no help in regard to helping with my pain, even though I have done everything short of getting down on my knees and begging him to search other avenues and/or reach out to colleagues for answers. Not gonna happen...wouldn't be prudent. So, I have taken things back into my own hands (along with Jesus, of course). Got an MRI scheduled, appointment with neurolgist set to get checked out. Appoint with different pain management doc set.
Hopefully, something will be revealed. It's all in His hands now. Wish you all the best.

My name is John, I had back surgery 25 years ago and came out worse than I went in. After 2 more attempts I gave up on the condition improving. I have tried numerous attempts to ease my pain, from PT, to acupuncture, acupressure, even voodoo but nothing worked. I had to continue to take opioids as this was the only way to get any type of relief. I have been to various pain clinics throughout the years, the latest placed a spinal cord stimulator that gives me absolutely no relief. I told the doctor that I had gone to the Pain clinic at Duke University and was told that I wasn't a candidate for this since pain didn't run down my legs, he explained that things had changed. so I went ahead with the stimulator. I have been on methadone for 23 years now, I like it because it doesn't give me brain fog. And for full disclosure I was prescribed high doses of Oxycontin, and Oxy IR for a couple of years, I was very tolerant of these, I didn't realize that you would build a tolerance as quick as I did and was told by the doctors that Oxycontin wasn't addictive. Now we know better, but I sometimes was taking as much as 12-14 80mg tablets a day but was prescribed 8-80mg tabs per day. needless to say I had no idea what withdrawals were but soon found out, unfortunately this led me to try and add to some of my scripts and I ended up in a methadone clinic for a few years, but they didn't want to treat me since I was in chronic pain so I was able to find a Pain clinic to help. Eventually I got down to 30mg of methadone per day and have been doing this for the past 23 years with no problems until a month ago when I had an appointment with the PA and I took my bottle. I had been putting my daily pills in a pillbox for ease, but that day I inadvertently got some of my BP meds (witch look just alike) and they said I was trying to deceive them, I assure I was not, so so weaned me off the methadone and said they wouldn't prescribe any more oral medication, but I could look at putting in a pain pump. This was nearly a month ago now, I can't sleep, I can barely get out of my easy chair. So I was to see if anyone had any suggestions, I can't get in with another clinic because of the doctors note. I can't believe I should be made to suffer because of a mistake. I know doctors have harsh penalties but in 23 years I never asked for a prescription early or had any other problem. So this is my story thanks for any suggestions.

Thanks again,

John M. Justice

I’m Kim. I have chronic migraine and Systemic Sclerosis (Scleroderma). I joined this group because I have a migraine almost every day. Quality of life is so affected when you’re in constant pain. I hope to gain some knowledge, insight and support with others who deal with daily pain.

Hi I’m another Kim. I have severe sciatica which comes on every few years. Fortunately, not too often, though I do have fairly constant back pain. I’m quite active and do PT, hike workout with a trainer, but when sciatica hits (as is the case right now), it seems that only an injection will resolve it. Unfortunately, I live in a fairly remote area with an overwhelmed medical system, so it’s hard to be seen by a doctor. I’m hoping to find an alternative approach to relieve the pain and related numbness etc. with my hip, leg and foot.

Massage is helping me with sciatica pain. This is therapeutic massage from someone skilled in sports massage, & pain issues. My PT had suggested this. But this might not be available to you in a remote area.

Many thanks for the reply. I do have a great masseuse and that does provide temporary relief.

Hello! My name is Eddie. I have been dealing with fibromyalgia since about 2013. I always have pain... some days with less some days with more. Even though the pain is terrible, I feel like the memory loss is the worst part of fibromyalgia!!!!