Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

My name is Sara,
I have been experiencing chronic pain x 30 yrs.

Hello, my name is Eliana and I've been dealing with pain for many years. For about 15 years I had some help from Oxycontin but for the last 6-7 years or more, no doctor wants to prescribe that. Because of the abuse of this product, those of us who used it ethically can no longer benefit from it. I've felt that was unfair to all of us who found relief from Oxycontin and used it as carefully and honestly as we could. I consistently took the least amout I could, followed my pain specialist's directions, and took care my prescription did not fall into the wrong hands.
What could we do to separate ethical, responsible use from greedy misuse by others? This is the only prescription that ever helped me over the years. I wish I did not have to suffer discomfort and limited activity because of the misuse of others!

Hy name is Duke Borchardt. I live in Rome, GA. Although I live with chronic pain, I am surrounded by a host of wonderful doctors, as well as their stafs. I wore the U.s. Army for 37 years, I am now thankfully retired .

Hello, my name Teresa From Wray, Colorado. I’ve been struggling with chronic pain for over 20 years from a nursing injury.

Hello @doglover4986, @dukeborchardt and @tlallen, Welcome to Connect. You are not alone with your struggle with chronic pain. The Chronic Pain Support Group has over 10,000 members here on Connect. You may find it helpful to scan through the list of discussions in the support group to learn what others have shared. Here is a link to the list of discussions - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/pain/.

I‘m Archie and I was diagnosed with adhesive arachnoiditis in 1978. That makes 46 years of intense, chronic pain. My condition is caused by an inflammation of the subarachnoid layer of the spinal cord that creates adhesions and scarring, some call it clumping, of the nerves and nerve roots. Mine was caused because the contrast fluid for myelograms at the time, pantopaque fluid, was OIL BASED. I was allergic to it and thus affected. The solution was changed to water-based in 1980, thank God, but a bit late for me.
Over the years I have tried:experienced virtually every pain management solution as the formal practice of PM came into being. Perhaps I can help others understand the hope and benefits of any given course of treatment-/ at least my experience.
I got a Medtronic pain pump in 2007, it was life-changing. I have dilaudid in the pump and it has eliminated the need for oral pain meds. I’m retired, but was an academic with a Doctorate in Statistics and a technologist. Perhaps I can learn new insights from the group.

My name is Don, IchBinDCK, from Wake Forest, NC. I am an 81 yo retired Chemical Engineer and Microbiologist. I have Spinal Stenosis and mild disc bulge throughout my spine via numerous MRIs. I have struggled with serious back pain for 3 years with little help. I have tried every nonopioid pain killer known to man but they all have serious side effects for me. Currently using Gabapentin 300 mg at night. Don't know what to do.

Welcome @archie2, It sounds like you have been dealing with adhesive arachnoiditis for a long long time. I'm sure your experience can be helpful for others on Connect dealing with the condition and hopefully you can also learn some new insights. There are a number of discussions and comments posted by members with adhesive arachnoiditis that you might want to scan through. Here is a link to the discussions and comments - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/?search=Adhesive%20Arachnoiditis.

Hi Don @ichbindck, I think we all have moments of not knowing what to do and Connect, as I'm sure you already know, is a great place to learn from the experience of others. I'm not sure if you have heard about Myofascial Release Therapy but there is a discussion on the topic that you might find interesting if not helpful as a treatment.

-- Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/

Thank you