How to deal with constant pain for years

Posted by kathyclickner53 @kathyclickner53, Apr 22, 2024

I have dealt with severe pain for years it’s hard to do things I used to do pain in my hands my back. My eyes legs I take pain meds tynol I use cream patches. I have been kinda discouraged lately I keep hoping soon i could be delivered of pain I have to depend on walkers canes wheelchair I loose my balance a lot this pain has changed my ability to work visit go places It’s been very discouraging.

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@sunshine37

Is there a special name for a "pain management doctor?"

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Mine is Institute of Pain and Rehabilitation. You should be able to Google pain management clinics or call your insurance or Medicare for a list. I call and get them to email me a list of providers for different areas, dental, cardiologist, neurologist, eye, etc that are in network. Most if the time mine I have been a patient of for years is in network. I then print them of to refer to.

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@jw9

@asilyag I have never been in touch with anyone else on hydrocodone. There's a huge stigma about addiction. I go to a pain management clinic and it's been a huge relief. This is the only provider I have who understands that 4 autoimmune illnesses and fibromyalgia would cause chronic pain.
I learned that good pain control is at least 60% of your pain relieved by pain meds. It is not about 100% pain control. (If it was, then you WOULD be a zombie)

Two things have helped me; I always have the 3 tabs in a pill minder , so I never take more than 3. It's easy to forget in a busy day.
The way that I take pain medication, as needed; I often take one when I wake up, so I won't be a couch potato. And I usually take one before I go to bed so I'm not in pain and can get good sleep.

So, as long as you take them as many hours apart as ordered, you might get more help taking them as needed. Not at certain scheduled times.

That said, everyone is different. I'm sharing what works for me! I also practice chair yoga or gentle yoga, use topical creams like lidocaine and voltaren. I've been helped by psychotherapy. I became a poet when I was first disabled. Any creativity is healing, anything like music or art that takes me out of my self. Finding a way to enjoy life even while living with chronic pain. I would not be able to enjoy all this without good pain management.

I hope this helps! Take care.

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My chronic pain management is the same as yours. Oxycodone as needed which is usually at bedtime but now I also take one upon waking to get me through morning chores. Voltaren and lidocaine are also my close friends. I can only walk a few steps but do try. Thank goodness for my powerchair as it gets me around the kitchen for cooking dinner and for our furbabies. Due to severe CKD I cannot take any Nsaids.

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@pattg

I didn’t even ask if she was a doctor, not a very comforting personality at all, I didn’t like her right off the start, I’ll have to go to someone else to see if I can get some help with pain

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You can go on the site called "Healthgrades" to leave a review and see what others think of her. Can be eye-opening.

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@barbbielor

Everyone needs a break from pain. I am fortunate to have a marvelous pain management doctor. If Workers Comp was more cooperative, my pain would be less! There are many procedures that have helped my pain and given me relief for long periods of time. I find radio frequency ablations most helpful. My low back and cervical area are messed up with degenerative disc disease and stenosis. I also have CRPS and SFN in both feet and up left leg. May you find a pain management doctor as great as mine is.

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Hello,
Comforting to read your post about help being available...I'm suffering two similar conditions, Stenosis and multi level ddd.
Would you be comfortable talking with me via email.??
I also have CRPS, no one has suggested RF ablations. I would be so grateful for info.
I asl have severe ACNES...horribly painful condition. Thank you...gd luck!!

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@sunshine37

Is there a special name for a "pain management doctor?"

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I only know them as Pain Management Doctors.

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@red53

My help is to not focus on the pain, but rather focus on what is good: flowers, trees, birds, butterflies, cats, birds, ... there are many things that exist in this world that are beautiful, comforting, awe-inspiring! If I can get myself to looking for happiness, beauty. Focusing on the good things that are happening around me like a child playing in the yard, anything good. Makes my life easier.
Practicing distraction helps a lot. If I find a book, I'm interested in, I can distract my mind from the pain.

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I also love to watch nature and the children at play but I must admit it is not enough without some painkiller.

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Hello.
My son (22 y.o.) has been dealing w/ severe abdominal pain for > 8 yrs now. He couldn't go to H.S., couldn't handle studying of any kind. Can't work. Most days can barely move.
He does not have "flare-ups" as is typical w/ IBS. His pain is constant.
Has been tested for the 3 IBD's. Has been tested for main autoimmune (it was not a comprehensive test).
Some relief from L5-S1 spinal block w/ buvipicaine and Depomedrol (steroid). Pain doc is terrified of continuing treatment on someone so young.
Weed helps a little.
Needless to say, he is quite depressed. Needless to say, I have PTSD trying to keep him alive day to day.
Thoughts?

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@anniesezu812

Hello,
Comforting to read your post about help being available...I'm suffering two similar conditions, Stenosis and multi level ddd.
Would you be comfortable talking with me via email.??
I also have CRPS, no one has suggested RF ablations. I would be so grateful for info.
I asl have severe ACNES...horribly painful condition. Thank you...gd luck!!

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Yes, I would enjoy sharing info via email.

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@jw9

@asilyag I have never been in touch with anyone else on hydrocodone. There's a huge stigma about addiction. I go to a pain management clinic and it's been a huge relief. This is the only provider I have who understands that 4 autoimmune illnesses and fibromyalgia would cause chronic pain.
I learned that good pain control is at least 60% of your pain relieved by pain meds. It is not about 100% pain control. (If it was, then you WOULD be a zombie)

Two things have helped me; I always have the 3 tabs in a pill minder , so I never take more than 3. It's easy to forget in a busy day.
The way that I take pain medication, as needed; I often take one when I wake up, so I won't be a couch potato. And I usually take one before I go to bed so I'm not in pain and can get good sleep.

So, as long as you take them as many hours apart as ordered, you might get more help taking them as needed. Not at certain scheduled times.

That said, everyone is different. I'm sharing what works for me! I also practice chair yoga or gentle yoga, use topical creams like lidocaine and voltaren. I've been helped by psychotherapy. I became a poet when I was first disabled. Any creativity is healing, anything like music or art that takes me out of my self. Finding a way to enjoy life even while living with chronic pain. I would not be able to enjoy all this without good pain management.

I hope this helps! Take care.

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This is probably the realest answer I've seen on here. Patients get on here for real answers, not pompous replies.
It is incredibly discouraging when you go from active and healthy to be suddenly stopped in life by the wall of pain. It was a big adjustment for me, I had to adjust every detail of my life.
I started getting depressed and down on myself because even with hydrocodone, I still only get a good hour or two on a "good day" to feel alive and get out of bed or not use my wheelchair.
I take 4 tabs a day (also have to put in a reminder case, so I dont forget, because when pain hits you can't remember anymore). I have an alarm on my phone too. I take a tab before I wake up, so I'm not in horrible pain which can detour your day. Same before bed. I also use lidocaine patches, CBD cream, and take THC/CBD gummies. There is so much stigma around these practices. But I'd rather use something that works vs lay in bed focused on the pain and trying not to let my family see me cry all day because its not socially exceptable. And as a mother, I have to power thru the pain a lot to be there for my kids, the best I can. But without anything, the pain is too much to mentally deal with.
It can become an out-of-body experience when it gets too intense, so I found meditation helps when nothing else is working. I take my mind somewhere without screaming pain. I used to use apps, now I can put on music and do it at will. It's cliche but extremely helpful when medication doesn't work.
Another very helpful practice is to thearpy. Chronic pain can take you down hard mentally. I joined betterhelp for talk thearpy and chronic pain support group, very helpful to talk to others and get support. I also started taking antidepressants and do physiotherapy that comes to the house, because I'm so immobile.
Lastly, the part I struggle with the most is diet. I can seriously tell the difference if I ate healthy all day or ate sugar and fats all day, it can cause so much unneeded extra pain. So, if you're having an odd off day, worse than usual, it could be your diet. I'm on a heart healthy diet and it helps control my pain.
So, those are the things that help me cope. Living with Chronic Pain is a different way of life. I try to keep a positive perception and be grateful anytime I'm not in pain. Hope this helped.

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@sunshine37

Is there a special name for a "pain management doctor?"

Jump to this post

I couldn't be seen by regular "pain management" doctors because of my Chronic Disease, no one was comfortable taking me on. I had to look up Outpatient Pallatative Care. But it also depends on your kind/location of pain.

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