Pain and Loss of Self Worth

I’ve struggled with undiagnosed flank pain, brain fog and balance issues for five years. This year I’ve been in the hospital 4 times with anaphylactic allergy attacks, chest pain, neurological issues and now have excessive fatigue; again all undiagnosed. I’m now testing for sjogrens and mast cell disease to learn what is attacking my body. I’m only 70 years old. I used to hike, garden and live a vibrant life. I pray for the diagnosis that never comes. It’s all very complicated and I spend too much time trying to figure it out. Days stretch on between appointments keeping me from entering the Mayo pain program. I cancel most plans and I, too, feel dull and uninteresting. Did your diagnosis make acceptance any easier? Thanks for listening to my first time share.

I, too, am limited with what l can do for how long. I prepare meals in stages, then reheat what l need later
Cooking is definitely a challenge, but l made this adjustment, and my husband doesn't seem to mind.

I have total body arthritis, and take medicine for other issues that affect my balance.

I often wonder how many people think a good day is if they slept the night before. There should be more to life than just getting a good night's sleep!!!

I'm on a similar path, but less experienced than you, and while I sometimes fear the future I also know that medicine is advancing very quickly so each day is a step closer to answers.

Have you tried cannabis/marijuana/edibles?

Research it - there has been a lot of advances and you may find some additional relief and spark (no pun intended! 😆).

I hope you feel better!

Happy to share what I've tried.

I feel all of your pain after my own 17 year nightmare of intensifying pain that literally almost took me out. I’m able to share some amazing news that I never thought possible. My Allodynia pain nightmare has ended! In late February of this year, I was given the name of a functional neurology center in Minnesota that had helped some other chronic pain suffers, so I went to their website and requested a free phone consultation. I had tried about five functional medicine practitioners with absolutely no responses or they couldn’t help. This place was different because all they do is brain work. From the phone consult, the doctor was honest and said they had never treated anyone with Allodynia but felt they could offer some help. Well, after 17 miserable years and considering death my only option for relief, what did I have to lose. Without the boring details, I was in MN four days later and within two hours, my problem was diagnosed CORRECTLY (That is my stab in the heart of all the main stream half @#$! doctors who peddle pills and shots)! By the end of day-one, my pain score dropped from 10 to 5, day-two down to a sustained 2 and by the end of the week I had literally no pain. Allodynia is a two phase condition where pain and skin sensitivity go hand in hand. They felt with the continued follow up simple exercises the sensitivity should get better in about 12 weeks. It was better in half that time.

Now came the real work. I knew that my problem stemmed from an incident when I was 11 years old but it didn’t rear its ugly head until my 40’s and I’m now 60. So for the first time, I could have someone touch me and find all of the problem areas. That therapy has been painful but worth it. The person I work with is amazing and she has hit spots I never knew I had where there is scar tissue wrapped around nerves and muscle. It will be a process to get these worked out but I want to get my active life back before I exit this physical body.

I hope that history helps someone. The Functional Nuerology Center in Minnetonka, MN is where I got my life back. I’m not compensated in any way for sharing this so you can trust it as a possible option. Here is the key so you know ahead of time. These are brain guys, don’t let the chiropractic word scare you. Nothing they do is related to that stuff. You need to really think about your pain origin and know if your brain has stopped doing its job to resolve it. THIS IS IMPORTANT SO MY CAPS ARE INTENTION. STAY ACTIVE AND USE YOUR BRAIN DAILY. I HAD SOLD MY 32 Y/O FIRM AND RETIRED BECAUSE THE PAIN WAS SO HORRIBLE. THAT MADE MATTERS WORSE AND MY BRAIN HAD SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY ON THE SIDE I NEEDED TO STOP THE CONSTANT CYCLE.

I knew I had a brain problem but no other doctor took my concern seriously. I guess the patient is an idiot always. Sorry, I’m still bitter about the hundreds of thousands of dollars I wasted on them with nothing to show for it.

I hope someone who wants their life back finds this and it helps in some way. Either way, share it with others to share the good news of hope. I had lost hope and without it, life gets pretty dark.