Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

Hi everyone! My name is Care and I've had chronic bilateral leg and foot pain for the last 9 years. I've seen many different doctors, had surgery on my spine XRays, CT Scans, epidural injections and pain medicine. I was dropped from my last pain specialist because they no longer accept my insurance. I have an appointment with a new pain specialist in July 8th and I'm very encouraged because this group offers many different modalities and they don't just throw pain meds at you like the two I had in the past. The problem I see is no doctor except my neurosurgeon tried to determine the cause of my leg pain. My pain varies from day to day. I take Oxycodone 5mg Q6H down from 10 mg. My friend, a nurse practitioner, figured out that taking 10mg of Oxycodone was actually having the opposite effect causing me more pain so I cut my dose in half and I'm getting some relief coupled with Tizanidine. Thanks everyone for your interest in my chronic pain. I'll keep you posted on how my appointment goes with my new pain specialist. One more thing. I'd like to be able to go off pain medication entirely and rely on other ways to control my leg pain if they can't determine the cause!

@kathrihe I have been on Gabapentin for nerve pain for years. To be more effective, it should be taken 3 times a day ie every 7-8 hours. My pain is increasing so I am wondering if I should be changed to Lyrica so I will ask my doctor. Has anyone changed from Gabapentin to Lyrical?

@joannehart No have not tried Lyrical but would like to try it. I have the same problem as you. I only take Gabapentin morning and evening. Not enough to kill the pain but helps some. Yes, I would like to hear from those taking Lyrical.

@joannehart I've been taking 3600mg of gabapentin a day for years. 1200mg 3 times a day, morning, afternoon, and night, along with 1200mg of ALA for the pain in my feet. It only dulls the pain so it's always there, but most of the time it's bearable.

Hi I just started following. And just need to know how everyone is coping with the pain

Hi everyone. I hope you all are doing good right now. I'm here to listen to what others do regarding chronic pain. I've been through a lot as a small child and wonder if that is basically due to certain types of child abuse. Not much info out there

Hi I’m Wycked I also go by Wes! Im very new here!
I suffer with Chronic Pain everyday from waking up to going to sleep, not many days are great but I try to make each day better! I also have a HFX Nevro Stimulator that worked great for 3 years (up to a 75% and more for the nerve pain I also experience! Then I jumped in a pit to save my father after he flipped out of the boat and didn’t come up for awhile. Since Sept of 2025 my stimulator has not worked like it did and it has my mental health all over the place! Some days are ok but others I just don’t see the point in all that pain on top of other pain such as Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, degenerative disc, and a few other issues from a motorcycle wreck, which has now caused me to suffer with Chronic Daily Pain that I rarely get relief from!! But let’s suffer together is what I’m gonna say!!
To give you an answer on your question and an idea from my thoughts on this is any TRAUMA you have experienced in life can cause everyday pain especially as a child!!
I have done a lot of crazy stuff in my life but I highly believe in what I said about any Trauma and/or childhood traumas and even adult trauma!
I was luckily in a good home as a child but in my teenage years to adult life I have experienced a lot of different traumatic experiences!!
I hope this helps you!
If you would like to discuss stuff shoot me a message or dm me, I’m very new like 5 minutes in but yeah reach out please! I need help myself!
Your question is the first thing Iv read on the connect website over Chronic Pain!

@currycat
Hi I’m Wycked I also go by Wes.
To give you a answer on your question and an idea from my thoughts on this is any TRAUMA you have experienced in life can cause everyday pain especially as a child!!
I have done a lot of crazy stuff in my life but I highly believe in what I said about any Trauma and/or childhood traumas and even adult trauma!
I was luckily in a good home as a child but in my teenage years to adult life I have experienced a lot of different traumatic experiences!!
I hope this helps you!
If you would like to discuss stuff shoot me a message or dm me, I’m very new like 5 minutes in but yeah reach out please! I need help myself!

@joannehart Hello! I changed it, because gabapetin made breathingdifficulties. Lyrica helped, but it has a lot of side effects to me (I am sleepy, remain in my thoughts, not so effective etc.)

@angelap330
Hi Angela! I cope with my chronic leg pain with a pain med, Oxycodone 5mg 4 times a day and Tizanidine, a muscle relaxer for spasms. I hope to find other ways besides medicine to cope with the pain. I'm going to see a new pain specialist and this group offers several ways besides meds to cope with the pain so I'm looking forward to this!