Anyone else feel Isolated and not go out due to chronic pain?

@sapphiregirl

I have a sweet miniature poodle who has made my life much better as I do live alone and rarely see my family members. My social life is further limited by my having celiac disease which caused my neuropathy. I have to be super-careful with what I eat because if I ingest gluten, my body gets a scary inflammatory response. Luckily, I do not have the digestive issues that some celiac folk have. Sometimes I feel I would just rather be alone as that is what I am now accustomed to. I live here in Queens, a borough of NYC, and it is anything but quiet. Be glad that you are in the "boonies". I hope that you will have more days without pain and that you will still go out for groceries but may be less doctor appointments as they can be stressful and not always helpful. Good luck to you

@jimiwho if you’re willing to talk or text with the phone, it’d be very helpful for me. Nature wise has been very limited for me do as a pain. I don’t have any good days. I don’t play golf anymore. If it’s too hot I can’t be outside I’ve been given up on all hobbies and everything else daily pain that is a seven 9 1/2 is too much to live with daily. It’s just hanging on and suffering cause you’re on your own. I don’t have any doctors with the answers thank God I’ve tried everything ever if I get it on paper list of all the tests things I’ve done appointments meds. It’d be 20 pages. I’m existing. I’m not living as people say.

@joannef20

Unless you live with constant that you don’t even get a few hours a day of Chronic Pain that is over a seven you’re not living. I’m tough I’ve had migraines since since my 20s and kind of fibromyalgia and mild gut pain but now the central medial abdominal pain syndrome in my gut down the middle. Nothing touches it except for enough fentanyl at the ER and they won’t do it people after time who are your family and friends gonna give up on you because you start isolating when you’re this sick and they’re tired of hearing there’s no good news. Nobody likes hearing that it’s hard on my spouse to not yell due to the pain and pushes my kids away, and my friends are kind of forgetting me because I’ve been sick too long and I can’t do anything with them and they’re living. They’re full lives. I don’t make Facebook because it’s just a show off thing and I don’t need to see people loving in life and taking a vacations and doing all the stuff that I can’t do anymore I don’t need to add to my depression

@sapphiregirl
Hi! I have fibromyalgia. The diagnosis many have not heard of and I look fine on the outside. Yep that’s the hard part people can’t see how the pain hurts. I have two cats and thank God as you say for them. I am also lucky I have a partner. I was diagnosed at 43 and Im now 71. The good thing about technology is I can now order my groceries online and then my husband picks up. But now even better Walmart will deliver to my door. I try and use these energy saving things so I can use my energy for something else. I surely understand the isolation. I have been able to volunteer at the local school and read to kids. It takes two hours out of my day as far as energy is concerned. So I stay at home the day before and then the day after to recuperate. But it is so worth the three days that I am home. . I understand so many dreams and plans have gone by the wayside. Also getting doctors to listen. I’m 71 so I’m kind of at the point where give me the drugs cause I don’t wanna be in pain another 10 years. So I finally just said to hell with it and broke down in my doctors office crying. And finally, she gave me a new drug lol. They are so resistant to give you painkillers cause they think you’ll be a drug addict. But I find most chronic pain suffers that I hear are always reluctant to use too many drugs. I just found this site a month ago, and it does help to at least once in a while be able to talk back to someone. Your not alone. Hang in there.

@arcuri24 I’m so sorry you have your medical issues. It’s terrible not to live life like we deserve to.
Do you have a phone therapist to talk to? It helps. Try Solace. They are very good. If we isolate too much, life will get real dark. I’m glad you have your dog. I have my 2 dogs and 3 cats and thank God I have them. They are great comforters. Hang in there. That’s all we can do right now. I’m still researching specialists trying to find the right doctor who will listen to me and believe me. My prayers go out to you.

I do not need a phone therapist. I have some friends who I can talk to. I belong to two book clubs and am active in my church. There is no need for medicine with celiac disease. I just have to avoid gluten. Thus, dining out or at other people's houses can present problems. I have been trying to maintain a gluten free diet since last July when I got my diagnosis. I take vitamin supplements to help me along. In the meantime I take my dog out for 5 walks a day. We do not go far as she is 13 and hot weather can be challenging. I am glad that my doctor visits have stopped--at least for the summer. Some of them were not the least bit empathetic or understanding. In NYC it is very hard to isolate-noise comes from all directions and at all hours.

I have chronic pain and fully get the feeling. I also have kids at home and wife which make it really easy to withdraw. I’m really lucky to have some long time friends that make sure that I do things and expect that I will have issues but are ready to deal with it. Best thing you can do is to lean into the people that love you and spend time with them even when it’s bad.the ones that love you don’t want you to do it alone. Steve

@lchop
I get it 100%. I have also withdrawn from so many things due to chronic pain. It truly affects the quality of lives. I push myself on my better days, but sometimes pay for it afterwards. It is a kind of mental boost, that I'm able to still do some things on my own. Also, some movement is absolutely necessary. My most difficult thing to deal with is physical limitations on any given day. But, my mantra is "it could always be worse ". Hang in and as I've heard: TACOS acronym for: take absolute care of self. Hope this helps.
Good luck!