Connect
No diagnosis chronic pain
Hi everyone I'm new here. I would love some advice/comments on what I've been dealing with for around four months. It's a long story thankyou if you read and respond.
Around the end of January I started getting intense burning pain on the top of my legs and middle of abdomen. No rash or Marks on the skin just intense pain. I tried ibuforen, lidocaine gel, advil tylenol nothing helped. Started with primary care doctor she said to use lidocaine gel and ordered blood test. Blood test results all fine except for slightly low vitamin d deficiency. She said to start vitamin d pill I have been for months levels gone up and no relief in pain. Then went to pain clinic they did cortisone injections directly to abdomen. The injections gave me a horrible reaction that I ended up in the er for. Started on predisone and benadryl for 10 days. Once allergic reaction was gone same exact pain. They started me on lyrica made pain worse. I went to a dermatologist who said that it had to be nerve pain bc theres no rash on the skin she said to go to a neurologist. I went to him he did blood test ct scan and everything normal. I'm at a loss đ I've been on lyrica, gabapentin, tropokendi, cbd cream from neurologist, acupuncture/herbs, chiropractor and laser treatment, muscle relaxer and tramadol. I'm not on any medications right now everything seems to make it worse. And creams I put on my skin break it out horribly. I'm at a loss and so miserable. This is such a mystery and no doctors can help me. I want my life back đ !!!
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.
Connect
@lioness yep, thatâs how they diagnosed me too! I had forgotten the term âtrigger pointsâ. Thanks!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@migizil yes and when they are pressed you about go through the roof. It is in just learning how to help your body . Ive had it since the 90,s but when a flare up starts nothing helps
I have severe fibromyalgia and responded to all 18 pressure points. My orthopedic surgeon diagnosed me and said it was the worse case of Fibro that he had every seen. I changed PC's as my former one said it was in my head. My new PC started me on 900mg of Gababentin and it helps a little. I decided to try medical CBD as it had just become legal. I was very worried about trying it but had a consult with a young man who told me to go low and slow. I started on .5cc of CBD and .1cc of THC 3 times a day and it really helped! It's been 2 years and. I am up to .7cc CBD and .3cc THC. The pain is awful if I don't take it. I think part of that is my arthritis has spread throughout my body and I can't take any NSAIDS because of my heart problems. I had Gamma brain surgery a year ago and when they took the helmet off I became very nauseous and had a violent headache. The neurosurgeon and my lung doc had told me to bring my CBD with me. The nurse had me take 2cc of CBD and within minutes the headache was almost gone and my nausea was gone! She told me that you "can't OD on CBD". I figure if the chief of neurosurgery approves of CBD usage, I can stop worrying about taking it! I hope this helps- good luck.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 Reactions@jmb73 Wow all 18 your poor fellow . I had only 11 so I know you are in pain glad the CBD helps you when I took it it gave me a headache . SO I use other tools to help but its worse in my back shoulder area RIght now it hurts so will go now . Take care stay safe
@liv2020 Of course, weâre not doctors here. You can try supplements for the pain. There are various anti inflammatory plant supplements and also nerves like healthy fats (cuts the pain). Try Turmeric (youtheory extra strength is what I use) as well as all kinds of flavonoids in green powders like ORAC energy green + extra vitamin c (split it up over all meals to just below 2000 mg/day). Also healthy fats like you find in hemp seed oil (1 tablespoon/ day) to reduce nerve pain. Consider safer antidepressants like cymbalta or nortriptyline (as those are prescribed, youâll need to talk with your doctor), if you need them (I found supplements got my pain down so I went off nortriptyline - I was on it 3 different times).
Also check out the book âWhy we hurt and how we healâ 2nd edition on Amazon by Dr. Greg Fors. He discusses many of the âtreatmentsâ like injections, etc. and he is not a fan. I personally am not a fan of chiropractic adjustments, either, but chiropractors often have useful tools for those of us in pain. Also, be sure to keep moving and exercising. Dr Fors discusses gut health which is a factor in myofascial pain as well as fibromyalgia. Dr. Fors has many suggestions about supplements and gut heath, exercise, etc.
Your description of the pain could be myofascial if you donât have the many fibromyalgia tender points. Your description of the pain does not map to one dermatome (suggesting it is not simply a pinched nerve). Yet it is nerve pain. Be aware that the myofascial system supposedly has 4x the nerve density near the skin. It also could be a neuropathy that is starting. Either way, supplements and dietary changes (and good gut health + probiotics) might help reduce that pain and exercise (to the extent you can tolerate it) can also help. Manage those and it might go away. As for me, I try to minimize things like injections, big Pharma drugs, if possible, as the side effects are significant (of course, if your pain is great, you may need something to cut nerve pain ( if so perhaps try cymbalta or nortriptyline). Dr. Fors discusses all that in great detail.
If your pain is myofascial you may have some âtrigger pointsâ or charley horses causing pain. You can find and eliminate them (see Dr. Fors book), but they might go away with proper nutrition, gut health and exercise anyway. These are things to consider. Good luck.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionFYI my doctor put me on 1800mg p/day of neurontin (gabapentin) for pain. Some days are better than others and my major side effect is sleepiness. This is for pain in my neck, shoulders and arms. I was in a car accident and have pinched nerves.
@suzanne2 I'm sorry about the pinched nerves I have 2 back fractures and have pinched nerves into legs I'm on gabapentin also but since I do homeopathic when it still hurts I take Nerve pain by Hyland stops it right away that's the other beside gabapentin be safe
@liv1020 See my comments above in my prior post (but I made a typo instead of tagging you). You also referenced a painful bladder (like interstitial cystitis?). You might want to also check out a book called "a headache in the Pelvis" by Dr. Wise and Anderson. These things can be tricky to diagnose with a myriad of symptoms centered around the pelvic region and you get bounced around from one specialist to another. It is worth considering. That book mentions myofascial pain disorders that cause these unusual pains like you have (like I have, too). Dr. Fors' book is more on the practical side - but the headache in the plevis book discusses a large number of seemingly unrelated diagnoses may have these features. Again, see my comments above about diet, supplements, exercise (I really like Pilates reformer and TRX suspension exercises, among others) as these are the way to "cure / control" it if this might be the issue. Sometimes a good physical therapist can also bring great insights into things (if it was the pelvic floor, you might want to find a specialist re: that). It very well could be a myofascial pain type issue you have. Good luck.
Just updating. Chiropractor is easing pain and I've started with hemp oil gummies. That has really taken the edge off my pain.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@cldmeyers Glad the chiroprator is helping I too love my chiropractor but wish I could do CBD but everytime I have tried it I get a bad headache ,my body , oh well but my Tramadol works for me . I can do the cream so I do this also .