Does anyone recommend a portable, rechargable TENS unit for pain?

@bustrbrwn22
Sounds like the people in your life that you are referring to need to wake up. It must be that they do not have an ability to understand what living with the dire circumstance that is chronic pain is like. I do not have chronic pain. But I live with someone who does. I know that she has never in our 42 years been the type to over exaggerate her problems. If anything she is pretty stoic and I often do forget because I can be sitting next to her for 2 hours watching TV and she seems normal outwardly. But when I ask her to describe what her pain is like for her various conditions, it can sometimes be that she has been sitting there with a pain level of 8 during that time. It's a real eye opener. And yet I still do forget. Regularly. A person not in pain has a hard time truly understanding what life is like for a chronic pain sufferer.

I do try to keep in mind what she is going through and I am very solicitous of her. But to really understand it, I believe I'd have to walk in her shoes. Literally. That is why I would truly love to live through one day of her worst pain days. Then maybe I could relate more and maybe not forget so often. Hank

@busterbrown So sorry to hear of your pain ,ouch, I hope the tens helps . Just putting your feet on ice bags does this help ,my foot Dr told me when my feet hurt I have recommended this before it's Topricin cream for neuropathy ,have you tried this?

Many nights I sleep with ice packs on my ankles. I have some that have a strap that allows you to wrap the ice pack around an arm or leg and secure it with Velcro. I have been using these for about 2 years and they hold up well. I keep 4 in the freezer until I need them. I usually go to sleep and when I wake up my pain/burning is gone. Sometimes I have even been able to walk short distances in the house with them on ThermiPaq Icy Cold Pack Pain Relief Wrap Cold Therapy, Large. I have bought these at Walmart. Cathy

@jesfactsmon Hank. It’s so weird you should say this. Last year my husband and I were watching a very long movie. I’m a quiet watcher and it was hours long. At the end of the movie, more than 3 hours long, he saw tears out of the corner of my eyes. He looked at me and kind of asked what was wrong. I told him I hadn’t watched hardly any of the movie. I was having a panic attack the whole time. He then began to understand that I don’t move or complain I get very still when anxious, having a panic attack or in pain. Which makes me just a joy to be around! However now at least once a day he stops in by wherever I am and asks how I am and do I need anything. Thank you, Hank.

@bustrbrwn22 @jesfactsmon and to all my Pain warriors, I read your description of severe pain, panic attacks, agorophobia, and my heart breaks. I know pain all too well, and have learned that most people in my life just don't understand or don't really want to be involved. However, I do believe you have to really experience it, to really understand it. I tell my husband all the time about the severity of my pain, but he never asks. This is a reflection of lack of intimacy in my marriage, and there are so many reasons for that. I have a very forgiving heart, and think that most of us are on this earth giving what we have to give. We can't give, what isn't there. And if people have little or no empathy, they just don't have it. We can't give, what we don't have. I have to be emotionally strong with my Neuropathy, as I don't have many people to really share with, or frankly, people that give a damn. Sad, but true. Maybe I have done something wrong, in not getting the comfort from people that I need. But frankly, I doubt it. My problem has been being a poor judge of human character, and picking the wrong people in my life. Thankfully, I do have one or two very good ones. That is all I really need to thrive. I had a sense of isolation way before my Neuropathy. At my age, and with my illness, and Covid, I don't think meeting new people, really good people, are in the cards for me. But I am so thankful for all of you here. You get it, and you care. Lori Renee

@lorirenee1 @jesfactsmon my isolation is my own fault. I devoted all of myself to my jobs for 25 years and there are many tough situations to deal with in management and you can’t really share anything because of privacy concerns. I have no hobbies, worked 7 days week 12 hours/day minimum and then sleep. Some truly awful management situations were given to me to deal with and the last couple broke the anxiety/depression camel’s back. At the same time the sciatica was ramping up over 10 years and it wasn’t until the last couple years I could get a minimal amount of pain meds. I had to kneel at work, sit with a towel under my thigh, and sometimes just go cry in the bathroom or parking garage. Clearly physical therapy wasn’t helping or chiropractics etc. It hurt to have a sheet touch any part of my calves. I am so glad I met you both but realize I made bad decisions. Work should never be someone’s life. My psychologist said because of the number of years I dealt with this it would be very hard to heal to a normal level emotionally and I believe she’s right. I look forward to hearing from both of you and hope it continues. Need to ice down now. I took a Murphy for a short walk. My lichen planus is also acting up and I have to be careful with where the cream ends up as it slowly thins your skin.

Hi Goils, I don't know who I was telling about this to this morning, but I have an Empi unit that is exactly like a TENS unit but the wires are crossed so it gives a cross current. Hope I got that right? My PT person recommended it and my insurance covered some of it. Here is a Google page and you can pick out the site you want for Empi. They probably sell standard TENS units as well. I thought the cross current worked significantly better: https://www.google.com/search?q=empi+electrical+stimulation+unit&rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS804US804&oq=empi&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j46j0l3j46j0.2286j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 Take good care, Sunnyflower

Hi @lorirenee1 I agree it is more difficult for someone to fully understand without the experience. It totally depends on whether a person’s disability is cognitive in nature or physical. With a physical disability an individual can be empathetic regardless of their pain level. I have always been a caring empathetic person even with my disability. Only difference is that now I help people in ways other than what I used to do before. I volunteer my time as do many other caring individuals do to help their society regardless of their ailment. These individuals may no longer have the abilities they once had before but they do find ways, although harder, to keep going to help in whatever way they can. It all comes down to how important something is to a person. As the saying goes, when there is a will, there is a way. Sad to think of people having little or no empathy. Toni

Lori Renee, I absolutely agree. I think we understand pain so well b/c we live w/ so much of it and it's so severe. And unrelenting. That is why this group is so great. We understand what each other are feeling. No one, not one, has understood until I found you guys. My husband is very empathetic, kind, helpful etc. for which I am deeply grateful, but still I wish he or some of my kids could really know what it feels like. But at the same time, I don't want them to hurt at all!!! This I know, that Jesus knows: Isaiah 53:4 Surely he took up our pain (grief/sorrows) and bore our suffering..." I'm grateful for this group. You all are GREAT!! So supportive and encouraging. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! @jesfactsmon @bustrbrwn22 @rwinney @johnbishop @avmcbellar

Jen, you said it so well! Absolutely there are many people who feel that way. This opiophobia out there now is causing some sub-standard care! We know that people who have legit pain do not get hight from these drugs. They only help us not jump! They don't take away the pain. I'm on morphine but my family doesn't know b/c some are so opinionated and judgmental and I don't want my grandkids withheld from me. I bet most if not all of us has been subject to other's harsh and ignorant opinions and judgments. Shame. Maybe someday they can understand. That's the eternal optomist in me talking. I wish! Try to behave you guys...LOL! Sunnyflower @jesfactsmon