Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

Yes, Botox and using a device called Cefaly. If it gets really bad, I take a triptan and ibuprofen and it relieves the tightness. The Cefaly device has been extremely helpful!

Hi, my name is Guy from Pa. cannot swallow anything solid at this point due to a lymph node/scar tissue on the outside of my esophagus pressing inward, causing the esophagus to measure roughly 2mm or less. A stricture I believe it’s called. I have a feeding tube which up until 2cweeks ago did not have to use. My thoracic surgeon says the high location of the stricture make to high risk for surgery. My GI Dr. Says that since the lymph node/scar tissue is o vthe outside, inserting a stent would be very uncomfortable and not recommended. My oncologist says my therefore my options are limited and suggested that we revisit chemo tx. I’ve had 35 radiation tx’s and 12 chemo tx’s over the past 12-15 months or so. Those tx’s don’t appear to help my esophagus at all. I’ve have 3 endoscopes in the past 6 months to retrieve food that has lodged in my esophagus. I have a call in to the Mayo. Linic in about 2 hours to discuss my case and if they can help! Originally diagnosed with colon cancer in 2008. Had over a dozen surgeries thus far, highlights being removing 2 ribs, some intestines, half my right lung, piece of my left lung, etc. That’s my recent medical hx in a nut shell.

My dream is to eat normally again, as soon as is humanly possible. I was and am a foodie!

Hello Guy @warden45, Welcome to Connect. It's hard to imagine how difficult your journey has been trying to get back to eating like it was before your treatments started. There is another discussion which you might find helpful where other members have similar problems eating.

Esophageal problem: food gets stuck, swallowing issues: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/esophageal-problem/

You mentioned that you have a call into Mayo 2 hours or so ago to discuss if they can help you. Have they called back? Wondering if you have any new information.

Hi John, they did call me earlier. It was more of a get my personal info and what did I really want to do. They asked if I want a pre-visit call prior to actually going to the Clinic, if that was warranted. I agreed to that, hoping the GI/Thorasic Dr./rep will have something good to say. After that, depending on what’s offered, would be a trip to the Clinic itself!

Hi Guy,
Did you have esophageal cancer? If yes, I invite you to join the discussions in the Esophageal Cancer group here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/esophageal-cancer/

You may also be interested in virtually attending this patient conference hosted by Mayo Clinic on July 31, 2021.
- Gastroesophageal Cancer Education Symposium https://connect.mayoclinic.org/event/gastroesophageal-cancer-education-symposium/

Hi Colleen, I do not have esophageal cancer, but colon cancer that has metasasized over the years. The mass/lymph node/scar tissue is the colon cancer, apparently!

It sounds very uncomfortable, Warden. If you'd like, you can connect with others in the Colorectal Cancer group: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/colorectal-cancer/

I also think you'll find the discussions in the Esophageal group regarding feeding tubes to be useful.

Hi, my name is Joyce C. I had colorectal surgery several years ago and continue to have sporadic pain in the abdomen and rectal area, as well as the feeling of pressure in the rectal area.

HI, my name is Lisa and I have lower back issues, stenosis, osteoarthritis and disc degeneration on multiple levels. I have been managing my pain with CBD and topical creams, and take Tylenol. I am allergic to naproxen and Ibuprofen makes my Tinnitus alot worse. I am in Canada so CBD is legal, but I have a doctor and a prescription for it. My hip muscles have been getting weaker and they are stiff making it painful to walk but I still get out there, and I do exercises that the Physiotherapist gave me, I am 64. I am trying to get a diagnosis as to whether this hip issue is related to the lower back of it it is neuropathic or Fibromyalgia, I also have foot pain for the past two years. My doctor sent me to a pain clinic, and the doctor prescribed Lyrica, I am drug sensitive so was afraid to try it before talking to my regular doctor. Also I am trying to lose 20 pounds and do not want the weight gain. My doctor prescribed Desipramine 10 mg. I looked into that and see that it can increase the risk of dementia which runs in my family- Mom has it. So I am scared to take the desipramine too LOL. I am here on Connect to learn from others and get ideas - for now my pain is at night, during the day I am good unless I do something to aggravate it such as walking uphill as that uses the hip muscles more. I have another appointment with my doctor next week and i will discuss, I am going to ask to go see the neurologist again so he can refer me.

Hello @lisa12 and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I appreciate your post. I am sorry to hear of your multiple disorders that result in so much pain. It sounds as if you are working to be seen by a good medical team to determine the source of your pain. It is important to be your own advocate.

I'm wondering if you have access to a pain clinic or a pain specialist in Canada. Mayo Clinic has a great pain clinic program but I'm not sure if your Canadian medical plan would cover that.

I would like to invite Rachel, @rwinney, to this discussion. She is somewhat an expert on Mayo's pain clinic, having attended herself. Perhaps she can share some of the things she has learned if you cannot attend the Rochester, MN clinic.