Hi @bustrbrwn22, I'm really sorry to hear that the Lichen Planus has spread to your eyes. I would probably feel the same way you do if it were me. It's easy to get down on yourself. I don't know if it would be helpful for you but recently I found a site that has some great daily inspirational messages that I subscribe to and the one for today reminds my of how I think you may be feeling so I wanted to share it with you. Hoping your treatment goes well.

Here's the website - https://www.resilientoption.com/

Hello @bustrbrwn22

I just now read your post about your multiple diagnoses and I am glad that you picked Connect as a place to share your disappointments, losses and grief. You are certainly not whining but sharing your pain with others and that is a healthy thing to do.

I would also like to invite Rachel, @rwinney, to this discussion. She has also had difficult-to-diagnose vision problems as well as chronic pain. She may be able to share some of her coping strategies with you.

Do you have any specific coping strategies that are helpful to you now?

Hello @bustrbrwn22. I'm hoping you remember me from the neuropathy group. I went to Mayo's Pain Rehab Center for 3 weeks last October, then took "me time" to work the program. Now, here I am! Back to support members like yourself.

Let me first start by saying how proud I am of you for reaching out at the times you most need reassurance, empathy and support. I noticed that about you when I used to read your posts.

I'm very sorry for the plethora of issues you have, and greatly understand the feelings of devastation you're experiencing. It's very hard to not go down the rabbit hole by rehashing the past, questioning past decisions or missed diagnoses. It creates wasted energy and fires up your nerves, creating enhanced pain by triggering your central nervous system. There's a phrase at PRC called "don't access the network". It's a hard thing to get used to doing, but I strongly encourage anyone to make their best attempt at this change.

Some other helpful tools and coping mechanisms I learned at PRC were:

1. Focus on controlling the things you can

2. Pull in the view finder and think about the next 5 minutes, do not
get too far ahead

3. Focus on abilities, not limitations

4. Practice techniques that relieve stress (like the videos you watch
that @lorirenee1 recommended - she's a smart cookie!)

5. Learn to shift your focus away from pain, through distractions,
nature, comedy, children, pets

6. Reduce or omit medications that are not medically necessary by
speaking with your doctors and asking what may be enhancing
your pain

7. Eating a nutritious diet and getting the sleep your mind and body
needs

8. Don't let feelings drive the bus! Focus on facts over feelings,
especially when working with your doctors

I certainly hope that when you're up to reading this post, it brings reassurance to you that you are not alone. Maybe we all have different things going on, but at the end of the day, Connect is here for you.

🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽