Connect
← Return to Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself
Discussion
Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself
Chronic Pain | Last Active: 8 hours ago | Replies (7051)Comment receiving replies
Greetings my friends. I am 54 and
am retired/disabled due to multiple injuries from a car accident in 2017. I had a laminectomy, discectomy and fusion of L4/L5, radio frequency ablations a C5/C6/C7 and 2 surgeries on my right hand—All of these to address injuries and pain after the car accident. I’ve done years of chiropractic, massage, acupuncture but have suffered from neuropathic pain from the beginning—right after the accident. Last year I was diagnosed with Small Nerve Fiber Polyneuropathy(SNFPN)—caused by the injuries or subsequent surgeries from the car accident. I’m on a daily course of pain, anti-depressant and anti-seizure medications and many vitamin and other supplements—all to address my pain issues. I have chronic lumbar and sacral pain, chronic cervical/thoracic pain, the SNFPN causes Allodynia which presents as whole body skin hypersensitivity, making it nearly impossible to wear clothing—I also have constant crushing pain in all of my bones, constant tinnitus in both of my ears, as well as digestion, bladder and bowel issues—all caused by the SNFPN—for which there is no cure and no treatment—Only pain management. I spend all day everyday fighting with pain that never goes away and it’s physically, mentally and emotionally draining.
Replies to "Greetings my friends. I am 54 and am retired/disabled due to multiple injuries from a car..."
@kireraw Hey there. I read your post and took a deep, long breath. Mainly because I feel you. I feel your pain, frustration, sadness, anger and desperation. I'm grateful you have found Connect for community support and to seek knowledge.
The first thing I'd like to convey to you is that there is hope. I first came to Connect in search of hope. Yes, at the time I was scared, unaccepting and was on a mission. It was really just me, myself, and I, considering doctors had nothing more for me but drugs, procedures and zero path forward. My journey was a confusing one. Here's my neuropathy story a couple years back. My apologies, I had a lot to get out at the time:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/310343/
Fast forward to now. I put some pieces together and concluded that I had Central Sensitization Syndrome (CSS) which is this big chronic pain and symptom umbrella that lined up perfectly with what I was experiencing. Yes, all my other plethora of diagnoses were valid but some were actually crap shoots for lack of knowing how else to label me.
Long story short, I found a video from Mayo Clinic's Dr. Sletten about CSS and Mayo's Pain Rehabilitation Center (PRC). I'll tell you what, it answered my prayers. You mention at the end of your post your pain never goes away and is physically, mentally and emotionally draining. You mention taking an assortment of pain medications and supplements.
The 4 components of PRC that you learn, work on and are all in on for the rest of your life are:
Physical
Emotional
Behavioral
Chemical
I can not speak highly enough about the pain rehab program and my positive experience.
Might you be interested in taking a different approach by developing a path forward to help yourself live a better quality of life? Chronic pain may never completely leave but there are tools and a plan to help calm the fire. Are you interested in watching a video on Central Sensitization, and learn about the pain rehab program?
I'm here to help in any way I'm able. Keep your chin up.
Connect
Greetings @kireraw ! After reading your post, looks like our situations are 95% similar. I'm SO sorry you are dealing with all this 🙁 Does anything bring you relief at all? I would attest to your last statement - it is exceedingly tiring fighting pain just to be able to function. There is a practical pain management program that @rwinney suggested to me - which I am currently in the process of seeking a referral for - she may be able to give you some more info if you're interested...she said it was "life-altering."