Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

@anne4u Keep up the great frame of mind! I know it's not easy and we all have difficult moments, days, weeks, but working on body/mind connection is where your own power and strength comes in. You're doing a good job.

Thank you for asking how I'm doing since Mayo Pain Rehab. I am doing well and implementing the comprehensive tools I have on a daily basis. I am all in for the rest of my life on the PRC principles. Like you say, it is a lifetime commitment. I have a better handle on my emotions, behaviors and physical being. I keep scheduled and apply moderation and modifications to keep in check. One of the best parts of my rehabilitation was to discontinue chemical use, doctor hopping, and subjecting myself to treatment after treatment hoping to find a fix. The freedom that self-management provides is a wonderful space to find. Acceptance of my condition was also freeing.

I'm happy you have positive distractions with friends, your mom and her dog, too! Movies are great. I love that you have found the importance of scheduling in distraction as part of your pain management plan. I enjoy family movie night with my husband and daughter.

Unfortunately, I don't recommend any particular podcasts, but maybe another member may jump in and suggest one.

Insurance....hmm...that can be a hurdle. You are right to call your insurance company and learn of current options, whether it be out of network coverage, or deductibles. I did my homework and found what Mayo required first, then what I needed to do on my end to make getting there a reality. It may take some strategizing and time.

Great suggestion to check with Mayo. I’m not a big treatment person myself. I’m interested in learning some swim therapy techniques. I know a few but would like a referral to swim therapy. Those are the kind of things I’m interested in that a pain doctor can help me achieve. I’ve only seen 2 doctors for pain conditions in 17 years. I’ve had the same primary for 17 years! My last pain doctor (of 7 yrs) lost his practice due to ramifications of the CDC Guidelines. The practice that took over ran off 95% of his patients. Not because of non-opiate policies but because of their treatment approach. I also want to learn proper care for my back. I have severe degeneration of disks L1-5 and S1, Osteoarthritis, Sclerosis, joint hypertrophy, etc. I’ve learned several methods to help relieve pain but think it’s important to know the right ways to learn and apply more, as I continue to use meditation and other mind/body forms of treatment. My trmt next week involves a colonoscopy. An endoscopy will follow. I have Barrett’s esophagus and IBS. Some uncomfortable symptoms have been an issue for a couple months. It took me that long to get in to see my gastroenterologist!
Thanks for the suggestions you’ve shared!

Gabapentin helps me so much more than any opiates for pain control of my pancreatic nerves, abdominal adhesions and the neuropathy in my feet. I do have short term memory loss while on it but I would rather be forgetful than in excruciating pain.

@regalrottweilers Amen to that!! I'm in the same boat, and I agree with you.

My name is NICKWHITE- I've had chronic lower for over a year I thought it was my bed until I got an MRI and found out that I suffer from L4/L -S1 bulging disc

@nickwhite Hello Nick, welcome to Connect. I'm sorry to hear about your back trouble. I hope the procedure you recently had helps your pain and your bed can be of comfort again.

The ESI I had two days ago seems to be helping-we will see how long this last. Staying positive!!

Gosh, your situation sounds just awful. I have 2 small dogs, down from 4, lost 2 last year 🙁
I am just so sorry to read all this stuff. I would be lost without them, like you and yours.

I guess (don't know your age, I am 79 yr old "white female"!!) but have come to agree that
people are just living too long these days. If I robbed a bank, the newspaper would describe me as a 79 yr old white female!!! Just sayin'

I have A-fib, V-fib, diabetes, terrible really bad neuropathy, severe arthritis, significant hip and omg lower back pain, but "there is nothing we can do", losing my hearing, brain slowing
down, had Covid in Jan, lost taste, brain cells, etc etc. so many of my friends have already moved UP there, kind of thinking how lovely that will be some day. (The list goes on and on)

I stopped trusting any of my doctors, all of whom "check out" 1000%, are well known in their fields. From my heart doctor who prescribed Diltiazem for my A-fib, (causing me to faint/pass out and break or crack multiple bones, my head, my back, my neck, every foot bone, every bone in both ankles, and spent several months a year in rehab for 5 continuous years, and she (doc) says I am wrong about the meds! So how can a doctor NOT know that and say (which she recently said, "well, if your heart...does something or other, you would lost consciousness, IT IS EASY TO GOOGLE!!!) the foot doctor who completely ruined my two toes, to the manicurist who damaged my bunion, to the dentist who put my veneers on so that the backs of my front teeth are like razors, and said it was not normal for my tongue to "mess" with my teeth, (when anyone with a brain knows that if you have a hole in a tooth, you cannot stop your tongue from going there. AND ON AND ON AND ON.

ANYWAY, my solution is "working" so far, and all it is, is that when I wake up every day, I consciously make a choice, and I choose JOY. And then I think of every single blessing and everything I am grateful for, and all that bad is still present and yucky, but I can be happy, love my doggies, send them light and meditate to heal them in certain ways, like my little guy needs some "testosterone" energy (because the larger one is a rough and tough girl) so I imagined white light streaming from my heart to his heart and said 'you are brave and strong, and you have courage and you are not afraid of Gracie (they are about a year + each) and on and on, and OMG I see the changes!!!!

AND BOY DO I EVER WANT TO HEAR ABOUT ANYTHING YOUR PERSON COMES UP WITH FOR YOUR PAIN.

I'll do the light thing for you, no pain, feeling great, cure found, all and everything.

Good luck, please let me know!!

Hello my name is Nedra, nice to meet you. I suffer from chronic pain. And would love some advice on how to cope.

I have a bulging disc in my neck and chronic back pain.