Yep, insurance can be a problem. I ran into the same snag. My insurance had no out of network coverage at the time. But get this, once I was denied being seen at Mayo I started thinking outside the box and digging. During my research I came across this video about CSS by Mayo Clinic's Dr. Sletten.

Central Sensitization Syndrome - Dr. Christopher Sletten:

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJNhdnSK3WQ

For me, watching this video was a light bulb moment. I cried and felt seen. I made my husband watch, and he was equally amazed at how it related to me.

Once I understood CSS and realized Mayo had a pain rehab center (PRC) to help people with chronic pain, I was all in on getting there. That meant switching insurance plans upon eligibility and paying a higher premium to have out of network coverage. I graduated the Florida PRC over 2 years ago and am doing well.

Everyone is at a different place in their pain journey, but rest assured no matter where you are - you must hold on to hope and positivity. Things will get better!

I look forward to your thoughts on the video and whether it resonates with you. You may not connect with every part and that's ok, but I sure hope it helps you in some way.

In what ways have you been managing stress over the past couple of years? Have you found any self-help tools or strategies that work for you?