Hello @boxermomma. Welcome to the group. What conditions do you have that are causing your pain? I have Fibromyalgia, arthritis of knee, hands and cervical spine. I also have bone spurs and disc degeneration c 5,6.

Have you noticed a connection between the chronic pain and how you feel emotionally, boxermama?

Hello Sandytoes 14,
Like you, i also have fibromyalgia, i also have psoriatic arthritis and osteoarthritis in my C2-C5 and a deteriorated joint in my left ankle. All of this us several other chronic health problems.

Oh yes i have, very much so. I have chronic depression that they try to keep under control, but still sone days its very difficult to just get out of bed. I rarely go places unless i HAVE to. Yes, a very strong connection, jimhd.

@boxermamma, I can relate to the comorbid relationship between depression and anxiety and chronic pain. I developed agoraphobia, and I too, rarely leave my bedroom except for near-daily doctor appointments. Have you looked into genetic testing? Assurex offers the test, which is not universally covered by insurance. Their website will give you more information; they currently offer it free to Medicare recipients, and a sliding scale fee of $75- $300 is available for other patients, based on income. You complete a cheek swab, and your doctor can help you with interpreting results ne to two weeks later. The test examines your liver functions, and will provide you with lists of the best, good, and least effective medications for you to treat depression, anxiety, ADHD, pain management, and other meds and liver functioning. It will help you and your doctor determine the best meds and doses for your conditions; trial and error of meds is time-consuming and expensive. Using the best drugs for your genetic make-up may lessen your pain, depression, and anxiety, allowing you to socialize and more actively participate in life, which are key to improving all your medical conditions. Mayo offers a similar test, but I am not familiar with it. I wish you all the best. I hope you see improvements in your life soon. Thanks for writing in. I know how difficult even letter-writing can be on your worst days.

Dear lauriedr,
Thank you for all the wonderful information. I will discuss this with my doctors. BTW, my LFT's are always elevated due to my cryptogenic cirhosis of the liver.

@boxermomma, I had significant chronic depression quite a while before I started having chronic pain, but with more than ten years of medications and therapists, depression has plateaued. Unfortunately, the plateau is kind of low, so things like pain and stress easily pull me down into depression that's uncomfortably close to the thoughts of suicide. I'm trying to be aggressive about finding a treatment for the neuropathy pain. I just started trying out medical Marijuana, and it's really too soon to tell how much it will help. The cost of Marijuana is enough to make me feel depressed. I hope to see a doctor soon with whom I can discuss a spinal cord stimulator. So many decisions to be made - it's overwhelming.

Hello jimhd,
Yes there are so many options out there with so little relief. Dealing with the pain, the depression, the pain, the depression......its a never ending vicious cycle that seems like no help in sight, but there is that one option out there that'll help you and i do hope you find that relief very soon. Life is hard enough to deal with at times for everyone, but then there are people like us and others that have to deal with the chronic pain among our other health problems, it is very frustrating. I'll keep you in my thoughts and pray relief finds you soon. Take care.
boxermomma

Dear jimhd make sure the trial of a neuro stimulator really does the job.<br>I found it no better than a TENS unit. The rumbling or vibrating is<br>supposed to make your brain think of that and forget the pain. I actually<br>had it put in bec it was my last reasort for my up to 9 level pain. Had to<br>have it removed little over a year later bec caused more troubles and pain<br>issue was not satisfied. Just my problem - some get up to 25 to 50%<br>help. @ladyjane85<br><br>

I had hoped to have one but spine is too curved to implant. What do you do for your pain now?