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Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself
Chronic Pain | Last Active: 4 hours ago | Replies (7052)Comment receiving replies
I'm Mikee. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1985. I've had 17 surgeries on my back and neck. Two neck surgeries this year and two broken necks. One needed surgery and the other put me in a brace that I get off December 9th. I had two successful careers lost to injuries and pain. I've got the longest plumber crack in the world. From butt to top of neck.
Replies to "I'm Mikee. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1985. I've had 17 surgeries on my back..."
Hi Mikee, welcome to Connect. I am glad you have already met @jimhd, as he is an active member in our community and has many experiences similar to yours to share.
We have had many existing and new members begin to talk about fibromyalgia. You may want to participate in the very active discussion happening about fibromyalgia pain here, http://mayocl.in/2effi2l. There is also a discussion in the early stages centered around back injuries and the various treatments that other members have gone through as a result that you may want to check out and participate in, http://mayocl.in/2fK5zBJ.
I look forward to seeing more posts from you Mikee.
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@mikee, I'm impressed by the number of surgeries you've had. Were they work related? It seems that a lot of people suffer with the pain of fibromyalgia, and it's hard to imagine how it must feel. I fell 12' a few years ago, and had 3 compression fractures in my lower back, which really only hurts when I overuse my back. I found that I have idiopathic peripheral neuropathy a few years ago, and I've seen several neurologists, and now I'm seeing a pain specialist because none of the medications usually prescribed for neuropathy have helped. I'm taking Cymbalta now, though I don't think it's really doing anything, and I take 30mg 3 times a day of morphine sulfate contin, which helps as long as I sit in the recliner all day. I just started trying Marijuana, and I think it would help, but the recreational strength isn't enough to do much. I think I'm going to get a green card so I can get medical Marijuana. I've been taking medication for depression, anxiety disorder, suicidal ideation and PTSD for 13 years, and the combination of depression and pain is hard to deal with. Does your chronic pain affect your mental or emotional status? I'm 66 and retired 11 years ago on Social Security mental health disability. That ended my career. Sometimes I can't decide which is worse - chronic pain or the pain of chronic depression.
I've noticed that a number of people I know who have fibromyalgia also have back problems. I'm wondering if there's some kind of connection. I surely hope you're done with surgeries for a long time.