Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

thank you

Hello, I'm Elaina and I have many autoimmune diseases. I have constant pain and fatigue.

Hi, my name is Bob 58 yo and I live in Rancho Mirage, CA. I was in a skiing accident 16 years ago and did a lot of damage to my back. Have had 4 surgeries over this time with the last being a spinal fusion from T1 to pelvis. Have been on opiods and gabapentin for 2 years to help manage incredible relentless pain. Had to stop working in March 2014. My mental state is very poor. Very depressed. I keep telling myself that this is not going to kill me. Others are in as much pain but not going to make it. My spouse is awesome and supportive. But I feel hopeless often and a burden. Has anyone else been to this point?

I am Tasha .I have Ms ,but yes Bob I feel like a burden all the time.

Hi everybody. I'm Tim and I suffer from peripheral neuropathy. Hoping to reach out for as much advice as possible in pain management issues. Thanks for this forum.

Hello @robertrm (Bob), and welcome to Connect. We appreciate your sharing a bit about yourself with the Connect community.

I think I have found a few discussions that I think you may be interested in looking at and joining:

- Laminectomy and L4-L5-S1 fusion, http://mayocl.in/2nbCTCC. (not the same fusion, but many members discussion spinal fusion)
- Motor vehicle accident, soft tissue trauma, http://mayocl.in/2lhUx6H. (contains discussion about back injuries due to accident)

I also invite you to read through some of the discussions taking place in the Mental Health group, http://mayocl.in/2cUfR1j. In the Mental Health group, there are a lot of different discussions taking place on various causes of depression. You will meet some very supportive members who help provide encouragement and coping mechanisms for all different types of feelings of depression.

@robertrm, you have come to the right place to Connect with others who know what you are experiencing. I look forward to seeing you meet others on Connect.

Hello @elainadenea, and welcome to Connect. You mentioned you have many autoimmune disease. Have you checked out the Autoimmune Diseases specific group? You can find it here, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/autoimmune-diseases/.

My name is Thomas Michael Quirk & I am 81 yr's old. I have been suffering from OA since my late 30's. It has been a long battle. I have taken many medications over the years & most I could not tolerate.Mostly GI problems or they did not work. The 1 Pain Management DR. Who helped me left my area & I have yet to find a replacement. I know what chronic pain is. Most of my joints are effected especially my neck. I have to keep going.

you had posted to me or somone with different web sites one was shift what were the others? I cant find them now and deleted my conversation they were confusing me sorry and thank you

In answer to your closing question, yes, and I'm not the only one. I'm hoping to start with a new therapist next week, after an 18 month break from therapy.

Chronic pain didn't become a factor in my depression until a few years ago, when peripheral neuropathy advanced from numbness and pins and needles to burning pain in my feet. I began seeing a therapist 11 years ago, after I started attempting suicide. Depression, PTSD, anxiety disorder all worked together to finding myself in a deep, dark hole.

Depression can be debilitating, as is chronic pain. Have you spoken with your doctor about the depression? The most successful treatment plan for depression is the combination of medication and therapy. I recommend both if you're not already doing them. They've kept me alive for the past 15 years.

Jim