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Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself
Chronic Pain | Last Active: 9 hours ago | Replies (7051)Comment receiving replies
I developed earaches in September 2016. My primary care found no ear or sinus infection and sent me to an ENT, who diagnosed TMJ pain. I went to my dentist for help. He gave me weekly anesthesia shots into trigger points (OUCH!) and exercises to do, including massaging the trigger points and opening my mouth as wide as I could numerous times in the shower while my face was warm and wet. (I have been wearing a night guard made by my dentist for over 20 years; he replaces them as they wear out.) The pain continued and only got worse; it was at the top of my head, in my ears, in my jaw, above my palate (as though I'd eaten hot food). My dentist sent me to an oral surgeon, who did 360-degree x-rays and found no joint damage. He told me I was therefore not a candidate for surgery (YAY!) and prescribed Flexeril, a muscle relaxer. The pain only got worse, and I continued to wake up in the night with horrific pain. Ibuprofen didn't even touch it.
My dentist then sent me to a physical therapist, who didn't listen to a word I said. I came in on a "good" pain day: my pain level was about a 5 out of 10 (10 being the worst). After his examination and showing me how to do various exercises, he triumphantly told me that my pain level was now reduced. I said "No. My pain level is now about 7.5." He said he didn't believe me. He attempted to push me to go to his outside clinic to get "magnet therapy," and he tried to push me to see a friend of his who is a naturopath. Two days after this session, I was still in excruciating pain and doubt I'd ever return to this physical therapist, although he had me schedule 4 more 1-hour sessions with him.
I called my dentist again, and he called in a prescription for Tylenol plus codeine, which I can take every 4 to 6 hours. My dentist seems to have no further solutions for me.
My primary care is currently out of town, but I will see her when she gets back (in August); she may be referring me to a pain management specialist, which my dentist recommended--however, my dentist refuses to give me a referral to such a specialist, even though the specialist will take referrals from dentists or doctors.
I have been treated for many years for clinical depression and panic/anxiety disorder by my psychiatrist, and the meds have helped me immensely. On Monday I see my psychiatrist for my usual 6-month med check, and I'm going to ask him for help with the terrible TMJ pain. I have also had fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome for a long time. The fibro pain has greatly lessened over time and hardly bothers me, but the CFS continues.
The TMJ pain makes it difficult to concentrate. I'm self-employed, and I enjoy my work. But pain gets in the way, as it does in every single situation: work or pastimes. My dentist mentioned massage therapy, but I'm in too much pain right now to try it. Another friend mentioned using a TENS unit. I feel as though I'm not living; to be in constant pain is hardly living, at least to me.
Any other suggestions? Would a TENS unit help? I'm more than willing to purchase one. I'll try just about anything to be pain free. Sometimes I am pain free. But I spend about 2 weeks out of every month in serious pain. I am feeling very discouraged.
Replies to "I developed earaches in September 2016. My primary care found no ear or sinus infection and..."
Oldkarl, forgive my utter stoopidity, but what's MFDPDD?
Hazel
That is not stupidity. It is only a more honest name for the disorder known commonly as Amyloidosis. It is when bits of protein are manufactured improperly by the liver. Then the kidneys cannot wash them out of the blood, and they die in the blood and are buried (deposited) some improper place in the body. In the heart, or the nerves, or the brain, or bones, or eyes, or pancreas, or whatever. When they are buried between good cells, they throw the processes of the body askew, and create a mess. For instance, when these fibrils (protein pieces) a buried between nerve cells, they can short out messages, and the heart might not receive the message from the brain to beat. Depending on the particular mis-folded protein, one may end up with things such as lupus, Light Chain Amyloidosis, Crohn's, or any of a thousand other types. There is a great organization with a fine web site, http://www.Amyloidosis.org. My own type Primary Systemic Familial LiteChain, apparently produces maybe about 3 cases per year per million people in the US, and about 1/3 of these are actually diagnosed before death. It is usually diagnosed sometime after the 70th birthday. Most often after death. Mayo Minnesota is the leading MFDPDD center in the world. MFDPDD http://bit.ly/1w7j4j8
Oldkarl, thank you for letting me knkow what MFDPDD is! I had no idea!
Hazel
I, too, keep a list in my purse of all current meds - OC included. Also lists what I am allergic to and my known medical issues.
Jim. I also have a long list of meds I take even my over the counter meds and the ones I have a reaction to. Pretty soon i will be carrying a portfolio of my medical history. Good luck to you.Marie
@jimhd Jim, is Clonazepam similar to ativan (lorazapam) at all? I had a prescription of ativan for a while and only used it to quiet my mind at bedtime. I was going through a very stressful time when I first got it but then things got better and now I probably average one a month or less. I only take that one when I go to bed if my mind is whirling around even more than usual, so I can get some sleep. For instance I know my mind will whirling the night before I get my knee replacement in October, and also the night before we leave on our much anticipated vacation. Vacations are actually considered to be traumatic according to some articles I have read. Once I am there and have all the necessities there, I am fine, thankfully. It's the pre-leaving that gets me stressed.
My current doctor gave me my last prescription for 10 lorazapam in December of 2015 and then put in my medical record that I was depressed and anxious. WHAT??? I hesitate to request more even though he would have to know I do not take them regularly.
JK
I like to write lists, so I have on my Android a list of current meds including dosage, with allergies listed below. Another list of the surgeries, ER visits and hospitalizations, one of my tie collection, one of my hymnal collection, one of life verses from the Bible, a shopping list, a to do list, insurance policy numbers - you get the idea. Doctors and nurses like it. They also like that I have a link to my lab results.
Jim
For anyone who has an IPhone there's an app called Round, maybe Round Health. It's like a clock face without the numbers, you enter every medication you take, the time of day you take them, and the dosages. It will give you a notification when it's time to take each medication. It also keeps a list of everything you take, dosages, and times taken, so you have it when you go to a doctors office. I found it really helpful. Jennifer
Jim @jimhd
What a great organizational system, Jim. I'm sure the medical profession must really find you a great patient!
Teresa
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I resemble that remark. Several in my family have MFDPDD deposits in the brain from Amy. For a time, we just thought we were genetically related to pee-nuts!