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Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

Posted by Kelsey Mohring @kelseydm, Apr 27, 2016

Welcome to the new Chronic Pain group.

I’m Kelsey and I’m the moderator of the group. I look forwarding to welcoming you and introducing you to other members. Feel free to browse the topics or start a new one.

Why not take a minute and introduce yourself.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.

Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Aug 16, 2017
In reply to @JustinMcClanahan "To all members of the Chronic Pain group Several of you have posted about the issue..." + (show)
@JustinMcClanahan

To all members of the Chronic Pain group

Several of you have posted about the issue of too many emails. The current system works well for low to moderately active groups, i.e., groups that get 1-20 messages a day or even more. But once a group crosses the threshold of 40+ messages, it is untenable, overwhelming and frustrating. We are developing a solution for the notification system to accommodate those groups on Connect that experience high volume. Find out more about managing your notifications here:

- [Tip] How to Update Your Notification Settings https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/tip-how-to-update-your-notification-settings/

The Chronic Pain group has become a victim of its success. Like us, I'm sure that you're glad that so many people have found this welcoming and informative community to talk and solve issues related to pain and pain management. This introduction thread, "Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself," is a great place to connect with other members and to discover what issues you have in common. Unfortunately, as a community grows, the intro thread can get quite noisy.

We encourage people to start new discussion threads based on specific topics of interest and to connect with the people who share that interest. Or check the list of existing topics and join in: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/pain/

How to start a new discussion topic
1. Go to the Chronic Pain homepage https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/pain/
2. Click START A DISCUSSION.
3. Write a title. Be concise, but describe what you want to talk about.
4. Write your message. (You can even @mention other members you would like to have join the discussion.)
5. CREATE DISCUSSION.

Find out more about How to get started on Connect: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/get-started-on-connect/

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Ditto what Teresa said Justin!

REPLY
Chelsea L. | @clockrem12 | Aug 16, 2017

Hello All!
My name is Chelsea and I am with Mayo Clinic Concierge and can be here to assist you with any questions regarding the Rochester community and your experience here at Mayo Clinic. Welcome to the group!

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virtuous69 | @virtuous69 | Aug 16, 2017
In reply to @sharonmay7 "Yes if anyone has ideas of how we can get the attention of higher ups... Please..." + (show)
@sharonmay7

Yes if anyone has ideas of how we can get the attention of higher ups... Please let us know !! Every time I here somethings about pain pills it is always negative. I bet there r more people helped then hurt! Sharonmay7<br />
<br />

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Hi Jenna, I've had several epidurals and they did work for a short time. Too much prep time with hospital schedule, two weeks of dietary rrestrictions Just temporary fix.for me. but I heard about a new technique that the jury isn't totally in yet and it's a procedure where they take stem cells from your spine and your hip and put it back into your degenerative discs
I have an acquaintance who had that done and she's doing just fine.I also saw her Ortho that she went to and they said it's not for everyone and it's very very expensive not covered by insurance .the individual I'm referring to she said she's doing fine so I wonder if someday that procedure will be available for all of us who have degenerated back problems of all the various types .signed virtuous 69

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Marield65. Marie | @marield65 | Aug 16, 2017
In reply to @sharonmay7 "Yes if anyone has ideas of how we can get the attention of higher ups... Please..." + (show)
@sharonmay7

Yes if anyone has ideas of how we can get the attention of higher ups... Please let us know !! Every time I here somethings about pain pills it is always negative. I bet there r more people helped then hurt! Sharonmay7<br />
<br />

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Virtuous, Marield65 here. Keep us up to date on the stem cell treatment, I don't know what my discs are, but I have had a fusion and 4 other back surgeries and I would like to know more about it. Where was this done? Thank you.

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jenapower | @jenapower | Aug 16, 2017

Virtuous, I actually have talked to a couple doctors about stem cell therapy. The neurosurgeon I'm going to actually does stem cell therapy along with all the other surgeries. I see him next week for a follow up and I want to ask more about it. Unfortunately what I've heard is that it works better for cartilage in knees, non-union of broken bones and things like that, I haven't gotten a negative answer for using it for my discs yet though. I would actually much rather do something like that even if it's expensive. It makes so much more sense to have your body heal itself, then put artificial metal in my neck.

We're are you located? I'm in Southern California. The doctor I'm going to is head of neurosciences/neurosurgery and has a very good reputation. I'm just afraid he'll say no. I do know that the epidural is just a mask and will wear off fairly quickly.

I watch my mother through this for years and finally be forced to have back surgery when she was in her 80s. She was too old to do it and didn't survive. I don't want to wait that long.

Still interested in hearing from somebody that's actually had the disc replacement surgery. Thank you, Jennifer

REPLY
Charlton Williams | @charlton | Aug 16, 2017
In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi all, I'm Colleen, Community Director and part of Connect's moderator team along with Kelsey. I..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

Hi all,
I'm Colleen, Community Director and part of Connect's moderator team along with Kelsey. I want to say a special thank you to @leh09 @19lin @seanbeck @suebreen54 @mlemieux @ladyjane85 @lolomarie @zjandre @briansr @salena54 @sharonmay7 for all your contributions and making new members feel welcome.

Cheers to continued connecting on Connect.

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Chronic pain is from Satan. It has caused me to lose my mind. I have been on opiates for 5 years which has erased my life.

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JK | @contentandwell | Aug 17, 2017
In reply to @oldkarl "Peach, the real downer here is that the closest real hospital with pain management, etc, is..." + (show)
@oldkarl

Peach, the real downer here is that the closest real hospital with pain management, etc, is almost a hundred miles away. And we have a lot of speeders here, not real tourists, but folks who think they can drive 80 mph along the coast on roads built for 35 mph. Then they pile up on a 15 mph curve, at one of our most beautiful spots, and complain about the bad roads and slow drivers. If they want to drive 80, they should go over to I-5 which runs from Vancouver BC to San Diego.

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@marylou705 What is Silver Sneakers? Is that something that is all over? I have never heard of it.
Thanks.
JK

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Moderator
Justin McClanahan, Moderator | @JustinMcClanahan | Aug 17, 2017
In reply to @kathyv "I'm already a member. Just checking on new ideas. Scoliosis surgery as a teenager. Multiple spine..." + (show)
@kathyv

I'm already a member. Just checking on new ideas. Scoliosis surgery as a teenager. Multiple spine surgeries, recently. Developed CRPS in right leg below knee, neuropathy in foot after recent spine surgeries. Developed an atypical femoral fracture in my left leg due to Prolia that I was taking for osteoporosis. Now I am feeling numbness in my left foot. I'm afraid it is now the beginning of CRPS in that foot. I'm taking Lyrica, Cymbalta, Alive, and a 5mg.and 10mg.dose of Oxycontin daily. Still doesn't take care of the pain. Just started taking MM drops under my tongue. Not sure how that is going yet. Obviously, I'm a little overwhelmed. Looking for new suggestions.
Kathy

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@charlton, welcome back to Connect. I think there are a few conversations you may wish to check out if you haven't already that are centered around RSD (CRPS). You can find them by clicking on the following links:

- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/after-knee-replacement-i-developed-rsd-i-have-had-severe-pain-in/
- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/crps-anyone-suffering-with-chronic-repetative-pain-syndrome/

In each of those discussions you will meet other members who may share similar experiences

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Mentor
Jim, Volunteer Mentor | @jimhd | Aug 18, 2017
In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi all, I'm Colleen, Community Director and part of Connect's moderator team along with Kelsey. I..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

Hi all,
I'm Colleen, Community Director and part of Connect's moderator team along with Kelsey. I want to say a special thank you to @leh09 @19lin @seanbeck @suebreen54 @mlemieux @ladyjane85 @lolomarie @zjandre @briansr @salena54 @sharonmay7 for all your contributions and making new members feel welcome.

Cheers to continued connecting on Connect.

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@charlton

I agree that chronic pain and opiates aren't the way anyone should have to live. Beside the pain specialist, pcp, neurologist, ENT, speech therapist and hematologist, I think the person who's helping me the most right now is the therapist I've been seeing for 5 months. 18 months passed after the last one left before the hospital found a new one, and I was back in depression, and I wanted to end my life. The past few weeks have been hard because of some health issues, but my session with the therapist today really made a difference in how I felt. There's a real benefit in having someone to talk with about what I'm going through.

Jim

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HazelBlumberg | @hazelblumberg | Aug 18, 2017
In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi all, I'm Colleen, Community Director and part of Connect's moderator team along with Kelsey. I..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

Hi all,
I'm Colleen, Community Director and part of Connect's moderator team along with Kelsey. I want to say a special thank you to @leh09 @19lin @seanbeck @suebreen54 @mlemieux @ladyjane85 @lolomarie @zjandre @briansr @salena54 @sharonmay7 for all your contributions and making new members feel welcome.

Cheers to continued connecting on Connect.

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Right before I read your note, I had just made an appointment to see a counselor, a psychologist, whom I've seen before. I last saw her in the early part of this year. She does her counseling online. I found her incredibly helpful. I'm realizing that I'm getting depressed--I think it's more situational than clinical, and I'm on meds for the clinical depression--because of the pain and because of relationship issues. So, I think your advice is excellent. Yes, there IS a real benefit in having someone to talk with about what one's going through, someone who's an objective person.

Hazel

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