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.

GailBL, Alumni Mentor | @gailb | Apr 30, 2018

In reply to @kristacat "Hello :). First time I’m using a chat for medical reasons. I feel quite desperate and..." + (show)

@wsh66

Yes, I had to sign a contract too. I had told the pain doctor I used marijuana since it's legal in California. He told me the same thing you were told and I had drug tests every 6 months. I've never been drug tested before in my life. I passed because I made a commitment not to do other drugs or marijuana. When I make a commitment, I keep it. Of course he didn't know that. I waited until I was not having much pain and was withdrawing from Tramadol before I used it. I don't plan to see the pain doctor again, and I was successfully dismissed from his care. I recommend if anyone is going to try Marijuana, they need to discuss it with their doctors first.

Gail
Volunteer Mentor

lioness | @lioness | Apr 30, 2018

In reply to @kristacat "Hello :). First time I’m using a chat for medical reasons. I feel quite desperate and..." + (show)

I was also concerned from that Cymbalta I took It made me think I had Alzheimer's

Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Apr 30, 2018

In reply to @kristacat "Hello :). First time I’m using a chat for medical reasons. I feel quite desperate and..." + (show)

@gailb Within an hour after taking the 900 mg of gabapentin about 9:30 pm, the needle like pain in my hands is nearly if not totally gone. I feel no foggy brain. Once in a while when chatting with friends I have what I call a senior moment but I have had those for several years. I am 76 and need all of my brain power. My neurologist did eliminate the morning 300 mg dose and add it to the night meds. I use medical marijuana during the day for pain control.

lioness | @lioness | Apr 30, 2018

In reply to @kristacat "Hello :). First time I’m using a chat for medical reasons. I feel quite desperate and..." + (show)

It's like I said your body knows what helps but for others it's something different if it works for you great I'm glad each of us has to find what works for them There,s no same solution for all.

lauren123 | @lauren123 | May 1, 2018

In reply to @kristacat "Hello :). First time I’m using a chat for medical reasons. I feel quite desperate and..." + (show)

I've talked with doctors about this issue, and specifically about taking larger doses. The best answer I received is that so called "addiction" becomes a problem when tolerance sets in (the drug stops working) and then we get to go through increasingly difficult responses to going off the drug. Oh yes, then we get to try out other drugs to see what will work in its place. Sometimes I feel like a lab rat. We all know that the final phase of a drug trial is when it is turned loose on the general population. Nevertheless, I would be devastated to be cut off from the drugs I take, given my pain level. This is why I am on the search for complimentary therapies, such as yoga, chiropractic care, and laser treatment. Love & blessings are helpful too!

lauren123 | @lauren123 | May 1, 2018

In reply to @kristacat "Hello :). First time I’m using a chat for medical reasons. I feel quite desperate and..." + (show)

I don't like it either. An emergency room nurse told me they don't use it cause I makes the patients feel sicker.

lauren123 | @lauren123 | May 1, 2018

In reply to @gailb "@susan1955 and @raina Welcome to the Mayo Connect online community. I am a Volunteer Mentor and..." + (show)

I agree. When I simply cannot take a walk, I do extra yoga exercises. The key is to keep moving, except when the pain tells me to stay in bed.

liz223 | @liz223 | May 1, 2018

In reply to @kristacat "Hello :). First time I’m using a chat for medical reasons. I feel quite desperate and..." + (show)

I cut my Gabapentin down to 200mg this morning and will probably stay with this for a couple of weeks. When I first started I took only one for the stinging in my hands and it worked. I no longer have the stinging, but the doctor suggested I might try upping the dosage to help with the pain of my herniated disc, but I didn't see where it helped.

Gem | @gemmax | May 1, 2018

I suffered from a rare bactrial infection and two years later developed autoimmune syndrome with a variety of autoimmune illnesses showing up one after the other. The chronic pain began in the calves of my legs and has affected every part of my body since then; that has been about 23 years ago. As.time goes by it has become worse. With chronic fatigue a major problem. Although I walk when I am able to (about a mile and ½) it just makes me feel better for the day.My doctors encourage walking for pain relief. My pancreas was ruined by some of the meds that were used to try to help me so that i developed diabetes, which added a huge burden to my life. For years I searched, corresponded, called ,doctors all over the world trying to find help. About 10 years ago I just stopped trying and decided to attempt to have some sort of life as things are. I stick to a pretty restricted diet, leaving out these foods: pork, beef, shellfish, white bread, potatoes and rice and sugar. I eat oats, brown rice and some other grains, a lot of veggies and a moderate amount of fruit and poultry and fish; ail organic. I am a positive person who has remained so through most of it. My strengths are definitely my faith,my diet, my hobbies (writing, genealogy, photography.) It is my belief that focusing on the needs of others can really help. No matter how much others care about us, as tme goes by, many friends fall away. I think we can make them feel helpless. So hello, fellow traveler..may your journey become free from pain.