1. < Chronic Pain

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.

jupiterkaren | @jupiterkaren | Jul 1, 2018
In reply to @baxtersmom "Thank you for your comments on those of us who find narcotics helpful. I have been..." + (show)
@baxtersmom

Thank you for your comments on those of us who find narcotics helpful. I have been taking them for many years responsibly with the care a very forward-thinking well-trained pain management doctor. He is trying his best to deal with all the regulations and does a lot to help minimize the hassle for his patients who have shown him they are responsible and trustworthy with these medications. I never feel like I am being treated like a drug-addict. Without these medications my career (I am a professor at a major University) would have ended years ago because I would not have been able to keep teaching and being on my feet for all these years. I encourage people to find a good pain management doctor who shows them the respect and trust and care that they deserve. My pain management doctor also does many different things and recognizes that pain management medicine is not a one size fits all practice. He uses injections, nutrition, spinal cord stimulation, supplements, and many new and cutting edge techniques. He also refers to other doctors and practitioners who he thinks may be helpful. He is very available to me and his office is extremely responsive. His care kept me out of a surgery that I think I would have regretted many many years ago. This is what we all deserve and while I have terrible pain almost every day which increases as I get older, I know that I can continue the search that we all are on for what works for us with the help of a caring and knowledgeable doctor. It took me a long time to find him. When I began my search, he was probably still in medical school. I guess my message is don't give up on finding good pain management people. And speak up in defense of those of us who use narcotic medications responsibly. We need to advocate for ourselves.

Jump to this post

Who is your pain Dr.

REPLY
jupiterkaren | @jupiterkaren | Jul 1, 2018

Florida is cracking down on opiate prescriptions at the suffering of the chronic pain patients. My husband was given a 3 day supply from his pain management specialist to last him until when?...no one is here while he screams in pain through the evening. The shots they gave him provided no relief, he had a shoulder surgery which 7 months later hasn't gotten him out of the pain at all. Very upsetting that people unfamiliar with chronic pain are dictating how someone should be pain free. We wouldn't allow a pet to suffer this way. Change is necessary. We are frustrated, exhausted, worn out, and sadly my husband is in pain as we do not have alternatives to the shots which seems to be the only thing the pain Dr. I'd offering. I am defeated.

REPLY
6 replies
Stephen | @wsh66 | Jul 1, 2018
In reply to @lyssia "It's nice to know that other pain sufferers feel as I do. I do not want..." + (show)
@lyssia

It's nice to know that other pain sufferers feel as I do. I do not want the insurance companies or government telling my doctor or me (a responsible drug user) what I can or can not use to help my situation. I have a really good pain management doctor for several years now and between the pain medication (use only occasionally right now) injections (upper back trigger point and cervical facet joint steroid) acupuncture, tens, exercise, supplements, meditation practice for me he also has other things as appropriate for the person. I find that this subject of not wanting the doctors to prescribe pain medications to anyone, the insurance companies wanting other medications to be used (that may or may not work or have more side effects) and the government looking at punishing the doctors for prescribing or limiting what amounts can be given to be on my mind a lot. I am at a place at this time where the combination of everything that I use is working pretty good for me and I don't want to go back to where I was in the beginning because of the drug abusers. I don't think that the responsible doctors should not be bunched in with those that are handing out pain meds indiscriminately for a profit. Thanks for letting me vent. : )

Jump to this post

Dr. Michael Park and dr. Banik at M health in Minneapolis Minnesota

REPLY
Stephen | @wsh66 | Jul 1, 2018
In reply to @jupiterkaren "Florida is cracking down on opiate prescriptions at the suffering of the chronic pain patients. My..." + (show)
@jupiterkaren

Florida is cracking down on opiate prescriptions at the suffering of the chronic pain patients. My husband was given a 3 day supply from his pain management specialist to last him until when?...no one is here while he screams in pain through the evening. The shots they gave him provided no relief, he had a shoulder surgery which 7 months later hasn't gotten him out of the pain at all. Very upsetting that people unfamiliar with chronic pain are dictating how someone should be pain free. We wouldn't allow a pet to suffer this way. Change is necessary. We are frustrated, exhausted, worn out, and sadly my husband is in pain as we do not have alternatives to the shots which seems to be the only thing the pain Dr. I'd offering. I am defeated.

Jump to this post

If you're going to need pain medication for the rest of your life, the only real solution is to have a pain pump inserted into your body. I love mine that saved my life let me know if you want more information

REPLY
lisakuehl | @lisakuehl | Jul 1, 2018

Hi, friends - regarding implanted pain medicine pumps...my husband had mesothelioma, diagnosed and treated at Mayo RST. To ease his chestwall pain, we tried a Medtronic pump, but the outpatient surgery made him very ill, the morphine did not help and what held so much promise ended up adding to his misery and his quality of life went downhill rapidly. The intention was good. But the reality was that nothing about that procedure or the medicine was a good choice. I know that for some, it's life-changing - I wish we had had a positive experience.

REPLY
19lin | @19lin | Jul 1, 2018
In reply to @jupiterkaren "Florida is cracking down on opiate prescriptions at the suffering of the chronic pain patients. My..." + (show)
@jupiterkaren

Florida is cracking down on opiate prescriptions at the suffering of the chronic pain patients. My husband was given a 3 day supply from his pain management specialist to last him until when?...no one is here while he screams in pain through the evening. The shots they gave him provided no relief, he had a shoulder surgery which 7 months later hasn't gotten him out of the pain at all. Very upsetting that people unfamiliar with chronic pain are dictating how someone should be pain free. We wouldn't allow a pet to suffer this way. Change is necessary. We are frustrated, exhausted, worn out, and sadly my husband is in pain as we do not have alternatives to the shots which seems to be the only thing the pain Dr. I'd offering. I am defeated.

Jump to this post

I fear things are only going to get worst in the future. Sorry to hear what your state is doing. 19lin

REPLY
geezappeal1 | @geezappeal1 | Jul 2, 2018
In reply to @jupiterkaren "Florida is cracking down on opiate prescriptions at the suffering of the chronic pain patients. My..." + (show)
@jupiterkaren

Florida is cracking down on opiate prescriptions at the suffering of the chronic pain patients. My husband was given a 3 day supply from his pain management specialist to last him until when?...no one is here while he screams in pain through the evening. The shots they gave him provided no relief, he had a shoulder surgery which 7 months later hasn't gotten him out of the pain at all. Very upsetting that people unfamiliar with chronic pain are dictating how someone should be pain free. We wouldn't allow a pet to suffer this way. Change is necessary. We are frustrated, exhausted, worn out, and sadly my husband is in pain as we do not have alternatives to the shots which seems to be the only thing the pain Dr. I'd offering. I am defeated.

Jump to this post

It's awful in California; truly grotesque. I quit my pain clinic 8 months ago because of the total lack of understanding and interest.Unless I wanted RFAs at $3000 a pop, I wasn't worth the anesthesiologists' time. And for a minimum of meds I waited at least 4 hours, plus the 2 days in bed it took to walk again.Boy, was that a mistake! Now I'm on my third primary-care Doc, and have no expectations at all. After 45 years with AA, cerebral arachnoiditis, Ankylosing Spondylitis and severe DDD, not having ANY opiates even for terrific pain flares, brings me smack dab into a place where suicide is acceptable, even preferable to the pain. I don't know what to do. If I still lived in L.A. this wouldn't be a problem. It's just the physical trauma that would I'd be in without Pain medicine. By the time I drove to the city I'd be so wacked out in body and mind, some momzer would hand me a prescription for Thorazine!
REPLY
Mamacita, Alumna Mentor | @mamacita | Jul 2, 2018
In reply to @jupiterkaren "Florida is cracking down on opiate prescriptions at the suffering of the chronic pain patients. My..." + (show)
@jupiterkaren

Florida is cracking down on opiate prescriptions at the suffering of the chronic pain patients. My husband was given a 3 day supply from his pain management specialist to last him until when?...no one is here while he screams in pain through the evening. The shots they gave him provided no relief, he had a shoulder surgery which 7 months later hasn't gotten him out of the pain at all. Very upsetting that people unfamiliar with chronic pain are dictating how someone should be pain free. We wouldn't allow a pet to suffer this way. Change is necessary. We are frustrated, exhausted, worn out, and sadly my husband is in pain as we do not have alternatives to the shots which seems to be the only thing the pain Dr. I'd offering. I am defeated.

Jump to this post

geezappeal1, I saw your post and I want to tell you that much of your post rings true for me too. I have DDD, Spinal Stenosis, Arthritis in all of my joints, Diabetes, and Fibromyalgia. There's more but I would like to focus on what helped me. It might help you. You are so right about finding a good doctor. Most primary cares don't understand chronic pain sufferers. I hurt so bad in 1990, when I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, that I wrapped up in a quilt and just thought I was going to die. Hopefully this last doctor will do you some good. With any luck at all he will give you a low dose of something to help you at night. Doctors here are extremely slow about giving pain medicine. I will be honest, I was miserable for years and the doctors would not give me what other pain patients were getting. I knew what they got, and it was something that helped me. But they are so afraid we will get addicted, they go very, very slowly. Shots didn't help me at all. Electrical acupuncture and chiropractic helped. Massages helped. But only so much. The Lazy Keto Diet helped. Magnesium tablets and Flaxseed capsules helped. Finally he prescribed Mobic and a very low dose muscle relaxer that doesn't make me sleepy. ( I have uncontrollable muscle spasms.) Gratitude helps, as does mindfulness and prayer. I do take one Lyrica in the morning. All of these things came about at approximately the same time. So I take my meds faithfully as well as my supplements. And all the habits of positivity and self care are there for me, every day. I will be thinking of you and sending up prayers for you that you get better. I believe you will! Love and light, MamacitaLucita

REPLY
Mamacita, Alumna Mentor | @mamacita | Jul 2, 2018
In reply to @jupiterkaren "Florida is cracking down on opiate prescriptions at the suffering of the chronic pain patients. My..." + (show)
@jupiterkaren

Florida is cracking down on opiate prescriptions at the suffering of the chronic pain patients. My husband was given a 3 day supply from his pain management specialist to last him until when?...no one is here while he screams in pain through the evening. The shots they gave him provided no relief, he had a shoulder surgery which 7 months later hasn't gotten him out of the pain at all. Very upsetting that people unfamiliar with chronic pain are dictating how someone should be pain free. We wouldn't allow a pet to suffer this way. Change is necessary. We are frustrated, exhausted, worn out, and sadly my husband is in pain as we do not have alternatives to the shots which seems to be the only thing the pain Dr. I'd offering. I am defeated.

Jump to this post

Oh, my, how difficult it must be for you and your husband. I know the reality of dealing with a medical system that doesn't trust their patients or believe them when they say they are in pain. Shots helped me for about one day. Physical therapy helped as long as I continued going. But my Fibromyalgia pain was so bad, I couldn't do the exercises on a regular basis. Hot and cold treatments helped, for a while, but you can't take care of your family while just sitting nursing your wounds. Healthy eating, exercise, supplements appropriate for your conditions. All of these things help. But until the doctors see that his pain is for real, and is taking his life from him, they will continue to prescribe things that won't help. My back brace is wonderful It's sitting in the bottom of the closet because it can only do so much. I have two canes and a walker. With three back surgeries I might need to use any one of them at any time. Oh, and before you have the surgery they tell you that the discs could be damaged again, post surgery. They were right. The only time I was ever given Opioids was after surgery. I cannot give you advice, but I can suggest this: Try everything that has a good success rating with tons of patients. Don't fall for magic pills or miracle juices that fix everything. Tell yourself that you will not stand for this any longer. When you go back to that doctor with your husband, carry a notebook with you with everything he has tried written down in black and white. Dates. Effectiveness. Make sure that he puts down every single activity of daily living that he has trouble with because of the pain. In detail. Don't give up. It took me years to get my specialist to see how much pain I was actually in because I tried to be strong. This is not the time to "suck it up. " Be persistant. Have confidence in yourselves and in your doctor. Believe that he wants to help you! I cannot imagine the pain your husband is having. But I do know chronic pain. And I know help is out there for him. You might even connect with the Mayo Clinic for an appointment. I cannot think of a better place to go for help. God speed you, my friends. MamacitaLucita

REPLY
Mamacita, Alumna Mentor | @mamacita | Jul 2, 2018
In reply to @jcherry "Hi Kelsey.. My name is Janet and have suffered from fibromyalgia for 24 years and CRPS..." + (show)
@jcherry

Hi Kelsey.. My name is Janet and have suffered from fibromyalgia for 24 years and CRPS (RSD) for 18-19 years. I also suffer with migraines and chronic back pain. I look forward to meeting my fellow chronic pain members,and wish we were all on here for other reasons

Jump to this post

Welcome Janet! So nice to see you here. I have had Fibromyalgia since 1990. I have found that for me, having Fibromyalgia is a deal breaker as far as friends go. Many quit inviting me to events because I would have to say no. Or I would have to cancel at the last minute. I would be interested to hear more of your story. Thank you for posting. @mamacitalucita

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.