Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

Hi,
Forgot my name on here.lol. Brain fog I guess. Should show up when you read this.
Been away from here awhile.
Have spinal problems since age 14. Got worse during a bad pregnancy 48 yrs ago and chronic in 1977.
But I managed to stand and teach math in college for 25 years full time but after 2 auto accidents, fibromyalgia, and a balance problem in 2005 my PT convinced me to not go back. I still did part time teaching on and off until I had a stroke in 2009 - from which I supposedly recovered but I have so many problems they don't know which one is affecting my balance. I also have diabetic neuopathy in the nerves in my feet that tell us where we are.
I have a married son who helps do things in my house but he has 4 kiddos- the oldest is autistic and his wife now works out of necessity.
I lost my hubby who did everything for me 5 years ago. He was my best friend on earth and I just cannot get over losing him. So I deal with anxiety and depression.
My knee got worse than my back and I only have a lady who cleans 3 hours a week.
I have been turned down for subsidized car service 3 times. I am too embarrassed to say how many meds I am on. They tell me to take 3 buses to see my son. I haven't been on a bus in over 5 years.
I feel like a complainer writing all this but unfortunately it is my life.
Most of my few friends have moved away or passed away and my neighbors are almost all from a different ethnic group and know none of this. They probably think that I am rich cause I take car service and cabs.
I wish I could go to lunch with some of you or visit or have you visit. You would understand that I cannot entertain you and we would have a great time and forget about reality for awhile.
I wish you all the best from the bottom of my heart.
Toni aka Marcy K

@dawn_giacabazi
Dawn,
That is what people don't understand when it comes to chronic or acute pain.
I even had this discussion with the nurse practioner the other day.
She says she see a big difference in my overall demeanor.
I tried to explain to her that when you are in pain (regardless of how much), ALL the time, it is exhausting, physically, mentally and emotionally.
It just 'gets' to you.
I would have thought she knew this, but apparently she didn't.
Many people think that just because your pain level is not too high, you should be 'feeling' good.
I suppose what they say about when you can't 'see' the illness, it is difficult for people to understand it.
Guess I should wrap each part of my body that hurts.
This way, people will 'see' the pain.
They'll call me Mummy instead of Mommy. lol

Here's to a pain free day!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

Hi,
Forgot my name on here.lol. Brain fog I guess. Should show up when you read this.
Been away from here awhile.
Have spinal problems since age 14. Got worse during a bad pregnancy 48 yrs ago and chronic in 1977.
But I managed to stand and teach math in college for 25 years full time but after 2 auto accidents, fibromyalgia, and a balance problem in 2005 my PT convinced me to not go back. I still did part time teaching on and off until I had a stroke in 2009 - from which I supposedly recovered but I have so many problems they don't know which one is affecting my balance. I also have diabetic neuopathy in the nerves in my feet that tell us where we are.
I have a married son who helps do things in my house but he has 4 kiddos- the oldest is autistic and his wife now works out of necessity.
I lost my hubby who did everything for me 5 years ago. He was my best friend on earth and I just cannot get over losing him. So I deal with anxiety and depression.
My knee got worse than my back and I only have a lady who cleans 3 hours a week.
I have been turned down for subsidized car service 3 times. I am too embarrassed to say how many meds I am on. They tell me to take 3 buses to see my son. I haven't been on a bus in over 5 years.
I feel like a complainer writing all this but unfortunately it is my life.
Most of my few friends have moved away or passed away and my neighbors are almost all from a different ethnic group and know none of this. They probably think that I am rich cause I take car service and cabs.
I wish I could go to lunch with some of you or visit or have you visit. You would understand that I cannot entertain you and we would have a great time and forget about reality for awhile.
I wish you all the best from the bottom of my heart.
Toni aka Marcy K

As an ex nurse who has suffered chronic pain for the past eight months due to chronic pancreatitis,which I’ve just had diagnosed, I think I’ve just realised that absolutely no one,with no matter how much training or experience, can tell or even begin to imagine how much pain another person is in. I remember being ‘conditioned ‘ to think “ you’re so many days post op, you can’t possibly need analgesia that strong”, and by the same token no matter how much training in psychiatry someone has, they can’t tell what someone else is thinking or what is going on in their head. If, by some miracle I ever went back to work, I would hope that this knowledge would make me a better, more understanding nurse.

@carolel
Thank you so much for sharing and your post.
I am sorry that you have been going through with your health, but I would be honored if I had a nurse like you.
Yes, a one size fits all does NOT work.
In reality, how many people follow the text book descriptions?
We, who have pain, have had it for different periods of time, different intensities, different body part affected, different causes, different reactions to meds, different support, different abilities, etc.
Knowing this, not by a book, but by living it, gives you or any person a knowledge that no one knows without living it.

Again, thank you for your post.
Have a pain free day!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

Hi

Ive been siffering with chronic paon since may 2014.
Very complicated situation. I had gallstones which went on for months to try and keep the pain i ended up damaging my liver with a paracetamol overdose. I was admitted to hospital for 5 days and had treatment. Dec 2014 i became really unwell with acute pancreatitis secondary to gallstones. I had surgery to remove my gallbladder. Unfortantely the pancreatitis didnt improve. I was rescaned to find i had a pseudocyst on my pancreas. I went home with painkillers. Feb 15 i was readmitted with extreme tummy pain to find the cyst had grown to 31cm in diameter and ruptured my spleen. I had further surgery. Having surgery left me open to infection which was inside the cyst. The cyst became inflammed infected and ruptured. I ended up with a PICC line where i received TPN feed at this point in 6 months i had lost nearly 6 stone. My condition got worse i went into retention had a cathata put in. More fluids pumped thru. I got transfered to a larger hospital that had a pancreatic unit. July 2015 i had a 9 hour operation to drain the cyst and connect it to my small bowel. Finally i started getting better and went home Aug 2015. Sept 2015 admitted again with vomiting. I had a small bowel obstruction caused by adhesions from previous surgeries again more surgery 4th one in 10 months.
I started finally getting better for real. I have to take creon now but i still get upset tummy most days.
Further tests and scans showed i have diverticulitis plus a hiatus hernia and an umbilical hernia. Plus chronic pancreatitis and IBS.

I have no idea what i can cant or should eat but everyday my tummy plays me up. Needing to go go loo 10x a day. Constant sickness feeling. Niggling pain that turns into horrible pain. Its making me stay at home more.

I really need help even if i can control this with diet. Also im type 3c diabetic

Hi @grandmar! I sure like your attitude- it’s great! I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts! They make me feel better! I have fibro, RA, diabetes, and recently discovered heart failure. Reading about others takes the isolation away. I’m isolated. I live with my brother and he’s not one to talk about feelings or illnesses. So when I feel bad, I keep quiet. I literally have no extended family that cares at all, and I just had to move away from my wonderful friends and church. I can’t drive right now, so I have no way to get to church. I fight hard to not fall down into the abyss. I hope you are ok as well as all my Connect angels. Karen

Hi Kelsey, my name is gaz and I would be very interested in anything that you might be able to help me to cope with my pain,I live in New Zealand and just to put it straight out there I have found that cannibis has been a big help dealing with my pain, I have spoken to my doctors about this and my physio and they would rather me be on their drugs that sometimes leave me dizzy and not feeling well but still in pain, although the pain is not as intense but rather a dull constant throbing pain, the cannibis takes the pain away just not for long, please let me know if you know of anyone that has experienced the same, sometimes I only have to take half of a cannibis joint to have instant results, I look forward to your reply