Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

Hi Everyone, New to this. My name is Tessa. I actually joined this group for my husband. He has struggled with chronic pain his whole life. Abdomen, back, and legs. He has been working on putting his records together to schedule an appointment at Mayo in MN. He recently called and due to him using opioids, Mayo is refusing to take him at this time. Why is this? They told him he needs to be off his medicine for 6 months. He is not addicted and would love to come off the medicines, but he has a manual labor type job. I hate watching him suffer and just don't know how I can help him anymore. No doctor can figure out what his problem is. He has been poked and prodded and I can't do anything. Any guidance?

Hi Everyone, New to this. My name is Tessa. I actually joined this group for my husband. He has struggled with chronic pain his whole life. Abdomen, back, and legs. He has been working on putting his records together to schedule an appointment at Mayo in MN. He recently called and due to him using opioids, Mayo is refusing to take him at this time. Why is this? They told him he needs to be off his medicine for 6 months. He is not addicted and would love to come off the medicines, but he has a manual labor type job. I hate watching him suffer and just don't know how I can help him anymore. No doctor can figure out what his problem is. He has been poked and prodded and I can't do anything. Any guidance?

Hello @migizii and welcome to Mayo Connect.

You have mentioned several problems with pain issues. How are dealing with these?

Do you have anything you would like to share or questions you would like to ask about chronic pain?

I was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia and participated in the 1 1/2 day program at Mayo-MN. I learned many things regarding life balance, etc., but my main issue with chronic pain seems to present itself to me in the form of overwhelming fatigue. I still work full time, see multiple providers to try to help with various aspects of the areas listed above and have a history of disassociating from chronic pain (in most instances-thus the overriding fatigue). I have not been in contact with the chronic pain clinic since my diagnosis last spring and have tried to get things in place mostly on my own....sleep disorder, occupational therapy, physical therapy and starting mental health therapy.

@migizii
Welcome!
You sound like a strong, well organized person.
If your major symptom is fatigue, make sure you address it. You want to be able to keep up your strength in order to fight up sickness and disease.
Good luck!
Ronnie (GRANDMA r)

I was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia and participated in the 1 1/2 day program at Mayo-MN. I learned many things regarding life balance, etc., but my main issue with chronic pain seems to present itself to me in the form of overwhelming fatigue. I still work full time, see multiple providers to try to help with various aspects of the areas listed above and have a history of disassociating from chronic pain (in most instances-thus the overriding fatigue). I have not been in contact with the chronic pain clinic since my diagnosis last spring and have tried to get things in place mostly on my own....sleep disorder, occupational therapy, physical therapy and starting mental health therapy.

I appreciate your post regarding the many ways that you try to deal with the pain and fatigue @migizii. As @grandmar said in her recent post you are well organized in your efforts to help yourself. I so admire people like yourself you are working to help themselves and you are a great advocate for your own health care by participating in PT, etc.

You mention, however, that you have not been back to the pain clinic. Is there a reason why? It could be that if you shared your fatigue with them that perhaps they could help. Just consider it.

Will you continue to post and let me know how you are doing?

I think the main reason I haven’t been back is that my life turned upside down immediately after coming home after the appointment (and I live a long drive away). Our house burned down 3 hours after arriving home from that appointment in March, 2018 and we are still in the process of rebuilding. We are hoping to finally be back in our home in December. I didn’t even get a chance to really take in all the valuable information I learned at the first round of teaching but have tried to incorporate some of the life balance lessons taught. I really haven’t had the motivation to make the long trip again and I think, some of the time, I continue to live in denial. I also have to travel to Mayo for a lung condition and osteoporosis and as yet, have not been able to coordinate the appointments. I live in northern Minnesota and with winter right around the corner, I don’t look forward to driving down there (my husband is always willing to do the driving in the winter). Perhaps too much info, but thanks for listening.