Study opportunity: Seeking people with chronic low back pain and depression or anxiety symptoms

Nov 19, 2021 | W. Michael Hooten, M.D. | @wmichaelhootenmd | Comments (46)

Principal Investigator: Dr. W. Michael Hooten. M.D.

IRB # 20-010302

The Mayo Clinic pain clinic in Rochester, MN is seeking volunteers with chronic back pain and depression or anxiety symptoms to potentially participate in an eight-month research study. We are conducting research on effective treatment interventions for patients who suffer from chronic low back pain and depression or anxiety symptoms.

You might be eligible to participate in this study if you are 18-75 years old, suffering from chronic low back pain for at least 6 months, and suffering from depression or anxiety symptoms. This eight month study includes four research visits to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, weekly online surveys about your pain, and physical therapy and antidepressant medication depending on your group assignment.

For more information, please contact the study coordinator at 507-422-0582 or Stoltenberg.Anita@mayo.edu

Interested in more newsfeed posts like this? Go to the Adult Pain Medicine blog.

@wisco50

Why do you think these issues are worse postop? Usually if I think about it, I can figure out why I have them. Not that it always helps or makes things better. I know why I have sleep anxiety but nothing seems to overcome it. I tried to see a therapist but couldn’t get in for months. Which didn’t help my anxiety. Argh.

Jump to this post

P.S. I worked in a Surgical Recovery Room and we did go into ORs if needed.
As a retired RN I cannot think of anything where intubation would cause issues nor body positioning - the staff where I worked were incredibly careful about positioning and had checklists to follow/verify.

REPLY
@ibmaxine

I wish I could afford the in person visits. I’m 66 just had my pain pump put in. I have been on Paxil for many years. And mitasapine for about5 years.

Jump to this post

Is your pain pump better than oral pain meds ? I’m interested in know more about the pain pump ? Would appreciate your opinion

REPLY
@jfsherley

Is your pain pump better than oral pain meds ? I’m interested in know more about the pain pump ? Would appreciate your opinion

Jump to this post

I believe the oral was better for me. The pump only addresses my back. I also have pain in the neck and hips and hands etc. due to R.A , OA and past breaks in my arm , hips. , ankles , and neck. I’ve got to admit something is better than nothing. But I have nothing when my neck gets bad because they drug test so I can’t even use my thc.

REPLY
@ibmaxine

I believe the oral was better for me. The pump only addresses my back. I also have pain in the neck and hips and hands etc. due to R.A , OA and past breaks in my arm , hips. , ankles , and neck. I’ve got to admit something is better than nothing. But I have nothing when my neck gets bad because they drug test so I can’t even use my thc.

Jump to this post

My goodness ! So sorry, I have the back pain and shoulder pain . I didn’t know if getting the pain pump would be better for me or not but I can see what your saying, thanks for responding

REPLY

Hope it helps. The pump itself doesn’t bother me. But they said it would then doctor number two said no Soooo I am getting shots in my neck after Christmas. Any more questions just ask.

REPLY

Out of curiosity, anyone doing a study on people who suffer chronic pain from cervical fusions and degenerative disc conditions?
It's moved into my thoracic spine after I've already had 4 levels of my cervical spine fused. First 3 when I was 30 and a multi sport athlete.
Lived with cervical fusions and chronic pain (5 or higher on 1- 10 scale for over 2 decades), that is now in thoracic spine, and I'm being told thoracic spinal surgery is so traumatic, you're almost better with the Devil you know, as the surgery may be ineffective anyway.
In addition, I have a autoimmune conditions in my spine. A severe form of DISH syndrome that is calcifying the soft tissue of my spine and the tissue that connects my ribcage to my spine. Breathing deeply is painful.
The other beaut is Ankylosing Spondylitis, where my spine grows little spurs to dig into my spinal cord causing pain upon certain movements.
Current nerve meds, muscle relaxers and government restrictions to painkillers that do not effectively control pain have left me in an untenable position.
The government doesn't care I inherited a resistance to medicines and metabolize medicines faster than normal (it's recorded in my dad's military medical records) and I've woken up several times under anesthesia.
The most striking being my first cervical fusion.
Dr. said "your surgery went great, and you scared the crap out of my nurses" and I looked at him puzzled as he described me beginning to move around and start moving my head when they had me under and neck already opened up to place hardware.
Several instances of this happening during spinal injections finally got anesthesiologists to listen, but my pain management Dr. just seems to be a once every other month agreement to show up to an appointment they can under treat me for.
Living with pain like this for over 2 decades and feeling like nothing is being done but continuing this course of treatment feels like the definition of insanity.
But some days I'm so tired of hurting, and there's only the promise of worse hurting down the road. This is a prognosis I have difficulty accepting.
To the extent that I have researched leaving the country for assisted suicide.

I'd like to think things could change but in the States, they'd rather try new untested drugs on me than give me more than they think they should, even though every time I stop taking painkillers for extended periods of time, I have a day or two of discomfort as my body adjusts, then there's no desire to go find illicit sources of opiates to self medicate. If I'm not a junkie after over 2 decades on and off and the differing pills, no illegal activity trying to get meds to soothe my pain when I'm off script, I guess as an adult U.S. citizen who could go down to my local liquor store and kill myself with alcohol poisoning, I can't get more of something my Dr. agrees helps.

Is western medicine supposed to actually help, or just find new maintenence meds to keep us coming back?

And if someone is constantly at the Orthopedic surgeon's office with these issues, wouldn't that indicate an "out of the norm" case that might require prescription levels that might seem high for the median population?

I guess as the layman suffering, I'm at the whims of lawmakers with Pearl Clutching tics at the mere mention of opioids. At least until one of them openly has an injury so bad they realize sometimes that medicine is what allows you to grind through your day without just wanting to give in.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.