1. < Chronic Pain

Will you listen?

Posted by su8 @su8, Jan 4 5:53am

Why bother talking to my doctor about my pain let alone the anxiety and limitations put on my quality of life? I am dismissed out of hand, or given a prescription for anti-depressants, which cause even more misery from the side effects. I don’t have a chemical imbalance in my brain, I don’t need counseling from my psychotherapist and certainly don’t need referrals for more tests and procedures, what I need to know is, “do you really want to know what’s going on with me and ,” And for my doctors to listen. Ask me about my quality of life and my pain.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.

BeBold | @bebold | Jan 13 11:48pm
In reply to @twinkie23 "Tramadol is prescribed at 50mg, up to 4x day. I aim to use the least necessary,..." + (show)
@twinkie23

Tramadol is prescribed at 50mg, up to 4x day. I aim to use the least necessary, usually 1x day and 1 at bedtime. The bedtime dose helps me fall asleep without pain and sleep for up to 5 hours. I tolerate it well but avoid driving while taking it.

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Just to add if you have epilepsy, tramadol can cause seizures so not the best for us. My aunt had one seizure once during childbirth and was told she could never take Tramadol. Just putting that out there. It is also addicting of course but its the only pain killer I can take tho last I took it, I got hives so I.may be out of all options gor psin.meds except toridol at home injections a few times a year. Its an anti-inflamatory, not particularly safe but can leave me 100% pain free for 24 hours - which feels magical the 4 times a year I let myself have a shot. Hello excedrine. Works when I have to take the edge off. I have fibro but my real pain issue is mainly CRPS.

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covidstinks2023 | @covidstinks2023 | Jan 14 8:00am

It's sad, but, the medical field has changed greatly in the past 4 years due to COVID., doctors retiring, short staff, etc., Doctors are on overload right now. Search for a doctor who will listen. They are out there. I have some great ones. I simply don't got back to the ones that don't listen. I find that nurse practioners and PA's tend to have more time with you. Also, an Integrative Medicine doctor takes up more time with you....insurance doesn't cover this one sadly. I'm sorry that you are going through this. Praying for a good doctor for you and some relief. Please keep me updated. I care.

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darby413 | @darby413 | Jan 14 12:02pm

It is hard to always get health care providers you feel listen to you. If I don't like the provider, I do my best to find another provider. Sometimes not always possible then it is a choice to move on with that provider or keep on looking.

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debkl | @debkl | Jan 14 2:35pm
In reply to @cwitton1 "This is what my mri revealed last week. “ C4-C5: Mild facet hypertrophy causing mild narrowing..." + (show)
@cwitton1

This is what my mri revealed last week. “ C4-C5: Mild facet hypertrophy causing mild narrowing of the right foramen. C5-C6: Diffuse disc bulge. Mild facet operatively. Moderate narrowing of the canal and foramen bilaterally. C6-C7: Mild diffuse disc osteophyte producing mild foraminal and canal narrowing. Partial lumbarization of the upper sacrum. L4-L5: Annular fissure posteriorly. Mild diffuse disc bulge. Facet hypertrophy. Moderate narrowing of the foramen and mild narrowing of the canal. L5-S1: Annular fissure. Asymmetric facet hypertrophy. Disc protrusion favors the left extending from the right of midline into the left foramen. It extends about 2.5 cm transverse and into the canal about 3 mm. The foramen has moderate-to-severe narrowing of the left with mild narrowing on the right and mild-to-moderate overall canal narrowing. The lateral recess on the left is encroached upon moderately.” Then you m told, “Take ibuprofen.” Yet another reason I am done.

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I have all that and more. It's all quite common and even neuros don't know what to do with it. Yes, ibuprofen will help because even without stenosis, extruded disc material is inflammatory. Surrounding muscles react to the inflammation, people stop moving or start guarding, and pain gets worse: every little movement makes it worse.

Even with severe foraminal stenosis, the nerve still has wiggle room. The canal is not the cord so 3 mm encroachment looks horrifying but it's not.

There are a couple resources for understanding all the bits and bumps on an MRI. One person is Tom Jesson whose focus of research and teaching doctors is sciatica, cauda equina syndrome, and lumbar disc herniation, stenosis etc. The other is California spinal surgeon Brian Su, who has educational YouTube videos.

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1 reply
cwitton1 | @cwitton1 | Jan 14 9:02pm
In reply to @debkl "I have all that and more. It's all quite common and even neuros don't know what..." + (show)
@debkl

I have all that and more. It's all quite common and even neuros don't know what to do with it. Yes, ibuprofen will help because even without stenosis, extruded disc material is inflammatory. Surrounding muscles react to the inflammation, people stop moving or start guarding, and pain gets worse: every little movement makes it worse.

Even with severe foraminal stenosis, the nerve still has wiggle room. The canal is not the cord so 3 mm encroachment looks horrifying but it's not.

There are a couple resources for understanding all the bits and bumps on an MRI. One person is Tom Jesson whose focus of research and teaching doctors is sciatica, cauda equina syndrome, and lumbar disc herniation, stenosis etc. The other is California spinal surgeon Brian Su, who has educational YouTube videos.

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With all due respect, we are all different and for you to say (insert med here) will or won’t help, or to say it’s not “horrifying” feels dismissive. I’m sure there are people worse off by far, but that does not negate or diminish the constant pain I am in every day. Just a thought, but sometimes “sorry you are hurting” goes a long way.

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1 reply
kbirchem | @kbirchem | Jan 15 6:22am

Try some thc gummies for the pain . Also you might want to try some thc liquid drop . These both have helped me . Have you tried a warm bath ? This also helps me relax . You also might want to try tramadol for the pain . I wish you the best .

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debkl | @debkl | Jan 15 8:59am
In reply to @cwitton1 "With all due respect, we are all different and for you to say (insert med here)..." + (show)
@cwitton1

With all due respect, we are all different and for you to say (insert med here) will or won’t help, or to say it’s not “horrifying” feels dismissive. I’m sure there are people worse off by far, but that does not negate or diminish the constant pain I am in every day. Just a thought, but sometimes “sorry you are hurting” goes a long way.

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The point is, there is a lot of information that neurologists have not kept up to date on or don't know how to communicate. MRIs are a curse and a blessing. Out of all the findings on our MRIs, the majority won't be pain generators. The size of a herniation doesn't matter but where it herniates along the disc perimeter does. Yes, there is inflammation, and NSAIDs are a good place to begin, but more often than not, even ibuprofen recs come without instructions on how and when to take it. Between the nocebic language and the lack of useful info, patients end up up worse. I've been through it too and I worked for neurosurgeons.

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1 reply
lizziel1 | @lizziel1 | Jan 15 11:22am
In reply to @debkl "The point is, there is a lot of information that neurologists have not kept up to..." + (show)
@debkl

The point is, there is a lot of information that neurologists have not kept up to date on or don't know how to communicate. MRIs are a curse and a blessing. Out of all the findings on our MRIs, the majority won't be pain generators. The size of a herniation doesn't matter but where it herniates along the disc perimeter does. Yes, there is inflammation, and NSAIDs are a good place to begin, but more often than not, even ibuprofen recs come without instructions on how and when to take it. Between the nocebic language and the lack of useful info, patients end up up worse. I've been through it too and I worked for neurosurgeons.

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“Ibuprofen helped my pain”! Said nobody, ever.

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