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.

@mikee I agree with you on the issue of suicide. I worked as a counselor and social worker with suicidal clients and one thing I found is that once they got help for their problem they lost interest in suicide. I feel the same would apply to chronic pain suffers, if you deal with the pain they will no longer consider suicide, but there are few good treatments for pain and some pain journals I have seen reports of suicide rates as high as 50% among chronic pain suffers even with treatment.
This is why I want an objective method of measuring pain in individuals as well as better research to find more effective treatments for pain. I feel that many pain suffers would agree that the current drugs based on opioids and not that good or effective, but since they are all we have restricting them is not the answer. They will simply exchange death from overdose, to death by suicide of the chronic pain suffers who have no relief from their pain. Additionally many pain suffers continue to work and contribute to society, but without pain relief they may not be able to work which will put a bigger drain on the economy resulting in loss wages and taxes. 19lin

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@mojoearle

Hello group! I'm almost 34 years old and suffer from Chronic pain. I have had 16 surgeries and have been a patient at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale for almost 3 years now but I live in Idaho and have to travel down to Arizona every three months for a month or so of treatment and testing and Doctor appointments and just even thinking of packing and flying down makes me hurt even more. But in all seriousness I do struggle with the long trip down to Scottsdale and then making it to all of my appointments and giving hundreds of vials of blood and doing all the test and my existence is just painful all the time 24/7! I have a pain Doctor in Boise but they make everyone at their clinic only take extremely low doses of pain medication a day and DONT GET ME WRONG I WOULD KILL TO NEVER HAVE TO EVEN LOOK AT A NARCOTIC PAINKILLER AGAIN BUT I DONT EVEN GET TO A 5-6 ON THE PAIN SCALE!

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May I ask what was the cause of your chronic pain? Thanks

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@blindeyepug

Hello @persist. I have fibromyalgia, RA, Sjogren's syndrome spinal stenosis. For distraction from pain, I am glad I have my dogs. They distract me with their playfulness and love. I like to watch movies, especially comedies. I love to read. I also play video games. I listen to upbeat music. When the weather is nice, I like to eat out doors at a cafe and people watch. I love visiting with my grand children. I also work part time, so I can keep my mind distracted with work. I also care for my mother who has Alzheimer's, so I distract myself with seeing to her needs. I also have a little Russian tortoise who I love to watch eat. Sometimes I let him out in the yard and watch him discover clover and dandelions to eat. (Yep, I keep some weeds in my yard because my tortoise likes to eat them!) I also do my best to count my blessings. I know things could be much worse! I can't imagine having my conditions and having no access to a good doctor or medications. I am doing pretty well in spite of what obstacles I may face from day to day. I also pray for others. That helps to distract me, too. I hope you find lots of good ideas on this forum to help distract you from the pain. Hang in there! I will be praying for you!

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I like your attitude, my dear. We have similar viewpoint of world. Dogs are such a gift from God! Have a good day!

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@meggie

Hello everyone! I am 75, a Benedictine sister. While I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia years ago, that in itself did not cause too many problems. Depression was and is the biggest problem. However, a year ago I was in a car accident and have had severe (by my standards) pain ever since. After a LOT of dr. visits, experiments, etc. it's " we don't know what's wrong, we can't fix it, manage the pain". Problem is, the meds make depression symptoms MUCH worse...but without them I'm brought to tears, can't think, etc. Is anyone else struggling with major depression and pain? How are you handling it? Thank you in advance

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Hello Sister...I greatly admire and appreciate your life of devotion.

It's a moment to moment life, my great friend who happens to be a nun taught me this years ago, so I try living by. It not only helps get through the hard minutes of life, but makes the happy ones sweeter.

Please remember how many prayers you have said for others and they are bouncing back to you.

God Bless you!

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@meggie

Hello everyone! I am 75, a Benedictine sister. While I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia years ago, that in itself did not cause too many problems. Depression was and is the biggest problem. However, a year ago I was in a car accident and have had severe (by my standards) pain ever since. After a LOT of dr. visits, experiments, etc. it's " we don't know what's wrong, we can't fix it, manage the pain". Problem is, the meds make depression symptoms MUCH worse...but without them I'm brought to tears, can't think, etc. Is anyone else struggling with major depression and pain? How are you handling it? Thank you in advance

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Humor and laughing! If you want to see a really silly show, I recommend Impractical Jokers...cable. Anyone else have shows that make you laugh?

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@larilea2006

Hello my name is Lari West I was diagnosed with chronic firbro last year after a car accdent in 2014 after they could not find nothing to explain the pain I was in . I know deal with all tbe symptoms to firbo . I dont know how to deal witb tbis . I take no meds for it but i am losing friends and family my husband over tbis . Please help me !!

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Yes! I was just going to recommend this! My daughter got me a spoon ring for me after she read. Really explains us and reminds us.

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@larilea2006

Hello my name is Lari West I was diagnosed with chronic firbro last year after a car accdent in 2014 after they could not find nothing to explain the pain I was in . I know deal with all tbe symptoms to firbo . I dont know how to deal witb tbis . I take no meds for it but i am losing friends and family my husband over tbis . Please help me !!

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What are the benefits of a spoon ring?

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@larilea2006

Hello my name is Lari West I was diagnosed with chronic firbro last year after a car accdent in 2014 after they could not find nothing to explain the pain I was in . I know deal with all tbe symptoms to firbo . I dont know how to deal witb tbis . I take no meds for it but i am losing friends and family my husband over tbis . Please help me !!

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Hi my name is william and just joined. I seem to reach out when i am at my worst. My pain seems to stem from degenerative disc disease. Though the last couple of days the pain has been different and difficult to deal with. I am under care from serveral different practices at The Mayo clinic. It is hard to talk to my wife about my issues because it feels like i should be strong for her. I can feel another episode of depression my mood is failing again and the pain seems to be rushing back. I feel broken

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@19lin

Selna I can emphasis with your situation. My father had Alzheimers and I have no brothers or sisters plus my Mom passed a few years before from Cancer. Luckily my wife was willing to help. My Dad was not as bad as it could have been, he stayed mobile and able to care for most of his body functions , unlike his sister who was in a nursing home the last few years of her life with Alzheimer’s. I was able to hire people to stay with Dad when one of us could not be there. Also, for good or bad, I was diagnosis with fibromyalgia a year or so before and was able to file for disability retirement from my job so I had time free to help him. If you can set up with a local group of support for Alzheimer's families that help find patient sitters to relieve you when you need it. Check on the internet for other support.<br />
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Now the bad news I heard on the new that the feds are requiring all doctors who give opioids to take special training course to use those meds. This is just going to make it harder for all of us. Any day I expect to hear from my Doc that he will no longer be able to prescribe meds either because of fed regulations or his clinic’s refusal to give them out. Good luck 19lin

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If it keeps getting harder to get our necessary medications more of us will commit suicide. DEA really stuck it to us because they weren't making enough MJ arrests.

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