Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

@moniesluv1974 Hi Monique, welcome to Connect.
You are dealing with a lot, I'm so sorry. The first thing I want to stress is that no matter your struggle, hang on to hope. Remind yourself that you are strong and will persevere.

Thankfully you've reached out for help and suggestions. You're not alone in your pain journey. I know how isolating it can be and how helpless it can feel, especially at a younger age and feeling like "nothing works". I've been through my fair share throughout my 40's.

I'd like to help in any way I can and have a few questions to start.

Are your doctors trying their best to continue to help keep you comfortable and manage your chronic pain?

Do you feel you have been correctly diagnosed or are you still searching for answers?

Update, I received 5 trigger point injections today. Two in my neck, 1 in my sciatica, and one in each hip. It took the edge off but I'm still in pain. My doctor scheduled me to come back in a week. I will update you when she gives me an update. I'm on my heating pad as I have been the past few weeks. Maybe they'll up my meds to help ease some of this pain. I do start aquatic therapy Monday, hopefully that'll help also. Thanks

You're welcome @SusanEllen66! Thanks for sharing your perspective on the video and about yourself. Girl, it is not in your head, and I appreciate that you mention feeling that way. I felt that way for many years as well, since childhood actually, something was heightened, and I chalked it up to me being a self-proclaimed delicate flower. As time went on and life threw more at me, stress and anxiety played roles. Through the PRC I learned that I am a healthy person overall, no diseases. And despite how I feel because my body hijacks me too, I can find a better quality of life.

Since I went to the Mayo PRC, I now know the
"why behind the what"
and am prepared with an arsenal of tools, strategies and have a self-managing plan.

Congratulations to you for learning about CSS and how it effects our bodies through the course of chronic symptoms. And good for you for not using or minimizing medications. I'm glad topicals bring you relief. Do you have any other tips on self-management or how you handle difficult days?

After 3 failed marriages, and 3 children I now have the luxury of being by myself. Living alone is freeing. I’m almost 73 years old, and am able to get through each day independently. I do have family members close by in case I need help.
That said, if I am having a hard day I can sit and take care of myself without feeling guilty about not being there for someone else…I do what I need to do for myself.
I have taken up a couple of hobbies I love. When I am involved with them time flies and my pain takes a back seat.
More importantly, I am a Christian and I have a Lord who takes very good care of me. I wait with quiet courage for Him to straighten my path. I keep my eyes on Him first and foremost! 🙏🏻

Preach girl, preach! I have the attached quote saved and what you said about being alone made me want to share it with you.

Congratulations on finding peace in solitaire, strength from faith, and comfort in knowing family is nearby.

Aren't hobbies the best distraction? Thanks for sharing that tip on positive distraction for pain management. I call it a "brain vacation"...getting so engrossed in a happy place that your brain temporarily escapes the thought of pain.

@redhatter54 what cute fur babies!

I'm Monique. I'm in constant severe pain all day everyday. I've been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease, cronic granulomatous, cronic fatigue syndrome, gerd, ibs, and type II diabetes. Ive had 3 left rotator cuff surgeries, 2 cervical fusions, lumbar fusion, gull bladder removal, inguinal hernia repar, partial hysterectomy, 2 broken ankles and 3 ingrown toenail surgeries. I take 5mg of Hydrocone every 8 hrs, 900mg 3x per day of gabapentin, 2500 MG of tylenol all for pain. Nothing works. I'm on the heating pad several times a day, I use salanpas pain patches every day and muscle rubs. I need help. Don't know how much more I can take. Please help, any suggestions

Hello Monique. Sweetie I sure feel your pain. We have a lot of the same problems. I have severe osteoporosis and have bbroken many bones, the worst being 4 broken vertbraes. I'm under the care of a pain management doctor because surger is too risky for me. I was terrified of taking opiods but my doctor explained the difference of being addicted and being dependent on them. If we take them as directed and responsibily we shouldn't have a problem and thanfully I don't. But I have come to the conclulsion that I am dependent on them because I can't have surgery for a couple different reasons and the spinal injections weren't effective. As bad as I hated to hear this, there wasn't anymore the specialists could do for me so to have any kind of life that was as pain free as possible, I had to take the opiods. I just had to learn a new way of life and what I could and could not do. Even then I found that stepping off a curb broke a vertebrae, so no matter how careful I am, I'm always at risk. Please keep being the squeaky wheel with your pain specialist. Be your own advocate. We don't need to live in constant pain when we have tests to show cause for the pain. Until they finally realize you;re not crazy, rest often and do anything safely to eleviate your pain. But stay in your doctor's face. Research as much as you can and bring it with you to your doctor's visit. That's what I did and I asked tons of questions. I don't know if I've helped but this is what I've learned in my 10 year journey until I found someone that really listened to me and took the proper X-Rays and Scans to show the condition I was really in. Good luck.

Hello Monique. Sweetie I sure feel your pain. We have a lot of the same problems. I have severe osteoporosis and have bbroken many bones, the worst being 4 broken vertbraes. I'm under the care of a pain management doctor because surger is too risky for me. I was terrified of taking opiods but my doctor explained the difference of being addicted and being dependent on them. If we take them as directed and responsibily we shouldn't have a problem and thanfully I don't. But I have come to the conclulsion that I am dependent on them because I can't have surgery for a couple different reasons and the spinal injections weren't effective. As bad as I hated to hear this, there wasn't anymore the specialists could do for me so to have any kind of life that was as pain free as possible, I had to take the opiods. I just had to learn a new way of life and what I could and could not do. Even then I found that stepping off a curb broke a vertebrae, so no matter how careful I am, I'm always at risk. Please keep being the squeaky wheel with your pain specialist. Be your own advocate. We don't need to live in constant pain when we have tests to show cause for the pain. Until they finally realize you;re not crazy, rest often and do anything safely to eleviate your pain. But stay in your doctor's face. Research as much as you can and bring it with you to your doctor's visit. That's what I did and I asked tons of questions. I don't know if I've helped but this is what I've learned in my 10 year journey until I found someone that really listened to me and took the proper X-Rays and Scans to show the condition I was really in. Good luck.

Hey, thanks for the update. My fingers are crossed for you to feel relief from the trigger point injections. That would be awesome if at your one week follow up you'll be reporting progress. Is this the first time you've received trigger point?

I hope you'll also update us on how aquatic therapy goes Monday. It's supposed to be a fantastic way of relieving pain from joints and being weightless for movement. You're making moves, keep up the good work! 💪