What do you do when you chronic pain flares- up and overwhelms you?

Sorry to hear all that you are going through. That sounds tough, but you are strong, as is everybody else here. We have a strong group here. One year ago I was walking normal without any neuropathy, just back pain from a pinched nerve. I had back surgery and the sergeon had to cut through a nerve in my L5/S1 vertebra to remove a fibroma that was causing the pinched nerve. After the surgery my left leg from the knee to my ankle was completely numb and my foot has been in constant pain, hypersensitive to the touch, with neuropathy type jolts that are random that take the pain to new heights. I cannot walk since my leg is like jell-o and I can't put my foot down on the ground. I use a walker and hop around or use my knee wheeler. I don't sleep much and have brain fog from hell. I had to stop working because of all this and I am trying to get on disability. My wife supports me, bless her, and we have exhausted our savings. I don't take pain pills ( they make me puke), and nothing topical works. I don't do PT because touching my foot is out of the question, and I do my own exercises at home. I take Lyrica a muscle relaxer and some assorted supplements which all seem to help a 'little'. The pain is constant, and after a year of dealing with it, it has become somewhat tolerable. It's the random spasm/jolts in my foot that is not, plus the fact that I can no longer walk, or lead a normal life that drive me crazy. I used to be active, now I am not. I rely on family and friends to come over and do the things that used to do around the house or in the yard. Now I just watch..lol However, I do have high hopes and keep my faith up. I am in my 60's but I am not depressed, my will is strong. I am 5'6 and weigh 135lbs, so it is easy for me to get around, and I have adapted somewhat. I think we all have, dealing with all of our issues and pain. Let's all stay strong.

OMG, I'm devasted for you!
Did the surgeon explain the possible risks before the surgery ?

Cutting the nerve has caused severe neurological injury, OMG!

I can imagine your frustration, it's good to hear you are stronged willed, your spirits are high, and you have support from family and friends as that's so important.

Have you tried hydro therapy - exercises in water as you could use a stroller or lift in the pool to support you,

Movement is important , even if it's very gentle when you are able.

You stay strong too! :))

I sit in my recliner in bare feet, put on my headphones, and crank up the music. It's the only thing that helps me drown out the pain from the neuropathy and osteoarthritis.

@calmmylife57 Thanks! It's okay though, it is what it is. There is no going back as they say. Had the the surgeon said that this was going to happen then I of course would have said no to the surgery. I did however sign and initial the 30 pages for the surgery that said that this, this and this, ect 'could' happen. I of course wanted the back pain and sciatica gone so badly, that I just signed away. Oh well. I do like being in a pool, it feels almost normal. And I do like being in a spa, with my leg and foot propped up so the jets hit it. It hurts at first, but feels good after awhile.

@mrmacabre That sounds fabulous!

Music is therapy to drown out your pain and other symptoms, and just takes you away to anywhere than where you are currently.

Thanks for sharing.

Wishing you comfort and peace!

@insanepain Glad to hear you get some relief being in a pool and in a jacuzzui.

I love being in jacuzzi because they relax my muscles and reduce my pain to.

I've got my hyrdo therapy session later this morning and I'm so looking forward to it.

Wishing you all the best! :))

@calmmylife57 Thanks!

I love your sense of humor. I have that dark humor as well 🤫. I have CIDP (Chronic Inflammation Demyelinating Polyneuropathy) and now through DNA testing and spinal tap they say I have Huntingtons disease. Anyways I know a lot of people here can’t or chose not to but thc/cbd is a great addition to my 450 of Lyrica and 2 or 3 hundred mg Amytriptaline. But they don’t have to smoke anything of get out of their minds wasted. I take gummies and it just takes that edge off. Although like a lot of us I couldn’t use while working. I also have a SCS (spinal cord stimulator) which again unlike a lot of people I don’t use the silent setting. I like to feel the buzz and it replaces the sharp stabbing pain. I have chronic stabbing pain, walk like I’m drunk and talk like we’re playing
charades. Gummies also don’t mean you have to eat the whole thing. I bite each one in half just to help take that sharp edge off.
Hopefully they can help you as well as it allows me to move without all the verbal oh’s and aw’s. Here to a good day ❤️

@insanepain Only those that have suffered severe chronic pain can truly understand the devastation it causes. Many who are are sincere and genuinely caring simply can not grasp the havoc on our psychological, emotional. physical and other mind sets that result from this intolerable pain and discomfort that have been foisted upon us. At our lowest, many of us do want to die just to finally get relief from this nonending awfulness-but not really because our life is just as precious to us as it is to anyone else. Although I have been accurately diagnosed I now question; is my pain from the healing process of my last surgery (it was considered major), maybe the surgery did not fix the matter properly, maybe the pain is from new problems, or just maybe a combination of all-I don't know and neither do the experts-I check. Many times I wonder-is this ever going to end? Anyway, this is what my (our) life is now and I (we) have to deal with it the best I (we) can-what choice do I (we) have!?

@mister1 Hahaha.. thanks. I wish I had some gummies right now, they do take the edge off a bit, but we live in a state where it is NOT legal. Our previous state it was fully legal and I took gummies when it was bad, and it did help.