New To Chronic Pain Board

  Hi, I have been in Chronic Pain for over 14 years, and was treated with only Flexaril, and Benzodiazipenes to help me sleep and to relax my muscles during the night, so that I would wake up in less pain. What a Joke!

  I was injured on the job and developed Fibromyalgia rather quickly, I have had Knee surgery and continue to have knee pain, Sciatica, Ankle Reconstruction with continued pain, Coccydynia, Shoulder surgery to joint resulting in Frozen Shoulder, and now supposedly Bursitis, along with a bulging disc in the lumbar region that bulges and goes back into place on it's own etc. If I write anymore I will feel like a Hypochondriac!

  Was in the Medical Field like Ruth Thomas, though different professions. I won't list mine because it really doesn't matter what I did, just that I was injured doing it and can no longer do it, because of the Fibromyalgia.

  I have only been given pain medication for over two years thanks to my primary doctor, who treats my Fibro. I'm on Oxycodone 10 mg ER three times a day, but I only take it twice a day. I want to come off since I have been on for over a year now. I know I'm not addicted, but it doesn't seem to be helping, so why pop another pill? I also take Oxycodone 5mg with a Regular Tylenol (2 tabs every 4 hours as needed), which I desperately still need. Even though I have gotten a Muscle stimulator and a TEN's Unit.

  I was really hoping that the TEN's would help more than it has. I'm very frustrated right now, and I hate to complain, but don't know how to handle this much pain! And it has been going on for a long time now. I do see my  Orthopedic Surgeon tomorrow. Hoping he will inject my shoulder with Cortisone. Anything to help this pain.

  I have never slept well, but this lower back and shoulder pain have me awake every 20-30 minutes once I do fall asleep. Sorry to go on and write a book! Guess I needed to rant a bit. Well thanks for listening.

Glyn

I take oxycodone for my pain.  It got rid of most of it, but there was always a underlying nagging pain left even after taking the pill.

I purchased a jar of "Australian Dream Cream" and had hubby rub it on area on my back that was still hurting and that pain was instantly gone!

I'm not promoting the product, only stating that it worked for me, allowing me a little time to be 'pain free'!  It has emu oil in it.

 

Hi Glyn and welcome to Healing Well. You have found a great place to come to for support, tips, a place to talk about things in your life that family doesn't understand or have a rant, I think you get the idea.

No you are not a hypochondriac, although I think at some point in the beginning we tend to feel that way once in a while. You have physical problems going on, a hypo has nothing.

I too am like Chutz, I would rethink my medication situation. If you stop all meds do you really think you can handle the pain day in and day out. None of us like being on medication by a long shot, but sometimes this is the only way some of us can cope or make it through a day.

You are lucky your PCP is giving you meds. Have you ever thought abut a consult with a pain mgt dr. Of course there you may have different types of injections recommended and medication to get you functioning on a better level.

I had a pain pump implanted June 05 and thats the best thing that has happened to me in ages. With the pump my quality of life is much better. I am able to do small things and actually feel as if I made alot of progress. I hope you will hang out here with us, we really have a great group of people on here.

Susie                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Hi Glyn and welcome tot he board! Sorry to see your having such a time with your pain issues and certainly hope you find some relief sometime soon.I too have unrelieved knee pain from several surgeries so can feel you there.

 

I am glad to see you found a place to come to and many times the little things you will find here brings as much relief as some of the more standard forms of medicine and these little things usually come from experience.

I am a firm believer in heat anyway you can get it! Am game at times to try anything no matter how out there it seems to me but no matter what the meds I take are necessary for me to get up and keep going and to prevent me from venturing to those "Kevorkian" moments,my way of saying the pain is far more then I can handle at that time. Been there alot in the early days of trying to find suitable help in treating my pain. Not so much in the last few years after finding a happy medium with my meds and a what works for me dosing.

 

So many times so many people come here untreated or undertreated and most of the time it is a controlling factor of a source other then the person and many times his Doc but more the fear factor of the consequences of treatment. Sad to think isnt it?

 

Wont get on a rant in this your first post to us but the best advice I can give you is talk to your Doc and if he isnt listening to you begin a search for another. They are out there and it may take days or weeks or even years to find one that works with you not against you but once you find the right one your life will be at a much better place. I might add here that we tend to have to overcome the fear factor ourselves here a bit too as we tend to be molded in our thinking of the "addiction" problems that may arise out of the use of meds and the stigma attached to the uses as well and at some point the pain will certainly help overcome the reluctance but alot of us still carry the guilt with us that we should have been strong enough to handle this without all the pills! Dont let that way of thinking force you into to living with pain that you deserve to be rid of. Us in the field have a high rate of using this guilt to suffer needlessly for a long time.

 

Good luck to you and hoping you continue to come here and find some comfort and understanding.