Chronic Pain Help

Hi Snorkels,

Welcome to the board, and I'm sorry to hear about your situation. My brother takes Citalopram for depression and aside from some modest weight gain, I think he's otherwise done well with it. If available in the U.K., a similar med is Lexapro. Citalopram is both sides of the stereoisomer, Lexapro is just one side. If you find the former helpful, but with side effects, you can migrate to the latter.

Your experience regarding the efficacy of your meds is quite common. Most people find their meds less effective over time. The opioid receptors adjust to the meds and so doctors will move patients from one opioid to another after some years. In my case, I've been taking tramadol for 7 years (you couldn't take it as it can cause seizures) and just a few days ago started oxycontin.

You'll find this a very supportive site, with a lot of people who can identify with the consequences of chronic pain, including depression.

Hi Snorkels and welcome to the chronic pain forum. I am glad that you happen to stumble across and find us. You will meet a lot of people here that suffer just like you do. Our pain may be different and our story, but one thing we all have in common is chronic pain. So, hopefully now that you have found us you will no longer feel alone. Pain can really make a person feel isolated and that is really something we all need not to do is isolate ourselves.

Depression and chronic pain seem to go hand in hand this is a common thing that happens to many of us. I am glad that your dr has given you something to take. The side effects should not last too long ad go away. If you find after a couple of weeks that nothing has changed let your dr know. Sometimes we have to try different ones till we find the one that works the best for us. Also, sometimes these same meds will help with our pain, so hopefully this will be your case too and your pain will be under better control.

Any way, I wanted to pop on and tell you hello and welcome aboard.......Susie

Hi everyone, Thankyou so much for you’re replies, just
talking yesterday helped & you’re comments saying “I’m not alone” helped too. I feel alittle easier knowing I’m not on my own.....With all the 18yrs of being in Chronic pain 24-7 I never felt like this, it just all hit me at once......I have got appointment to see my GP on 6th July. To check how I’m going with Citalopram, I’m hoping the side effects like Susie said will disappear & what you said too Jane taking it with food will help too. Thankyou both for your help......As you mansion Jane, I’ve been to see a pain clinic 10yrs ago but he
didn’t do anything for me, said theirs nothing can be done with you’re pain only tens machine, My GP put me on OxyContin back in 2009 from hydrocodone & paracetamol.....I did started of a low dose & work my way up to 40mgs OxyContin & started on low does of Oxynorm too, been on the same dose for 1yr now, as Cogito & You all said, maybe switch in med or increase will help.....When I see my GP I tell him about pain meds not taking edge of like it was on my good days, bad days nothing helped.

I forgot to tell you what is wrong with me, I was born with dislocation of patella, I had to operations when I was younger,
one day 18yrs ago I knelt down, I felt a something snap in my knee & server/intense pain surge thru me, since that day I’ve been in server/Chronic pain 24-7 I also can’t bend my knee either & my knee unstable, I have to wear a knee brace. I’ve been to see specialist upon specialist & theirs nothing can be done, no surgery will help because they took things away in my
knee when I was 7/8yrs old. (They don’t this sort of op now days) I’ll be like this for rest of my life........I was also born with one leg shorter then the other & my hips are uneven, because of my knees, hips & legs I’m putting all my weight on one side, it’s left me with server/intense pain from spine to tips of my toes 24-7, my legs. ankles & feet are swollen all the time, they burn, I get also of restless legs & Cramp/spasm......Also my spine is twisted at the bottom which is painful.......I haveB ursitis in my Hip again is very pain........Recently I also found out, I’ve got Degenerative Changes (Arthritis) in my Spine (L3/4, C4/5 & L5/S1) this
is also giving chronic pain 24-7.........Back in 2005 I was diagnosed with several Fibroids, they so painful too, last year I went for Total Hysterectomy because the fibroids are so big (one of them is size of the babies head) Anyhow cutting along story short, While I was under general Anaesthetic, My Gynae
specialist picked up my womb, my heart rate dropped so fast, went into Cardiac Arrest I was resuscitated, & Op was abandoned. I’m now under heart specialist, I’ve had tested done all come back clear, now I’ve have a Loop recorder implant fitted under my skin, to find out whats going on. At the moment, I’m stuck with these painful fibroids until they’ve sorted my heart out, because of the weight of the fibroids (l look 8mtrhs pregnant) this is adding too chronic pain I’m already in.

Thankyou again everyone from bottom of my heart for
you’re replies, Thankyou for you're tips, advice & thankyou for not judging me. It means alot, you've all been so kind :)

Much love & Blessings

Snorkels

Ps: sorry abt font size before, fingers crossed got right size now

Post Edited (snorkels) : 6/18/2012 5:36:39 PM (GMT-6)

I'm so sorry you're suffering and have been through so much.
If your medication isn't helping, I would call your GP and see if they can get you in.

I think you will find help in speaking with someone trained in mental health. They're usually very accommodating because of people with agoraphobia and other similar issues. Maybe someone can come to you or you can start over the phone. I've always been a huge believer when it comes to mental health issues, medication and counseling go hand in hand. I, unfortunately, don't follow my own advice quite yet, haha. I will be very soon, though! What about a journal while you're starting these meds, then working up to speaking to someone?! I'm sure they wouldn't mind reading your journal and speaking to you.

I really hope you can get everything you need. We are not judgey here as we all suffer from the same thing: pain. And many of us are also fighting depression because they do go hand in hand. I've been pretty depressed my entire life but it has gotten pretty severe these past few weeks.

Good luck and keep us updated.

Kathryn

Edit: as others have said, you become tolerant of your medication as time goes by. I would ask your doctor about a patch-type medication. BuTrans, Fentanyl.. They can help, although I'm not sure if you can take them. Doesn't hurt to ask, though!

Hi Everyone, I’m so sorry I’ve not been on, have a few rough days with side effects of the new meds (Citalopram) the Dr gave me. I've been in so much agony with my pain I've been in tears most of the time. I'm still in agony now but the side effects of the new meds have settled down alittle not as space out as much, so I can reply to everyone. The feeling of sick has calmed down alittle too, I've still got the shakes tho. Which is horrible but I know from what you all have said, it can take upto few weeks to settle down.

Hi Jane, so sorry you have been thru so much with pain/problems Hunni, I too walk badly my bad knee goes inward & I walk on one side too. Like you my problems with my spine come from walking badly, plus one leg shorter than the other & hips not being level adding to spine issues. I Have to use a crutch to walk & in server pain 24-7, I pray everyday to have just 30mins painfree or 10mins will do I’m not greedy but it never happens.

The reason why I said about being judged is because all my life I have been bullied & judge because of the way I walk, look & the way I am, because I walk badly, I get got bullied, because I have a massive scar on my leg from the 2 surgeries when I was younger, I got bullied & judged, The scar started of small but as I grow, my scar grow with me, it horrible ugly looking thing, even every Specialist I’ve seen comment on it, how awful it looks & that they botched up the surgery both inside/under my patella & on the outside , other things happen too, which I will tell you all another time..…………Jane sweetie, I want to wish you good luck for your op hun, you are in my thoughts & prayers. Hopefully you’ll find some relief & make it easier for you sweetie.

Hi Kathryn, Thankyou for your reply hun, I never thought about a journal, I will start doing that, thankyou for you’re suggestion. I still haven’t plucked up the courage to call the number the Dr gave me,everytime I think about it, I get massive anxiety & panicky, but I do like the idea of Joural Thankyou & Thankyou also for your reply regarding pain medications, unfortunately I can’t have any patches meds, I tried Fenantyl patches (before Oxycontin) & had a massive allergic reaction, I also got the whole dosage in one hit, I was really ill, I took it off & called my Dr. Thankyou tho for you’re suggestion hun, I really appreciate it.

Hi Milkymilan, I’m glad my post has help you sweet, I felt/feel so alone too, I stumbled across this website realise I’m not alone. Good luck sweetie, I hope you find help & comfort you are looking for & find some pain relief.

Thanks again everyone for you’re reply, you don’t know how much it’s helped me, knowing I’m not alone & people in the similar precision as me has help me so much......I see my GP in 2wks time see how I’m getting on with Citalopram, I will talk to him regarding my pain relief, I’m hoping he’ll increase the dosages, I’m scared of switching meds incase they don’t do for me, I am allergic to alot of meds & other things, I'm terrified if I switch I have allergic reaction again, like I did with Fentanyl patches..........Thankyou again everyone from bottom of my heart, you are all so kind.

Much Love & blessings
Snorkels

Ps: How do get rid if the smiles at the the bottom & change font size please? I'm using Motorola XOOM Android Tablet.
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Post Edited (snorkels) : 6/23/2012 5:03:50 PM (GMT-6)

Hi Snorkels, i wanted to welcome you to our chronic pain forum. So glad you found us but sorry you are suffering so so much.
I am glad you are feeling so comfortable here. The members are so caring, understanding, non judgemental and have so much knowledge. Come here and share, vent, cry, whatever, whenever you want. I hope you will keep coming back and keeping us posted on your situation.

Take care
Suzane

Snorkels,

Welcome here. You will find great advice and great support here without judgement. From reading the posts, you have been giving so much good advice so far, that I can't add anything productive to the mix.

I wish you the best, and hope you find some better solutions for controlling your pain.

Another good thing about being here at HW, is that you can vent freely, we all do from time to time, and it helps most of us.

You are definitely not alone anymore with your medical troubles. And the only advice I can give you (I am dealing with advanced prostate cancer, cancer pain, etc with no hope of a cure), is to never, ever give up hope.

David in South Carolina

You owe no one a thing. Support is freely given and heart felt by the good people here. There may be different reasons and causes for our chronic pain, but we walk the same path and fight the same beast: Pain.

I have found in my "real life", that few can comprehend what it really means to hurt 24/7 without a break. Even in my condition, many see me and say, "Hey David, you sure are looking good." Probably an honest comment, but I am usually thinking, gee, if you only had to live 24 hours in my body. I don't feel good inside. I hurt all the time when I am awake, obviously the degree of pain is masked by the meds I take, but I still often wake up in the night from sheer pain. I haven't been pain free since at least July of 2010, so coming up on the 2 year mark. I know that it is not as long as some members here, but its been long enough, that I can no longer contemplate what it would feel like to be pain free.

With my cancer progressing, I know that I am only at the beginning of the end, and just barely started on a pathway of even more pain. My only consulation, is that my oncologist/pain manager assures me, that as things develop, he's confident that he will be able to keep me out of the worse pain that may lie ahead. Without that assurance, it would almost seem hopeless and pointless.

I live one day at the time, and thank my blessings for the day completed. I no longer plan far ahead, as each day is its own burden. What I have found in almost 4 years at HW, is that the more I attempt to help others, the better I feel. For as bad as I think I have it sometimes, it doesn't take long, to read of those that are far worse off than me.

We are here for you, we are here for each other. Trust me, I take as much as I give here, I am not some super-hero, I have my weak moments, my depressions, my concerns too, I am mortal and pain feels the same for me as it does the next person, nothing unique in that. We just share a common burdern in life, and we can relate to one another, as fellow pain sufferers.

David in SC