slightly long rant : ) new poster

Thanks for those who take the time to read this - I'll try to make it short and sweet. Any insight would be very much appreciated since I'm feeling fairly discouraged.

So my reason behind posting in chronic pain is because I have no "diagnosis" yet..a bit of back history:

Sometime during the summer I start getting a slew of symptoms that were scary for someone who's normally pretty much healthy. Lower back pain that is dull each day, but is colicky; I have bouts of extreme pain that leave me queasy when the pain radiates to my legs and makes it unable to function (I live on a little farm and have two small children..) that plus some weird immune symptoms had me running to my doctor; I would itch my eye and it would be swollen, I got a run of the mill bug bite on my chest and it turned into this giant festering wound (that's naming two..) I asked to be tested for lymes and a bunch of other things -- lymes test was "slightly positive" so I did a round of antibiotics.

Still the same pain, same symptoms. Saw Lymes specialist and she did a test for Lymes again + all tick illnesses and everything came back negative. She said I can't see you anymore you DON'T have lymes, but I'm concerned about your knee jerk refllex it's super super exaggerated see a neurologist. A few weeks went by and I didn't, and finally the pain brought me back to my GP. Made an appointment with neurologist who was quite possibly the coldest person I ever met and he basically said "I don't want to see you until you've had an MRI.." okay thanks. Meanwhile my GP gave me Percocet for the pain to take as needed ( I was taking 5mg a few times a week when the pain was BAD, otherwise Tylenol, heating pad, lavender etc..) insurance was jerking me around with MRI, than we had the hurricane and had no power for two weeks...anyhow one night had UNBEARABLE pain, woke up feeling really sick to my stomach with it, took a 5mg percocet nothing changed and so I went to Urgent Care because my doctor couldn't see me - Urgent Care said oh yeah, could be anything, who knows...my doctor than called and said come in come in! And so I did, and he instructed me to go to the ER and tell them he sent me and to get MRI. Done. Did it. Was there until 5am

MRI showed nothing remarkable. Some bulges but nothing that would be effecting my nerves -- NOTHING else. I was relieved but also devastated because at this point, what the hell is wrong with me? Went back to GP because the pain is unbearable - it's hard to function. I'm anxious all the time thinking that something is wrong and it's not being addressed. He goes over MRI etc and I make an appointment with a new supposedly "better" neurologist.

Saw recently. He was basically like yes your reflexes in hands and knees are super exaggerated, you have some signs of MS (sensitivity to heat etc..) He doesn't prescribe narcotics but gave me a muscle relaxer, and an over the counter NSAID. I exampled that during my worst pain I was taking 3-4 Advil or Tylenol at a time with little help (dulled pain but didn't remove and came back too soon to take MORE Advil) He said the muscle relaxer will help with pain because it will prevent it by stopping stiffness (I am stiff as well..) I said okay thanks, and left. That was around 9am in the morning so I decided to run errands since kids were with my parents. Food shopping, bookstore (I love to read) etc...Had dull pain so took the NSAID medicine (forget the name something that's 15mg..) dulled pain like I expected but didn't remove but whatever, I am dealing. about an hour later I get the horrible burning pain down my leg and into back and I pull over and puke -- I call my GP and he's not there and so I go to urgent care and for cortison shot which in the past has helped -- they basically told me that there was no way they would give me ANYTHING, that I couldn't just stroll in and ask for something, and that I should carry all my medical files around if I expect to get any help.

Now I'm in tears because they basically made me feel like a crackhead. Which I'm not - I have not up until this bout of whatever I'm dealing with, have so much as taken an antibiotic! I know there are people that are drug seeking and doctor shopping but I have this legit pain and no one is taking it seriously - that is how I feel in all honesty. They are like "deal until test results come back" and I'm running a house (like most on here I bet) trying to just maintain through my day.

Anyway fast forward to a bit later in the day and I'm walking out of the store when suddenly my arm goes completely numb and this sharp pain shoots down it -- my right arm (same side the pain is on with my back/leg) I drop my bag of groceries in the parking lot, and kind of loose it because nothing like this has happened. I manage to get everything in car, and i manage to drive home and my arm is just curled up against my chest and it's tingling/hurting and I get home and call my husband to come help me, and I am at this point sobbing because it hurts, and I'm terrified. Call neurologist who says "oh it's fine, take a muscle relaxer and if that doesn't help call back - but lets avoid going to the ER or anything and see what happens with the bloodwork so we can get you a spinal tap, and try to calm down.."

Not what I wanted to hear. I just - I can't fathom that my entire arm going numb and being rendered useless for 3+ hours isn't something serious? I did take the muscle relaxer and it made me feel like a zombie but eventually I was able to move my arm. Still feels really -- weak? Sore almost like I did something to it but I haven't.

Sorry for rambling. I just feel really discouraged. I am in pain, no one seems to give a crap about that. And I'm told "just wait for this test, and that" and in the meantime I suffer. I am going to my GP tomorrow to try to get a cortisone shot or pain medication again and to talk about my arm because it was the scariest thing thats happened to me. The thing is I also feel like ASKING for pain medication is bad? Am I automatically labeled some drug seeker for that? And why is it so so bad for me to be acknowledging said pain and asking for something? is taking 10 Advil a day and not sleeping really a BETTER option?

I just feel so bummed. Thanks for reading and any advice or just...anything would be lovely.

Thank you! I just realized I need to make a "hello" post too, sorry I didn't do that first!

I was getting sort of sad realizing that I am probably the 1st of 40 people the doctor sees in a day and I'm just a number -- thanks again.

Thanks for kind words!

I have an appointment at 12:30. I feel a little silly going to my GP after yesterday but my arm is very tingly and at moments going numb..at the very least I'd like some feedback on the medications the neurologist put me on, and some feedback on my arm. My GP is pretty good (and passionate) about explaining things so I think he will do that for me.

Pain is dull but there, most days it starts like this :) But I'm okay!

I thought about that - my five year old wants to come today in case "the doctor gives me a shot in my bum!" but she's not going to be patient about the 1 hour wait I sometimes grit my teeth through.

And thanks again, I hate NOT KNOWING. Worst part -- that and the begging I have to do to get the pain management I need. I don't want to be dismissed, but than when I do take a bit more control I look like I'm asking for medication. Yesterday my goats got out and in between all the pain and drama and tears and numb arm I had to chase them around a field :/