My family thinks I’m a hypochondriac

Okay so Ive been living with some pretty excruciating bone pain for say now 6mths. I keep it controlled to where I can live my life with Pred but want to come off the Pred and start with other stuff.

I’ve maintained pain in the past with Oxy, Percasets, Vicodin, and it only dulls the pain. I only got these when I would go to the ER once the pain would become unbearable.

Here is why I titled this post WHY? Why is it that my family (not my husband who knows) extended and such think Im a hypocondriac? (sp) or they make me feel like my pain is not real ...Im so tired of this crap....they put me in a bad mood they piss me off..they make me wanna pull my F N HAIR OUT. Why is it that I am a liar? Why is it that I have some kind of problem where I think I have everything under the sun?

I dont..I have reallllll problems..and I just am asking advice cuz half of my family is in the medical field. Sorry but I had to vent.

I asked my mom today about Fentanyl and what it was and she acted like I was this crazy person. I wasnt saying I needed it..just had heard arthritis sufferers on here talk about it. I cant wait to get my bone scans. hopefully they will prove what Im been saying. And my sister's friend try to tell me that I am hypocondriac cuz I have been doing research on ankylosing spond....and have ALL THE symptoms.



Anybody else deal with this kinda crap??

I feel the same way. Everyone a work and home has no idea what is going on, the only person I can take to is my grandmother who is 6 states away. She also has recently began to suffer IB. Most of the time people feel Im faking a symptom to get out of something or cause I just don't want to go do something, but what they don't realize is that I want to go see a movie or want to go out to eat but I have such bad stomach pain ad cramps I can barley get off the couch. Glad Im not the only one who fels this way.

YEAH I think Ive decided I will not talk about my illness anymore around them. AND IM definitely not going to tell them what treatment the doc gives me!

Oh yes, my husband is wonderful. Very understanding and if it weren't for him I'd be really stressed.....I never knew that kind of understanding growing up. My mom just keeps trying to get me to drink prune juice in between telling me to just get pregnant and complaining about her hemrrhoids.....I'm not joking!

Songstress....I empathize with you. I've been living with this darn disease for so long and I think the ONLY people that have ever understood, truly understood....are you folks. When I found this forum, I felt a big weight come off my shoulders....I almost cried. It was sooooooo nice to be able to talk to someone who gets it. If I say I'm hurting, my bones, my head, my tummy.....I know that you will all get it. I think of you people when I'm walking along with both my crutches and my legs and hips are so sore. I'll say to my daughter, honey I think I've had enough, I need to go home now....she relinquishes out of love for me, but I know she has no idea. .....although, she is pregnant at the moment and is feeling some fatigue, some hip pain, headaches....you know the regular pregancy scenario , so I think she is beginning to understand a little better.
Tired old Mary
P.S. Vent all you want dear heart!

I just recently weaned off pred, am on remicade x 3 doses now, and I just went to the rheumy also who told me to take ES tylenol for my neck and finger joint swelling and pain. I think he thought I was going to ask him for pain meds. If he were the last doc on earth I wouldn't ask him. I can get what I need from my PMD. Usually I take 1 or seldom 2 Lortab a day. And yes, my sisters are afraid I will be a junkie. The problem is most people know that I have been ill and they always ask, "how are you feeling". Well my answer has been lately, not much change. I don't feel great. (Spent 2 days in the hosp last week for vom, h/a and D). Two relatives said, we didn't know. First of all, I am too sick to talk to anyone, and my s/o was watching out for me at the hosp. I think it may have been withdrawal from steroids. I met 2 very dear ex-coworkers while I was there, and they said, "I didn't even know you had crohn's".
Karendee: Can't your PMD prescribe lortab or something for your pain? It doesn't even make me drowsy, it makes me more ambitious because I feel better. If you don't overuse, your doc should have no problem giving you a scrip.

thanks both of you! I wll ask my other Dr for something for the pain. Maybe he will be more symathetic. Karen

             This is why I don't discuss my illness with my relatives at all, unless to mention I cannot drink or eat a certain food item. Also, if someone asks how are you today? My reply is been better, been worst. Let them decide how to take that.

       Matthew

Have you ever had your liver enzymes checked since you are on Imuran?? That caused me severe joint pain that landed me in the hospital for 6 days because my enzymes were dangerously elevated from Imuran.

And yes, I hate talking to my family. As my mom says "aah poor Rachel, lets have a pity party, it always has to be about Rachel". Many a days in my mind I tell my mom to go f--k herself. I know thats not cool to say about your mom, but I'm fed up with her negativity, cinacism, sarcasm, and just plain sick of hearing her speak everytime she opens her mouth.

I can't moan and groan about my pains yet she can talk down to me and yet in the very next breath swear up and down I have arthritis, osteoporosis, and colon cancer just because I have CD and she says, "well that's what CD causes in people". Mother just shut up--you have no idea cuz everyone is different.

Sorry didn't mean to take over your vent session.

I've come to realize, if its not one health issue, it's another, we're not faking, its just always different each day & thats why we 2nd guess ourselves. I have learned to keep my mouth shut on my medical issues & most everything else, unless, well, maybe, its family. God Bless