I need to whine

Yes Phil Gramm, I'm going to whine!!

I'm in so much pain with my shoulders.  It's like a knife sticking between my chest wall and shoulder on both sides.  Nothing shows up on the xrays or MRI's.  The nerve test was inconclusive for that area (my carpal tunnel is back big time but that's not the problem either).  I'm now on 20 mg oxycontin twice a day for the shoulder pain plus the pain doc put medicine directly into the capsule but it lasted all of 12 hours so I don't know that I'll be doing that again.  I think I'm going to try for social security disability.  It hurts to do my job because it's computer based.  It also hurts to drive to my job because of the placement of my arms on the wheel in relation to my shoulders.  I've got a call into a ss lawyer to discuss my chances.  Keep your fingers crossed. 

I can't take much more of this pain.  I don't normally let things bother me but it's getting downright depressing not knowing what the cause is.  I actually cried last night because I hate taking drugs but the pain makes it so that I not only have to do the oxy but have to do a percocet on top of that at times.

If anyone has any other ideas of what I can do I sure would appreciate hearing them.  I've been to orthopedic surgeons, rheumatologists and now the pain doctor and it's getting worse.

 

Ann

 I hope you get to feeling better, I wonder if you  got some good physical therapy - if it would help??

I've done that too several times.  One time it made it worse by cause another small tear in my rotator cuff.  I'm kind of at my wits end here.

Hi Ann,
My PCP gave me Lidoderm  or Flector patches for my neck pain.  It really helped with my fibro pain.  You might ask about them, my pain was gone in 12 hours.  Deanne

I'll ask my pain doc when I see him in a couple of weeks.

Oh dear friend.  I had no idea you were so bad.  I guess I've been kind of into myself lately.  I have no suggestions or help but I sure hate to see my friend suffer.  What about a nice hot tub!  Would that help?  You just sound miserable and so unlike yourself.  I sure hope your docs can get to the bottom of this.  You are in my thoughts, my friend!!

Ann,

Have you tried ice for 20 min and then rotate the next 20 mins with a heating pain. Sometimes that helps my fibromyalgia. I hate taking all those drugs and they make you goofy and put you asleep. I hope you feel better.

Dawn & Kristen, thanks for the good thoughts.  A hot tub used to help in Michigan but I can't afford to buy one out here.  Even then I'd have to twist myself in a strange shape to get it to hit the right spot.  I've almost got my pool figured out to where I can direct the stream of water.  The problem is that it doesn't last for long.  As for the ice, been there and done that.  All it does is freeze me.  There's something going on that needs to be found and taken care of.  I just don't know who to turn to to do the finding anymore.

Speaking of Lyrica....it is for nerve pain originally but harsh has side effects. My vision got very blurry and that was only at 50 mg per day....but it did nelp the nerve damage in my neck.  I have Leioderm patches as they are for nerve pain but they do not stick to my skin and peel right off and only last for 8 hours. The Flector patches are good for 12 hours and are what my rhumatologist gave me to replace my anti-inflamatories after my RNY. The Flector patches contain anti-inflamatories and work quite well for the fibro.  Shoulders are tough for the patches tho. I use a ace wrap to hold them in place on a joint. Both patches can be cut into smaller pieces. There is an over the counter pain patch called Salompas....they work really great, stay in place and are found in most drug stores and big grocery stores in a green & white box....hope this helps

A friend of mine who has chronic back pain said that Lyrica helped her/. Not sure if that is even an option for you but thought I would throw it out there