Chronic Pain...

I know that everyone here had health concerns that motivated them to make this change in their lives. I am now faced with the chance that this pain I have could be chronic (hopefully not this intense.)

I would like to hear from other members here who have pain issues how they cope.

I thank you all for the ongoing support. It really means a lot to me !!!

Hi, Sean, I do not have chronic pain issues, but have a couple close people in my life who do.  Some manage their pains with medication, others have found relief through mediation and other Eastern treatments (acupuncture).  If you are open to alternative medicines, I'd encourage you to consider what options might be available and helpful.  Our mind is a very powerful tool if you are willing to learn to train it -

Please keep us posted on how you are doing -

Kellie

Sean,

I hope you can get some relief soon. Greg has Lyme disease and has chronic pain in his legs. He goes to a pain specialist and has a patch for pain that he changes every two days. He went today, he has more trouble with the cold so he went to have it increased. I think they are Fentanal (spelling?) patches. He also has one for any one area that is more painful which is a Dergegic (sp?) patch which works on the area the patch covers. I hope you are feeling better soon.

Hugs Jeff

Duragesic patches ARE fentanyl patches, and they work systemically by releasing a powerful opiate-like drug over a period of two days.

Lidocaine patches contain a local anesthetic and release enough drug to exert LOCAL effects beneath the area where it's applied.

/Steve

Hmmm, I would try to work with a pain management service up front rather than have to be referred to one reluctantly months after you've been taking powerful pain meds.  That's always struck me as bass-ackwards.

I was limping with persistent pain in my hip for the better part of a year before it was finally diagnosed as osteoarhtritis severe enough to require a hip replacement.  At that point my surgeon started prescribing oxycodone/APAP, which I took daily for about 5 months until my surgery, and then a month afterwards.  I had no problem stopping it, but I was very lucky that the pain I was experiencing had a very specific surgical treatment with a virtually 100% success rate.  I know that back/spine/nerve problems can be much more difficult to treat.

I wish you the best of luck.  Just remember that you're young and should heal quickly!

/Steve

I have no love for pain management doctors...  sorry, after spending years watching my mother go through non stop pain only to find out the doctor sent her down the wrong path... just seeing the term "pain management doctor" gets me wound up.

She now walks around with with an electronic implant in her spine that stimulates her nerves in her legs so she can walk.

Again.. this goes back to her bouncing all over place getting bad diagnostics and being told a cardio study was not needed.  Come to find out her veins in her legs were 98% blocked and in turn killed the nerves in her legs.

It's so bad she's gone as far as taking methodone for the pain and it didnt come close to helping her.   She takes lortabs on a regular basis.

I pray this is something temporary for you and they get to the bottom of it immediately.
If you do go the route of a Pain Management doctor I know since you're in the medical field you'll make sure you get a compitent professional.

Sean, I am so sorry you're going through this, and I  hope you know you are in my thoughts and prayers.  I am hoping once I start losing weight after my surgery, the pain and weakness in my lumbar spine will lessen -- at least enough for me to stand and walk for more than a few minutes at a time.

The thought of life-long chronic pain is a scary thing.

I have no advice for you. I have had bad arthritis since 95 and have had constant pain. Unfortunately I have just learned to live with the pain.