Well I went to the other doc and my usual clinic had NOT sent any info over. Why am I not surprised? I told her what was up and she didn't know what I was referred to get but she did some testing anyway. She is going to have my regular doc do more testing at my follow-up, I guess. SO another 2 weeks of waiting. I've had some pretty bad days where I don't function. I can't imagine this being nothing. The doc last week said it could be a virus but they still need to find out so they can help me feel better. She says she sees a lot of false positives, but I hope it's not false, I want there to be a reason for this not just some "unknown cause" that they will throw pills at. I don't know, if they are good helpful pills I'll take anything at this point.
Just thought I would bump this thread because I know there are a lot of us on this site that suffer with daily chronic pain.
I hate my pain. I am frustrated with the way the medical community treats people with pain, too.
I get fucking PISSED when the "solution" to them is: take Advil, stretch and exercise....oh, and lose weight seems to be the solution too ('cause we all know NOBODY that is a normal weight has
any pain)---Hmmm, then why did some of my worst pain start when I was at my lowest weight???
WTF?
If it were that easy to get rid of pain, I would be doing that.
Right there with you. I was just doing some stretching exercises a few minutes ago and it was so fucking painful. And it wasn't anything serious or deep, just some regular light stretching that I do often, but it wasn't the muscles that hurt during the stretch, it was my joints and bones and fascia. Just being on the floor hurts my skin if I don't have enough padding. That's why I had to quit yoga years ago. My knees hurt if they're on the floor, my tender points ache if I touch them during a stretch of if they come in contact with the floor. And even though I tried it for two years, I never improved, never got more limber, and the pain was ALWAYS there.
I did all the right things: ergonomic set-up at work after my neck injury, Workrave installation(makes you take breaks on your computer), trying not to work too much. but last month on vacation my hands started hurting, like arthritis or something. It went away then came back when i went back to work. I read that the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome among women goes up ages 45-54(I will soon be 45). Is this hormonal? Well, if I get laid off, then maybe that would help. I am afraid this may become chronic. Perimenopausal joint pain?
(10-31-2009 02:12 PM)noelle Wrote: [ -> ]I did all the right things: ergonomic set-up at work after my neck injury, Workrave installation(makes you take breaks on your computer), trying not to work too much. but last month on vacation my hands started hurting, like arthritis or something. It went away then came back when i went back to work. I read that the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome among women goes up ages 45-54(I will soon be 45). Is this hormonal? Well, if I get laid off, then maybe that would help. I am afraid this may become chronic. Perimenopausal joint pain?
Noelle, have you seen an MD for this? You should and tell him/her that it is work related. Then, if it does get worse there will be a record of it in the reports and if you do have to quit/take time off because of it, you will be eligible for temp. disability.
I know the drill. I don't want to do that until I pass this probationary month.
I had to go to the occupational health clinic with my neck problem(it was ruled out as work-related). I don't want even more scrutiny from the bosses unless I have to, if the pain affects my work more, then I will.
(11-01-2009 11:52 AM)noelle Wrote: [ -> ]I know the drill. I don't want to do that until I pass this probationary month.
I had to go to the occupational health clinic with my neck problem(it was ruled out as work-related). I don't want even more scrutiny from the bosses unless I have to, if the pain affects my work more, then I will.
OK. I was just checking because I have seen
so many people get screwed over by their work for work related injuries.
(11-01-2009 03:04 PM)beachbum Wrote: [ -> ] (11-01-2009 11:52 AM)noelle Wrote: [ -> ]I know the drill. I don't want to do that until I pass this probationary month.
I had to go to the occupational health clinic with my neck problem(it was ruled out as work-related). I don't want even more scrutiny from the bosses unless I have to, if the pain affects my work more, then I will.
OK. I was just checking because I have seen so many people get screwed over by their work for work related injuries.
I have a co-worker now and the bosses just make her life miserable like we want a doctor's note, oh you got the note, but you need to have the doctor specify this....I just don't want to add something like that to my plate.
I lost my insurance at the beginning of the month, so I'm off the Avinza as of tomorrow. Honestly, I don't think I need it - I think I'll do fine with just the hydrocodone. Plus, the Avinza makes me kinda sleepy if I forget to eat something (well, a whole lot) beforehand, which I always do. But getting off of meds is always a good thing! I'm getting off a lot of my meds now, and I'm expecting my pain to increase a bit, but this too shall pass.
My neck has been absolutely killing me, though. NOTHING helps it and it hurts all the time. If I didn't know better, I'd swear I broke some bones in it. Stretching usually helps with my pain, but stretching my neck HURTS. But I still need to do it cause I go nuts if I don't. Ugh! At least the pain in my low back has drastically decreased.
Well I'm joining this thread.
Tuesday will mark three months since my car collision -- the one that fucked up my left hand (the ulnar nerve, technically), and I'm STILL in pain every day and still on pain meds. The pain meds don't really work (Percocet) as it's a narcotic pain killer and just makes it such that you don't care about the pain... doesn't really alleviate it. I'm actually past the point where one pill does anything, now, I have to take two to feel it. In the good ol' days, a HALF a pill would knock me out cold. No more. Now it's two full ones. My doctor knows this and prescribed me double dosage, and he's monitoring it so that I don't get addicted. I already feel addicted, as I do take it most nights after work. During work, I just live with the pain.
I go to physiotherapy twice a week and I get massage therapy twice a week, which is nice. Several things are coming out... one is that I'm pretty fucked up... in that due to being so top-heavy and slouching forward all the time, I have extremely shortened pec minor muscles and this is probably the point where the nerve is pinched. It's possible the car accident pulled it as that's right where the seatbelt goes over your shoulder, who knows. Could be the whiplash I sustained, too. Who knows.
I'm cranky about being in pain all the time. I hate that there seems to be no relief from it. The physiotherapist actually almost made me cry one day as she's a bit bitchy and after I'd taken three accupuncture treatments and told her it wasn't for me (Didn't like it at all), she told me I was doomed to fail as I didn't even give it a chance. She's crusty and I don't like her at all... I'm only with her once in a blue moon... usually my guy is Chris, the athletic therapist, and he's LOVELY, but Sylvana is there every day and it makes me uncomfortable. I feel like that remedial student who's just NOT GETTING it. That's the sensation I get from her... like she makes me feel like I'm not trying hard enough... as if I like being in chronic pain.
I'm trying to be grateful... it could have been so much worse. It's my pinky and ring finger on my left hand. You know, I could be paralyzed, but instead I have a sore pinky, so I feel bad about whining about that when it could have been so much worse.
I moved shortly after the accident and life has been REALLY REALLY good out here in the country, and today I was doing a lot of farting around with my seedlings (I am going to have a veggie garden this year for the first time since '99) and holding anything small was hurting my hand. Twine, stakes, the tomato cages... I also hauled 12 huge bags of soil around the side of the house, and my hand is killing me. I was playing guitar all week, too, trying to get back into it, and you use your left fingers to make the chords. It doesn't hurt while I'm doing it... in fact, I get so much joy from playing and singing, I almost forgot about the pain... then I was in agony for the last two days, worse than it's been in months. It's sooooooooooooo frustrating.
Thanks for listening to me vent. I'm new to this concept of chronic pain. It SUXXXXX.
(05-16-2010 10:27 PM)Jo Wrote: [ -> ]Well I'm joining this thread.
Tuesday will mark three months since my car collision -- the one that fucked up my left hand (the ulnar nerve, technically), and I'm STILL in pain every day and still on pain meds. The pain meds don't really work (Percocet) as it's a narcotic pain killer and just makes it such that you don't care about the pain... doesn't really alleviate it. I'm actually past the point where one pill does anything, now, I have to take two to feel it. In the good ol' days, a HALF a pill would knock me out cold. No more. Now it's two full ones. My doctor knows this and prescribed me double dosage, and he's monitoring it so that I don't get addicted. I already feel addicted, as I do take it most nights after work. During work, I just live with the pain.
I go to physiotherapy twice a week and I get massage therapy twice a week, which is nice. Several things are coming out... one is that I'm pretty fucked up... in that due to being so top-heavy and slouching forward all the time, I have extremely shortened pec minor muscles and this is probably the point where the nerve is pinched. It's possible the car accident pulled it as that's right where the seatbelt goes over your shoulder, who knows. Could be the whiplash I sustained, too. Who knows.
I'm cranky about being in pain all the time. I hate that there seems to be no relief from it. The physiotherapist actually almost made me cry one day as she's a bit bitchy and after I'd taken three accupuncture treatments and told her it wasn't for me (Didn't like it at all), she told me I was doomed to fail as I didn't even give it a chance. She's crusty and I don't like her at all... I'm only with her once in a blue moon... usually my guy is Chris, the athletic therapist, and he's LOVELY, but Sylvana is there every day and it makes me uncomfortable. I feel like that remedial student who's just NOT GETTING it. That's the sensation I get from her... like she makes me feel like I'm not trying hard enough... as if I like being in chronic pain.
I'm trying to be grateful... it could have been so much worse. It's my pinky and ring finger on my left hand. You know, I could be paralyzed, but instead I have a sore pinky, so I feel bad about whining about that when it could have been so much worse.
I moved shortly after the accident and life has been REALLY REALLY good out here in the country, and today I was doing a lot of farting around with my seedlings (I am going to have a veggie garden this year for the first time since '99) and holding anything small was hurting my hand. Twine, stakes, the tomato cages... I also hauled 12 huge bags of soil around the side of the house, and my hand is killing me. I was playing guitar all week, too, trying to get back into it, and you use your left fingers to make the chords. It doesn't hurt while I'm doing it... in fact, I get so much joy from playing and singing, I almost forgot about the pain... then I was in agony for the last two days, worse than it's been in months. It's sooooooooooooo frustrating.
Thanks for listening to me vent. I'm new to this concept of chronic pain. It SUXXXXX.
Jo: Your fucked up left hand sounds very very similar to my fucked up right hand. My suggestion is to try and get your Dr to put you on Neurontin, generic name Gabapentin 800 mg. It really takes the pain level down from unbearable to tolerable.
Trust me, I have been on it since 98 and If I was not on it I would not be able to type or write period!
Oh yes at times even that does not help me, which is why my Dr gives me Demerol too. But he knows I am not a junkie, so I get a 30 day supply that lasts me 6 months. I use it only when I really need to. And those times are very few.
Basically my Neurontin has been a life saver. And it has one very VERY pleasant side effect. Multiple orgasims, LOL....
I know that Sounds silly, but it is very very true.
As the temperature continues to rise, so too does my pain level.
I have an appointment next Friday with my pain doctor, and it can't come fast enough. The heat always makes my pain worse, and we're having a very hot year. I'm upset because I'm not sure what options I have left. I currently take Vicodin four times a day (or more, depending on the pain), and it's really the best thing for me. But because of the Tylenol in it, there's a ceiling on how much you can take a day, and I've gotten to the point where I need more than I can safely take. Unfortunately, I've been on a lot of "stronger" medications, and they don't work as well as hydrocodone. I'm afraid to use fentanyl patches because, aside from the inherent difficulty in keeping them on, I overheat very easily, and that can cause more of the medication to be released into your system. Fentanyl is VERY easy to overdose on. Morphine and oxycodone don't do a goddamn thing, and I absolutely will not touch methadone (it has a very long half-life, and the pain-relieving qualities wear off long before the drug is out of your system, making it extremely easy to OD on). We'll see what happens.
But I did go to Hot Topic last week and buy some awesome gloves. Gloves help my hands, and if I need to wear them, I'm gonna make sure they're cool ones. XD
(06-03-2010 07:02 PM)Nadleeh Wrote: [ -> ]As the temperature continues to rise, so too does my pain level. I have an appointment next Friday with my pain doctor, and it can't come fast enough. The heat always makes my pain worse, and we're having a very hot year. I'm upset because I'm not sure what options I have left. I currently take Vicodin four times a day (or more, depending on the pain), and it's really the best thing for me. But because of the Tylenol in it, there's a ceiling on how much you can take a day, and I've gotten to the point where I need more than I can safely take. Unfortunately, I've been on a lot of "stronger" medications, and they don't work as well as hydrocodone. I'm afraid to use fentanyl patches because, aside from the inherent difficulty in keeping them on, I overheat very easily, and that can cause more of the medication to be released into your system. Fentanyl is VERY easy to overdose on. Morphine and oxycodone don't do a goddamn thing, and I absolutely will not touch methadone (it has a very long half-life, and the pain-relieving qualities wear off long before the drug is out of your system, making it extremely easy to OD on). We'll see what happens.
But I did go to Hot Topic last week and buy some awesome gloves. Gloves help my hands, and if I need to wear them, I'm gonna make sure they're cool ones. XD
Well that explains why my bad hand always hurts worse in the summer time. Thanks, I never put 2 and 2 together before.
I always thought it was the humidity that made it hurt worse, not the heat. That is cool, learn something new every day.
I don't envy the massive pain that you feel
I wish they made a a non addictive drug that actually cured all body ailments.
Have you tried demerol at all?
I know that may be a silly question, but I did not see it on your list.
Cause Vicodin does nothing for me either. And Tylenol#3 does nothing but bind me up.
Demerol does too, but at least it works on my pain. Where Codeine does nothing for me.
I wish you all the best Nadleeh
Please keep us posted.
BTW My bad hand & arm was killing me today. So I had to take some of my pain meds. I don't have any health insurance yet.
Not till the first of Aug. ( dog willing) So, I try not to use my pain meds unless I really have to. I don't have a whole lot left. And I have zero refils
(06-04-2010 12:55 AM)Truckerswife Wrote: [ -> ]Well that explains why my bad hand always hurts worse in the summer time. Thanks, I never put 2 and 2 together before.
I always thought it was the humidity that made it hurt worse, not the heat. That is cool, learn something new every day.
I don't envy the massive pain that you feel I wish they made a a non addictive drug that actually cured all body ailments.
Have you tried demerol at all?
I know that may be a silly question, but I did not see it on your list.
Cause Vicodin does nothing for me either. And Tylenol#3 does nothing but bind me up.
Demerol does too, but at least it works on my pain. Where Codeine does nothing for me.
I wish you all the best Nadleeh Please keep us posted.
BTW My bad hand & arm was killing me today. So I had to take some of my pain meds. I don't have any health insurance yet.
Not till the first of Aug. ( dog willing) So, I try not to use my pain meds unless I really have to. I don't have a whole lot left. And I have zero refils
I've used Demerol, but it's a very short-acting opioid, so it's rarely given outside of a hospital setting (at least around here). It works very well, though. And it makes me talk constantly. Seriously, I will not.shut.up when I'm given Demerol. XD
Opioids are so weird. They're so similar, but they have such different effects. Codeine knocks me out, oxycodone and morphine do absolutely nothing, and hydrocodone (one of the weakest ones) helps immensely. I've never been given Dilaudid or Opana, which I guess are the next in line. But I also don't have insurance, so I have to pay out-of-pocket for my meds, so whatever they give me needs to have a generic, and I know a lot of them don't.
Pain sucks. I wish I could get a new spine. XD I hope you feel better, too!
Boy, I sure can relate to all of the members on this thread w/ chronic pain!
I have suffered for over 15 years, but have only been treated properly for the past 2 1/2 yrs. .
Anyway, I take 4 Percocet a day now + Neurontin (600mg 3x a day). Some days i feel amazing and other days I can barely do a thing.
Nadleeh, I have to say hydrocodone is an amazing drug, but my pain management MD won't give it to me! He gives me oxycodone (even though it is a Schedule II and hydrocodone is a Schedule III).
Go figure.
You know what else PISSES me off. My DH was having some back pain and he walked into the MD last week and was givin 60 Vicodin. No hassles at all. I went to MDs for YEARS w/ chronic pain and was pretty much blown off. Most MDs thought I was a neurotic kook. I feel there is is a bias against women in pain.