We Kid You Not Childfree Forums

On the last incarnation of the board, we had a chronic pain thread. I know there are a bunch of us suffering around here, so I thought I'd create a place where we can safely express our agony without causing pain for our loved ones. In my experience, acknowledging my suffering to loved ones seems to hurt them more than it helps me. But sometimes I just need to wail.

So, today, I'd like to confess that I have a porcupine crawling around my upper back/neck/shoulder blades - stabbing me and leaving something hot and burning in the stab wounds. I took some drugs and now I am just waiting for them to take effect. I am trying not to feel badly about being drug-dependent. But if I'm to stay upright and work, drugs are required. Sigh.

I'm having brain surgery a week from today to "cure" my trigeminal neuralgia. I talk about it online a lot because I swear my family is more afraid of the surgery than I am. I'd like to say I'm not nervous, but it's worrying me more and more each day.

I've been going out all the time because I'll be confined to my house for four weeks afterwards, and I went to the city yesterday and did a lot of walking. My body's pretty achy today, but it's not severe, thankfully. But I want to go to New York tomorrow, so I hope it gets better. I have pain pills, but I don't like taking them if I don't have to.

Nadleeh,

I have neuralgia as well but not so bad that I require surgery. I feel for you. It's the worst pain ever!

They don't call it the "Suicide Disease" for nothing!

My back pain has been so much trouble lately that I've begun wondering if perhaps the pain pills would work faster if I stuck them up my butt instead of taking them orally. The only reason I haven't tried this method is because I always think about it about an hour after taking the max dose, when I'm wondering if they are ever going to kick in and start relieving my pain.
Sometimes I think about stepping out in front of a bus because I'm sick and tired of living in pain.

Another chronic pain person here.
It sucks the life out of me.
I take pain medication, not only for treatment of my pain, but to helpcontrol my RLS and my IBS.
It makes me so incredibly fatigued though. It is such a horrible feeling.

To all those suffering from pain.

(To add, thank you HH for staring this thread. My personal experience is that most people do not understand chronic pain at all unless they have experienced it themselves.)

Good thing: I went to New York yesterday and got lots of cool goodies.

Bad thing: My back and legs are so sore that I can barely freakin' walk today.

I recently got my third fibromyalgia diagnosis from a medical doctor. The first one was from a doc in New Orleans who suspected it, the second one was from a orthopedic surgeon in Maine who seemed pretty sure, and the third was from my gynecologist here in San Diego who is totally sure. It's interesting that after each diagnosis, I've told other health care people I see and most of them would dismiss it and tell me it's not true. But I have nearly all the tender points and I have pretty much all the symptoms, and I've been this way since I was a teenager.

After the second diagnosis I bought a fibro book for dummies, but I quit reading it after another one of my docs told me it was ridiculous to think I had it. Now I'm reading the book all the way through and it sure as hell sounds like my story. Even if it's something else, I still have these symptoms of pain and all the rest of it and it can't be ignored. I'm in pain all the time and it keeps me from doing things I want to do, and has done for nearly as long as I can remember, and it's getting worse as I get older.

I had a diagnosis of the Epstein-Barr virus several years ago, too, but my fibro type symptoms started long before that. Maybe it just added to it all.

Today my pain is keeping me from going on a group scooter ride to Oktoberfest in El Cajon (a long ride makes my pain worse), and DH really wanted to go but he's not going because of me, so I feel guilty. I also feel guilty that I've got this gorgeous Vespa scooter that cost a veritable shitload of money and I rarely want to ride it because of the pain.

There. It's good to vent, especially to people who get it.

to all who have posted here, cause I too know all about chronic pain.
Back in 1998 I had ulnar neuropathy surgey My ulnar nerve in my right arm was pressing against other nerves causing horrific pain in my right arm and hand.
After the surgery the pain had lessoned a fraction of what it was. But Not to a comfortable point where I can say I am pain free, Far from it.
If it wer not for my medications I would still be in the same pain.
Cause the surgery was NOT successfull at all. Thus I live in chronic pain in my right arm and hand.
It is so bad I cannot shake hands with anyone. I don't let anyone draw blood from my right arm, I don't even let anyone touch my arm.
In fear of my going off in agony.

That is just my arm.......My hand is in constant state of pain as well.
But it is mostly my arm that suffers.

Now moving on to other parts of my crippled body.
I have Phlebitis in my right leg that I treat with medication too.
Plus I have to wear a special support stocking for it which is a royal
PITA to put on. I cannot put it on due to my bad hand, so I rely on poor hubby to put it on. And I hate bothering him to put it on, cause I know it is hard to do, & I feel guilty in even asking him to do it.
So yea, I know all about feeling bad for ones spouse.

Moving on I have a left foot that is FUBAR
In case no one knows what that is. it stand for
"Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition".
I saw the X-ray On my left foot and it is totally FUBAR
My bones are all squished to one side thanks to a giant bunion on my
big toe.
My foot DR said she can operate on it.
BUT, she is not offering up any guarentees.
And considering what I went through with my right arm/hand I am not about to take that risk with my foot.
Not if I don't have to. The Cortizone shots that I am getting seem to help. Thankfully today I am catching a break with my left foot.

I suffer from Sleep Apnea which is a HUGE PITA socially with my hubby
How awful it must be for him to sleep next to someone who looks like they are about to take off in a bomber jet.
But yet, my Angel Face has been putting up with it for over 5 yrs now.
And lets not forget about my diabetes. Which has created a lot of neuropathy in my big toes. and my good hand & arm.
So, if my life keeps going like this I won't have any use of any hands or arms.
Which is why I am trying very hard to lose some weight so, maybe I can get this diabetes in check.

And I save the best for last which is my back.
I have some slipped disks in L-3 area I think it was.
I forgot its been so long ago.
But, If I am not careful and I move a certain way, my back goes out on me, and I am laid up for weeks.
And fat chance am I risking any kind of back surgery.
My BIL S/O had some back surgery and she is still in agony.
So, no way Jose for me.

I realise after venting here that none of my aches and pains measure up to you guys.
I really feel very bad for anyone who has to have
brain surgery, or has their whole body feel like pins & needles
that has to suck big time.
But thanks to HH for re-starting up another pain thread.
Venting DOES help!

for all of you. Makes my whine about my knee seem puny, so I'm backing out of the thread slowly!

Well, I've not been diagnosed with anything and most days I'm not bad but it seems like I always have something wrong, esp since moving to the UK.

I had this puffy, raw area on the roof of my mouth. Like, when you eat something that has a rough texture, only magnified by ten times. Within a day it spread to the back of my tooth, and the gum around it was all puffy and red. I'd just been checked at the dentist, no problems. I went back and he said it wasn't my teeth. The roof of my mouth was blue and purple and he was stumped. The oral surgeon said it was probably a virus, nothing can be done but let it run it's course. It took about 8 days, but for 2 of them anything hurt, liquid, food, even water, it was HORRIBLE.

Course now it started again, but so far it hasn't been as bad. I'm using orajel and other type meds like nobody's business. The blue/purple color went away after the first 4 days.

On the upside, my migraines haven't been doing too bad.

anastasia Wrote:I've got this gorgeous Vespa scooter that cost a veritable shitload of money and I rarely want to ride it because of the pain.

I'm right there with you. I love kayaking, but for the past two summers I've been in too much pain to do much. My kayak has been sitting unused in the garage for months and months. It sucks, I want to go out on the water every weekend, but instead I've only been out maybe five times in the last six months. The last couple of times I went kayaking, I was in unbearable pain for days afterward.

Dana Wrote:I had this puffy, raw area on the roof of my mouth. Like, when you eat something that has a rough texture, only magnified by ten times. Within a day it spread to the back of my tooth, and the gum around it was all puffy and red. I'd just been checked at the dentist, no problems. I went back and he said it wasn't my teeth. The roof of my mouth was blue and purple and he was stumped. The oral surgeon said it was probably a virus, nothing can be done but let it run it's course. It took about 8 days, but for 2 of them anything hurt, liquid, food, even water, it was HORRIBLE.

Dana, have you ever heard of lichen planus? My mom has it and your symptoms sound very similar. Here is a link: clicky

Lichen planus is a disorder of the skin and mucous membranes resulting in inflammation, itching, and distinctive skin lesions. Lichen planus is an uncommon disorder involving a recurrent, itchy, inflammatory rash or lesion on the skin or in the mouth. The exact cause is unknown, but the disorder is likely to be related to an allergic or immune reaction.
- Mouth lesions
* Tender or painful (mild cases may have no discomfort)
* Located on the sides of the tongue or the inside of the cheek
* Occasionally located on the gums
* Poorly defined area of blue-white spots or "pimples"
* Linear lesions forming a lacy-appearing network of lesions
* Gradual increase in size of affected area
* Lesions occasionally erode to form painful ulcers

My back has been absolutely killing me the past few days. My whole body is stiff and painful, but my back is particularly bad. I'm calling pain management and I'm praying they can get me in this week. Then comes the challenge of telling them that I want medication as opposed to injections (I've had them - they didn't work and gave me bad side effects) or any other kind of treatment that requires multiple visits because I'm broke and I'm job-hunting, so I need to be available at all times. Gah.

My doctor put me on Celebrex on Friday and I feel worse instead of better. If I take any more hydrocodone, I won't be able to drive home from work. I'm so looking forward to getting home, taking pain meds, and strapping an ice pack onto my back. I can't miss any more time from work, I'm already in trouble for using up all of my sick and vacation time.
I've only had this problem for two years, but it looks like I'm going to be dealing with it for the rest of my life. Is it going to be like this forever? Am I going to be on all these medications and still in this much pain every day for the next 50 years?

Beachbum I have not heard of that. Thanks for the clicky... sounds weird. Well I'm back on here cause of another issue.

It started with backache and exhaustion. I do not know about being sick without a sore throat, the only kinda sick I really ever am starts with a sore throat. But I felt better the next day, then it came back. Then by Monday I had joint aches all over. I began sleeping 12-13 hours a day, hands/wrists/fingers were the worst, back pain subsided.

Feet/toes/legs/knees started in, elbows, neck and shoulders. Some days, some joints would be better than others. Called for an appt but they didn't have any until 5 days later or so, which is tomorrow. This is day 12 or 13. The weirdest thing I've ever experienced. Most days it was hard to function. I'm slowly being able to after 800mg Motrin/Ibu a few hot baths a day and loads of sleeping. It sucks!

There were a few nights it kept me up. Esp the arms - I have some numbess tingling as well. A bit of nausea on some days too. WTF!! The doc will probably give me some dumb pill.

WonderWoman Wrote:My doctor put me on Celebrex on Friday and I feel worse instead of better. If I take any more hydrocodone, I won't be able to drive home from work. I'm so looking forward to getting home, taking pain meds, and strapping an ice pack onto my back. I can't miss any more time from work, I'm already in trouble for using up all of my sick and vacation time.
I've only had this problem for two years, but it looks like I'm going to be dealing with it for the rest of my life. Is it going to be like this forever? Am I going to be on all these medications and still in this much pain every day for the next 50 years?

I don't know about Celebrex, but your body just might be adjusting to it and you might initially feel worse before you feel better. My doctor recently put me on Avinza, and my pain got worse at first, but after about a week, week and a half, it started to get better. He said that it takes some time for the "therapeutic dose" to get into your system.

And I feel the same way about having to deal with this for the rest of my life. I hate taking medication and I have to take so much of it, and I still feel like shit. It sucks.

Edit: Judging from what I've read on how to administer Celebrex, it appears to be an extended-release drug, and those take some time to get into your system, so I would give it some time. Though that time is a bitch to get through!

Today is not one of my good days. I have pain all up my arm now. It's achy and uncomfortable. I have pins and needles on both my arms some days.
The doctor tested me and an anti-body isn't right and said I could have an auto-immune disease, also some thyroid stuff looks fishy. I'm going to be going for more thyroid tests after I go to another doctor for further testing on this auto-immune stuff. I just wish we could hurry up and get it done ASAP because today is not going to be one of my good days and it SUCKS.
Thank goodness I finally got an awesome doc who didn't just throw some dumb pill at me for once. I"m so glad he sent me for testing.

Good news Dana and while they are testing have your Dr test you for some neuropathy. That is when the nerves in your system start to fail. That pins and needles feeling could be part of it.
So, good luck to you and Get well soon

My chonic pain continues in my right leg. ( plebities) (sp?)
In an effort to lose some weight, I am been using my stationary bike.
I rode on it for 20 min straight, & now my leg is on fire.
GRRRR I cannot win sometimes.

I have chronic migraines, degenerative joint disease of the neck (which makes my headaches worse) and endometriosis. I'm lucky though that with medication I am able to function pretty well most days.

Working full time is a struggle for me though, as when I try to get back to working full time my symptoms act up full force. It's either work part time, or find a very non-stressful job, and where the hell do you find one of those theses days??

Anyway I'm right there with you guys. *hugs*

Today I woke up and I can't turn my head to the left without stabbing, breath-taking pain in my neck. Awesome.

I can take muscle relaxers if I don't want to have a brain - but I like my brain.

Fuck.