Chronic Pain Management Support Group

[koala]

Thanks Natalka.
This is one of the reasons I have limited my computer time. Sitting is agony.
Now for the twisting stuff. I try. Working as a nurse is challenging, but I do not take on silly tasks by myself. I ask for help, especially with lifting.
Naproxen seems to working OK.
Last night I had to resort the the Tylenol #3's (this is rare).

Maybe my body is going through another adjustment.

[Natalka]

Gee, Koala, I didn't realize (or forgot!) you were a nurse - or I wouldn't have included so much info!! Sorry... Yeah, that's bound to be rough, I know my sister messes up her back lots; she's a nurse in ICU.
Glad the naproxen is working for you - for me, it just messes up my guts after a day, but sheesh, it works. I can usually get through on two x-strength acet., but once in a while I need the tylenol 3 too. But I know those work just on the pain, not on the inflammation.

[koala]

That's OK Natalka. I doesn't mean I know everything just because I'm a nurse.

We are a bounty of information towards patients and families, but when it comes to ourselves, we feel helpless.

[Natalka]

Actually, that's interesting - - because my sister used to call me all the time for advice when her daughter was sick.
I guess she can handle all the life and death stuff in ICU, but it IS different when it's your little one with a fever!
I used to think that between her, and another older sister who used to nurse in outpatient surgery, that we had all our health care questions covered - yeah, it's not so, and we shouldn't expect it.
Just like I suppose I'm a teacher, but please don't ask me to advise anyone on physics or calculus! Not my area of expertise!
Years ago at my younger brother's high school graduation dinner, there was an emergency on the other side of the room from where we were sitting, and they called for medical personnel - so my sister went right over and helped out (someone had fainted).
So there sat left at the table - me, my mom, another sister, and a brother - four of us, all teachers - and I cracked everyone up when I said "Why is there never an emergency with learning, like "OMG! I can't remember how to add!"
I'll tell you - I always had big respect for nurses, but the day she took me to the ICU to see it, I was floored! When I told her my overwhelming reaction to it later - she said she felt the same as me - and to her the most horrifying and hardest thing she could ever imagine doing is standing up in front of 25 Grade three kids and teaching them! So, it's all relative, I learned!

[koala]

I deal with cardiac and stroke (dabble a bit in neuro/trauma)
I am strong and confident at work, but when Willy had his heart attack a couple of years back, I felt helpless and sobbed like a baby.

Someone told me "It hurts more when it's your own."
So true.
I was at the mercy of their expertise, but I now have a better understanding of my role towards patients and their families.

[tidytaurus]

MY goodness Natalka and Koala I always think of nurses and teachers as so very smart and both have you have shown a vulnerable side here, thanks for reminding me that you are two are as well as others in their profession. I have been out of the work force now for a couple of years and I remember my colleagues and staff saying things like I don't know how you do it and I didn't realize they pedistal they put me on until I was gone and started receiving the phone calls from them upset and asking for help I could only give them moral support but that mostly what I gave them before. Koala sorry you're having issues with pain sometimes you have to take the T3 to ease the pain I can't handle the constipation from them so avoid them, although most of the pain meds have this as a side effect. I am very sore today from totally overdoing it but seeing all the childrens smiling faces this weekend was so worth it. I can rest now for a few days clean a little everyday and start getting ready for the cooler weather.

[dealsniffer]

hi everyone-I am sorry Koala that you are going through so much pain! glad you have some stuff tho to help ease it a bit.

[dealsniffer]

I actually came on here tonight wondering something because of thinking about some stuff I was going thru a few yrs ago. Has anyone ever gone thru something that is so painful they wish they could just go to sleep and not wake up because it is so painful and they don't know if they can make it thru another day? A few yrs ago-5 actually (time sure flies) I had to quit working because of all the chronic pain I was dealing with. I spent a yr and a half getting test after test and actually was told a few time it was in my head and there was nothing wrong. What happened was for some reason my stomach would spasm out of control when I would eat something and was on who knows how many pills-I don't even remember and the pain was sooo bad and would last about an hour. I am not going to lie-it was horrible. The kind of pain that you don't know if you can get thru it and you want it to stop sooo bad. I had a few visits to the ER because it would get so bad. Anyways I would wish I would not wake up. I was told I was crazy also. I switched doctors a few times too. I finally found out that it was my stomach which is what I knew all along but was repeatedly told by doctors it was my bowel and it was simply IBS. I knew it wasn't tho because the symptoms were wrong and it would happen within minutes of eating if I remember correctly. It turned out that because of the disorder I have called Kyphosis which affects my spine-it was affecting my stomach somehow too. this is actually how I found out I had Kyphosis was at this time. It also caused the inability to take deep breaths as well because my lungs could not expand properly because of the way my back was supposedly. Anyways I visited a chiropractor to give it a shot and he was able to move my spine enough that the stomach stuff eased up and I got off a bunch of the pills. But he of course couldn't fix anything because of the way my spine was which is why I needed the surgery. Anyways I am sharing this for a couple reasons. First is just out of curiosity whether people have wished they could die because the chronic pain was so bad and second if people have felt this way-I just want to say that it can get better. Also if people have gone to doctors and they tell you that you are crazy-trust me that you are not and there might be a doc out there that will actually listen. I don't know why I felt the need to share this-I just felt the need. But things can get better and I was ready to give up but I didn't and now hopefully on the road to recovery and a better life even if it isn't a short road. Also there has to be something out there that can help alleviate the pain and that you can live with less pain. Just don't give up. You have a right to feel good. I don't know if this has helped anyone and if in the end it only helps me know I am not alone in what I have dealt with because I know I am not but I thought I should share. I don't know if I wish I hadn't gone thru all that or not tho-I wish with all my might I didn't have to and that no one has to but I also realize it made me stronger to get thru it. I can always look back and remember I wanted to give up but didn't and got thru it. Well I need to go to bed. I hope everyone has a good day or at least a less painful day!

[dealsniffer]

I posted the above post last night and thought after that I hope no one feels I am trying to say that I have gone thru so much and what ever because I don't think I have compared to other people. I just wanted to share what I did to say that there is hope of feeling better or even living with less pain than you are right now. I wanted to share that I understand how difficult it can be to get thru the day. This would only happen for about 3hrs every day where other people go thru terrible pain like this all the time. What I shared isn't exactly chronic pain-I am part of this thread for the chronic back pain I have dealt with and still sort of am but I still wanted to share this somewhere that maybe I can help someone know that things can get better and not to give up. thanks for listening.

[Skippy]

Thanks Dealsniffer for sharing form your heart.
I've been sick all weekend from the pain and meds.,and many times lying on the bathroom floor I've wished it would all end.However,I realise it is not just about me.I have family and friends that love me and count on me.
So I need to carry on if just for them.
Bottom line,when you are physically sick it affects your mind too.I hope that everyone knows this for themselves.

[dealsniffer]

Thanks Skippy for sharing also-yes it does affect your mind too totally. I am so sorry to hear what you are dealing with and going thru currently but it can get better and I found if I held onto that hope it helped me emotionally. I would feel my worst when it seemed like it would never end and I would be like that the rest of my life. Now I can eat when ever I want and I don't get the spasms! I remember the first couple of months after they stopped and it was like rediscovering food and life and everytime I stuck something in my mouth I would get soooo excited and happy that I wasn't in so much pain after. I really hope and pray that you can find some relief and comfort Skippy! I think about you often. I wish I could do more than offer encouragement and support but unfortunately that is all I can give. I hope it helps.

[Skippy]

This latest Med. is ineffective! Five days and no further ahead!
My constant companion pain is not slain!

After this last weekend,gonna stop this med.and go back to the old one.
Would rather have some pain,than puke my brains out.

[dealsniffer]

I hope it works for you Skippy.

[Andit]

Anyways I am sharing this for a couple reasons. First is just out of curiosity whether people have wished they could die because the chronic pain was so bad and second if people have felt this way-I just want to say that it can get better.

It was a comedy of errors when I was trying to go on dialysis. Was supposed to start one type (peritoneal), but my body wouldn't cooperate (surgery for 2 diff types, then a procedure to "poke" it into place, but the thing would move out of place). Finally ended up on hemo, so had to have another surgery on my arm to put in a graft (piece of plastic to make it easier to insert needles).

The first time I was on dialysis, it was supposed to be for 1 hr. The first 5 minutes, I thought ok, no big deal, painful, but nothing that bad. 10 minutes later, I didn't think I'd live another minute. It felt like my internal organs were being squeezed out through every pore of my body. I lasted 20 minutes that first time. 2 days later, I tried again & lasted 45 minutes. 3rd time was 2hrs. By the end of 2 weeks (6 sessions), my body was able to tolerate 4hrs of treatment with minimal discomfort.

What I deal with now is a dull ache that feels like it's deep in every bone in my body. When I overdo it, I get a sharp ache in the middle of my back. At this point in my life, I don't have nearly the amount of pain as many others, so I know I'm lucky.

My biggest frustration is having friends who just don't understand. If I say I'm tired, they tell me I'm overdoing it & shouldn't do X, but why don't I come over to do Y. & just once I wish when someone says I'm overdoing it, they would offer to fill in for me. They so don't get it.

Oh, well, ultimately my life is pretty good, so I shouldn't complain.

I really wish pain could be obliterated. I truly wish no one had to suffer.

[dealsniffer]

wow Andit-it sounds awful what you went thru! I agree with you on people not offering to help but saying to slow down-it really sucks! thanks for sharing that. Sometimes I feel alone in what I feel and I need to remind myself that I am not the only one and that other people even have worse stuff than me and what you went thru shows that. I am glad that you don't still have to go thru the dialysis and I wish pain could obliterated too!