Chronic Pain Management Support Group

[dealsniffer]

ok so for me I had physio today and seeing some improvement with the nerves regenerating but it is painful. my physio therapist is suggesting laying on some extra foam so that my back doesn't have as much pressure on it or something? I get pain when I lay on my back because the nerves are starting to wake up sort of. But I guess in this case pain is a good thing. Just getting thru it will be interesting! It is odd that I can feel more on my back tho-the skin isn't completely numb any longer.

[dealsniffer]

Thanks ladies.

Dealsniffer, you have such a big big heart.

Thanks-I just know what it is like to go through pain and how nice it is to have support and want to be there for other people. It actually makes me feel useful also and I like feeling useful so I guess it is somewhat selfish isn't it? lol

[Crochetlady]

Hey Dealsniffer, glad your therapy is helping. Wouldn`t it be nice though if regenerating nerves wouldn`t cause pain? Do you know how long your recovery will take? Hope the pain doesn`t last too long.

[eriluo]

I, too, am late on this post, and like Fairy Tails, I know what living with illness all about and am very proud of you all for being brave and battling your respective illnesses with courage. I hope you don't mind me contributing to this post.

My story is that in August 2006, after some severe headaches and scary episodes, I was diagnosed with a brain tumour. I went through various treatments for almost a year and a half awaiting surgery but no surgery date came. Finally in February 2008, I started to become really sick and the treatments or meds didn't seem to help and it was discovered I didn't have just one, but two tumours. After that discovery, I pressed the issue with my neurologist who had already referred me to a neurosurgeon way back in November 2006 and he wrote the Ontario Minister of Health to ask for permission to grant funding for the surgery to happen in the States as the availability of neurobeds in Ontario is not the best. FYI, it would have cost 250K to have surgery in the States. Well, that letter prompted a sudden interest for my previously referred neurosurgeon to call me with less than a week's notice to have brain surgery. On April 7, 2008 (almost a year now!) I had a nine hour surgery to remove the two tumours. My recovery was relatively smooth and I am back to normal and feeling fine. I am very thankful, grateful and blessed to have had my health issues finally resolved, but I guess what I wanted to contribute to this post was hope as well as consensus that there is a problem with our health care system, to have so many people with serious health issues left in limbo for years before they get their issues dealt with. I was on steroids and seven other meds for a year and a half and it certainly does stuff to your system, not to mention you feel like a ticking time bomb. So to everyone out there, stay strong, keep the faith and never stop fighting.

[dealsniffer]

Hey Dealsniffer, glad your therapy is helping. Wouldn`t it be nice though if regenerating nerves wouldn`t cause pain? Do you know how long your recovery will take? Hope the pain doesn`t last too long.

Thanks-expected recovery is different in every case supposedly but the nerves supposedly could take up to a year to get back to normal and I had my last surgery Aug 08 so it could be till Aug or shorter or longer. My surgeon is confident that I will be well enough that I can manage a vacation in the summer-but not that I need a vacation after the last two years of being stuck in bed! But considering that I have had chronic pain almost my entire life-even another 6 months would not be unbearable to get through. I am seeing improvements and even though it is too slow in my opinion, I am getting there. Then again, most things take too long in my opinion! lol I am not a patient person but I think after the last 5 yrs in particular that have probably been the worst for me-I think I have become a more patient person. It seems like a lifetime ago that I had to stop working because the pain got so bad! And it is only 5 yrs ago in reality! But it is neat that there is actually a possibility of an end to a life of pain and I can live a life I actually never thought would be possible! I will still have some pain and stuff but nothing I can't handle. Sorry to go on about this but this is truly something I used to dream about and now I can possibly live it. I used to always ask why I couldn't have just one day pain free and wished for it and now hopefully it is going to happen! Actually probably most days almost pain free! I wish I could take away everyone else's pain and almost feel guilty for being able to get better when so many people can't. This summer I want to go mountain hiking again which I haven't been able to do for about 5yrs when things started to get so bad. Even when I could do it-it wasn't easy and I am hoping that will be different now. I love the view from the top of the mountain-there is nothing like it and I feel like I have accomplished something and the view takes your breath away. In a way this disorder has been my mountain and I feel like I am getting near the top so to speak. Anyways I will stop rambling on now! thanks for listening!

[Crochetlady]

Happy to hear the end is in sight. Chronic pain does tend to make us more patient. Sometimes I think I have two speeds- slow and stop. lol. Don`t feel guilty about getting better. Just get out there and do some neat things for those of us who can`t. You`re right, there`s nothing like the view from the top of a mountain. In 2000 we went to AB for my nephew`s wedding. We took the tram up the mountain at Jasper. It was breathtaking.

[dealsniffer]

Thanks! When I finally manage to get up a mountain again I will take pics and post them! I feel lucky to live in Alberta and be so close to the mountains-hiking in the mountains is amazing! It has just been so incredibly frustrating not being able to do it.

[Angela273]

I need to vent some.

I have been having a number of small and relatively minor complications due to my blood clots and related treatments over the past week or so. I am taking 7 university courses this term and it is a stressful time of year.

I caught some type of bug/flu just over a week ago that is still playing havoc with my guts. If that were not bad enough, I have old pulmonary embolisms in my right lung that give me stabbing chest pain when I get stressed. It is likely because when a person is experiencing stress, they tend to breathe less deeply and do not completely exercise their lungs. This resulted in a considerable amount of chest pain last week, particularly on Th and Fri. I wear a compression stocking on my left leg and have sore toes on that foot from wearing my doctor Scholl dress shoes while teaching last week. These toes are continually compressed and therefore causing me even more pain. I also have the "lovely" side effect of excessive bleeding due to my blood thinners. I have a couple very small wounds on my hand that would normally have not bled the way they did, nor would they still be this painful three days after the fact, if I was not taking this medication. *sigh*

I'm stressed about year end papers and am waiting to see if a professor is going to grant me a short extension on the 10page, 35% essay that is due tomorrow. I know that on some level just venting about this is another way for me to procrastinate.

[Angela273]

Yay!

My professor just granted me the extension until Thursday, as I had requested. She also said that I can take longer without any problems. I'm just hoping to not have it for the weekend. I am registered with DSS (Disability Services for Students) at my university, so she agreed that she already had enough documentation from me and does not require a doctor's note. I'm still working on the paper, I just don't have a looming deadline.

Thanks for listening.

[Crochetlady]

Sorry to hear you`re having a rough time Angela. Hope you feel better soon. It`s great that they gave you an extension on your essay deadline.

[Angela273]

Thanks. All sorts of unexpected problems (some of which I did not write about) can get in the way of the best laid plan.

[dealsniffer]

hey Angela-did you get your paper done? How are you feeling? Sorry I didn't say anything sooner. Is anything improving or are you still having alot of pain? Hopefully at least some of the stuff is not so bad if not all the stuff not so bad. It is also good that you have an understanding professor as well. Well keep us updated and if you write here and I don't see it-feel free to pm me that you wrote here and I will come on here-I don't always notice when people post on here. I try to keep checking. Sorry about that.

[Angela273]

Thanks dealsniffer.
I'm still working on that paper. I can hand it in on Monday. I have a lot to do academically in the next week. I have a take home final exam, a 60% unit plan to finish, a major project for a pass/fail course, and this essay that I have an extension on. Ah well, I took this morning off to have a break.

My leg has been acting up the last couple days, but it is tolerable at the moment. I just purchased three new pairs of compression stockings this week. They should help with the circulation, since my other pairs are worn out. They are only guaranteed to be at the right compression for 6months. I'll keep you updated.

[dealsniffer]

hey Angela-seems like you have a lot on your plate! I hope the new stockings help like you are hoping! It is good to have a break every once in awhile too. You will do more harm than good if you over do it or something. Well hopefully your leg starts feeling better soon!

[Angela273]

I took this morning off from university related work, but I somehow managed to get a migraine that does not want to go away. *sigh* Just my luck.