Pain Management Community

Hello & Welcome 77grace!

Rest assured that you are in good company. It must have been tough to have finally gotten off the stuff then turn around only to need it again. Being in chronic pain is a real knee-slapper, isn't it? Sometimes you have to look on the bright side in order to see the myriad blessings you have received. I'll share a few of mine: I have so many more hours in my day (because pain either keeps me awake or wakes me several times in the night). I get personal one-on-one attention at my PM's office (at a recent visit there, I was rising from my chair when a horrific stabbing pain struck between my shoulder blades and lower back causing me to black-out, lose control of my bladder then fall to the floor after-which I puked all over myself and the carpet in a waiting room full of people). It vastly improved my dancing skills (I am, without question, unchallenged as "Best" when performing the difficult yet breathtakingly graceful dance known as the "Jerk"). There are too many more "perks" chronic pain brings you to mention.

Seriously, everyone who must deal not only with pain 24/7 (and that alone is a heavy load !) must also try to hide just how bad they REALLY feel. Everywhere you look - newspaper, TV, the web - will have another story about another pain clinic being busted, another greedy, oath-breaking doctor, and Oh! Look at all those no-good junkies packed like sardines in that pill-mill to feed their habit and/or bring back home to sell to elementary school children! Thank you. I will now get off my soap-box.

You didn't say what happened to you that landed you in our community. Most of us have spinal problems. My nightmare started in 1995 when I found I couldn't move my head without causing excruciating pain. I had surgery but was left with deafness in my left ear plus a few other unpleasantries. In 2005 I had another surgery on my cervical spine. This time I got out with numbness in my fingertips, etc., blah, blah, blah. The 3rd surgery was in February of this year. I waited a little too long this time. My spinal cord is permanently damaged. I have cauda equina syndrome. I have partly lost the use of my right leg. I can walk if I use a walker. If you call it walking. I kind of hop with my left leg, then drag my right leg forward. I go to a respectable pain clinic every month & I also must take very strong narcotics that only makes the pain slightly bearable so I can get up in the morning. I cope by trying to laugh as much & as often as I can. I cope by praying as much & as often as I can.

You hang in there. This is only my 2nd post. The first one some of you might remember. I'm the one that had my meds stolen by my stepdaughter.

Hi baylor1951,
Thank you for your response!That was my first post so it is nice to see that!Your pain and problems sound like a real
bummer!
You know,there are so many of us with terribe pain a nd its comforting to have a place to share this with others who know !
I have been thinking lately about how tired I am of complining about one pain or another,I don't so it all the time but I am tired of it being such a big part ofme
So for me I am going to try to limit it!
You asked what my pain is?Well,it started as a teenager with very bad headaches and these continued a very long time!
I was about 20 yrs when I went to a Dr. and through many tests found out that I have Nuerofibromatosis!It' a strange nurological disease which causes tumors to grow in different places!Mine are in the spinal area!They grow on the nerves so it causes very severe pain!I I don't need to get into all the medical info ,only want you and others to know it is spinal! I like what you said about laughing,it doe's help,actually ,I was thinking of watdhing some funny movies tohelp with this really rough cycle(you know,different levals of pain)I have been at about a nine for awhile!!
I really liked what you said about Prayer! It is essential for me.also trying to get out of self and help others!!!
You hang in there too,take care!!

Hi9Again,
it's me 77grace!Thanks again for your reply!
I was wondering if you might know more about this site?I noticed I had 2 replies but I could find yours!I clicked on 2 relies ,did I do it right??
Hope your having an O.k. day!
Thanks,77grace

Why can't you "keep taking more?" What's wrong with that? Opiates are natural to the human body. We have opiate receptors in our brain to reduce and manage pain. The human body can sustain a lifetime with opiates without causing any tissue or organ damage. So, why can't you continue? Are you concerned about addiction? Although the rate of addiction among chronic pain patients is well below 3%, it can be a problem for those with a prior history of addiction disorder. In that case many physicians substitute opiate antagonists, like Suboxone or Naloxone. They have the potential for chronic pain efficacy, without the addictive potential. Of course, if religion has "pulled you through," then your problem has been resolved.

Sorry, Charles, I disagree on this one. A doctor has to write the RX, so she can't just take more. Also if her present doctor dies or retires or moves away, and she has to find a new doctor, how difficult might it be if she is on a very high dose of opiates?

She also has previous addiction problems, once one has had that problem, it seldom is resolved forever.

Anyhow, if I were her I would try everything but opiates first. I found cognitive behavioral therapy to be very useful.

Take care, Annette

Hi Annette,
Thanks for your post and opinion!
I agree that addicts should be very careful and yes I have tried many different kinds of treatments including pain meds (not narcartic,meidation,relaxation massage ,believe me the works!!!
I'm not going to go on and on about that!I had 15 yrs sober when (after surgery,Tumors on spine)I needed meds.
Anyway,All 3 Drs. agreeded I should accept the fact that if I wanted to be able to get out of bed I should take pain meds!
But ,Bottom line what I really want to express is that threw(can't spell)the Power of GOD and my srtong belief in him he helps me !I don't try to control it,I turn it all over to him to do that and I'm honest with others who are close to me!
Take care too,77grace

Hi cweinbl,
Thanks for your input!As Annette said,it is prescribed and I can't just take what ever I want when I want!The problem is my tolerence is just about shot!
Yes I have tried Subxone and other like meds!
Your right ,God has pulled me through the addiction part,but its still"one day at a time"
I've read several of you posts,you sound like you have alot of knowledge on all this!are you in the medical profeeson??
Take care ,77grace

I do not consider taking a prescribed pain pill for physical pain as breaking your sober time. I would still consider you clean and sober.

Whatever helps you is fine, since your belief in a higher power is strong, hang on to it, and you will be fine.

I personally believe in CBT, it has worked for me in some really hard times.

Take care, Annette

Hi anette030,Thanks,I agree,I still consider myself Cean and sober ,just sometimes wish things were different!
I don't know if you read about what illness I have But it gets frustrating because of the location of the tumors!
There have been some procedures that pain specialists can do but,they can't on me,its to risky,could cause me to be paralized!
Anyway,tell me more aboutCBT!
I am always open!
Take care too,grace

My mental health therapist suggested a book to me called "Feeling Good" by Dr. David Burns, MD. It is available in paperback and has gone through multiple editions, you may even find it in a thrift store. I got it for less than $20 at one of the big box book stores. It includes worksheets and so on that you can use to track your progress. I only picked out some of the techniques and it cured my depression. No drugs at all, though it is fine to use them with CBT. They use CBT for many things nowadays.

Another book I found to be very helpful is "Managing Pain Before It Manages You" by Dr. Margaret A. Caudill, MD, PhD. Also was about $20. Not sure what it costs now.

Both use CBT techniques, the first for depression and anxiety, the second for pain management.

Take care, Annette