Where are my "Pain Peas" at???

I am right there with you. I get migraines so bad that they last for weeks sometimes months. I am allergic to the migraine meds and Nordics so I was screwed until Oregon legalized marijuana. It has taken me since last October to figure out what works for me. I have severe pain in my hips and lower back. I also have depression, anxiety, panic attacks, social phobia. I was to the point 5 years ago I couldn't walk into a grocery store with out panicking and leaving.  I now can do anything. I have even gotten a job again and I haven't had one panic attack.

My migraines are more under control now then they ever have been for all my life. I have had 1 triggered migraine but it didn't go into a full migraine and was gone in under 2 hours.  

I am no longer on any depression pills. Through therapy with an awesome counselor I have came along way.

I would never have been able to leave the RAT BAT if I didn't start smoking marijuana. I was on so many different depression and anxiety pills that I lost count years ago. I can say that I feel different as well. I know I can do anything I put my mind to it. I mean I found and got a job with one interview ans one test drive in the van. 4 days after starting my job I hit a parked car because the brake calipers went out. and for all of you (like me) that didn't know what a caliper was it is the part that holds the brake pads that squeezes the pads on to the brake drum that stops the vehicle. Without them the van didn't stop.  Even 1 year ago I would have started balling and I wouldn't have been able to handle the situation professionally and safely like I did.  No I wasn't on marijuana while I was driving. I will never do that Nor have I or will I ever drive after drinking.  But my changed mindset and with my fears under control I have been able to live a pretty normal life. 

I just saw a paid dr for the first time since 2013. Same dr, but seeing him for different reasons now.

I am so limited in what meds I can take that I had been told by other doctors that I was just going to have to deal with it.

Long story short, I am now on the 25mcg Fentanyl patch. One every 3 days, though he okayed adding a 2nd patch on the 3rd day, if needed.

It's not my most favorite thing, to be on pain meds all the time. But since I'm not working and not driving, I may as well not be in so much pain, either. This doesn't take it all away, but at least knocks it down some. Better than nothing at all.

ETA.....Wow, when I started this NOVEL.....hee hee....the last poster was Dorimambear.  
typing alllll this out, plus cooking a bit and doing laundry made a lot of time go by!



((( hugs ))) to all of you that are posting, and those who are just reading----My sincere hugs & prayers! I know how hard it is!!!

@bergdorfblond----Sorry you're still in so much pain---ugh!

vspindler ----Sorry this week has been rougher on you.....for me, every day is totally different !

@dorimamabear----SO happy for you to have relief---that is AWESOME!!! What is a "RAT BAT?"

I have also definitely considered marijuana; and if it ever becomes legal here, I am willing to try it !!! My various pain
issues are about the same; some days I have hours of minimal or NO pain, and I obviously cherish those times!!! But
it usually creeps back up from either overdoing it, or I make one small, wrong move, and ----WHOA!----the pain! It
is SO annoying! For example, I was relaxing in the recliner, then I got up slowwwwly, as I always do---and
I turned just a tiny bit, and ---WOW----the severe PAIN in my hip was unbelievable!

My more recent problem of my hands hurting is sometimes VERY hard to deal with---talk about interfering with everyday
tasks! I have cut WAY down on using my phone for anything---especially texting! Until this pain started about 8 months ago,
I didn't realize how HEAVY that stupid phone actually is---well, it is when you hold it for a long time----And, I also realized
any typing I did was with my thumb only----no WONDER my thumb was killing me! LOL! Since switching to laptop (hence,
typing with both hands like a normal person---hee hee) for
online things (like here, facebook, other sites), it has helped a lot. The times my hand(s) are really hurting; I try not to type at all.


But aside from the obvious reasons for my hand pain (age, overuse!!!), what also troubles me is the sometimes veryyy
painful tingling and numbness in my non-dominant hand. I'm planning to go to a rheumatologist and see what this is all
about. I've been putting it off because of other doctor's appointments. physical therapy, and the HEAT have just done me in!
Along with all of the pain issues, I recently had peri-rectal fistula surgery (fun times!!!), which has required many follow-ups with my surgeon
for minor wound issues. He has had to cauterize the wound 3 times since the surgery----omg, the pain !!!!!! Sooo, you can see why I just have NOT had the energy to go to a whole new doctor, get all new tests, blah blah blah....but I will.



For my hip (arthritis, bone spurs, and bursitis), I had my second fluroscopic steroid injection a few weeks ago, and it has helped a bit, and is lasting a bit longer than my
last one in February; so I'm very grateful !!! The last injection gave me one month of relief; and as many of you know, SOME
people get up to a YEAR of relief----I wish I was one of those people! My dear friend has my same hip issues, and she also had relief for about a year from a steroid injection. I asked peAple on here one time about how long their relief was; and there were many different
answers.


The hardest decision I need to make in the near future is which surgery to have first,.....the left hip, or the right foot....the foot recovery
is going to be MUCH harder, I think. The REALLY hard part is going to be how I'm going to manage the non-weight bearing part for
alllll those weeks. Not to mention, getting up from chair, bed, and putting lots of weight onto my poor HANDS to use a walker / wheelchair!?!?! My wonderful, awesome physical therapist tries to encourage me and says I can get a walker that has
hand/arm supports----so there's some good news


Oh, I just remembered---a GREAT thing! I've lost 19 pounds thus far!!! Obviously, I realize that EVERY extra pound I carry
just adds to the stress of my poor joints! I'm also going to start swimming laps at the Y again-----I couldn't swim for quite a while because of my fistula wound problems....arrrghhh! I also keep "MEANING" to go to Yoga----I know it'd be awesome !!!

I mentioned a plant called "Kratom" that is used for pain relief, energy increase, better sleep, and some use it to help them overcome addiction to pain meds/ it has supposedly also helped former heroin addicts. I've mentioned it here before on diffferent threads; some of you maybe haven't seen those. It helps me a bit
with my pain, and sometimes helps my energy level----but it depends on how bad the pain is that day. Bergorf--- I don't know if you / your pain mgmt doctor would
want you to consider it, but it is illegal in about 6 (?) states, and I *think* Florida is one of them. But aside from that, it shouldn't
be taken with opiates and/or some other meds, so I don't know if any of you are interested in trying it, but I wanted to mention it
again. I've told 2 of my doctors that I take it, and I wasn't surprized that neither of them have heard of it.

If anyone is interested,
I highly recommend you check out the American Kratom Association website. They show all the latest news (which, infortunately,
most is negative), but you can read peoples' testimonies. I believe what those people write, because I have been helped a lot
by Kratom, too! I hope it doesn't become illegal in any more states! UGH! On the really bad days of pain, I take 7.5 Norco---
it BARELY touches my pain. I feel less pain by icing my foot / heating my hip, and taking Kratom (word of caution---it tastes
HORRIBLE!!!----I mix it in sugar-free applesauce or Greek yogurt).



Ugh, there are times it is all just TOOO overwhelming and I feel hopeless. I keep thinking a counselor would be good to talk with.
I mainly want help in getting over the grieving of how active I used to be, I miss the 12- hour shifts I used to work, and I've always
LOVED being on my feet.....Thank the Good Lord, the hopelessness has
decreased a LOT! I am also thankful for prayer---I know it helps, and I have a lot of sweet family and friends praying for me. I
have also recently gone to chronic pain websites to commiserate with others who know what it's like. Anyway.....((( hugs ))))
& prayers to all of you!

I have a TON of sympathy for chronic migraine sufferers!!! I cannot even imagine! I hope that Botox works for you, happymomma!!!


I get some BAD sinus headaches (especially before it rains----OMG!!), and I can barely handle those-----that is why I have the utmost
sympathy for migraine sufferers----I have a few close friends that have them......those damn headaches are just debilitating, aren't they?? (( hugs ))


P.S....have any of you who suffer migraines tried chiropractic?  Two close friends of mine have ben helped A LOT by it!  They both go regularly---one of them hasn't had a migraine in years, and one gets them a lot less now; but she also says changing her diet to Paleo is also a factor.  
  

I don't personally suffer from chronic pain, but my DH does. He's been going to a Pain Mgmt doctor for years and it's a freaking joke. He's treated like a drug-seeker even though he has an obviously painful disability that he's had since childhood. Like you, @bergdorfblonde, DH goes every 3 months and gets the same routine with questions and the Dr refusing to increase/change his meds. Won't even discuss alternatives treatments.

It's maddening.

DH has learned to just deal with it and not push himself too hard, but you can see it in eyes. The pain and the frustration of not being able to do things or some days not even function at all. It breaks my heart and I feel for everyone who deals with chronic pain.

L

@bergdorfblonde I sent you a Peamail.

For anyone wanting to know the U.S. states where Kratom is illegal :
(per American Kratom Association)

Arkansas, Alabama, Indiana, Tennessee, Wisconsin  and......
this is SO random,  @bergdorfblonde ---it is legal in all of Florida *EXCEPT* for Sarasota County.....


It is also illegal in:  Australia, Burma, Malaysia**, and Thailand**
**those are 2 countries where it's grown, and I've read that it's been used for hundreds
of years, and the REASON it's illegal there is because the opium makers were tired
of losing money.  Just as our FDA seems very threatend by it.  

bergdorf......Sorry you're in more pain than usual !!!! (( hugs ))

femalebusiness ......SO happy you had success and are pain-free! My doctor was hoping I wouldn't need a replacement for
about 8 more years; but since my recent xrays-------not so much! Ugh, and those ugly bone spurs all over the bones---
plus, bursitis----no wonder it hurts so much! I'm skeeered to have surgery, but it needs to be done! Thank you for
the encouragement! I've had 2 orthopedic doctors say they don't know WHY my arthritis is as advanced as it is for my
age.


On a positive note, I wanted to add that I'm blessed with a good sense of humor, which helps a LOT! My dear, fun 85-year-old
Dad recently came for a long visit, and I know it hurt his heart to see me in so much pain. Sometimes I'd hug him and
briefly wallow in my misery, and he was very sweet. He took nice brisk walks in the morning, and I wished I could've joined him like
I used to.


Thank God, we're both nutty and silly and sometimes made jokes about it.
On my bad HAND days, he'd help me reach things,etc.....I think he was kinda shocked at the bad days when I couldn't
can't even open a package of cheese, but---again, we sometimes made jokes about it, which helps. I COULD be miserable
and sad all the time, but I refuse to give into it 24/7 !!! He and I are similar in that we like
being independent and don't like asking for help. I am honestly SO SO happy for him that at age 85, he has
no pain issues!!!

scrappintoee Rat BAt is my soon to be ex.

I would never have been able to do grooming again if I didn't find something that relieved the pain.

My jaw pain is nothing of it's former self. Today I have pain in both sides and it is making me lose my mind. It aches so much and nothing is calming it down. I need some relief. Like NOW. I am grinding my teeth and I will break another one if I am not careful. I have already broken one and I have loosened another one. My new teeth help. They do as yesterday was a pain free day. Today I am losing my mind. I wish something would ease this pain.

My pain is nothing like you ladies go through. Mine is just an annoyance compared to yours It is my annoyance, though.

Hi....I MUST share an anger-causing, yet **almost** funny thing that happened to me yesterday. 
I wear awesome wrist/ thumb splints**  on one or both hands, depending on what PAIN and/or NUMBNESS they decide to torture me with. As most of you with chronic pain of any kind; I'm 
assuming most of you experience varying pain levels day-to-day, or, sometimes it changes
hour-to-hour, doesn't it?  Arrgh! 



Sooo, I was attempting to take them off yesterday; but --irony alert----the OTHER hand I
was trying to use to take it off hurt SO much, I was almost unable to unstrap the strong
Velcro straps to take it off....I wanted them OFF so that I could wash them---Ohh, I
was mad  , but then I took a deeep breath and decided I could look at this in a humorous
way.  I also knew if I shared this with other pain peAple, you'd TOTALLLLY relate  

I'm still trying to deal with (and NOT lose my temper!!! ) when I'm unable to open thin plastic
bags with seals (such as cheeses, and just a few minutes ago, my doggies' treat bag)...Arrghhh!!
I am also struggling with how HARD it is to cook and bake sometimes...something I've always
loved!  Howeverrrrr; I have discovered that SITTING makes it way less pain-inducing!  Sheesh.....just now, I was chopping all kinds of gorgeous veggies to make a salad, forgot
to SIT while doing it, and now my joints are "talkin' to me" ---they are PISSED!  


My joints: "whyyyy didn't you SIT to do all that chopping and prepping?" 
Me:  "ugh....because this is NEW to me, and I am NOT used to sitting while cooking, so
go away and leave me alone!!!" 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anyhooo......you're all in my prayers and thoughts!!!  ((( hugs )))) to all of ya!
I'd enjoy hearing about how y'all are doing!!!  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



**P.S....if you're interested in a VERY good brace that not only helps hand & wrist; but
ALSO has a separate thingee to hold/ support your thumb, it's made by 'Mueller', and
I grabbed it at WallyWorld.  Sometimes, just my THUMBS hurt, so I love that the 
cute little thumb holder is adjustable for tightness, but ALSO---you can adjust the 
angle at which your thumb rests. To me, that extra thumb thing is a total Godsend!!! 


 

I am SO thankful for them!     I also have one of their knee
splints, which---thank God, I only need occasionally (thus far!)  If I ever met the Mueller person/ family/  or whoever designed these, I would thank them profusely!!! 



Also, if ANYone is actually reading this far---- ---I also found some gloves for my hands 
that I highly recommend;  I just enjoy the firm support of my hands; I don't necessarily
believe in their claims about copper!     They're in the "As Seen on TV" sections of stores, and
they're called "Copper Gloves" ......I have to say, I LOVE the hand ones; but I tried their
ankle and knee sleeves, and they were loose and ineffectual....I promptly returned them
for a refund! 

I'm sorry you are having pain. I often get migraines with allergies and colds, among many other triggers.

I just started Botox shots in my head for migraines. I was getting 3-4/week and, since the shots last month, I've had zero headaches. I'm so grateful.