Chronic Pain Suffers HOW DO YOU HANDLE PAIN?

[corarose]

It is so cold in Chicago and I can't deal with the severe pain in my hands and body.

I have RSD which is Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy and I am on disability for the pain. The pain is so bad that I was placed on Disability by the SSD Doctors and that is rare.

Since Friday I have had to deal with some major stress and the weather in Chicago is rainy and cold.

How does the cold and rain affect you?

Does stress make your pain worse?

I am in a tremendous amount of pain and the several beers mixed with two Darvocets didn't even help.

[E_Zapata]

1. let's see.......

alcohol thins the blood and decreases circulation. It also requires a lot more energy to be expended to digest the sugars......
and mixing it with darvocet?

You need some outside help, corarose. You are failing yourself right and left -- and it seems like you think the rest of the world has the tolerance for it, when we DO take responsibility for our lives and health. Tough love is all I can offer you.

And to answer your question......the cold does not affect my chronic pain. But when I do have pain.....I use a homeopathic cream called Traumeel. But it doesn't mix well with beer and darvocet.

[corarose]

2. I never drink except for tonight ( I messed up one time & I need help)

I love winter but my body hates it and the pain from losing my Cat didn't help.

I am fine and I am a responsible person hell I take care of two adults that I am sick of.

[lcordero]

3. I've been looking into alternative medicine lately

I've been taking EDTA(to see if I can improve the quality of my sleep) for the last week. I've been able to hold my breath without any discomfort. I have been sleeping better too.

[corarose]

4. Is it prescription?

My pain is so bad I am thinking that I am going to end up in the hospital again from it.

I was on pain injections and I don't want them any more.

They were going to put a pain pump in me but I refused that also.

You mentioned sleep What's That? LOL!

I sleep two hours on and two hours I am up and then I go back to sleep for a couple of hours.

I have to go back to my Neurologists for an emergency appt. He told me that I needed to move to a warmer climate.

Are you afraid of coughing of sneezing?

[lcordero]

6. it's not prescription

EDTA is seems to help cardiovascular function and is a detoxifying agent...it is supposed to pull heavy metals and fluorides out of muscle tissue and brain tissue.

[lcordero]

7. it's OTC

I've had issues that I haven't been able to resolve even though I stopped smoking 2 years ago...I take that back, I get a harder woody now that I stopped smoking two years ago:D

[Metatron]

9. Weather seems to affect my chronic pain, too

Although stress and a lack of sleep are much harder for my body to cope with. None of the painkillers, muscle relaxants, etc., have ever seemed to help. I finally was prescribed a medicine that allows me to get a full night's sleep, and it seems to have taken away a lot of the pain (or at least made it manageable).

BTW, that damn cold Chicago wind is the sole reason I didn't move there years ago!

[Gloria]

13. Koleszar, what is that medication?? I have trouble sleeping

because I can't position myself comfortabley....email me privately if you so choose..

Thanks

[corarose]

14. I am in horrible pain right now because

My Sister sent me out to pick up some candles for her on Damen & North Ave and it was so cold on the corner that I thought that I was going to end up in the hospital again.

The wind cuts right through your body even if you have the warmest coat on.

I could use a good nights sleep because I haven't had one in months.

What is your pain from and is it chronic?

[Shakespeare]

17. Why doesn't your sister go get them herself?

:shrug:

[corarose]

19. She hung paper on the man and paid him off but

She is too embarrassed to go in because of a check bouncing one time.

It was paid off but she can't face him.

[Shakespeare]

20. um....then just tell her NO

Tell her to grow the hell up and take responsibility for herself. If she paid for it, then she has nothing else to feel bad about. It's over and done with.

[corarose]

23. I paid it off for her one time out of my SSD check

I know it was paid off and I don't know if you remember me posting about the guy who asked me to take nude pictures of him a few weeks back.
It was in that building and I am so afraid of going into it.

If I don't go she keeps running her mouth until I have to go.

I then make her clean the whole house and then I go for her.

[TrogL]

5. My partner uses...

medical marijuana - indica with a lot of CBD's, and the thing Rush was/is addicted to.

[corarose]

8. Rush wants it all for himself

I wanted to try oxycotton but because of Rush it has been taken off of the market.

[prolesunited]

10. Oxycontin hasn't been taken off the market

Because of its addicitive nature, it is difficult to get.

BTW, drinking and taking painkiller is a sure way to end up in the ER or dead. Are you still drinking now or have you stopped?

[roughsatori]

15. I just picked-up a prescription of Oxy-Contin for my Father

He has cancer. It has not been taken off the market.

[OneBlueSky]

28. I'm use oxycontin under a doctor's care . . .

I see pain specialists at a well-known rehab facility, and they prescribe oxycontin for chronic pain . . . mine results from a condition called cauda equina syndrome, which is essentially a form of spinal cord injury . . . resulted from a massive herniated disc 13 years ago that went undiagnosed way too long . . . the oxy helps, but if I could find another effective therapy, I'd just as soon do so . . . we're going to try neurontin, which is an anti-seizure med that sometimes helps with neuropathic pain . . . my suggestion would be to find a pain specialist or a pain clinic and work with them to find something that works for you . . . good luck . . .

on edit: needless to say, oxycontin is not off the market . . . but general practitioners are extremely reluctant to prescribe it do to the stories of misuse . . . that's why finding a pain specialist would be your best bet . . .

[Gloria]

11. A warmer climate may indeed help......I was slowly dying in the damp and

dirty winters of NJ (asthma, bronchitis). I spent a winter in NM and saw some improvement. So I moved here and within weeks, I screwed up my back and had surgery. I, too, am on disability. While my pain is probably not as severe as yours, I do have some pretty miserable days....esp. when we have a turn in the weather, from dry to damp, as we had the last two days.
The difference in how my body felt in general was amazing. I was aching all over and my back and atrophied leg were just awful. Not sharp pain, but that deep, gnawing, dull sort of pain that can make you go nuts. I feel it all the time, but it just gets unbearable when there is a major shift of climate.
From what I understand, big shifts in barometric pressure can really be the culprit. Having lived in Milwaukee years ago, I can understand that Chicago must have the same patterns. Down here in Southern NM, there is a much more stable situation, which really helps the body. Also, because it is much drier, dampness becomes less of a problem. (I'm feeling a little "chesty" now as the humidity is still up a bit after the two days of rain we had).

My 81 year old mother feels much better down here, also.

So, it would be worth your while to do some research, pick a spot, and spend a few months during the season which causes you the most trouble.

Moving to Las Cruces, NM is the best thing I could have done. Not only for the back problems, but for the asthma/bronchitis problem that was doing me in. I haven't had bronchitis in 3 or 4 years (since moving here); colds just don't blossom into more trouble like they did in the long, damp, dreary days in NJ. Here, except for a couple of cold weeks in December, I can sit outside and feel warm sun....it'
wonderful, for the body as well as the spirit!!

[FloridaJudy]

12. Find a Doc who knows about pain!

There are many different therapies that can help you cope with pain. I spent years in agony before an MD put me on low-dose anti-depressants and anti-epileptic meds for an unrelated problem. Now my pain is manageable.

Massage, yoga, and meditation help as well.

BTW, Darvocette's a perfectly lousy drug; doesn't do much for pain, has nasty side-effects and can be deadly when combined with alcohol. Ask about long-acting Fentanyl, or sustained-release morphine instead. Some Docs will shy away from these because they're Opiates ("horrors!"), but the sustained-release forms will NOT get you high, and they're the most effective pain-killers around.

And I absolutely am NOT recommending this - I don't want to lose my license - but there is another medication many chronic pain sufferers have found effective. It can be grown in your backyard or closet, and is usually smoked. It has no side effects, aside from the fact that if John Ashcroft finds you using it, he will throw your butt in jail for about a zillion years...

[corarose]

18. My pain is so bad that I want on injections in the neck

Yoga helped your pain? I am so happy to hear it is manageable and It makes me feel good when I hear that someone has overcome their pain condition. I use to go on a pain board on AOHELL and the stories that you would hear would bring a tear to your eye.

I must have went to over 20 Doctors before I found the right one.

I was taking 100 Aleve's in a weeks time and I started having nose bleeds that wouldn't stop and I also had bruising all of my body and I got to the point that I was too scared to go to the Doctor because I thought that I had Lupus, Cancer or something bad.

They tested me for everything and I mean everything. It took me 3 years to finally find my Doctor who is a Neurologist and he is an older Doctor who carries a little black bag.

I didn't have money to go to him and he told me that I could pay him when I go back to work someday. He is in Evanston in a large practice and they allowed me to come to him without paying him.

He put me on pain medicine the first time that he took a look at me.

I love that Doctor and he is an honest Doctor. He keeps telling me that I have to move to a warmer climate but I love my City.

I don't smoke but I would be willing to try anything to get rid of this pain. Too bad Asscrack has banned so many drugs that would help pain patients.

I hope he doesn't pull his back out someday and experience pain that would be horrible.

[prolesunited]

26. What drugs that would help has Asscrack banned?

You still didn't answer my question either. Are you still drinking? Have you taken any more pain pills?

[FloridaJudy]

31. Asscrack has a problem

With an innocuous herb that has been found in several burial sites thoughout the Middle East. It's MUCH less dangerous than alcohol, and has a long history of being used as a tranquilizer and pain-killer.

Like you, I deplore drinkers and druggers.

But the folks who use this un-named substance tend to be harmless. They lie on their backs on my front lawn saying "Oh, Wow! Look at the stars!".

They don't attack each other with broken bottles, or rip off my VCR.

[bleedingheart]

16. I exercise and take Ibuprofen for my herniated discs

it is bugging me really bad right now due to asthma/coughing problems.. I may need surgery in a few years but I hope to delay that as long as possible.

I can't take any narcotics...they make me puke...

I found that doing my PT exercises helped my back...oh I loved PT...they would do this warm heating pad like thing... moist heat...I would fall asleep.....

[lcordero]

21. Army PT?

If so what exercises out of the FM21-20?

[lcordero]

22. oops

PT for physical therapy

[jonoboy]

24. TRY THIS..IT WORKS

according to my friends. Ive just ordered one for chronic osteo athritis in my knees. I will find out their distributor in the US.
It's Russian..must be good! Enar Space Healer

www.enlightenedtherapies.com

[otohara]

25. Sounds Like You Should Be On Nerve Pain Med

Neurontin is an anticonvulsant that is very similar to valproic acid. Anticonvulsants prevent burning type of neuropathic pain such as seen in diabetes, shingles, and
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). Different types of pain require different anticonvulsants:

Neurontin is the most over used medicine in RSD. The dosage of Neurontin in children and the elderly is as low as 300-600 mg per day. In adults it is 1800-2600 mg per day, with a maximum of 3600 mg per day, anything above that dosage causes drowsiness, fatigue, inactivity, irritability, and depression. "The more is not the merrier."

Neurontin knocked me on my ass - I went back to Trileptal which also is for nerve pain - http://www.rsdrx.com/rsdpuz4.0/puz_95.htm

I take this wonderful cocktail of a serious narcotic pain med (not Oxycontin, it made me really ill) muscle relaxer - nerve pain Trileptal and for the stress of pain, my favorite little blue pill. Because the pain freaks me out and yes stress is awful for pain.

I also do alternative things, which includes:
Massage Oil w/ Arnica - add to it a few drops of Herb Pharm's Liquid Lightning - wonderful for immediate warming and relaxing muscles - neck and shoulders is wonderful.
http://www.herb-pharm.com/Search/search_fs.html
http://www.mothernature.com/shop/detail.cfm/sku/57445

MSM helps with inflamation & pain: http://www.drrons.com/msm.html - P5P a special form of B6 is especially good for hand pain and stress, especially - People with Hand injuries from Carpal Tunnel really respond to P5P/B6 -http://www.internalhealth.com/pyridoxal_5_phosphate.htm

If you're cold, go to Walgreens and get an Electric Throw $29.99 - stay warm -

I've been dealing with chronic pain for many years now - Darvocet alone won't do shit and it' not good for your liver.

You need new doctors, or do some serious research on the internet regarding treatments for RDS and bring it into him.

PM me if you need more info regarding my road to pain management. My current cocktail is very effective. I dont want to go into the names of the meds on the board.

[Dogmudgeon]

27. Drugs. Heat. Laughter.

One of the bad things about RSD is that it's very attention-grabbing pain. I have the "small-fiber" version of it; my doctor calls it "alpha sprouting". Thick-fiber RSD can be a real bitch, but it also tends to remit after a while. Small comfort, I know, but it's something to look forward to.

If you think you can handle oxycodone (Oxycontin), then you can handle PCA -- the "drug pump". The tolerance and addiction factors from PCA are very low, certainly lower than oxycodone.

If Rushbo really was in pain, he should have gotten a PCA device rather than just popping 120 pills a day. Which makes me think the pain he was treating was emotional, not physical.

Heat is also very good. You may be able to get a heat lamp or a mini-sauna if your doctor prescribes it.

Bundle up and watch some comedies or The Comedy Network. When I was in the worst of my pain in my early 20s, I taught myself how to write comedy -- not only did it make me laugh, it also got my mind off the pain. I'm going through a high-pain period right now, and I've been writing a lot (not just comedy).

I also like to take long walks. Walking also increases my temperature enough to dull the pain. I'm not sure of what your situation is concerning walking, but I'm not even supposed to be able to walk with my balance problems. But I do it anyway because after I get "warmed up", it gives me such relief.

Whatever you can do, good luck with it.

--bkl

[Shakespeare]

29. Laughter! You just jogged my memory about something...

Time to recommend another book(s): Norman Cousins' Anatomy of an Illness.

In it, he addresses the importance of laughter in the healing process (drawn from personal experience as well as from research). He authored several other books, all of them outstanding.

[northofdenali]

30. corarose, RUN, don't walk - to a pain specialist.

There's a number of them in the Chicago area. I have fibromyalgia, and there are NO pain specialists and only 2 rheumatologists in Alaska, so I had to go Outside to get diagnosed and then again to be "fixed".

Lots of things help. Support from friends is one of the biggest.

PM me and I'll let you know what I learned. My pain is chronic, constant, and occasionally unbearable - but I can still work almost every day. YES, weather makes a difference - 33 below tonight, but the northern lights are out and that helps.

:loveya: girl - hang in there. :hug:

[Cheswick2.0]

32. I refuse to give in to it

I have 3 herniated discs in my back (from two accidents) and I have arthritis in my back from the deterioration of my bones. I wake up and go to sleep in pain every day. There has not been a day in 15 years that I wasn't in pain. I take at most 6 aleve a day, I get up and function and I refuse to give in to it.
The times I felt the worst were when I sat around nursing my injury.

My neighbor has what you have. She works everyday and takes a walk every night. She says it helps to excercise. I have no idea if that would work for everyone.

[ScreamingMeemie]

33. Yoga.

Trying to center myself and delve into the pain that I suffer sometimes goes a great deal farther than Vicodin in helping me manage. Even just being in the sponge position in a dark room shedding thought on the pain helps.

Good luck to you. Be careful about the mixing though, okay?

[corarose]

34. I had a half of a pony beer

They are 7 ounces and I had about 3 1/2 ounces. I don't want to get drunk but I need to feel good sometimes.

[ScreamingMeemie]

35. Sorry to sound too motherly corarose, I just worry about my

fellow DUers.

Try the yoga though. It does help sometimes.

:hug: Laura

[Individualist]

36. Cold, rain and stress

all cause a worsening of my chronic pain (rheumatoid arthritis). Unfortunately rheumatologists in this area focus only on meds which slow the progression of the disease and prescribe nothing for pain control. Try using a heating pad; if you don't have one, try immersing your hands in warm water for at least 10 to 15 minutes at a time.

[CO Liberal]

37. I Wear a TENS Unit and Take Relafen

The TENS unit send electrical pulses to adhesive patches I stick on either side of my back where the damaged discs are. Relafen is a prescription pain reliever that doesn't cause drowsiness - very important for me, because I drive over 40 miles each way to work.