Help Chronic Pain?

[Dead_Inside]

So I need to talk to a doctor about some chronic pain I am having. But....
I am scared they won't help me. I know they don't want to hand out opiates.... but I have been self medicating for pain with those for the last 15 months- I will admit I take them more often than I need to (they help with my depression and anxiety). But I do have real, persistent pain. It doesn't really stop- it might get a bit better... but when it's bad .... I can't live like that. I couldn't live like that... and so I fixed it for myself (didn't have insurance at the time it started so no help was available). I use RICE every night, and I bought good rub to use to try to help it. I take so much aspirin that my ears ring constantly.... but I get sick with acetaminophen.
Does anyone here suffer from chronic pain? What am I suppose to do?
I am afraid that they will just leave me like this... I want to have a legitimate source of the pills I take already.
The pain is from an injury.... and the last 4/5 months it's been getting weird. My leg is going numb- and it feels like when you hit your funny bone?
I am sure they will find out I have ALS or MS .... but hey. I already want to die soon. I just can't be a functional person without some help with pain.... and the numbness is starting to affect my ability to go up stairs.
Advice?

 

[Kdawg2018]

have you tried thc or cbd? Other options depending on your injury could be shots from the doctor to help you

 

[Dead_Inside]

The job I work for tests for THC ... not federally recognized so technically can't use it. I just want to be solid with work and medicine...
Hilariously in their opinion I can be fucking blitzed on Rx pills but marijuana? Oh no! That's a drug!

 

[Kdawg2018]

The job I work for tests for THC ... not federally recognized so technically can't use it. I just want to be solid with work and medicine...
Hilariously in their opinion I can be fucking blitzed on Rx pills but marijuana? Oh no! That's a drug!

CBD should be legal in your area

 

[Jen Erik]

Does anyone here suffer from chronic pain?

I have an arthritic back. They sent me to physical therapy. It helped a lot, at least relative to what the pain was before I did physical therapy.

The physical therapy was pretty basic, though. I met with the therapist a couple times, they showed me how to do the exercises properly, and then that was it.

 

[Kyrok]

I suffer from pretty bad chronic pain, mainly from scoliosis. It is bad enough I'm in bed from dinner onwards and sometimes can't make it through dinner.

I've been on opioids for more than a decade, and while MJ helps, I don't like it. Heavy doses of CBD are helpful, but not enough.

What I suggest is seeing your primary care doctor, get images/tests of the area. Get a referral to pain management. If you're under 35, you may not be believed without clear evidence.

Avoid taking pain meds daily or more than you absolutely need them. They can help with mood, but that doesn't last long. The less often you use them, the longer they remain effective. 90% of their mood benefit goes away within 2yrs, less if you take them daily.

 

[MsM3talGamer]

I have cancer pain which only opioids can touch. It's unbearable af.

 

[Kyrok]

I have cancer pain which only opioids can touch. It's unbearable af.

If you can tolerate its psychoactivity, try MJ on top of your opioids. Their synergy may reduce pain.

 

[Dead_Inside]

I suffer from pretty bad chronic pain, mainly from scoliosis. It is bad enough I'm in bed from dinner onwards and sometimes can't make it through dinner.

I've been on opioids for more than a decade, and while MJ helps, I don't like it. Heavy doses of CBD are helpful, but not enough.

What I suggest is seeing your primary care doctor, get images/tests of the area. Get a referral to pain management. If you're under 35, you may not be believed without clear evidence.

Avoid taking pain meds daily or more than you absolutely need them. They can help with mood, but that doesn't last long. The less often you use them, the longer they remain effective. 90% of their mood benefit goes away within 2yrs, less if you take them daily.

Yeah I believe they will give me a bit of fight with the injury- but I am willing to work with them... I have waited awhile because at first I could deal with it... then it got worse. And now I am having days were I can't manage my pain and/or I have completely weakness. I know I should have just gone in earlier... but I don't trust doctors - and I am afraid of just being pushed into a surgery that will make this go from bad to worse and see me lose mobility.
I only use them at night. I am not an asshole who would just show put to work completely messed up. But I need the pain to go away at night.... I can't sleep, and it has started to cause me a fair amount of anxiety when I can't get the pain under control.

 

[Dead_Inside]

Also- I have been prescribed Percocets before and I got very sick with them and just didn't continue them (I didn't tell the doc) . They were just for a viral infection so didn't need them long term anyway. Is it ok to tell them no Percocets? Some people said docs will think you are drug seeking if you refuse the kind they want to give you .... have any of you had luck with that?

 

[Severen]

I feel sorry for all the people who need strong painkillers because I know in the USA, the authorities are not happy with all the people abusing them and are making it difficult for people to get their hands on them. Making life more hellish for the people who need them...

 

[TheCrow]

If you think your pain could be nerve-related, maybe try a nerve blocker like gabapentin. I have CRPS, and before I got on that, my pain was so bad I couldn't even think straight enough to kill myself. You can combine that with an SSRI like Wellbutrin which surprisingly works on neuropathic pain. Again, if you think it's nerve-related pain.

 

[sadak_the_wanderer]

This is a large contributing factor in my plans. Even if other things were going well, pain makes my life miserable.

 

[Jodes]

. I just can't be a functional person without some help with pain.... and the numbness

Advice?

Get good help, or at least find out for yourself good medications to ask for. Be honest about what you're taking and experiencing, and make sure you get what you want !!

 

[Dead_Inside]

Thank you everyone. I am really appreciative of you advice. I just assume I will be told it's in my head- or that I can just deal with it. And maybe some people can. Fuck maybe I could too.... but I can't right now. I spent months trying. I really did. Then I just couldn't do it anymore.... and I started self medicating. First with alcohol, then with my left over pills....now.... fuck. Guess I am just not a good person. But it's not like people would think.... yes I need my pills. Maybe that makes me an addict. Fine. But I don't hurt anyone.
I just don't want to be in pain forever, I don't want to jolt awake because I moved wrong, I don't want to "try" and walk right because it hurts .... I don't want to be this person.... I really don't. No one wants to have this limping, complaing, pill taking POS in their life. And neither do I.

 

[Stillnotsure]

So I need to talk to a doctor about some chronic pain I am having. But....
I am scared they won't help me. I know they don't want to hand out opiates.... but I have been self medicating for pain with those for the last 15 months- I will admit I take them more often than I need to (they help with my depression and anxiety). But I do have real, persistent pain. It doesn't really stop- it might get a bit better... but when it's bad .... I can't live like that. I couldn't live like that... and so I fixed it for myself (didn't have insurance at the time it started so no help was available). I use RICE every night, and I bought good rub to use to try to help it. I take so much aspirin that my ears ring constantly.... but I get sick with acetaminophen.
Does anyone here suffer from chronic pain? What am I suppose to do?
I am afraid that they will just leave me like this... I want to have a legitimate source of the pills I take already.
The pain is from an injury.... and the last 4/5 months it's been getting weird. My leg is going numb- and it feels like when you hit your funny bone?
I am sure they will find out I have ALS or MS .... but hey. I already want to die soon. I just can't be a functional person without some help with pain.... and the numbness is starting to affect my ability to go up stairs.
Advice?

You're on a slippery slope. Doctors acknowledge that chronic pain is real. They also acknowledge that chronic pain medication use doesn't work, it only masks the pain, and is highly addictive. So what is the answer.....

Actually there is something called a TENS unit. How it works is, you put sticky patches on your skin in the area of pain, then the unit sends electrical pulses to the area that block the pain signal to that portion of the brain. If interested I'll tell you more.

There are also implantable nerve stimulators that work in the same way.

They are now doing nerve ablations, or burning the nerve, that effects certain areas of chronic pain, permanently severing the road pain signals use to say that area hurts.

Exercise it... seems counterintuitive right? There is a lot of science supporting focused physical therapy and doctors are all to eager to send you there. When something hurts we use it less, even splint it. They are finding there is a build up of chemicals in the muscles and nerves that potentiate pain signals. This is what MRIs and CT scans can't show. When you exercise that area in specific ways, it pushes those Chemicals away from the area giving fresh blood a chance to bring on the healing. It can take months of therapy to heal areas of damage by physical therapy, you might even have to do exercises for life, but the relief is worth the effort.

Acupuncture is being studied in USA hospitals as a way to relieve pain. There is a whole science behind it now. All I can say is it's worth trying once, if it doesn't work, you're not out much. Find a local place that teaches and they offer reduced rates.

See a Chiropractor. Many insurances cover a few visits a year now. If your skeleton is out of line, it has a chain reaction effect on the rest of you. They take a wholistic approach to the body and pain.

There are many mainstream ways out there now that approach pain management in the long term without opioids. Keep an open mind and give them a try. The biggest one is to exercise or physical therapy. Not only is it imperative to get fresh blood and chemicals to the area, but it releases natural endorphins in the brain that have natural pain blocking abilities.

 

[TheCrow]

You're on a slippery slope. Doctors acknowledge that chronic pain is real. They also acknowledge that chronic pain medication use doesn't work, it only masks the pain, and is highly addictive. So what is the answer.....

Actually there is something called a TENS unit. How it works is, you put sticky patches on your skin in the area of pain, then the unit sends electrical pulses to the area that block the pain signal to that portion of the brain. If interested I'll tell you more.

There are also implantable nerve stimulators that work in the same way.

They are now doing nerve ablations, or burning the nerve, that effects certain areas of chronic pain, permanently severing the road pain signals use to say that area hurts.

Exercise it... seems counterintuitive right? There is a lot of science supporting focused physical therapy and doctors are all to eager to send you there. When something hurts we use it less, even splint it. They are finding there is a build up of chemicals in the muscles and nerves that potentiate pain signals. This is what MRIs and CT scans can't show. When you exercise that area in specific ways, it pushes those Chemicals away from the area giving fresh blood a chance to bring on the healing. It can take months of therapy to heal areas of damage by physical therapy, you might even have to do exercises for life, but the relief is worth the effort.

Acupuncture is being studied in USA hospitals as a way to relieve pain. There is a whole science behind it now. All I can say is it's worth trying once, if it doesn't work, you're not out much. Find a local place that teaches and they offer reduced rates.

See a Chiropractor. Many insurances cover a few visits a year now. If your skeleton is out of line, it has a chain reaction effect on the rest of you. They take a wholistic approach to the body and pain.

There are many mainstream ways out there now that approach pain management in the long term without opioids. Keep an open mind and give them a try. The biggest one is to exercise or physical therapy. Not only is it imperative to get fresh blood and chemicals to the area, but it releases natural endorphins in the brain that have natural pain blocking abilities.

That was very informative thank you!

 

[Dead_Inside]

You're on a slippery slope. Doctors acknowledge that chronic pain is real. They also acknowledge that chronic pain medication use doesn't work, it only masks the pain, and is highly addictive. So what is the answer.....

Actually there is something called a TENS unit. How it works is, you put sticky patches on your skin in the area of pain, then the unit sends electrical pulses to the area that block the pain signal to that portion of the brain. If interested I'll tell you more.

There are also implantable nerve stimulators that work in the same way.

They are now doing nerve ablations, or burning the nerve, that effects certain areas of chronic pain, permanently severing the road pain signals use to say that area hurts.

Exercise it... seems counterintuitive right? There is a lot of science supporting focused physical therapy and doctors are all to eager to send you there. When something hurts we use it less, even splint it. They are finding there is a build up of chemicals in the muscles and nerves that potentiate pain signals. This is what MRIs and CT scans can't show. When you exercise that area in specific ways, it pushes those Chemicals away from the area giving fresh blood a chance to bring on the healing. It can take months of therapy to heal areas of damage by physical therapy, you might even have to do exercises for life, but the relief is worth the effort.

Acupuncture is being studied in USA hospitals as a way to relieve pain. There is a whole science behind it now. All I can say is it's worth trying once, if it doesn't work, you're not out much. Find a local place that teaches and they offer reduced rates.

See a Chiropractor. Many insurances cover a few visits a year now. If your skeleton is out of line, it has a chain reaction effect on the rest of you. They take a wholistic approach to the body and pain.

There are many mainstream ways out there now that approach pain management in the long term without opioids. Keep an open mind and give them a try. The biggest one is to exercise or physical therapy. Not only is it imperative to get fresh blood and chemicals to the area, but it releases natural endorphins in the brain that have natural pain blocking abilities.

I have wondered if they would just kill the damn nerves in my leg.... but I am scared about that fucking things up. I run- I like to run, in fact it's how I managed to hurt myself into this chronic pain place. And I don't want to lose that. I am insane, I know. But I think anyone here can commiserate with my wanting to keep the only thing I have that brings me some peace. I think I am having nerve issues already- I get the strange feeling of a wet sheet or plastic bag on my leg sometimes- and I get days where it feels like something is missing from my knee and like I can't put my weight on it because it's not stable, it feels weak or something- I know that shit doesn't make any sense.
I am interested in acupuncture too.
I am in my heart hoping that it's just a simple surgery.... some physical therapy... some pills.... then I am free.
I know that's not realistic. But .... I am scared of all the alternatives .... I don't want a bad surgery, or a doc that just throws nothing but pills at me, or being told neither is ok because it's in my head.
Thank you for the info. Can you PM more info on that TENS? Maybe I can find a doc who would do that for me....