I am in chronic pain. Introduce yourself

@Tghewitt63 I thought about doing the stimulator, I’m even thinking of doing stem cell therapy but it costs quite a bit. Idk what to do with this chronic back pain. It use to be just in my lower back which I have lumbar spondylitis. I’ve had numerous ablations to it. It has helped but not enough. Now im having thoracic back pain and my MRI showed only degenerative disc disease. So this is just going to be my life for now. They won’t increase my pain meds and now they want to do trigger point injections which I don’t believe this is the cause of my pain. I feel so distraught that there is nothing out there to help me. I sure wish I had the money to do the stem cell therapy but insurance won’t cover it. If it has great success why doesn’t insurance cover it? I’m just sick and tired of living like this. I want my life back. I am a registered nurse but can’t work anymore because of this pain. I never thought I’d be the patient and would be taking care of patients for the rest of my life. I miss taking care of people and it’s caused such depression and anxiety so now I see a therapist for that. I just pray that life would of turned out differently.

@Tghewitt63 I'm so sorry. God bless you and heal you. Pain sucks. It sucks the life out of the day, a day you'll never get back. I'm so sorry. Gently, Leslie 🤗

@RockySparky hang in there! Don't stop taking what you have already. Do you have an appointment for pain mgmt already? Does your insurance even cover pain mgmt (mine didn't in 2019!) Can the Stem Cell company make a deal w/you, like a bundle or a 48 week commitment to using their product.. they are often willing to deal with you. Have you thought of YOU giving THEM treatment options? I really feel for you, my history is VERY similar.. and post job loss depression is REAL! ❤️ what state or region do you live in? THAT makes a lot of difference, unfortunately..

@Tghewitt63 Hi, I just joined this and I see your letter. My back probs started in 2003 so I know how long we've been suffering. I too have tried everything. Nothing helps or is a quick fix at best. Everything just covers over the pain for a short time. I can't get my pain meds bcs my Dr says I should be healing and they don't want me addicted to meds. WTF? I'm in constant pain, I'll be happy to be addicted! Shouldn't that be the patients call? Not the Dr??? I'm so frustrated with this whole opioid condemnation. The stuff helps us, OK??? Thanks for letting me rant to you, and I hope maybe we can talk more...Thom

@joetbot I’m so glad you have found something that has helped you. I have yet to find anything that gives me relief. May you continue to feel better. Best of luck !!!

@SunshineKiwi I have severe hip/ groin pain. Doctor says it is radiating from lower back issues. When I had a trial spinal chord stimulator, I didn't have a single episode of the pain. I am having a permanent SCS from Boston Scientific. I would recommend exploring their options.

@fancynancy unfortunately due to my condition, I cannot have any procedures like that done and the doctors don’t recommend electrical stimulation because it may trigger flare ups. My muscles turn to bone, and they haven’t figured out what triggers flares because they can happen spontaneously, so electric stimulation of the muscle can cause the muscle to calcify. It’s a complicated thing to treat the pain and I’m not willing to take anything that keeps me from functioning enough for me to continue pursuing my goals, so opioids/narcotics aren’t an option for me, and I’m allergic to morphine…it’s very frustrating for me. It sounds like electric stimulation is great…I wish the doctors would allow it

@SunshineKiwi How did you fall? I had a slip and fall at the grocery store on some water. That's what had caused me to get fibromyalgia, and many other ailments that cause me chronic pain. I completely understand the hip pain, because mine have been killing me lately. I pray you find some relief soon !!

@6J0rdans I slid off the edge of my mattress…it wasn’t the fall that hurt me though…when my nephew was helping me up, my hip popped, and for several weeks I suffered with the worst pain! I was barely able to sleep and I had to constantly change positions because I couldn’t find relief. The hospital dismissed my pain TWICE! It was an extremely difficult time for me and my depression got so bad I wanted to cease to exist (not self harm, just disappear from existence)…I reached out to someone with my condition and talked through those feelings though, because I know it was just me wanting the extreme pain to go away. Eventually the pain calmed down some, but it left me with constant hip pain and I wake up every 1-2 hours at night and have to change positions in bed, which is difficult and takes a few minutes to do. Having chronic pain is terrible! And it’s even worse when the complexities of your condition severely limit your treatment options!

@fancynancy Oh no! So sorry to hear this! Hopefully they can do some adjustments that will take that miserable pain away! 🙏

@PatOz7 SCS seems to be doing great. Friday morning I woke up with severe knee pain in a knee that has an old knee replacement. Stepping into shower was extreme pain. Cannot bend at all. I am going to try to get a walk-in appt tomorrow morning and get some x-rays. I am afraid that knee replacement is the problem.

@fancynancy I’ve never had a knee replacement but I’ve heard it can be a life saver. If yours was done awhile ago, maybe there’s been some new technique being used. Anything to get rid of the pain.

@PatOz7 Found out my knee pain is not my replacement. The replacement is good but there is a partial crucial ligament. Can't have surgery because I have been diagnosed with leukemia/lymphoma. Orthopedic surgeons are putting me in a large brace (I have a brace they gave me 4 wks ago) but its not enough. This will have outside hinges and I have to be measured for it. He said it could take 2-3 months to heal. I had to go back on Pregabalin and will find out this coming week of my cancer treatment.

@PatOz7 Bless you my friend, I can really relate to your troubles. I wish we didn’t have these complicated issues that destroy our lives, our joy, our energy even love for ourselves! Don’t have much of that anymore!

@ThomRandolph So true. Sad but true.

@ThomRandolph I slipped and fell on some water at the grocery store. It caused me a herniated disc, a bulging disc, and a fracture in my L5-S1 area. I had a fusion surgery and they put an implant disc and fixed the other discs. It helped the sciatica pain, and the fracture heal. But now I’m in constant debilitating pain. I can’t sit or stand for long periods of time. I completely understand how you feel about wishing you never met the surgeon and thinking that suicide is the option, because we no longer live we exist. I also understand about the wife being over it, because I feel like my husband feels the same way. He never asks how I’m doing, because I think he knows already how I feel. So I was really glad to find this site to hear about other people’s stories, and to get some ideas on how to get some relief. What others treatments have you tried? I think I have done everything you can think of to try to help this pain. I’m on a muscle relaxer, and a non habit forming medication that only takes the edge off. Have you tried heat? My heating pad helps my pain calm down, but not take it away. I pray and hope you can find some kind of relief. Best of luck !!

@ThomRandolph, @PatOz7 and @6J0rdans,

I’m really sorry to hear about the constant pain and frustration that all of you are dealing with. It’s so heartbreaking to feel like no one is really listening or helping. You are incredibly strong for making it through each day despite everything, when it's completely okay to feel overwhelmed, angry, and alone.  If you ever feel like you’re at your breaking point, please reach out to a therapist, a support group, or even a helpline. You deserve help, support, and relief, and remember, there’s a community here that values and cares about you. 💙💜

I wish you all a lot of strength,

Somya from the Carenity team 🌼

@ThomRandolph Honestly, showing compassion shouldn’t be defined as a male vs female trait. Human’s should show they care about when someone is in chronic distress. Ignoring it won’t make it go away.

@PatOz7 Agree completely!

@ThomRandolph I know what you mean about her not even caring about your well being. My husband has no compassion for me whatsoever. He is to concerned on why I didn’t cook or why I didn’t clean. He doesn’t even care on how much it hurts me to stand there cooking or standing there washing dishes or cleaning up after grown kids. Which I refuse to do, but he seems to think since I am home things should be done. He doesn’t seem to care about my well being at all. My anxiety and depression that I now have on top of the many other things I have. This accident has made me understand suicide as an option, mental health issues, and addiction. I’m sorry that you are having such a rough time, and you don’t have a supportive wife. I do a lot of journaling or reading my bible , praying a lot just to get some distraction from the pain I feel.

@6J0rdans Hi there, and I’m really sorry to hear that your husband isn’t being supportive. It’s hard enough as it is to manage pain and health issues without feeling misunderstood or alone. I’m really glad you’ve found some comfort through journaling, prayer, and your faith.. You’re doing your best but please know that there are people who genuinely want to help and listen, even when it feels like no one close to you understands. Reaching out to a therapist, or even a helpline could be a good step to help lighten this burden and provide some support for the hardest days. You don’t have to face this alone.

Please take care,

Somya from the Carenity team 🌼P

@Robinp I am happy for you. I quit smoking many years ago. I tried cannabis but all it did was make me nauseated. Since I got my Boston Scientific Spinal Chord Stimulator in March my back and pain down my legs is so much better. I only take 1 75mg of pregabalin at bedtime. I know I will never be pain free due to osteoarthritis but my life is better. I do take meds for depression and anxiety. I have a great PCP and I see a psychologist who can prescribe. I have a trained Service Dog who is trained to help me up when I fall and if I get wobbly I can give him a command and he will come and let me steady myself on his back. I don't know what I would do without him. He goes with me everywhere.