Degenerative Disc Disease Support Group

You are allowed to rant, pain, espically chronic pain is difficult (understatement of the year) to live with. You just have to get through each hour at a time..take on each task as you can. I was a chef and a world class athlete and now..I'm the D word...disabled...
I don't know if I can have kids and am out of options that aren't surgical...but they don't want to cut b.c I'm 26...

What kind of meds are you on? I'm taking MS contin now which has given me some relief...I hated the idea of being on Morphine but...it's helped...and with the percs for the breakthrough pain...I wouldn't want to spend the rest of my life on the meds but it makes the days tolerable...are you seeing a pain management doc?

Hi Laurie, I really do understand what you are suffering. I too have spinal disc disease. From an epidural left in my spine for 8 days,in 1999 I got Golden Staph,Epidural was put in my spine because my fingers were going blue.I was told epidurals should only ever be inserted for no longer than 3 days.I was very healthy before this. I don't sleep, can only walk if I'm lucky..5 minutes before the pain is so bad I have to come home.My4 kids were in high school when it happened, I got thru those years,loved them, put them first, in their 20' now and all have moved interstate, thousands of miles away for jobs or marriage. So I'm feeling very abandoned, neglected and have no one to talk to. I have a friend who only calls when she wants me to drive her somewhere. I try to get to church but mornings are very bad for me. My bible is my only comfort. Other than that,I know what you mean when you say your tired,continued pain is very exausting.I too try to stay happy, hide the pain for everyone, I'm 53, had heart attack, TIA's. But i get up every morning, and take one day at a time, sometimes one hour at a time.Pain can control our lives, but because I'm aware of this, I try to focus on helping others but lately it's not working. I'm on oxy contin. 5 yrs now.Specialist said there is nothing they can do for me, no operation will help, and all they can do is continue to increase morphine as I get worse. But i won't agree to increase it, I just put up with the pain, cry alot. It's my only release as there is no one to talk to about how I'm feeling. I don't go to pain clinic, Their main goal is to get us off the pain relief and make us suffer more. That's because they are not in our shoes. I also have 2 slip disc's, bulges. It would be nice to talk with someone who is going through similar pain. Maybe we can encourage each other. Hope you will be my friend. Annie

How well I know what you mean. I get it, I understand but wish I didn't. Yup, let's revolt and dispose of these spines! I'm wondering because I have several differently termed Stenosis in C-spine and L-spine, what effect does it have on your legs? I have a new pain like spinal, neuropathic, Fibro and Arthritis weren't enough. It's in my butt and thigh and actually moved down to the foot now of left leg. It does not feel like Sciatica, I just got over a flare up of that. It's different and hurts like hell! I want to scream, cry, laugh, have a temper tantrum, cuss all at once. OK, well I got a little rant in too. You rant all you need to. It helps and we understand perfectly. Hang on and hang in there.

Sherry

mslaurie,
I can so empathize with you. I have cervical DDD, and have gone thru p/t, an epidural, and trigger point injections in the past few weeks, and I'm still in so much pain that I could scream. I understand about not wanting to complain, too. I just went back to work, after a month off, and though I try to hide my pain it's evident that I'm not fooling anyone, especially when I have to leave work after a few hours because of muscle spasms. I kid around w/people saying that I just wish they would cut off my neck, but then I wouldn't be able to wear a turtle neck because it would cover my mouth and I wouldn't be able to talk.
But, in reality I'm scared and frustrated and so f...... tired of hurting.
I feel another muscle spasm waiting to attack, so I better go now.
All I can say is that I understand your anger and frustration, and I wish you well.
Gentle hugs to you.

Thanks all for reading my vent, I felt a little better afterwards.
CHEFJESS: I'm not on meds right now, none really help, don't see a pain management doc-straight Orthopedic doc, tired of all of them!
ANNIE56: Thanks for the words, I wish you well..The bible is the only source that works, what would we do without it!
AZSHERRYB: When the stenosis start acting up, it's one leg or the other, whatever leg it feels like visiting that day, that's the killer right there for me, They say I have 2 nerves that are pinched, like napkin rings,,,wth!!!!!
KARSU:I pray that all things work out for you and that you have more pain-free days ahead!!
THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!!!!

It's a lonely world when we are suffering. All you can do its hang in there for a better tomorrow....and really believe it will happen!

MSlaurie...I'm tired of them all too...I am mostly seeing so many b.c of my pending, almost over lawsuit that caused this mess...I see the surgeon on the 13th...ugh is that bad luck? Hopefully, something, ANYTHING will be sorted then, if I have to hear one more time, "there is nothing more I can do for you at this time" I just may have a breakdown and end up in the psych ward till there is something they can do.

I also feel your pain. in my house everyone looks at me stupid because I cant bend forward sometimes, not even an inch. i have mid thorasic DDD which means EVERYTHING I do can effect it in one way or another. I am only 26 and I look healthy so I have people look at me funny when I need help putting my groceries in the car. I even had one cart guy actually asked me why I needed help cuz I didnt look pregnant. The only person that even somewhat understands my pain is my mother. she is only on stage 1 in her cervical spine and she is 52 yrs old. So i am an outcast in my family. Everyone thinks i am playing some sort of game or something. I have been in pain since I was 14 and every year it got worse. When I went to a doctor back then they told me I had bad posture that was it. Again because I was only 14 how could I possibly have an ACTUAL problem. Sorry
i had a little rant there to but all i am trying to say is that we are all her because no one else can understand us or answer any of our questions with out looking at dollar signs first. If you ever need to talk feel free to message me anytime. That goes for anyone reading this that may need to talk. I will try to help in any way I can. I wish you all the best ms laurie. Take care of yourself and come back to rank and rave any time you need to.. hugs

I understand you completely ! I was and still are going through what you have explained ! It doesnt get anybetter it seems the ones around you show they understand and then they seem to forget the pain you are in!! I just deal with it the best I can and go somewhere and scream because if not you just know you will explode on someone!!But thanks to this site you can sound as crazy as you want!! Good luck and you can always find someone to support you on here!!

You remind me of me but I have DDD...I had 3 spinal epidural injections and the last one did not work, it did not work due to my monthly period...When I had my monthly, I was bedridden for 3 weeks and could only work 1 week each month. My Physiatrist who told me to have the injections said a rare side effect in women is it blows up the pain associated with their monthly periods. So ask your Dr about it.

When you are a chronic pain sufferer, family and friends are initially very sympathetic, providing an excellent support system but as time goes on they grow tired of hearing the same thing everyday. I am a former chronic pain sufferer who spent 4 years of my life in pain morning, noon and night. My friends and family members began to pluck my last nerve!!! They got on my nerves for they felt I should have surgery.

Seek other treatments, get mental health counseling, seek out other Doctors who may be more willing to listen to what you are going through...When I was in chronic pain my best Doctors were my Physiatrist and my Doctors of Osteopath and yes I did seek counseling during that time. My Physiatrist stop treating me for there was nothing else he could do for me after 2 years of being under his care. My Doctors of Osteopath left the area. Before DDD entered my life I was very athletic, I use to love playing tennis and working out lifting weights...

I am now 45 years old, currently am having my 2nd flareup with my back after many years of being pain-free. I know, how difficult it is to live with pain on a day to day basis. Get spiritual, believe days are coming...When I could not be thankful for anything in my life when I was chronically in pain, I was always thankful for life and everything you have in your life.

Good luck and I hope you and all that read my post will begin to be thankful for life!!!.