Chronic Pain Support Group
Physicians and professionalsdefine pain as chronic if it lasts longer than three to six months and is persistent. It's distinct from acute pain that is a direct result of injury or trauma. This support group is dedicated to those suffering from chronic pain. Discuss treatments that have worked for you, find advice for your specific experience, and find support. You're not...
Hi everyone,
I am new to this group but not to pain or to DailyStrength. I belong to groups for fibromyalgia and sciatica but thought this group would be good because some days I just don't know what is causing all the pain.
I was diagnosed with fibro in 97 after a few years of problems and pains that no doctor could figure out (typical of fms). I have had back issues over the years, was in a car accident, hurt myself moving furniture etc. Last July I was gardening one day then the next day I couldn't stand up and was in excruciating pain. two days later I suddenly got much worse and the pain went down my leg and made it numb right to my foot. I was diagnosed with sciatica and told it would heal in a couple weeks. It has been 6 months and I still suffer from it every day. I had a CT scan in October and it showed a herniated disc at L5/S2, arthritis, compressed sciatic nerve and something else I don't remember.The pain in my lower back and buttocks makes it impossible for me to sit so I have been working from home for months now lying on my back in bed or, at best, in a recliner on good days. Luckily I have an office job in IT and can do it remotely. The problem is with the medication I feel so stoned all the time I'm afraid my mental ability to do the job is just not there any more.
I have been very inactive since this happened because everything hurts. If I walk at all it just kills me, my back gets so painful I can barely take a step and then my feet get so sore. Just going into the store for milk can be a major ordeal. My right foot has been bothered since the sciatica but since its numb now it doesn't hurt alot. Now it is my other foot - extremely painful after walking or being on my feet for even a short time. It feels like someone stomped on my foot.
I don't even know what to do anymore. I use heat and ice sometimes with little relief. I am taking Lyrica and Tylenol 3 but my dr. has no compassion and tells me I shouldn't be taking it every day. She says I need to learn to live with the pain so I hate asking for anything or telling her its not working. I do have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon in April and a referral to the pain management clinic but it takes sooooo long to get into anything around here.
Anyway, that's alot for an introduction. Hope to get to know alot of you better.
I am new to this group but not to pain or to DailyStrength. I belong to groups for fibromyalgia and sciatica but thought this group would be good because some days I just don't know what is causing all the pain.
I was diagnosed with fibro in 97 after a few years of problems and pains that no doctor could figure out (typical of fms). I have had back issues over the years, was in a car accident, hurt myself moving furniture etc. Last July I was gardening one day then the next day I couldn't stand up and was in excruciating pain. two days later I suddenly got much worse and the pain went down my leg and made it numb right to my foot. I was diagnosed with sciatica and told it would heal in a couple weeks. It has been 6 months and I still suffer from it every day. I had a CT scan in October and it showed a herniated disc at L5/S2, arthritis, compressed sciatic nerve and something else I don't remember.The pain in my lower back and buttocks makes it impossible for me to sit so I have been working from home for months now lying on my back in bed or, at best, in a recliner on good days. Luckily I have an office job in IT and can do it remotely. The problem is with the medication I feel so stoned all the time I'm afraid my mental ability to do the job is just not there any more.
I have been very inactive since this happened because everything hurts. If I walk at all it just kills me, my back gets so painful I can barely take a step and then my feet get so sore. Just going into the store for milk can be a major ordeal. My right foot has been bothered since the sciatica but since its numb now it doesn't hurt alot. Now it is my other foot - extremely painful after walking or being on my feet for even a short time. It feels like someone stomped on my foot.
I don't even know what to do anymore. I use heat and ice sometimes with little relief. I am taking Lyrica and Tylenol 3 but my dr. has no compassion and tells me I shouldn't be taking it every day. She says I need to learn to live with the pain so I hate asking for anything or telling her its not working. I do have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon in April and a referral to the pain management clinic but it takes sooooo long to get into anything around here.
Anyway, that's alot for an introduction. Hope to get to know alot of you better.
David.
I had almost the same symptoms, by the time I saw My surgeon I couldn't walk or sit. he took one look at my MRI and scheduled emergency surgery, 4 days later. when I woke from surgery he told me that my disk was shattered. and it was a good thing I hadn't waited any longer. Only mild low back pain now, when I do too much. Good luck at the Drs. and feel better.
Sharon
I am sorry that you are in so much pain, I hope that you can get to the pain management Doctor soon, and that he can take care of you. Hun, it sounds like you also have nerve pain, and if you do, you might want to ask your Doctor to give you a referral for a Doctor that works with spinal cord stimulator's (SCS). An SCS is a device that gets implanted inside of your body and controls your nerve pain, and it will not make you woozy.
If your pain is created by nerve pain the SCS trial will help you. Try to find a Doctor that works with the device, get into the trial and see if it helps. Hopefully it will! Take care and see you soon!
Anyway I hope most of the people in your life understand what you are going through as best they can. Maybe on a good day try to talk to them about it. There is a Letter to Normals on here that I found out about that is really good and helps put words to what we are feeling. Try to find it. It is really helpful. Also everyone on here is so nice and understanding. That has helped me so much. Good luck!
I try to stay positive. I am an active member of my local church, and I love all of them. There are so many great support systems available.
Hang in there and get connected with the good people here.
David.
I am so sorry that you are having such terrible pain...that sciatica is a beast!
I encourage you to see someone else regarding your back pain. I also might see about a herniated disc surgery, I am not an advocate of surgery and I have not had one on my back...so...I should shut up--however--it could be a fixable thing.
I have had several personal friends who have had a herniated disc that was causing them agony...they waited like their MD's told them too -conservative care first- and the disc did not go back into place. They had the surgery and, except for one friend...completely asymptomatic. It sounds like with your numb foot, the disc may be pressing on your spinal cord or nerve root.
Anyway...whatever happens, I hope you are able to get the relief you need and feel more quality of life and work. NO ONE should "just get used to it".
HUGS
i'm so glad you came over to our board. i think you're going to like it here - pain can be SO tough to live with, and when it gets to the point where you have it coming from more than one place/diagnosis, it can
be downright overwhelming. try as they may, it's hard for people who aren't living it to understand. but you know all of this, and i'm clearly
rambling. my point is that it's great to be able to talk to a LOT of people who *do* understand! sometimes i feel like i'm literally at
the end of my rope, and no one in my life gets it ... but here they do.
hopefully your life will be a little less stressful with us to talk to!
now that i've finished my after-school special monologue (lol), i have to say that i've personally never had any experience with sciatica, although my uncle - he's just a few years older than you - has recently been having some issues with it, and MAN is he in pain.
i can't believe how much pain, and we're talking about one tough guy!
no WAY would a tylenol 3 cover that; i don't think it would even touch it. not for me, anyway. i'm not sure how much the lyrica is helping, but it certainly doesn't sound like much.
it certainly sounds like the best thing for you will be a pain management doctor, and you're already on top of that, which is great. the dr you have right now sounds like an absolute sadist. don't you just love it when someone who has *no* clue as to how much pain you're in tells you what you should be feeling, how much medicine should be handling your pain, etc.? and i'm pretty much willing to bet my bank account that this woman has never had sciatica in my life ... am i right? i'm sure i am, or she would be helping you out every way she could.
one piece of advice, though: at least until you get into your PMD (pain management dr), please speak up! don't be afraid to tell her that what she's giving you isn't working, or to ask for something stronger. what is she going to do? at worst, tell you no. at which point you're no worse off than you already were. if you don't speak up, however, not only will she think that she was right in your case and that you *don't* need anything more, but think about the next person who's in major pain and relying on her for help: she'll be even more stubborn and set in her ways with them, too. obviously you're biggest concern right now is you, but there's a second benefit to speaking up, which is also nice. :D
many of us here have been judged by doctors, nurses, family members, friends ... i know it can be intimidating when you think that the person you're dealing with doesn't believe you, or all of what you're saying, is judging you, etc.- but you have to stand up for yourself, because *you* know what is true. it's NOT your fault that these things happened to you, and NO ONE has the right to judge you because they did - the should just be grateful that they aren't in a similar place. i don't know what your support system is like, but it's so important to be your own advocate. sometimes you can only rely on yourself.
i hope i don't sound as though i'm talkking down to you or telling you things that you already know ... i've just been there before, and i hate it when people are living in pain because the 'healers' think they know best. i really hope that things start to get better for you; please keep us updated!
xoxo, misa
ps) when can you get into your PMD? i would call and see if they have any cancellations if i were you - and keep calling. many times people with pain can't make their appts, you know? also, are you staying on with your current dr? aren't i nosy?