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...
I am extremely frustrated right now. I understand the pain is chronic, I get that there isn't a magic bullet or something to make it go away, but I am pissed as hell right now with how many things are being affected by it. I started school this week and I am enrolled as a full time student for the first time in over three years. I hadn't been going full time prior to this for psychiatric reasons and I was so damn excited when I got a handle on those. Now, all of these physical problems seem to be blocking me. I know the faster I accept I will need to do things differently than others, the better. But I guess I am in denial or something because I don't want to have to cut back again on classes; I know I can excel in the four classes I am taking. Tonight though I am beginning to realize my limitations are very real and that I may have to reduce the hours I am at school.
By the time I got home from my last class, not only was I physically exhausted, but my pain level was through the roof. I do have pain meds, but I am scared to take it during the day as I have to be able to drive and I have to be able to focus and be aware in class. Although, the amount of pain I was in made focusing nearly impossible. My neck and back hurt really bad, my headache was severe, and I could barely keep my eyes open. The exhaustion and pain reduced my ability to grasp much of what was being discussed and I broke down crying right there at my desk.
I know I won't be able to keep going at this rate. Part of me keeps repeating that this is the first week of school and that my body might adjust to these increased demands, but there's that other part that isn't sure I can adapt to it. My pain doc said I have to try epidural injections in my lumbar and cervical regions before my insurance company would approve a lumbar spinal cord stimulator. Epidurals are really the only conservative treatment left as everything else has failed.
It typically takes two weeks for the insurance approval to happen so I have to wait until Sept 11 to get the cervical region epidural. I have to wait two more weeks for the lumbar one. It sucks cus I can't even pursue meeting with the neurosurgeon about possibly doing surgery on my neck until we know the result of the cervical epidural. I can't take this for 2 more weeks. This pain is interfering with everything. I am planning to call my PM office and ask if they can contact the insurance company to see if an exception can be made on waiting two weeks. It's obvious from the amount of pain I'm in and how the facet injections failed that we need to pursue this next step.
I am really sorry for how long this got. I really appreciate the opportunity to vent a bit...I don't really feel able to do it with my friends and only minorly able to do it with my family. Again, you have my thanks and appreciation.
By the time I got home from my last class, not only was I physically exhausted, but my pain level was through the roof. I do have pain meds, but I am scared to take it during the day as I have to be able to drive and I have to be able to focus and be aware in class. Although, the amount of pain I was in made focusing nearly impossible. My neck and back hurt really bad, my headache was severe, and I could barely keep my eyes open. The exhaustion and pain reduced my ability to grasp much of what was being discussed and I broke down crying right there at my desk.
I know I won't be able to keep going at this rate. Part of me keeps repeating that this is the first week of school and that my body might adjust to these increased demands, but there's that other part that isn't sure I can adapt to it. My pain doc said I have to try epidural injections in my lumbar and cervical regions before my insurance company would approve a lumbar spinal cord stimulator. Epidurals are really the only conservative treatment left as everything else has failed.
It typically takes two weeks for the insurance approval to happen so I have to wait until Sept 11 to get the cervical region epidural. I have to wait two more weeks for the lumbar one. It sucks cus I can't even pursue meeting with the neurosurgeon about possibly doing surgery on my neck until we know the result of the cervical epidural. I can't take this for 2 more weeks. This pain is interfering with everything. I am planning to call my PM office and ask if they can contact the insurance company to see if an exception can be made on waiting two weeks. It's obvious from the amount of pain I'm in and how the facet injections failed that we need to pursue this next step.
I am really sorry for how long this got. I really appreciate the opportunity to vent a bit...I don't really feel able to do it with my friends and only minorly able to do it with my family. Again, you have my thanks and appreciation.
Hugs & God Bless
Lisa
For awhile I was wearing my TENS unit to class and it was beneficial. I had to stop when the Texas summer started and I couldn't go outside without getting drenched in sweat. The dang electrodes never stayed in place and I kept getting more pain from trying to reapply them to where they needed to be. I do think we are finally getting a bit cooler weather as fall approaches and I hopefully will be able to start wearing it again soon. I also talked to my mom about her availability to act as a driver next week if I'm able to get this injections shifted forward. Thankfully she's pretty open next week so I will call in the morning and talk to them. They might not be able to schedule it any sooner, but it definitely doesn't hurt to ask.
I wish you luck in getting the help you need as fast as possible.
Gentle hugs, Karsu
Your a very smart girl and you know that the pain is a part of your life, you just have to figure out how to fit it into your life so that it allows you to have that quality of life that you want/need and deserve....and you will. Give yourself time, let yourself adjust and don't be so hard on yourself. Your 1 tough cookie and your handling all of this at such a young age, right off the heals of all the mental hell...better than many would.
Hang in there my friend.
Kat
Best of Luck:)
Deb
I told her I was dropping the class, walked out, and dropped it in Disabilities office. The college is only giving a 70% refund because I didn't drop during the week before class. I got forms to file an appeal because I couldn't know the week before school that I was physically unable to do this class. I am having my PM doc write a letter of medical necessity.
I don't know if I can switch classes over to an online format. I'm not exactly sure how that works at my school. I also have always had a fear that I wouldn't be able to do the online courses because I don't always have enough discipline to complete the work if it's just me and I'm not in class with a teacher. I also have a difficult time right now understanding even the most basic concepts. I don't really know why I am increasingly struggling. The fact I keep breaking down crying when I get overly frustrated pisses me off so much. I hate crying in front of the class.
My PreCal teacher, who was my trig teacher over the summer, is extremely kind to me. He understands a lot of what I'm dealing with and reassured me yesterday, after a particularly frustrating day, that I would be ok and that he knew I would be able to do well if I stuck with it. He's even willing to do homework help through e-mail as I need it. I am sending my physics teacher an e-mail today to talk w/ her to figure out if I can get extra help figuring out how to understand the concepts and if there's any accommodations we can make in regards to the lab, I can't function that long as it goes until 9pm.
I don't want to give up. Not unless my hand is forced by either having to get surgery or having to go to a place like Johns Hopkins for an extended amount of time...too long for it to be feasible I'd be able to catch up. It's really hard seeing my parents have to explain to their friends and other parents why I'm nearly 25 and no where near having a degree and working to support myself. I know my mom and dad love me, but I am sick and tired of disappointing them.
Kiddo, a big part of this for you is that your going to have to come to terms with your illness/Chronic Pain and the limitations that it puts on your life. It doesn't mean you can't do the things you want to do, you just have to find different ways to do them, ways that work for you and don't have you a stressful, frustrated upset mess constantly. Try to calm yourself, practice some breathing and relaxation techniques. Let your brain and body relax....you've been doing so much lately and worrying over so much....try to give yourself a break.
Worrying about your parents and how they see you/feel about you is just more added stress you don't need. Don't forget the things your dad and mom just told you....hon they don't consider you a disappointment, they just want to see you well and happy..
You'll get through this, it takes some doing, but your a smart, strong, resourceful young woman and you can do it.
Hang in there.
Kat
I was trying to work on Physics homework, but they are all open-ended short answer questions and I can't do them. Something concrete with formulas, yeah I can do that still. But having to spend a lot of time thinking of answers that she will accept, that's just too hard right now. Not to mention that the class is at 6 and the lab after means I don't get home till past 9. I hate to say it, but I don't think I can stay enrolled in it.
God my parents are going to be pissed if I ask to drop a second class. They aren't getting the full amount back for these and they asked me repeatedly if I could handle it. I reassured them so many times that I could. That I was ready. I'm crying right now thinking about it. I get I have limitations, but it's just ridiculous right now. Pain will never stop interfering with things because the pain will never stop. I hate it. I was so ready for this semester. I was so dang excited I was back, finally able to handle things, and now I've fallen apart just in the first week. Pretty sure I won't ever be ready for a full-time load. This sucks.