I think that is something you might need to start thinking about. I had to make many adjustments i.e. move into low income apartment, move back to my home town where my sister could help me, swallow my pride and get on food stamps while I was applying for my social security and accept that my working days were behind me. That is still the hard one. But, I must say the trade off of not having to worry about making it through work every day and the horrific pain I endured from being on my feet all the time has been worth it. I just couldn't do it any more. You will know it when you get to that point. Take care..........Lesa

...I know. I really don't think I can do this much longer (like another minute) if I don't find a magic pill to lessen this pain. It has progressed so much in the last year. It's been difficult for a long time, but it feels like somebody hit the turbo switch in recent months.

My oldest son has offered to move me into one of the apartments in a building he owns in town. I love my house even though it's messy and dirty right now and I have 3 dogs and a cat! It's a small apartment and I know it would be tight with my zoo.

I have a family who would never let me go without and I do have some savings, but I even daunted by the idea of trying to pack and move. I would have to part with at least 3/4 of my stuff. And I would still need an income!

Then there's my beautiful salon...boo hoo.

It is so tragic that we have to sacrifice so much in the name of chronic pain. We literally lose our life and have to make a new one. I could not have done it without my family and I am so glad you have a supportive family. It makes all the difference. I had to relocate 150 miles back to where I only know my family and have one old friend and move from a 3 bedroom house to an efficiency apartment so I know all about change. It hurt and I cried for 6 months but at least I wasn't crying from the pain of trying to make it through a day of work. I still have a garage full of my stuff at a friend's where I came from because I don't have room for any of it here. The one good thing that came out of all of it is that I now have peace of mind and I do not have the stress and worry of trying to make it through work every day. The trade off is worth it when I think about it. Hang in there you will get there too.

Im sorry.... ;(

Hang in there Kid....
Hugs

Talk to your doc, hun. Maybe there's something he/she could recommend? I took time off after my diagnosis to get titrated to the right pain meds and doses, but was able to return to work after a few months.

Now I luckily work most of the time from home so I don't have your problem of having to be on my feet all day. If your doctor can't suggest anything, hopefully you can still work part-time. But if you have to quit, you have to quit. Maybe you can find a job that requires less time on your feet.

Good Luck!

You may be nearing the turning point whereby things brighten once you touch bottom. A difficult time, with very hard choices ahead (acceptance, drawing the battle lines, and retaking life from pain). Having seen it over and over, I know it can be done, and I know you can do it.

This is my opinion and only mine so take it as you will! Nuerontin FOR ME has been not only ineffective but downright dangerous! It has never really been approved by the FDA! Be careful and DO NOT mix these with other pain meds! Drug reps push this and other drugs ! Be careful PLEASE! Randy

when PM was trying to find the right meds for me he put me on Neurontin, it worked good however it made my hands,feet and nose numb, when I told him about the numbness he took me off it and now has it listed in my chart that I am allergic to it.

I'm sorry Cherry!

I wish there was something I could do. I feel so helpless!

Gentle hugs always,
Kallie

I am so sorry you are going through such a hard time right now.

Do you feel that if you were probably medicated you think that you could go on and continue working?

If that is the case a long and hard talk with your doctor is needed.

Now if you feel that even with proper pain medication that it is just getting to be to much, I had to make that decision and go on social security not a easy decision but then you can then make some choices as far as keeping the house or taking your son up on his offer.

What I do when I really need to think and make some tough choices I think about them and write them down and then start making them happen and get as much information as you can before you do. You do not want to get in the middle of something and find out it will not work out.

For Example My MIL decided she wanted to retire and just thought she would get as much as my FIL in social security which she did not and did not know she would have to pay for medicaid and the RX insurance. She just turned in her two week notice and then found out the hard way. If she could go back she would find out all the info first then make decisions.

It can take years sometimes to get disability and I needed a lawyer and I did take a pretty big hit in the income department which I knew I would and made adjustments but not doing so and it still is very stressful at times because I have no idea why but it seems I spend more money not working then I did working. Why cost of living seems so much now I have no idea.

Sometimes just planning that you are going to go on disability in a year and that plan is all you need and tell your doctor I can not leave work right now and need something that I can work on safely and it will for the most part control the pain for a whole day at work and part of the evening with the other work load of taking care of a home.

Taking care of a home is so much work, I work harder here then I did working 10-12 hour shifts as a restaurant manager

I'm overwhelmed by all this support...I really love you people!

I do NOT want to give up. I applied for disability at my doc's suggestion last year. After gathering my arsenal of doctors and therpists who all sent letters on my behalf, the state made me go for an evaluation of my mental state. I had the worst panic attack during the interview and couldn't breath a couple times. They were grilling me about past traumas to determine if my PTSD diagnosis was real. It was pretty clear that I wasn't faking, but when disability denied me, they claimed that 'sometimes I get nervous'...for crying out loud! They also stated that though I might not be able to continue the kind of work I currently do, I could do something else.

Who the hell would hire someone who can't sit or stand for more than a few minutes without pain that drives me to distraction? Also, if an employer knew whatI was being medicated with...well, you get the picture.

At least with having my own business, I can plan my schedule to include breaks...an hour, if necessary, in order for meds to take the edge off so I can rally for a little more work. I couldn't make enough money to come close to paying my bills if I took a job that paid minimum age or slightly more. This is what I know how to do and my clients are so understanding if I have to reschedule them at the last minute because my pain is out of control. Very, VERY loyal folks.

My doc told me that Neurontin works differently than narcotics so it's fine to take both...why does it mess me up so much, then? I'm going to talk to her about a smaller dose that migt ease the nerve pain without making me stagger and drool! lol

Oh...the amount I was going to receive for disability was so small that I would be worse off!

Thanks for all the support...it means so much to me.

Hugs and more hugs to all,

Cherry

I have never taken Neurontin but I have heard some bad things about it. I know that some people can take it and get some relief from it but it is never really a good idea to mix drugs. OK your doctor OK'd you doing it but have you told him what happened when you did? Might be a good idea to do so. He might be able to come up with some other regime for you.

The idea to start planning now what you well do when the time comes that you are unable to work.
Can you afford to stay where you are?
Could you get a room mate to share the house and help with the expenses?

I am with you about the difficulty of living in a small apartment with the dogs and cat....... quite a squeeze and having to get rid of 3/4 of your belongings would not be easy.

As for the disability being denied that seems to be par for the course there as they seem to want you to keep trying to see if you are really serious about it. Have you considered talking to a lawyer who specialises in that area? Most of them seem to do it for a %age of the payment that you get. Might be worth asking.

From my understanding you are also permitted to earn a certain amount so you could perhaps keep a few clients and perhaps just do one or two a day. Staying within the allowable limits.

Hope that you can find some relief from the pain and some plans for the future,

I took neurontin for over a year, finally stopping because I had maxed out the dose and it wasn't working. In your original post you said you took it earlier than you normally would....i know I always had to take it evenly spaced out. Is it possible you took it too close together which would be like doubling your dose? I also used to schedule my doses at times that I wasn't driving...first dose when I got to work, second when I got home in the afternoon and last at bedtime.

You can take neurontin with other pain meds but always keep in mind how the neurontin alone affects you. If it makes you tired then adding a narcotic will make you even more tired.

If neurontin works have you tried any of the anti-depressants or seizure meds? I've had some luck with them after stopping the neurontin. It just takes some time to find the right drug and the right amount.

When my doc first prescribed Neurontin, it was in addition to the narcotics. The amount she expected me to build up to was huge. Afer the first dose in the evening, I realized I wouldn't be able to function if I took it. The next morning I could barely get around...bumping into the walls...blurred vision. It scared me a little and took hours to wear off.

So without giving it a chance, I said I wasn't going to take that crap! Now I take one late in the afternoon and it takes the edge off just a bit. I know I can't take it and then drive after yesterday's experience!

I really don't know where to begin to plan for not working. I feel paralyzed.

I found out I would get less on disability than I do working pt, so I work pt, plus I have health ins and dental.
Have a heart to heart with your doc, get this pain under control, is the oxy helping at all, maybe a stronger dose? I take 20mg at a time.