Im all the way in GA hun but if I were all the way in west palm iwould do it!!

Hope you can find one nearby. You should be able, it's a big place.

Online there is " Meetup " for groups. There are groups you can start for any reason and/or join. In my area there are dog groups/reading/pain/knitting/sewing.....get the picture? I have joined groups from there and started my own in the past for different activities.

Call your local either Senior Center or community center and ask the them if there is one or if they know of a need to start one.

Good Luck!
Joanne

Thanks for the idea but meetup has no health groups and i would not be able to maintain it. i cant believe i am the only chronic in west palm beach

Mark DS is a global site. And while there might be others who live near you they may not want to meet in person. People who are in pain often can't get out of their house or may not feel comfortable meeting with others. They may also need the anonymity of a website because of family, work or insurance.

Meetup allows you to make almost any type of group you want. You might also check with local hospitals to see if they have support programs. Or with the local agencies. They sometimes have programs to bring people together.

I have checked everywhere, i even went to a divorced and singles group with meetup and no one understood, we are so different from the rest of the world. people just dont get it

Yep, most meetings meet in the evenings. Cpers tend to be done for by that time. And most of us need to schedule household chores or nothing gets done.

Devoting an entire day to attending a meeting would like a doctors appointment. Exhausting

mark - when i was going to pool therapy, my group was also a pain group and they had other get togethers... i think the other meetings or potlucks, what have yous, grew out of the friendships they formed druing pool time.

check with pool or physical therapy places - they are a good resource for info and encouragement. good for you mark!!!

A big part of Online Support Groups for people is the anonymity, I doubt your going to find people in your area that want to meet in person...it's just not how it generally works.

You could call Pain Management Clinics/Dr.'s and see if they have Support Groups that meet in your area.

Kat

http://groups.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_results.php?city=West+Palm+Beach&county=Palm+Beach&state=FL&spec=7

List of support groups in West Palm Beach, FL found with a quick google search-- some pertinent and some not.

Your local paper probably lists more with their weekend section; look for a calendar with AA meeting dates-- there may be a chronic pain group as well. Hospitals often post a similar calendar.

Calling 411 might be able to give you local information as well.

Megan i have done everything. in florida all people care about is going to bars and gettin high. i have tried everything, i live 3 blocks from a major hospital, and if i was an alcoholic no problem. chronic pain help doesn't exist down here

Mark this might seem like strange advice but maybe try going to the AA meeting. They are generally very welcoming and when you explain your story you will probably find that you are still welcomed or you may connect with some people who are also living with chronic medical conditions. Many alcoholics become that way because they are self medicating with alcohol.

Some groups you need to show up to meet with the leaders. But some do have contacts who you could call first. You could also try a NA group since a large number of narcotic abusers got that way because they started off with a little script for pain relief after an injury.

No offense Tigg, but AA.NA? Really? Having been a part of AA, they are a group of highly judgmental people who usually do not allow "outsiders" to their meetings. And being that he is in chronic pain, I'm sure Mark is on some sort of pain management program. This is a HUGE no no in those 2 groups. In fact, most of them don't approve of ANY type of prescription medication. I had several people tell me that if I got off of ALL of my medication, which then it was mostly mental health medications, that I could not be helped and was not welcome in their group. If I were to tell them now what kind of PM program I am on, and all of the meds that I now have to take, I would no doubtedly be kicked out for not "being sober", automatically labeling him an addict. And yes these are the groups in South Florida, as that is where I live.

Mark is looking for support, not rejection, to help him through his days and deal with his CP. You are right that most involved in those 2 groups got there because of substance addiction issues, but Mark does not have any of these issues as far as I know. I, myself, am not able to participate anymore because as I got sick and the need for illness related medication and pain medication arose. People that I was even very good friends with dropped me because I got sick and no longer welcome me to the group meetings.

Also, the other part of it is, that many of the AA/NA groups have what are called "closed" meetings. This means that you cannot attend these unless you are ready and willing to admit you have a problem with drugs or alcohol.

Snd BTW, I will be sober for 3 years Aug, 9 and I will not even be able to go to a meeting to pick up my medallion. It really sucks and hurts that they are this way.


Mark, FL has an all information line you can call from your cell phone. It is free of charge/minutes, but ONLY works on you cell. When you call them. tell the person that answers the phone exactly what you are looking for. The have a an abundance of information and resources to pull from. I've used this many times when even looking for a doc. I have also tried looking for a pain support group down here, or even one related to one of my illnesses. They are few and far between.

Good luck in your search!

Jenna

Jenna you know whats going on, i hate the pain meds but without them i would surely go crazy. Plus i have been mis diagnosed and am starting a new round of tests. they cant figure out my problem. Now we think it might be arterial. allmost 4 years of this and i am allmost out of steam to fight anymore.

Mark I know! I am in the Tampa area and have tried for years to find a group. Finally I found an autoimmune support group which at least was something and I joined it on Meet-Up within a week I got a notice it was cancelled.

Wish I could help but being on the other side of the state, no go. I too tried every hospital, doctor, meet up, called everywhere I could think. It's sad because groups are great.