i have to chime in..........i have had a lot of surgery due to a botched mastectomy with reconstruction. i have pain in my left breast 24/7. when i get stressed, i subconsciously pull my left shoulder up and i get a muscle spasm under my left shoulder blade which burns and hurts like the devil......the more stressed i am, the more pain i have. i only take darvocet because i refuse to go higher up on the painpill scale. have worked in ER and psych hospital and am just dead set against the thought (in MY head) of ending up begging for pills some day..as i've seen a lot of people have to do.

i walk, i read, i take hot baths and when i can i get a massage. my daughter has been arranging sport massages for me recently and the massage therapist really has helped me.

but pain can do many, many things to us mentally. how i've kept from becoming either an alcoholic or drug addict is beyond my daughter's minds. they can't believe that i'm still managing it as i am.

the pain makes my depression 100 times worse. in fact, i feel that the majority of my depression is a result of the pain that i've had for 32 years.

i finally found a wonderful physician's assistant who listened to me and talked to me about my pain. she wants me to take something stronger but goes along with my resistance to it. and she always takes the time to find out where the pain level is.

i work mostly now on managing my stress. cause i know the pain will always be with me, but the stress i can work on.

i rambled on and on but want to encourage you that you can find some help. it just takes time and a lot of research on your part and maybe "doctor interviews"....it's very important to be a partner with the physician.....VERY.....none of this "do as i say" regardless stuff from your doc. it's "let's try this and see how it goes and if it doesn't work, we'll try something else".......end of pain rant......love, pat