[Pomegranate]

It even hurts my fingers type. I wake up everyday in pain, stiff. Often I wait and the stiffness lessens, the pain gets better, or at least no worse, or confined to just a couple areas of my body. Some days, like today, the pain just gets worse the longer I'm awake.

Will have to take a pain pill, don't like to do that unless I really have to, don't want to get addicted. Also the constipation is no fun. I get soooo tired of physical pain. Even mild pain that is always there, day after day, starts to get to me after awhile. Add in depression and stress about job/finances (like everyone else right now) and it makes all those things feel even worse.

[Capp]

Oh Pom,
I'm so sorry...
Chronic pain is--what word can be used to adequately describe it and how it makes us feel emotionally? Nothing comes close, nothing!



Cap

[(JD)]

High fiber foods are a must when someone takes pain medicine.

I'm sorry you wait so long to take the medicine. Do you get a high from it? Chronic pain suffers rarely get "high" from their medications.... so if you aren't experiencing that, you probably would do better taking it on a regular basis, or at the very start of a high pain day. Chronic pain patients rarely become addicted to their pain meds. (Though there is one that can be...)

What chronic pain sufferers become addicted to is NOT having too much pain..and often the doctor can't tell the difference. The patient can, with self review. There's a big difference between wanting to take the medicine because of how it makes you feel, and wanting to take the medicine because of how it reduces the pain.

Feel better soon.

[Crew]

PAIN = :yuck: I am so sorry you are in pain, I understand pain. I agree with _Sky with eating high fiber foods w/pain meds. It's Extremely Important!

I deal with Pain that is way off the "Pain Scale." Some of the things I do for pain when I get up is get those pain meds in me. Alot of the pain medications tells you in fine print to take before pain starts so taking pain meds on a regular basis is another way to get a head of your pain. My P.T. and my doctor suggests that stretching in the A.M. helps the muscles relax because the muscles help the body with the pain.
I am so you are hurting, I hope 's help a little and to know your Not Alone hopefully knowing this helps you as well. Take Care,
ThaCrew

[Pomegranate]

Hi Sky,

If I haven't taken the vicodine in several weeks, then the first one I take I may feel a little buzzed when it first kicks in, for like a half hour or so, or maybe it's just the caffeine, I'm sensitive to that.

I understand about being proactive about pain. I try to be, but I don't like the side effect of constipation, and I do try to make sure I eat stuff that will help with that. But most of it I don't really like. And if I'm busy, I forget, or if I'm out it's difficult to eat well sometimes.

I used to be on oxycontin but I got so sick of being treated like a criminal that I stopped it. I took that for over a year, that never made me feel high at all, nothing! Just the wonderful feeling of NO PAIN! But I had to go to a doc who specializes in pain control, it was more exspensive, and I hated being treated like a criminal, so I stopped.

I was finally able to convince my regular doc to prescribe the vicodin. It's less exspensive and less trouble getting my script filled. But I don't get enough to take every day, like the oxycontin. Go figure. I guess it would have been more accurate for me to have said that I don't like to take any more meds than I need to for FEAR that I will have a really bad flare of pain and won't have enough pain meds to get through. That is how I feel. I have a real fear of that.

On days I know I'm going to be doing a lot (for me) of physical work/fun, I will take the pain med proactive. It's amazing how that works, isn't it? When I used to wait to take it until I hurt bad, the pain lasted longer and I had to use more meds. When I take it before the pain starts, I often only need to take the one pill!

But as I said, I always wake up with pain, so unless the weather is crazy, like now, or I know I'm going to be more physically active, I wait to see how the pain level is going: up, down or same. And depending on what I need to get done that day of course. Even though I don't get enough to take every day, it was a big help just knowing I have pain meds to take if I need to - that helps me go a few more days with constant minor pain before I feel I have to have some relief. It's not ideal, but it's better than nothing!

[lynn P.]

Hi,
since I've only been here a couple of months - I may have missed what's causing all your pain. What's your diagnosis? Is it R.A or xomething else. Have you tried water aerobics -I heard that's good for chronic pain. Also evening primrose oil is good too. I hope you feel better soon.

[Pomegranate]

It's fibromyalgia, very toucy (discs) back with sciatica, chronic fatigue, hypothryroidism and just plain old age, also the occaisonal migraine. Although there are several in my family with RA or Ghout. I've tested negative for RA, but I've got some of the symptoms. Since I'm not ready to take any of the meds for RA, with all their side effects!!! I'm not pushing it yet....

[notz]

(((((Pomegranate)))))

[sabby]

(((((((((( Pom ))))))))))))

Hope you find relief soon. I also have Fibro and understand what you are saying about the pain killers. I don't take anything for pain at this time, but I am on cymbalta. Dr has given me flexeril as well but that stuff makes me way too sleepy and as a caregiver I can't take it. There are days though when I wish I had something for pain just to take the edge off.

Sending you painfree thoughts!


sabby

[Starbuck1128]

Originally Posted by Pomegranate

It even hurts my fingers type. I wake up everyday in pain, stiff. Often I wait and the stiffness lessens, the pain gets better, or at least no worse, or confined to just a couple areas of my body. Some days, like today, the pain just gets worse the longer I'm awake.

Will have to take a pain pill, don't like to do that unless I really have to, don't want to get addicted. Also the constipation is no fun. I get soooo tired of physical pain. Even mild pain that is always there, day after day, starts to get to me after awhile. Add in depression and stress about job/finances (like everyone else right now) and it makes all those things feel even worse.

I feel for you. I am hurting too. Falling down the steps didn't help. I get what you're saying about p.pills. But, don't worry, u r not House. Neither am I We just have to take care of ourselves when we have to. And constipation does suck.

yr friend in pain, Lynn

[northern]

Thyroid problems can & does cause alot of pain. Everytime my goes wacko it's a living nightmare.

Recently my levels bottom out in the THS. I hurt from the roots of my hair to my toe nails. Found it very hard to even walk to the loo. Staying in bed and keeping warm helped alittle bit. GP thought that I might also have progressed to RA but nothing as usual on those test. Probably had that test 8 times in 10 years.

Thyroid medicatation was ajusted to a lower dose and it was months ago. Still find it painful to get around. Keeping the mind busy helps with chronic pain, I found. The second I try to go to sleep it's back with a real mean kick. Usually I take a mild pain med afew hours before going to bed.

My GP suggested taking Panadol Ostheo as it's a slow release and slightly higher than normal Panadol and you don't get the problems.

[CedarS]

(((((((((( Pom & all of us who ache today))))))))))))

[(JD)]

Ugh. Yes, the waking up experiencing pain is miserable for me too, and the pain wakes me in the night after the night dose wears off...(guess that's one way to prove my body hurts?) I have to be sure to not allow myself to make any decisions the first 15 minutes awake, until the meds begins to bring me to reality.

I've just added mirapex for RLS and it is working wonderfully! I hope it will continue. It's tough enough to not be able to sleep due to pain, but then add the angst from the restless leg syndrome and I am most miserable. Funny how they can't decide if it's neurological or not. DOH. My neuropathy continues to proceed up my legs...and now RLS...

I know about the "criminal" aspect also, which I do get for taking what I take. But when I tried the methadone, which did NOT work, I was viewed as a recovering drug addict, and that was worse! It's all about how the DOCTORS view something, since methadone is just as addicting as what I take, but not so for chronic pain patients. It's all in THEIR (the doctor's) heads!

I wonder if you keep track of your pain and meds? You might find a routine and be able to actually schedule doses...
as for the constipation, I haven't had any issues since the get go eons ago. Oatmeal, green salads, and lots of water! are wonderful. Also, I stay away from most foods that cause the problem. (Except for apples, they are great for me.) Eating the skins of veggies helps too...and eating at least 3 fruits a day...even if frozen.

Keep working on finding a good solution, it's so worth it!