Chronic pain

[GloriaMaximus]

For anybody that suffers with any type of chronic pain. How do you manage?
Mental health wise - what do you do to stay positive?
Physical wise - apart from pre riot ion drugs, what do you do/take to stay on top or ahead?

I have endometriosis and going through another flare up. The last one knocked me off my feet for 9 months and I really don't think I can go through that again so soon afterwards.

I really should proof read.. it was supposed to say prescription drugs.

Hopeful bump

Hi GloriaMaximus, so sorry to read you are in pain

I too have a number of chronic painful conditions and find meditation/mindfullness helps a little. Mentally, I have my down days but I do try to keep upbeat and remind myself that even on the worst of days, things will at some point improve
Do you have any hobbies to distract you or someone in real life that you can chat to when you get low? Please know you are not alone and there is always someone, somewhere that will understand what you are going through.

I too have endometriosis plus adenomyosis and fibromyalgia. Wish I had an answer for you!

Are you on treatment? Had surgery lately? I feel really worn down with it all.

I have endometriosis as well, thankfully it only flares when I'm on my period. So sorry yours lasted that long in one go, that's awful.

Honestly the only thing that gets me through work when the pain strikes, is prescription codeine (but not everyone can take it), plus paracetamol and ibuprofen. A hot water bottle added when I'm at home. All that really only just takes the edge off enough that I can drag myself to work, in a nursing home 🙄.

I do find that if my pain kicks in when I'm already active and walking around, I can just about keep going. However if it starts when I'm chilling out say down for any length of time, it's like my insides stick together and tear apart when I try and stand....it's fucked up.

I have chronic, undiagnosed stomach pain which doctors cannot figure out the cause for.

All I can do is take a pile of medication to attempt to keep on top of the pain and I go with very much a mind over matter attitude as I know if I let myself feel the depression the pain causes I'd never get back up again

Sympathy OP, I have Fibromyalgia that can leave me in a ball on the floor.

I do pilates and swim, which keep me moving a bit more easily, though obviously on bad days I can't do that much.

I take cocodamol and Amitryptaline when I need them I also have low folic acid and vitamin d so I take high doses of both. I'm also on an antidepressant, but I've been on that for years due to anxiety.

Heat packs and hot water bottles are frequent friends of mine, and I'm about to invest in a tens machine for my upper back.

I was told to do something crafty to keep my hands and mind busy while resting, I was already a knitter so I do more of that, which came in very handy when I discovered that my wrists and hands hurt less if I'm wearing wristwarmers. I read a lot as well, and take very hot baths, both of which make me calmer and help me to decombobulate after a bad day.

Hi, sorry to hear about your problem.

To be honest I have be suffering chronic abdomen pain for the past 4years. I was constantly bleeding(everyday) for 2 and half years. I went for a laparoscopy procedure which has stopped my bleeding but I was never told the cause of the bleeding. I have also been very bloated(looking like I'm 5 months pregnant)
I can't cope myself. It's very very painful. It hurts. I've been told I have pcos,kidney stones, endometriosis everything. With no luck of a proper diagnosis

Shit. I'm so sorry all of you have to suffer 😞

I had a second laparoscopy about 5 months ago and I really hoped that I would get more time before it went full throttle again.

Baths and hot water bottles help a little bit I get irritated when I overheat too.

I feel like a really difficult person that just moans and has negative things to say. DH does his best but last year very nearly broke us and my anxiety is so high worrying if the same will happen this time. Counterproductive eh?!

I've been slowly weaning myself down from taking a disgusting amount of opiates so that we can TTC and now I'm back to square one. It's been just long enough to have to go to the back of the que with gynae if my gp decides to take that route.

I really can't do this again. I can't afford to emotionally, physically or financially.

Please please please try DIM supplement. Go ogle oestrogen dominance - DIM can reduce/re verse endometriosis/fibroids - it can erradicate need for surgery.

DIM also helps with PCOS

Thanks @JMAngel1 I'll look now

I don't have chronic pain but my DP did for many years before he died. What helped him were a} getting referred to a pain management clinic where he and the consultant went through several combinations of prescription drugs to find what worked best (took many months), also gave him some suitable breathing and meditation type exercises. On offer was some group therapy meetings but he refused those. b) making the most of 'good' days by getting out of the house even if only to pub c) having interests which he could pursue from home - he was into music, technology and spent hours reading about new gadgets d) playing music v loud (it was better for me if he did this when I was out!) You have my sympathies, OP, and others who are suffering. I don't think many health professionals really understand what it is to live with chronic pain - the consultant at the pain management clinic was really the only one to get it - he said. I hope you find some ways to cope.