To ask how to deal with constant pain?

[squeezysparklyballs]

I've been to the GP. Naproxen, paracetamol, ibuprofen all bollox. Physio also bollox- I have been doing the exercises.

My lower back, hips and currently my waist are all causing me immense pain.

Been like this for three months. No idea why. GP just shrugged and sent me for physio.

Anybody else have this? Is this for the test of my life? Feels like being in labour.

What are your periods like? Could it be endo pain?

I was just wondering that. Is penetrative sex painful? I had endo and even in between periods it literally felt like I was carrying half a dozen bricks round in my uterus.

I've currently got v v bad back so in it too.
DO NOT ACCEPT IT. Do you have a diagnosis that fits?
Try an osteopath or private physio.
Everyone will have a theory and a treatment, find what works for you.

Please go back, ask for a different GP if necessary. You should not be left in constant severe pain. If you don't feel confident about going on your own, take someone assertive with you.
Have you had blood tests for inflammatory markers? How about a urine test to check kidneys? STD tests? Long-term kidney infection is incredibly uncomfortable.
Also worth asking about arthritis as well as what PP have said about endo above.
At the very minimum when you go back say you've been suffering for three months and the painkillers aren't cutting it. Take a diary of pain symptoms with a 1-10 index. Demand the tests if you haven't had them.
Women's pain is often minimised: www.bbc.com/future/story/20180518-the-inequality-in-how-women-are-treated-for-pain

I agree about continuing to push for a diagnosis, if it is something like endometriosis then there are treatment options.

I suffer from chronic back and sciatic nerve pain. Unfortunately I'm apparently one of those people whose pain receptors have just become over-sensitive and I now suffer constant pain despite there being no apparent physical reason for it any more (I previously had a disc pressing on the sciatic nerve which apparently no longer is, but the pain hasn't lessened at all). Some of the things that help me manage it are:

TENS machine
Heat pads
Remedial Pilates with an instructor trained in anatomy
Switching between sitting & standing regularly and not staying in any one position for too long
A painkillers regime tweaked and refined by a pain management consultant over time
Meditation

None of those things alone take the pain away, but if each one reduces it by, say, 5% then it brings it down to manageable levels (most of the time). Maybe some of them might help you in the meantime?

Keep pushing for a proper diagnosis. What did the physiotherapist say they were treating you for?

Not likely to be an STD. GP said she didn't think it was endo. Physio just treating me for generic back pain and she seems to think it's postural but it's not getting any better with the exercises, it's worse today for some reason.

I have some condiene stashed but don't want to take that too much for obvious reasons.

Periods a bit heavy but have copper coil so that's normal

HI there,

I'm not a doctor, but I've had chronic pain in my upper body for the past 6 years (I had a car accident that really shouldn't have caused much damage but I just never really got better). I'm surprised they haven sent you for any scans! I have advice for dealing with pain that doesn't really have a cause but I'd really push for a referral to a consultant in your case to figure what's going on! Heres my advice anyway for generally dealing with constant pain:

If the pain is unbearable then they should prescribe your different types of pain killers. You should not have to suffer. I'm surprised they haven't tried codeine, it comes in lots of different strengths and is less dangerous long term on your kidneys etc. than naproxen.

Go back to GP for better long term pain management, there are tablets that you can take everyday that are supposed to reduce the base level of your pain, meaning that you can take fewer painkillers. Gabapentin and amitriptyline are some examples. Though you would defiantly need to go through the course of physio before the GP would probably consider this.

TENs machines can be really useful, I was given one at an NHS pain clinic but they sell them in boots and lloyds pharmacy and probably other places too.

I really hope they get to the bottom of it soon

Maybe have your coil checked?

I suffer from Fibro and my hips and neck are the worst. I've been taken off most anti inflammatories. And paracetamol barely touches it. I find hot baths really help.

Also an osteopath/chiropractor are different to a physio and can be very useful (but expensive) but they'd probably want to know that there was nothing wrong on the inside before doing to much

Push for a scan, it could be anything, I'd want reassurance, what if it's a tumour for an example pushing on nerves etc, obvs worst case scenario but I'd want to get to the bottom of pain cause!

Keep going back. Ask for investigations. I’m in this cycle myself right now but for other symptoms - I’ve been on morphine daily for over a decade due to endometriosis and adenomyosis

It's the waist pain that puzzles me - that doesn't seem like a back problem - and how can the physio set useful exercises without knowing what muscle groups to target?

Please make a nuisance of yourself to the GP till you've got better information?

This needs investigating, feels like being in labour. Possibly gynaenoclogy related but only tests will tell.

Take the codeine if it helps. Go back and badger your GP.

Have they checked that your coil is still in place and hasn’t caused damage?

OP back to the GP, try a different one, it's not acceptable and after a while, some will say as its ongoing and hasn't caused "crisis", collapse etc then it's just chronic and fob off

@Howdyhihi. CRPS? "I had a car accident that really shouldn't have caused much damage but I just never really got better"

smurfy I've never had the visible symptoms CRPS, my nerves are damaged in the sense that they feel pain that they shouldn't but they aren't trapped and don't show up as abnormal on an MRI.

@Howdyhihi pain sucks

I cracked and took the condiene. It's still killing me. However I'm now completely spaced out. Not good