A place to whinge about chronic pain

[PliezReleaseMe]

...so that I do less of it in real life.

For me it's hypermobile joints and particularly knee pain, have had it for 20 years & recently had surgery to correct it. Still too early to tell what impact it will have.

Right now though I just want to have a good old sob and a whinge and say that I am fed up of having to think about pain, manage pain, medicate for pain, find ways to overcome or push through pain. I am tired of having constipation/runs, hives, itchy skin and brain fog from pain meds. I am tired of having anxiety attacks because of frustration about my restricted mobility.

I know everyone gets aching joints, but there are times when the pain is so bad that I feel faint and nauseous.

Does anyone else manage chronic pain, the kind that no-one can promise will heal or get better? What strategies do you use?

I so agree about baths; but I can't risk one if DH isn't in the house

The pain is getting bad again now; but I still have loads of work to do so I don't feel I can take a pain killer

Sassyfrassy - my (completely un-expert) diagnosis is Plantar Fascisitis (feet) & Trochanteric Bursitis (hip)........I've had/have both.

Back from work. Ouch.

I'll read the thread at a more reasonable time of day

I have had PGP (mostly SI pain) for 5.5 years and been on crutches for 2.5 years. Recently it would appear that I have fibro too, but I think this is something that has been missed rather than a totally new thing, this was after me being terrified I had a blood clot on my lungs (I am a thrombophiliac) and finding out it's because the crutches have caused my chest muscles to sieze up stopping me expanding my lungs fully. It's decreased my mobility more because I get very breathless very quickly - only one direction on the stairs at a time, although it doesn't always work like that with a 4 and 2 year old! I'm also sleeping a lot.

On Friday I was telling my rheumie at antenatal clinic I feel like my right leg doesn't belong to me, not too much pain in the leg itself, although the hip feels like someone is trying to pull the leg out, it's more numbness and lack of response. I've described it as feeling like my leg was prosthetic. After examination they've added degenerative spine disease which is causing something to press on my sciatic nerve, although so much that it's just causing numbness and no sciatica.

Until recently I only used my crutches if I was going somewhere other than in and out of the car but the last couple of weeks I need them a lot more.

This is all on top of Hughes Syndrome and being 25 weeks pregnant - expecting in the next 6-10 weeks.

Oh and with the pregnancy they've just found I have a notch on both uterine arteries so the baby is likely to end up with IUGR and I'm at risk of high blood pressure.

Oh and I have to inject Clexane into my already sore body and it's getting harder the further through I get.

also drawn in :D

I have severe Fibromyalgia and Functional Weakness some days i'm decent as in can walk with my stick and look fairly comfortable, other days like tonight, i'm on couch unable to move, dreading needing the loo and going to bed! :(

Meds don't seem to do anything for me, fortnightly physio seems to help, but nothing lasts for long. I found pain management helpful but again you cant go to that forever!

This has been me since i was 18 and i'm now 27! Luckily i have a fab DH and DS so that helps! But please feel free to whinge, i feel your pain!

I find because i'm young-ish i get no sympathy i'm looked at like i'm an idiot by others and people think "it can't be that bad" since i try to make the best of situations!

Another here, I've over done the weekend - HA, if only = over doing it for me is very low key - but too wiped out to type much, but I've a list of chronic pain diagnosis that keeps on growing Fibromialgia, M.E., Chronic Sinus Disease, Chronic Persistent headache, Migraine syndrome, cluster headaches, TOS, CMP etc -

I',m basically dropping to bits . not had a day without a headache in 8 years, frequent migraine& lot of nuropathic pain problems, frequent muscle spasms etc etc, I can relate to a lot of things written here & want to right more, but basically I cope, probably more so because I'm stubborn & refuse to let it win, but I had to say goodbye to my old self & even his far down the line things can come up that remind me of that, but lets face it theres always someone worse off than me, soI'm not going to moan to much

Morning everyone. It's heartbreaking to read about the pain people are going through. This thread was really needed, if only for some venting in understanding company.

I was feeling very down about my knee pain on Saturday. There are no good physios close enough for me to get to easily and it will cost a small fortune for me to get to and from the only good one I know. So, in a bit of desperation I typed 'online physio' into Google and found a website. I filled in a questionnaire (pretty detailed) and sent off my money and this morning I have three pages of rehab exercises to do. Lord knows if they'll help, but any normal physio experience ends with me going into shock where ive been pulled around, which means that this one wins round one. Let's see where this particular adventure leads.

Leonie - please don't feel guilty for taking painkillers. I did this for years and wasted so much time. One physio I sawin the past was so emphatic that I have to commit to taking painkillers and not stop just because I've already taken them for a couple of days.

Englebert - I totally understand what you're saying about painkillers. But there must be something that could take the edge off a bit

I'm sorry you're all suffering so much. Just wanted to have a moan myself, no-one else listens!

I have scoliosis, kyphosis and completely irregular/assymmetrical pelvis. As a result keep getting partially herniated discs in my spine, constant sciatica and trapped nerves in my pelvis - left thigh is currently completely numb. I'm 25, but feel like I'm 100. Trying to juggle DS who is only 5 months old with my OU study is really getting too much at the mo. Before getting pregnant (which was interesting with an already-screwed-up pelvis!) I worked full-time, that was hard enough, but nothing compared to now! A couple of years ago doc actually suggested I gave up work, but I was 23 at the time, so I told him no way.

Don't think DH understands, he just gets annoyed that I'm "always moaning."

I find if I don't take my meds I'm in agony, but if I do then my brain just dies.

Anyway, I feel a little better for that whinge, thanks for this thread!

Oh god, I am in so much pain today. Why can't I bloody walk 2 minutes without feeling like my pelvis is going to collapse? Friday and my doctors appointment seems like a long way away, and don't know why I'm holding out so much hope anyway... I just want to be be able to walk!

Ok, deep breaths and breathe....

Rant over! off to limp to school to pick up the dcs.

I've been naughty today... I'm going to a medieval meal in about 2 weeks and been making my dress for the last 2 months - I could go quicker, this is what I'm trained to do but it hurts to do for too long and I'm staying with my parents so don't want to hammer it and risk making a mess - so today I've spent 3-4 hours sat on a cold wooden floor cutting out. My one leg is hurts a rather big lot!

I'm another one bad at medicating. My doctors and mw keep saying "it's not pain relief, it's medication for your back!" But I worry about taking them like that. I had a night on the antenatal ward last week and they filled me up on co-dydramol, the difference was amazing and I promised myself I'd do it but never did!

Can I join in too?

I have severe fibromyalgia, CFS and testing for arthritis in my wrist and fingers!

Lisa, I sympathise with the being young so people look at you like what's your problem. I too have had it since 18yrs old, now 28! I often need to use wheelchair. I take tramadol and dihydracodeine every day but still always in pain.

I used to be controlled about what I did until I realised that for me, I could waste a "good day" not doing anything in the hope that I'd have a good week but I could still be in bed for weeks afterwards. So now we just appreciate each day fir what it is and if we get out that's great. My dh and ds (age 3) are both fab, don't know what I'd do without them.

Anyway gentle hugs to all

I'm almost scared to moan - & scared to own up to the severe bit attached to my FM & M.E. diagnosis

though I have had a hell of a day with of all things heartburn - lots more going on pain wise, it never lets up TBH but I find moaning about it makes me focus on it & then it hurts all the more, so even this scares me as I really do think "tuning it out" mentally is my best weapon against it -

but that said some pains that just doesn't work for, headaches, heartburn & that nasty crawling burning sunburn nuro pain, neck spasm etc - I too am sensitive with meds, so need to stick with the old tried & tested - but even they come with their own payback, so you can't really win

but the pain isn't the worst of it, I'm lucky to have a high pain threshold & can mostly function DESPITE the pain - don't let the b@stard grind you down" & all that

its the exhaustion & cognitive cr@p that I find hardest to bare, lets face it there are NO drugs for that

its just a juggling act all round really, but I'm sure 1 we all know well[shrugs]

herbie - is it possible that the upcoming surgery is making you anxious and so your muscles are tightening and spasming?

Does anyone else get fed up of the comments from strangers? The next person who asks me what I've done to my leg will get a crutch around their neck! Today I was out with my youngest in the wrap sling and someone said "You're struggling" with a big grin on her face... Actually, no I'm not! I'm doing what I've always done, what I need to do to survive parenthood. The only thing I was struggling with was my jeans that kept trying to fall down

Oh and that was a nice long walk before I decided to sit on the cold wood floor to do some dressmaking!