Chronic pain - how do you cope?

[Grockle]

I have chronic lower back pain (due to hypermobility, herniated disc & related sciatica) which doesn't seem to respond to painkillers. It hurts so much and is so wearing. If I could lie in a hot bath all day, I'd be ok but I have to go to work. I'm now on amitrypiline but that doesn't help (nor does it help me sleep which is another problem). I just don't know what to do. I've tried co-codamol, solpadol and DPs tramadol. Has anyone found anything that helps? I'm so fed up and have such a cocktail of drugs to take every day. It's making me miserable.

I am on butrans 25 along with 75x2 diclofenac, 8x sol paracetamol.
It is the maximum I am allowed and has come to a head where it is not enough and I cannot cope woth the pain. Pain clinic have said nothing can be done apart from their input programme.

I found the pain clinic brilliant tbh. But schipperke I wouldn't discount the input programme. I have not been on this, but I have heard others say it was really really useful in helping them to manage their pain.

Other thing that occurs to me is whether other treatments may help such as acupuncture. I know it doesn't help everyone, but it really helped me when my pain was really bad. I started of getting it privately when I just felt I couldn't cope with the pain anymore. I didn't think it would work ,just tried it in desperation and I was surprised when it did. Then got it free at pain clinic.

I found the pain clinic brilliant tbh. But schipperke I wouldn't discount the input programme. I have not been on this, but I have heard others say it was really really useful in helping them to manage their pain.

Other thing that occurs to me is whether other treatments may help such as acupuncture. I know it doesn't help everyone, but it really helped me when my pain was really bad. I started of getting it privately when I just felt I couldn't cope with the pain anymore. I didn't think it would work ,just tried it in desperation and I was surprised when it did. Then got it free at pain clinic.

I've got fibro and sjogrens. I have had acupuncture but it only lasts 2 days. I have done cbt, alexander, autogenic, homeopath- which I still see...

The input is 4 days stay in for 4 weeks and I would not leave my daughter for more than one night. She has dyspraxia, hypo and tires easily etc so I want her to have as normal a life as pos.

Sorry to hear the acupuncture only lasts for 2 days. I did read of someone who learned how to do acupuncture on herself for pain. Might be worth asking an acupuncturist about this? Might also be worth asking about pressure points? Although not as powerful as acupuncture, some peopel find pressing on specific pressure points can help. You could then do this at home.

Sorry don't know your circumstances, but do you have a DP or DM who could look after your daughter and make her life as normal as possible while you did input? Remember you getting better will mean that you have more energy to give her, so she would benefit if the input worked.

thanks Lesley33. We are on our own and don't know anyone I wold trst with my little handful. I have to manage and will for her sake.

Sorry to hear that, that must be hard. The only other thing I can suggest is asking people who have the same conditions what else helps there pain relief. I had neuralgia for about 12 years, that just disappeared last summer.

But the things that helped were a TENS machine - but I had to wear it a lot to have the impact. Nurse actually told me that she thought people generally used them too little for effective relief. I would wear it all day. And hot baths helped.

But I don't know much about the type of pain you have, so ask around on forums maybe on the internet and see what else can help?
Sorry you are having to suffer this.