Any other mummies out there with chronic pain illnesses?

[Tee2072]

and would they like to have a support thread with me?

I have fibromyaglia, arthritis and early degenerative disease so pain is my constant friend.

I also have an 11 month old son.

Anyone else in a similar situation and would like to have thread for support and recommendations for coping strategies?

Guess not...

bumping for you.

I myself don't have a chronic pain illness, but I do know 2 ladies close to me (both in their 50s) with chronic pain like what you describe.

Hope someone else comes along soon.

T

I have MS so pretty much live with almost constant burning pain. Have you looked on the web sites relevant to your conditions for support? Have you been able to access the pain clinic at all?

Thanks for both of your replies.

Belle, yes to the first, I don't think we have a pain clinic in NI for the second. The issue with the web sites and forums for my condition is that I am 41 with those conditions and an almost 1 year old son. Most people don't have that last thing!

So I was hoping those of us with small children and chronic pain could talk about it. shrug Maybe it wasn't such a good idea...

It's OK. There should be access to a pain clinic, you should have a chat with your GP about this, they are really helpful, there's also alternative therapies like a chiropractor that could help.
I know there's a few people on here that have medical conditions so I'll keep bumping your thread for you. The best thing I can suggest is that you nap when your child does. Go with the flow of how you are feeling, if you wake up feeling lousy then you don't have to go out, it's OK to pop a favourite DVD on and do nothing. Ordering food online really helps aswell, you don't always feel like cooking/shopping when you have had a bad night.

My son's 11 now so he's not so small.

Okay, I'll ask my GP.

My son doesn't' nap. But thanks for the obvious suggestion.

I wasn't really looking for specific advice, just thought it would be nice to chat with others in the same situation.

Never mind.

Don't give up Tee - hang around and I'm sure someone in a similarish boat will come and chat.

I'm afraid I'm not much help but there are some helpful and more importantly chatty souls on MN. Until they come along I'm happy to listen if thats any use to you?

I don't have the first bit but I do have the second - does your son really not nap? I don't think my 12 mo old could get through the day without napping. That must be tough in itself.

I shouldn't say he never naps, whelk. But its never more than an hour. I think he once slept for 1.5 hours and I was amazed.

Its usually a half an hour, which is barely time to drink a cup of coffee, never mind get my own head down!

And until recently I could say 'well, he doesn't nap, but he sleeps through!' Except lately he's not doing that either!

Thanks for listening!

I'm happy to pop in and keep this going for you - don't have an illness as such but have been in constant pain to some degree or other for the 15 years since DS1 was born, due, I later found out, to scoliosis.

I'm well over the worst times, thankfully, have had two more DCs and the pain has subsided but not gone.

My youngest is 9 and I'd always hoped it would go away when I no longer had to carry a toddler, but sadly this hasn't happened.

My latest foray looking for relief has taken me to a pain clinic, where I was given steroid injections which sadly haven't worked.

Well, I did some research and there is no pain clinic in Northern Ireland. At least not in Belfast.

I guess I just have to suffer. I don't have the money for a private clinic, even if there was one here.

Your ds may change his sleeping habits. My dd1 started having naps of 2.5 hours when she changed to one after lunch sleep and was running about (maybe about 15 months , sorry my memory for these things is rubbish). This continued until she was 2.5, but many children continue for longer, particularly boys as they are so physical. Long run in park/ swim (are you up to those things?)

When I was pregnant with dd2 I used to sleep for the entire stretch!

You could try posting in the sectioin 'Parents with Disabilities' under the Special Needs heading as I suspect thats where people in similar situations to yours might 'hang out'

I didn't realize there was such a section, thanks whelk!

Give them a try. If you don't get anywhere pop back here for a listening ear (and OurLady's advice)

I will, tomorrow, whelk.

Right now I am heading to bed. Maybe I can get an hour or two before his highness wakes up!!

And in case anyone is wondering, yes, my DH takes his turn. He got up with him last night. Its my turn tonight.

Tee

I have arthritis, but fortunately am not in constant pain. It comes and goes, and when I have it, is bad in the morning. I have a 20 month old.
I would love to chat with someone

Hi, this is the first time i have posted so here goes.....

Yes I live with chronic pain and tiredness and have 2 not so young children 9 and 4. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and have had it for 20 years so joints are a mess so despite lots of lovely meds am in varying degrees of pain, but constant tiredness. Would love to start a support thread, it is sometimes hard to explain to people that picking up your baby causes immense pain......

So I'm happy to join you.

Hi, not sure I have a chronic pain illness exactly, but since my DS was born I have had back pain that affects me when I walk any distance or am standing for lengths of time. I feel a bit wimpy complaining as it's not a clear condition, and many people are worse off than me, but it has affected my life quite significantly - not work, fortunately, but I can't walk far without pain, and can't carry DS for more than very short periods and that has been hard. I am thinking about seeing a chiropractor. NHS psysiotherapy didn't do much; therapist didn't ever seem to understand that I was not in pain all the time but that it was bad enough to really affect my physical activity.

So, if that is close enough, I would like to join in.

Welcome to freezing, mumg and eighties! There are no rules for the amount of pain, ladies! If you hurt, you hurt, feel free to have a moan.

That's really all I wanted to do. Have a thread where those of us who hurt, whether all the time or on occasion, can come an have a moan. Can say 'Damn, I couldn't pick up my child today with out wincing, but dammit, I did it' and have the rest of us nod along.

To have a place where I can say 'you know, maybe it was selfish to have my son with my health conditions, but holy cow do I love him' and no one will do anything but say 'maybe you were. But that's okay.'

So, y'all still in?

Tee -- there is a pain clinic in NI. It's in the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald (east Belfast).

Really, crawk? I don't find it listed in any of the services pages. I'll ask my GP when next I see her!

It's definitely there - I know someone who goes to it.

Do ask your GP about it. Hope you can get some help.

Hi Tee
I think this is a fab idea, I muchly like it
Good luck with finding the pain clinic

I'm glad you like it Freezing!

So anyone need a moan today? I'm actually not feeling too badly, myself. Son slept through most of the night, to 5am. I wouldn't call it a lie in, but it was an improvement!!