[misc.handicap] pain

Donna.Jean.Noddin@f207.n351.z1.fidonet.org (Donna Jean Noddin) (02/23/90)

Index Number: 6900

[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference on Fidonet]

you didn't send me any messages but your problems are  bit of help
tome and my arthritis which, at the age of 52, is doing its best to
prevent me from living a normal life..as somany others must do, I
try to live each moment as it comes and if I get through one day at
a time tht is just about all I can manage....becos I must work, I'm
a freelance photo-journalist, painkillers like Tylenol #3 have to
be takento get me on my feet...working at my typewriteror computer
is painful at best so I don't get as much work done as I would
like...much of my work has to be done in bed with pillows propping
me up and my legs up with ice on them for certain periods
oftime...since whiplash in my back and left shoulder are as painful
as the arthritis in my left ankle, both knees and hips there just
isn't a pain free moment, only a few moments when the pain is just
a little less than the worst..you might try an ice pack which my
doctor has recommended for short periods of time..only wish I could
offer youa solution..hereis to a better future with some answers
for all of us...luv..d.j.

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Martin.Wolk@f1045.n261.z1.fidonet.org (Martin Wolk) (02/25/90)

Index Number: 6949

[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference on Fidonet]

    It seems sorry to say it but it is great seeing a section decicated 
to chonic pain.  I have been such a follower for some 20 years now. 
 Without going into detail I have had multiple lower back surgery, 
had nerve denervations, acupuncture, been trough a pain clinic, and 
become involved with several chronic pain groups.  Of these (and more) 
the most helpful is the pain groups.  It is a unique experence to be 
around a group of people, not always with the same problems, but close 
enough that there is a bond between all present.  If anyone is interested 
please leave me a note and I'll be happy to give you a call.
 
                there is always someone who cares,
 
                                            /\/\artin
                                            \/\/olk

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Steven.Shockley@p1.f809.n104.z1.fidonet.org (Steven Shockley) (03/03/90)

Index Number: 7051

[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference on Fidonet]

I can sympathize with you.  I had a ruptured disc about 3 years
ago, and have had 2 surgeries so far, leaving me with severe back
and leg pain still.  Now they say I am developing arthrites (sp) in
my upper back as well.  I have nerve damage to both legs.  The pain
is there constantly, turning me from a active person into a home
body.  I took several pain medications and muscle relaxants,
swelling and inflimation etc.  But then one doctor called me a drug
addict because I took pain medication, so I quit to prove him
wrong.

I have to sleep with pillows under my legs, and have a cervical
pillow too.  I have to use Ice, and sometimes heat to help relieve
pain and swelling.  I use electrical stimulation TENS, also.  And
have to use 2 cains now to walk.  Doctors are saying I will have to
have at least one more surgery yet, and eventually could become
paralyzed from the waist down.  It's frustrating, I was Working for
the Federal Government when I was hurt in a accident ( their fault!
) and have had to fight them and Workmens Comp for the last 3 years
as well, with no result, except they say it's too bad that I got
hurt.  Living with severe pain constantly gets to you after a
while, and I know I'm not looking forward to having pain for the
rest of my life, as I am only 35 years old.  But I guess others
have more of a challenge.  It's nice to be able to talk to others
that live with similar problems.

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wtm@bunker.UUCP (Bill McGarry) (03/22/90)

Index Number: 7225

Stephen:

I, too, have experienced terrible unrelentless pain.  It seems to occur
whenever my feet are traumatized.

When this last occurred, I found a device which would provide TEMPORARY
relief from pain.  I've already posted a recent article on this machine.
If you so desire I could tell you a few basic points.

Steve

Jack.Hotchkiss@f10.n130.z1.fidonet.org (Jack Hotchkiss) (06/09/90)

Index Number: 8734

[This is from the Spinal Injury Conference]

Dear Liz
     I use a Subliminal tape for PAIN REDUCTION and it has proven to be
a life saver for me. I went from laying here screaming all the time to 
feeling pretty well. I just listen to it once a day and it does the rest.
I hope you can find some help.
                               Jack

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Charley.Brooks@p0.f3.n211.z1.fidonet.org (Charley Brooks) (10/23/90)

Index Number: 11230

[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference on Fidonet]

what is the most effective pain killer that is allowed for chronic 
head pain ....and what amount is allowed to be prescribed without 
the doctor getting into trouble with the government?
 

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Peter.Baker@f129.n167.z1.fidonet.org (Peter Baker) (10/23/90)

Index Number: 11231

[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference on Fidonet]

> what is the most effective pain killer that is allowed for
> chronic head pain

I would need a bit more information on where the pain is in your
head and is it Chronic by means of 24 hrs a day 7 days a week and
is it very painful if all the above is true I suggest you get
yourself into a pain Clinic and let them know the whole story from
the beginning to end,OK!!!

My prescription to you would be Morphine MS-Contin this is Morphine
Sulphate Continous last 12 hrs so you take it 2 times a day one
tablet to start if this kills the pain remain at this dosage if it
doesnt increase it to two tablets 2 times a day,BTW these are 15mg
tablets that are to be swallowd not chewed or left under your
tongue(Sublingual) I dont think you would need ti increase it more
than 4 x 15mg tablets per day.

Morphine is the best and safest pain killer there is on the market
there are usually no real bad side effects unless your allergic to
this medication if you are I suggest you not even think of it,if
you do not know this is why I suggest the Pain Clinic PLEASE let me
know what happens and if you have trouble getting prescribed
Morphine also let me know I have literature that will change a Dr's
mind in a minute...
					      Peter B.

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Charley.Brooks@p0.f3.n211.z1.fidonet.org (Charley Brooks) (11/06/90)

Index Number: 11534

[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference on Fidonet]

yes i have been to pain clinics and specialists for years /// i have 
been on tylox for years.... i usually take about one third of a capsule 
three times a day...  this usually works but when i have an attack 
the pain in my head is so intense that i go to the hospital for about 
2 to 3 days on morphine..  but i dont have the money to go all the 
time.. so some times i live in great pain and do not sleep for 5 days 
which causes by heart to have heavy chest pains.. my doctor says he 
is afraid to give me more than 1 tylox a day because he will lose 
his license.  I just do not know how much more pain my body will take. 
and i cant just keep adding up the bills by going into the hospitol 
once a week for a shot of morphine ...  also as you said the morphine 
is much cleaner and does not have all the muscle tension that the 
other drugs give which increases the pain down my spine to the point 
where i can not walk... there is more but i do not know how much of 
this you are interested in hearing... it seems to me that a doctor 
would not be concerned about addiction when i am all ready taking 
so much that does not work... and if i do not get relaxed enough out 
of pain then my heart will go.... this is confusing and very intense 
to go thru when know one seems to understand the intense pain.   thanks 
for your reply!
 

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Charley.Brooks@p0.f3.n211.z1.fidonet.org (Charley Brooks) (11/06/90)

Index Number: 11539

[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference on Fidonet]

i am never out of pain .   The doctor will not give me enough medication 
to relieve the pain.  Have you ever been through a situation like 
this?
 

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Thomas.Bentley@f26.n228.z1.fidonet.org (Thomas Bentley) (06/25/91)

Index Number: 16416

[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference]

Hello
This new to me, so I will kjust start by saying hello to very one and
that I have arthitsis (sorry for the spelling) and I just khurt my back
at work and I have been off for about 2 and half months. They did some
injections(3total) in the low back, and I am still going to PT. The pain
is better then it was before. But it still hurts alot and I think I may
ask about the knife........I hope that, that isn't a bad choose. I am
getting workers comp. and that does help, but the pain is getting to me.
The sysop of the board I'm on thought that this echo would be good for me,
 and asked if I would like him to get it (Pretty nice a.....)
Well got to go for now. hope to here from anyone out there.
                               thanks for your time.
                                  tom
                               (:-{)

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Cindi.Bentley@f26.n228.z1.fidonet.org (Cindi Bentley) (06/26/91)

Index Number: 16455

[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference]

Hi Keith,

This is Cindi, I'm Tom's wife....

So far, Tom has had 3 epidermal steroid injections directly into the
spinal column...His main problem now is a ruptured disk....He also has
arthritis which is becoming more advanced in his upper spinal column...

His pain difficulties may involve some nerves as it runs down one or both
legs at times, and he also has frequent migraine headaches....

The reason he wants to consider surgery is that after 3 months of shots
and physical therapy, he can barely walk some days....and he wants to go
back to work rather badly....I think he rushes way too much, but I try to
understand...the thing is, it would be better to have patience now and
eventually get back to work than to rush in where only fools tred and
have him pmanently damage his back so that he can NEVER work again...

The comp people are now considering retraining him for some other type of
employment, although I don't know what he could do....If he sits, stands
or moves about for 2 or more hours, the pain is incredible the next
day...We just got back from a 3 day convention that required long hours
of sitting (at least it was for Tom and our 5 year old son)....he could
hardly get out of bed on the second day....and he wasn't able to sit
through the entire program any of the days....this tells me he is in no
condition for a desk job, either.

He works as a diesel mechanic for a private fleet of garbage trucks
(Waste Management)....I don't know what to do for him most times....I
know this echo is really about physical pain, but those of us with a
loved one who is suffering experience pain along with them, even if it is
only emotional or a severe case of feeling totally helpless....

Got any suggestions?  Read anything that might help?????

Cindi Bentley

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Keith.Jones@f3.n157.z1.fidonet.org (Keith Jones) (06/26/91)

Index Number: 16456

[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference]

  I live with constant chronic pain in my lower right side of my back,
my right hip, and ball of my right foot. The longer I sit, the worse my
back and hip pain becomes.
  I also have a spinal cord injury and all kinds of associated pain with
that disability (too much to go into here--- I use the spinal cord
conference for those problems. I don't want to scare you but the reason
I have the spinal cord injury is because I had terrible pain 7 years ago
in my left arm. I saw a doctor who diagnosed my problem as a herniated
disc. He told me I needed emergency surgery and that it was a relatively
simple surgery. I walked into the hospital and never walked out. My
spinal cord was bumped during surgery.
  If I had known then what I know now, I would NEVER had the surgery.
Has Tom gotten a second or third opinion? Have you tried a chiropractor?
Surgery, in my opinion, should only be done as a last resort. Surgery
many times does not help and leads to more surgery down the road. Once
cut, scar tissue forms and know all kinds of people that have scar
tissue impinging on nerves that has caused excruciating pain. No further
surgery can be done to alleviate their problem. I know many people who
have developed other problems from back surgery. On the other hand, many
people have it, it works, and they never have any further problem.
  I can well understand Tom's frustration as I have lived with my pain
for almost two years. I would try the most conservative methods first
before rushing into surgery. There is no answer for my pain and if
surgery were offered, I am not sure I would want it. I know when the
pain is bad it has literally driven me insane. At those times I would do
just about anything to relieve my pain. But surgery is not always
guaranteed and is an extreme to take for a quick fix. I would talk to
your doctor as well as several others before surgery.
  I also deal with the Industrial Commission (long story) and I know how
they can drag their feet and stall procedures with bureaucratic red
tape. They make it very inviting to jump at surgery once it is
authorized rather than consider alternatives. If you have a good
compensation lawyer (?), you may be able to try some other things.
  I am just throwing out ideas. I don't live with anyone elses pain. I
have mine and I have a high pain thresdhhold and consider mine pretty
bad. Pain is a subjective feeling relative to each individual. One man's
ceiling is another man's floor. Tom's pain sounds very bad and I hate to
hear about anyone in that much pain. I guess only he can ultimately
determine how much pain he can stand and weigh the rewards and risks.
  As a caregiver, your role is almost as tough (maybe tougher). I know
you want to help. People want to help me. But there is really nothing
you can do to make the pain go away and that is frustrating for you. I
frustrate others. For that reason I will not get romantically involved
with anyone at this time. I know that if you love somebody and they love
you, you feel that person's pain as though it were your own. I don't
want anyone to feel my pain (except others in pain who can relate). You
are already married so you don't have that option. All you can do is
listen and try to understand. Sometimes that is all you can do. Often
people make the mistake with me of trying to tell me what I should do.
Sometimes I just need somebody to listen. I don't want advice (though I
am usually subconsciously asking for it). There are caregivers echoes
with some of the BBS's (though I have never logged onto any of them)
that might help.
  I wish both of you the best of luck. Stay in touch. I will try and
help in any way I can.

                                             -Keith-

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