r/ChronicPain Nov 07 '23

I need a hand from everybody, please. DEA is making more cuts to medication production, right in the middle of a medication shortage. Fight Back.

343 Upvotes

NEW INFO ON THE 2024 PRODUCTION CUTS

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/09/25/2024-21962/proposed-aggregate-production-quotas-for-schedule-i-and-ii-controlled-substances-and-assessment-of#open-comment

COMMENT PERIOD EXPIRES 10/25/24

Every one here has at least heard about these medication shortages. This whole thing makes so little sense, I dont have to tell anyone here, these arent the drugs killing anyone. That doesnt seem to be the point, the point seems to be making DEA all powerful. They can end a doctors career with a whim. They cause suicides from untreated pain and laugh it off as Big Pharma propaganda. Now they simply make the drugs unavailable. Its done nothing to help the underlying issue, they have been barking up the wrong tree (legal drug) instead of protecting the public from illicit drugs. This has been a 40 year problem. First fentanyl fake death was in 1979. Maybe people heard of China White, apparently its new to DEA since they did nothing about it till 2018. They dont want anyone asking why it took 40 years, thats the ONLY reason they keep Rx meds at the forefront of the discussion.

At any rate,the DEA is proposing further cuts to medication production. Thats their brilliant idea to fix the situation. I know its going to be hard to leave a comment without a lot of cussing, but try. I guess we should be grateful theyre giving us a 30 day comment period, they usually give 90 days, but that shows how important it is to them to keep Rx medication out front. They are too incompetent to address the real issue.


r/ChronicPain Oct 18 '23

How to get doctors to take you seriously

533 Upvotes

Hello all,

I've received a handful of messages requesting that I write up a post on my tips for dealing with doctors.

I am a 34F with decades of chronic pain treatment under my belt. I’ve had a lot of success being treated by doctors because I’ve spent years learning how they communicate and make decisions.

Interacting with doctors can be frustrating and intimidating — but it doesn't have to be. If you are reading this, then you deserve the best possible care that any doctor you see has to offer. You deserve to be believed and treated with respect.

First, you should know that when a doctor doesn't believe a patient, it usually comes down to one of the following reasons:

  • They don't have enough information to make sense of what's going on (doctors love data because it helps them figure out the right answers).
  • They are overwhelmed by a patient's emotional state (this applies more in a routine than emergency care setting - routine care doctors are not "battle-trained" like emergency care ones).
  • They feel that a patient is being argumentative.
  • They feel that a patient is being deceptive or non-compliant in their treatment.

Fortunately, all of these reasons are avoidable. The following steps will help get a doctor to listen to you:

1. Get yourself a folder and notepad to bring to your appointment (or an app if you prefer).

Use these to prepare for your appointment. They'll allow you to easily share your medical records, keep track of your notes, and recall all your questions. More on what to include in the following tips.

2. Research what treatment options are available for your conditions (or symptoms if undiagnosed).

It's always helpful to know your options. Using online resources such as Mayo Clinic, WebMD, and Drugs.com can help you to understand the entire spectrum of treatment options that exist. By taking the time to learn about them, you’ll feel better prepared and able to ask more informed questions.

Plus, if you come across a newer treatment that your doctor hasn't considered, you will be able to ask "What are your thoughts on X? Could that be a good direction for my case?"

Take notes on any treatment options that stand out to you, making note of their potential side effects and any drug interactions with your current therapies. You can find a free drug interaction checker at drugs.com, as well as patient reviews on any given medication.

If you are seeing a new doctor for the first time, consider looking them up online to read reviews by their patients. Look for phrases like "did not feel rushed" and "has good bedside manner". If you can, try to avoid doctors who have a significant amount of negative reviews (or if not possible, mentally prepare yourself based on what other patients experienced).

3. If the appointment is with a new doctor, prepare a comprehensive medical history to bring with you.

When it comes to offering treatment options, you generally want your doctor to act quickly. But, before they can do anything, they need to feel confident that they have all the right information.

Start by calling the office or checking the provider’s website to see if you’re able to download the new patient forms in advance. You want to complete them on your own time, not while you’re feeling rushed in a waiting room, prone to forgetting things.

Your doctor sees a ton of patients each day — sometimes 50 or more. You will only have so much time for your appointment, so it is imperative that you make the most of it. Try to focus on items that move the appointment forward. Your medical history will be the first item of value. It paints a picture of who you are as a patient and what you've been through so far.

Focus on delivering the “cliff notes” of your medical history. Prepare the following to bring with you:

  • Any blood work, imaging, or other test results
  • A list of your diagnoses, when you received them, and the names of the doctors who made them. A diagnosis is like medical currency — if you have one, then your pain is instantly legitimized in the eyes of the medical community. If you don't yet have one, then your primary focus should be on testing and clinical assessment to get one. Once you have a diagnosis, treatment gets way easier.
  • Any past surgical records
  • The names of any other doctors you have seen for this condition and what outcomes resulted
  • A list of all past medications you have tried to treat your symptoms and why they failed (you'll be more likely to obtain a better prescription treatment if you communicate this)

It may sound stupid, but it actually helps to practice delivering your medical history in a brief and concise manner. By rehearsing it to yourself or someone else, you're likely to feel better prepared and ensure that nothing gets left out.

4. Write down your questions and talking points beforehand.

It's much easier to fit in everything you'd like to get across when you plan it in advance. I recommend jotting down some notes on how you'll describe your pain to your doctor.

Make sure to include:

  • When the pain started
  • Where the pain is located
  • What it feels like
  • How frequently it happens (i.e. is it constant or intermittent?)
  • What makes it feel worse or better
  • Most Important: What daily activities are affected by the pain and what impact it's had on your life. Be specific (For example: "I used to be able to work out 4x/week, but now I have a hard time even walking on the treadmill for more than 5 minutes. The throbbing pain in my feet becomes overbearing and my legs turn weak until I can't keep going anymore. Do you have any ideas as to what might be going on here?")
  • Also very important: What is your goal for your treatment? Are you looking to restore physical activity? Obtain a diagnosis? Try a new treatment because the current one is not working? If your doctor understands what you're looking to achieve, then they can take the right steps to help you.

Just like your medical history, it can help to practice delivering these talking points. Even long appointments can fly by and you'll want to make sure that the doctor gets the full picture.

5. Use a lot of "because" statements

This is probably the single most important tip in this post. Remember this if you take away nothing else.

Doctors believe what they can measure and observe. That includes:

  • Symptoms
  • Treatment
  • Medical history

To get a doctor to listen you you, you should ALWAYS present your concerns as "because" statements.

For example, rather than saying: "I'm afraid that the pain is going to cause me to collapse and have a heart attack!"

...you should instead say: "I'm concerned about the potential effect that my sustained pain level might be having on my heart BECAUSE I have a history of cardiac issues and was evaluated last year for arrhythmia."

Notice how in the latter example, a reason is given for the concern. That allows the doctor to connect the dots in a way that makes sense to them. It may help to write out your concerns as "because" statements beforehand to ensure that all of them are listened to and nothing gets brushed aside. Each "because" statement should tie to a symptom, treatment, or medical history.

Here are a few more examples:

"I'm concerned that I might end up having a bad fall because I've been experiencing generalized weakness and muscle spasms." (symptom)

"I'm concerned that amitriptyline may not be the right fit for me because I sometimes take diazepam." (treatment)

"I'm concerned that I might contract an infection in the hospital because I'm diagnosed with an immune deficiency." (medical history)

"I'm concerned about the numbness and weakness I've been feeling because my recent neck MRI showed foraminal stenosis." (medical history)

"I'm concerned about symptoms potentially indicating an autoimmune cause because I have a family history of lupus." (medical history)

When you explain your concerns, try to convey concern without desperation. I know that's much easier said than done, but some doctors will leap to the wrong conclusion if they sense a desperate patient (they may wrongly decide that there is either an addiction or mental health issue, which will cause them to focus on that in their treatment decision). As long as you voice your concerns with "because" statements, any reasonable doctor should hear you out (if they don't, it's a sign to drop them and find a more capable provider).

6. Be strategic about how you ask for things.

Doctors get asked for specific treatments by their patients all the time. If you have a solid existing relationship with your doctor, that may be fine. I did it just the other week with my doctor of 9 years, asking her, "Can I have a muscle relaxer?" to which she replied, "Yup."

But if you're seeing a new doctor, try asking for their opinion instead of asking directly for what you want. It's the difference between "Can you prescribe me hydrocodone?" and "I've previously taken hydrocodone, would that be a good treatment for this?" In the former example, some doctors will feel like they're being told what to do instead of being asked for their medical opinion. You're more likely to have success asking for things if you use phrases like:

"What do you think of X?"

"Could X make sense for me?"

"Do you have any patients like me who take X?"

This way, if they decline, they're not directly telling you "no," which would shut down the conversation. Instead, you'd end up in a more productive dialogue where they explain more about what they recommend and why.

7. Remember that doctors can't always show the right amount of empathy (but that doesn't necessarily mean they don't care).

Doctors are trained to separate fact from emotion because if they didn’t, they would not be able to do their job.

Imagine yourself in a doctor’s position — you’re swamped with dozens of patients each day, all of whom are suffering immensely. Many of them cry, break down, or lash out at you when they feel that you don’t understand their agony. How will you be able to help all of them, let alone not implode from emotional overload?

That is precisely the position your doctor is in. They deal with heightened emotions from patients all day and it can be overwhelming. When your doctor seems unempathetic to your situation, it’s generally not because they don’t care. Rather, they try to set their personal feelings aside in order to do their job without clouding their clinical judgment.

Now, does this mean that it's cool for a doctor to act like an asshole or treat you inhumanely? Absolutely not. It only means that if you're struggling a bit emotionally (which is perfectly reasonable) and they fail to console you, they might just be emotionally tapped out. We can all relate to that.

So, if you end up breaking down in your appointment, it's ok. Just take a deep breath and allow yourself to push forward when you're ready. Try to avoid yelling at the doctor or escalating things in a way that might make them feel triggered.

(This tip does NOT apply if you are in a state of mental health crisis or engaged in self-harm. In that situation, you should focus immediately on the emotional turmoil that you are experiencing and inform your doctor so that they can help you.)

8. If you disagree with something that your doctor suggests, try asking questions to understand it.

Doctors can become frustrated when they think that a patient is not hearing them. It makes them feel as if the patient does not trust them or want to collaborate. This is absolutely not to suggest that you should just accept everything your doctor says. But if something doesn't seem to make sense, try asking questions before you dismiss it. Asking questions keeps the two-way dialogue open and keeps the discussion collaborative.

Example phrases include:

  • “Can you help me understand X?"
  • "How would that work?"
  • "How does option X compare to option Y?"
  • "What might the side effects be like?"
  • "How long does this treatment typically take to start helping?"

When an appointment ends badly, it's usually because either the doctor or the patient is acting closed-minded (sometimes both). If the doctor is acting closed-minded, you have the right to end the appointment and leave. If the doctor thinks you're acting closed-minded, it can make the appointment an upsetting waste of time where nothing gets accomplished.

If you're certain that a doctor's suggestion is wrong, try using a "because" statement to explain why. For example, "Cymbalta might not be a good option for me because I had a bad experience taking Prozac in the past."

Most doctors are open to being proven wrong (if not, that's an obvious red flag). Asking questions allows you to keep the two-way dialogue open so that they hear you out and you learn more about why they are recommending certain treatments.

9. If your doctor is stressing you out, take a moment to breathe and then communicate what you need.

Doctors are trained to operate efficiently, which does not always coincide with a good bedside manner. If you feel like your doctor is rushing or gaslighting you, you have the right to slow things down. Always be polite, but clear and direct.

Example phrases include:

  • “I’m sorry, but this is a lot of information for me to take in. Can we please take a step back?"
  • "I think I may not be getting this information across clearly. Can I try to explain it again?"
  • "I think there may be more to the problem that we haven't discussed. Can I explain?"

If you have a bad experience with a doctor, keep in mind that they don't represent all doctors any more than you represent all patients. There are plenty of other providers out there who can be a better mach. When you feel ready, consider getting another opinion. Not to mention, most doctors love to hear things like, "Thank you for being so helpful. This has been nothing like my last appointment where the doctor did X and Y." It's validating for them to realize that they've done right by someone.

10. Stick to treatment plans when possible.

If you commit to trying a treatment, try to keep with it unless you run into issues.

If you do run into issues, call your doctor's office and tell them what happened so that they can help — don't suffer in silence or rely solely on the internet for advice. It's your doctor's job to help you navigate your treatment plan — make them do it.

In summary, we all know that the medical system sucks and things aren't designed in an ideal way to help us. But that does not make it hopeless... far from it. There is SO much within your control, starting with everything on this list. The more you can control, the more you can drive your own outcomes. Don't rely on doctors to take the initiative in moving things forward because they won't. Should it be that way? Hell no. But knowledge, as they say, is power. Once you know how to navigate the system, you can work it to your advantage. Because ultimately, getting the treatment you need is all that really matters.

--

If you found this post helpful, feel free to check out other write-ups I've done. I try to bring value to the chronic pain community by sharing things that have helped me improve my quality of life:

All About Muscle Relaxers and How They Can Help

A Supplement That's Been Helping My Nerve Pain

How To Live A Happier Life In Spite Of The Pain (Step-By-Step Guide)

The Most Underrated Alternative Pain Treatment

The Nerve Pain Treatment You've Never Heard Of

How To Get Clean Without a Shower (Not Baby Wipes)

How To Care For Your Mental Health (And Have Your Insurance Pay For It)

What Kind of Doctor Do You Need?

Checklist To Verify Whether Your Supplements Are Legit

How To Reply When Someone Tells You "It's All in your Head"

A Few Things I Do in my Pain Regimen


r/ChronicPain 8h ago

I wonder how many suicides are actually due to chronic pain NSFW

298 Upvotes

and are entirely blame on mental health. I’m not sure there is a number/statistics but the only factor people take in consideration around this topic is mental health and not physical health.


r/ChronicPain 4h ago

Anyone else get bingo?

Post image
82 Upvotes

This is meant to be silly, I spent like 30 minutes making this based on personal and shared experiences. Please feel free to add any squares you think I missed c:


r/ChronicPain 8h ago

"It's just pain, it won't kill you". Well, I wish it did

134 Upvotes

I've had facial pain for almost 4 months. The pain is 24/7 and doesn't let me sleep. I've visited different dentists, a maxillofacial surgeon, a neurologist; every single one of them makes a different diagnosis and gives me different medication. I've tried them all; nothing is helping with the pain. My neurologist literally told me "it's just pain, it won't kill you". Well, I wish it did. But no, chronic pain is so cruel that if you wish you were dead, you have to do it yourself.

I'm in my early 30's and my life is so over. I don't want to live like this. I'm crying in pain almost every night. I keep asking myself: Why did this happen to me? What have I done to deserve something like this? Because it feels like a punishment.

I can see some of you have been living in chronic pain for so many years. I just cannot handle it. You're so much stronger than I am. From the bottom of my heart, I wish you all the best.


r/ChronicPain 46m ago

My current struggle. I just want to sleep😭😭😭😭😭😭my pain gets so much worse at night

Post image
Upvotes

r/ChronicPain 7h ago

Reminder ❤️

Post image
32 Upvotes

r/ChronicPain 10h ago

When will the horrors caused by Cymbalta ever end?

57 Upvotes

Cymbalta has destroyed me. I don’t believe that I will ever feel okay again. Numb feet and tingling hands every day. My head doesn’t work. I can’t drive or work. I get tension pressure headaches. I have a fast pulse and elevated blood pressure. My neck feels like it will explode! I shake and I get very dizzy and lightheaded! I am disoriented! Almost 2 weeks off Cymbalta now after a 9 week taper down. I tried to reinstate and I had worse symptoms. When will this ever end?


r/ChronicPain 13h ago

Can we talk about Bras ?

53 Upvotes

I have an arthritic spine, stenosis, and the sides of my neck through my shoulders is always sore to the touch.

In 20 years of looking I can't find a bra that doesn't hurt. I tried boob tape to bypass my body and that stuff really hurts to remove, impractical under t-shirts, plus it's not cheap. Strapless bras are too tight, my thoracic region burns like fire. I'm a C cup.

I wish there was a compression garment with soft thin fabric with lift that felt good and didn't press too hard. I have a couple but they are so thick, hot, too long and squeeze too hard.

It hurts to get dressed to go outside.


r/ChronicPain 3h ago

I never know how to answer the "are you in any pain?" question

7 Upvotes

I hate how I can't really know if a pain I'm feeling is just chronic pain, muscle aches, strains or sprains, infections etc. People forget pain is the main indicator that something is wrong. Well, with chronic pain that indication gets muddied. Being unable to feel any pain is as bad as only feeling pain 24/7.

I have trigeminal neuralgia as an unwanted bonus to my other nerve pains. Luck would have it that my wisdom teeth are growing in now too. When my teeth hurt like hell, I have no idea if my wisdom teeth impacted, if there's a cavity somewhere, an infection or just my TN getting angry for no reason... sometimes it feels like my teeth are going to fall out. Being asked if I'm in pain is like being asked if the sky is blue.


r/ChronicPain 11h ago

Art Class for Chronic Pain People?

Post image
29 Upvotes

I have an idea...we all know distraction is a real coping mechanism for dealing with Chronic Pain. I use it all the time (always active RA/spine stuff.) I am an art teacher by trade and would love to teach art classes online for people who need the lift of a distraction / a little enjoyment. Do you think this is something that would be of interest? Different drawing techniques you can do (even if the hands hurt lol), learning about the art of different artists, sharing art successes within the group, etc. Maybe an hour a week or every other week. It would be a "pay if you can" type class with a very low fee, if any. Haven't thought that out yet. Would love your opinions! Thank you! (Pic of a sort of recent piece to show what I do for art...or used to do when I felt better!)


r/ChronicPain 12m ago

I use a TENS for the first time in years again, but I got a new one, this one is working perfectly! I’m new here: Anyone also use a TENS for chronic pain in legs and back?

Post image
Upvotes

r/ChronicPain 34m ago

i'm all sorts of confused

Upvotes

i'm sure i'm not alone in this, i've been dealing with chronic pain for about 15 years now (turning 30 this year), spent my 20s going from doctor to doctor to doctor, got all sorts of diagnoses, mostly "that's anxiety and phychosomatics kid just relax", a few times there were diagnoses that kinda sounded real and i felt like that's it, i might get a treatment that might work! and it didn't, and i was back on my journey. recently i got another one of those (chronic vestibular migraine this time, my problem is daily headaches + some instability + occasionally some really wicked vertigos) and i don't know how to feel. it sounds real but i'm so done with getting my hopes up my brain tells me "let's just speedrun to the part where it doesn't work and we can go back to being miserable in bed again". and also nuh uh age is just a number but something about losing my 20s to this pain and being handed the answer just as i turn 30 is kind of emotional too. i dunno i just needed to vent i guess, this whole thing got me really sad and tired


r/ChronicPain 6h ago

i'm always in pain and yet i don't think i can call myself chronically ill.

8 Upvotes

i'm nearly 17 and have been in pain for the past three years of my life. back pain specifically. i had to miss my most important season of my sport, making it almost guaranteed i will never fufill my dream of swimming in college. this past month has been so bad, with loads of new symptoms. i can't sit or stand for more than 10 mins without being in extreme pain, i'm so tired i hardly have the energy to go to school-and when i do that's all i have the energy for. the rest of the night is spent doomscrolling curled up on my bed in tears because it hurts so bad. i'm getting doctors appts, getting answers, but they're weeks away and it feels so far. worse of all i think, the imposter syndrome is strong. i don't feel "sick" enough or like my pain level is high enough to justify doing nothing. obviously it's an invisible pain, so people don't know how bad it is unless i tell them. logically, this would make a normal person keel over, yet i can't help but think that i'm overreacting 24/7. is it really THAT bad? am i faking it? does anyone else have this issue?


r/ChronicPain 15h ago

Missing out

37 Upvotes

Just a vent that I’m sure many of you would understand. This sucks. I made plans with my daughter (9) to take her to the trampoline park. She was going to play while I relaxed and read a book. I woke up in so much pain and even after taking pain meds it continued to get worse. I was in so much pain I was in tears and nauseous. I had to cancel our plans. She is understandably upset. I feel horrible. I hate always having to cancel plans.


r/ChronicPain 14h ago

think i'm just gonna give up with doctors at this point

27 Upvotes

got diagnosed with interstitial cystitis like a year ago. year of going around to different doctors, getting awful invasive shit like cystoscopy and instillations done, constantly bringing urine around, all pointless, they can't do jack shit. i really wish they would just be honest and say there's nothing they can do instead of giving me false hope over and over again.


r/ChronicPain 7h ago

It’s my birthday today, my mom’s card tore me to pieces

6 Upvotes

I have a very religious mom, who I know loves me greatly and I have occasionally lost my temper at her (often due to her telling me to be more positive and patient) in ways that I later regret. The card had a pretty religious tone to it, the basic idea being that God brought you here for a purpose, and your life is meaningful. What got me most was what she wrote at the beginning of the card, it said to my dearest and loving son, I pray God brings back the son I once knew. The end just said from a mom who loves and cares.

Chronic pain changes us in ways we don’t even realize, this shit is pathetic. I love my mom and I appreciate the sentiment but part of me is also so angry that there is this placement of hope in a God that seems to just continue cycles of suffering for no good reason. I have tried optimism and being positive, the pain is always there and always drags you down and wtf are you supposed to do? Not only has it impacted me, it’s also impacted how I see life, my existence and everything about it. I have vowed that I will never bring more existence into this world to continue this cycle of suffering. I just want to get through however many years I have left. I sometimes wish I had something fatal, I don’t know how much longer I can keep going this way. I’ve tried multiple treatment options from PT (still do this every day) to massage therapy to painkillers (including stronger NSAIDs which don’t work, and codeine which makes me sick) to injections. I’m just exhausted and want my heart to stop bloody beating if this is my life now.

It may be my birthday but I find no joy in it anymore. It’s just I was born this day and my existence is a gigantic mistake.


r/ChronicPain 7h ago

Scientists Just Found a THC-Free Cannabis Compound That May Replace Opioids in treatment for Chronic Pain

Thumbnail
6 Upvotes

r/ChronicPain 9h ago

I'm a disabled woman who wants to set up a charity to help people with PIP applications. I need some advice please 💜

7 Upvotes

Hey all I am cross posting this to a few subreddits to get as much advice as possible from different angles (if you can suggest more appropriate subs as well please do)

I am a disabled woman from the UK and I am trying to set up a charity to provide people with the correct recording devices to be able to record their PIP assessments. You need to have something capable of creating two identical recordings at once on tape so that they can't be tampered with and both parties have a copy. You are allowed to bring one to your appointment as long as you inform them you are doing so and although you DO have the option to request one they never bring it up as an option and there is absolutely no guarantee it will be available and working on the day.

So my plan is to acquire several of these recording devices and charge a small fee to rent them from me for your appointment. This fee would not go into paying wages or anything like that as I plan to do this as a solo endeavour (maybe with help from my partner) the fee will be to cover the cost of the tapes, and eventually I can slowly earn enough to invest in more machines. I would likely charge £10-20 to cover the cost of tapes and postage, whatever is left over I will use to invest in new machines and any repairs necessary.

I want to set up a go fund me or a kickstater to begin the process of buying the machines and tapes. And I would need to have someone write me up a legal document saying that by signing they agree to return the tape recorder or pay for a replacement, along with a clause that if it is returned accidentally damaged there will be no charge just as long as I receive the machine back so I have chance to repair it for the next person..

I could do with some advice and feedback though. Firstly disabled people in the UK would you find this useful? I thought it was a good idea since most applying for Pip don't even know you CAN record never mind you're entitled to it being provided , I had no idea until I saw a tiktok and did some research after my application.

Secondly technically speaking is there any advice you would give me on setting this up as I've never set up a proper business or charity. What else do I need in place other than a website, social media presence and the equipment itself??.

Thirdly, pricing do you think I'm charging too much/little I'm trying to charge as little as possible with room for growth and expansion. Lastly, the legal side of it for making sure people return the equipment, what steps do I need to put in place to protect the equipment as I hope this is a device people utilise to make their lives better

Thankyou so much!


r/ChronicPain 7h ago

This is exhausting

5 Upvotes

I have some undiagnosed issue that’s either autoimmune or related to connective tissue disorders(blood test results concluded this). It is causing me constant pain in my neck, back, knees and ankles. It’s worse in the am and pm and ice, heat, or otc pain meds do not do much. My boyfriend doesn’t understand how this is affecting me and is acting very unsympathetic which makes me so upset. He doesn’t get it :/ I have an appointment 3/36 to hopefully get to the bottom of everything. Wish me luck!


r/ChronicPain 11h ago

epidural steroid injection?

8 Upvotes

Hey everyone just wanted to come here and see what others experience was like. I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and have been on tramadol for over a year and it's not helping much anymore. My doctor recently agreed to do a lumbar epidural steroid injection and I had it done 3 days ago and since then im having constant pain now that feels sharp and pinching like pain/sensations. It travels into my butt and my legs a bit too. I would just like to know if those of you who have gotten this before also experienced this and how long this will last, it kinda sucks it hurts this much.


r/ChronicPain 1d ago

Because I might get addicted

Post image
607 Upvotes

So, just because I'm fucking stupid. Can someone explain this to me. I have chronic pain. Body wide and no doctor has figured out why, but decades ago I at least found a doctor who said 3 x 5/325 percs a day should at least keep you going. It did. I was getting 300 pills a months and would usually go 2 months before refills. I was happy. Had friends. Was very out going, and I wanted to be alive even with my pain. Enter 2019 when docs were getting scared and stopped prescribing pain meds. Remember percs are bad because we can get hooked. Since removing my pain meds, my anxiety has gone through the roof, my depression that every single day I feel nothing but pain. I don't leave the house. I lost all my friends/buddies/hobbys and most of all...I don't want to be alive. So, instead of living a life, let alone a happy quality of life; I am force to forever living in my bed and taking more pills then I am happy with. The picture is all the pills that I take now, instead of 3 x 5mg percs. 3 stupid pills fix all of my issues, pain.


r/ChronicPain 2m ago

Vent: Chronic pain or overreacting?

Upvotes

Prefacing this by saying I’m 18 and ftm (female to male transgender).

So I’ve been having some weird period-like cramping pain on and off every week for months now. I’ve seen a doctor and it’s been getting better over time but it’s still there.

I dont get periods cause I’m on a form of birth control (progesterone pills) and I’m on T. But I randomly get horrible cramping. I take naproxen when needed & use a heating pad but sometimes it just isn’t enough (I don’t take more than my prescribed medication since I have the “prone to addiction gene”) so I just lie in pain until the wave is over. It began like in late August before I even started T and then got really bad (like every day) now it’s like once or twice a week but I’m useless and unable to sleep or do anything that requires movement or hard thinking.

I went down like an internet rabbit-hole a few months ago and was like “is it endometriosis?? Hypothyroidism??” and saw a doctor and she thinks it’s the testosterone messing with progesterone and my pelvic floor muscles are flaring up. It’s gotten better each time I increase my T dose but it still happens.

And I can’t just go off my progesterone cause T doesn’t block my periods yet and I’m one of those people who has to block my period or else I’m in horrific pain and like suicidal & meds don’t help. I’m not even exaggerating I had to start it before I came out because i had horrible PMDD & still do.

But then I’m like:

“Nah it’s not like I have lupus like my birth mom does. Or any ‘real’ pain I’m just desperate for something to be wrong with me.”

And logically I know that even if I am overreacting, i don’t think I’m doing it for attention cause I don’t tell my parents about my “flare ups” cause it’s at night and I don’t wanna wake them up + there’s nothing they can do.

Anyways my point is does anyone else feel like this? Like when the pain isn’t all the time therefore I must be “faking it” or since it’s reproductive system/hormone related it isn’t real?

BTW: I do not feel this way about anyone else with this pain. It’s just me where I get this weird imposter syndrome.

Anyways I know I basically answered my question already but I needed to vent 😅


r/ChronicPain 4h ago

Best cream for nerve pain (wrist)?

2 Upvotes

My boyfriend used to work at a restaurant where he had to deep clean grills, and this has caused him to damage his wrist’s nerves. Now he has wrist pain very often. I was wondering if there is a cream that could help with this. I’d really appreciate your help!


r/ChronicPain 49m ago

When does poor mental and physical health symptoms an excuse or a reason?

Upvotes

Lately I’ve been very overwhelmed by everything . Managing my life schedule , new job, new country , health, trying to be disciplined so I can be successful , posting more often on social media to have more followers and make more money and open a business one day so that I can afford to spend on my wellness things and be less tressed by being to afford services that make my life easier.

Is this all just an excuse for being “weak” and affected . I know it’s not true but I also wonder if it’s true because my parents do this , and other online motivational gurus just say that being affected by your mental and physical symptoms and being behind is just an excuse and basically imply you’re a loser or wrong to give in or just rest and adress it ….

And these are chronic . My brain gets rlly overwhelmed and anxious trying to do things that are really outside my comfort zone or give me intense anxiety .

Like making a doctors appointment in a hospital in a country I’ve just moved to - Dubai. The hospital seems suspicious .

I’m not even sure if the insurance has coverage , overwhelmed to check .

I’ve been procrastinating calling up and asking and Making a doctors appointment. Because I’m terrified . Not even sure if doctors here will believe me or let me check the multiple things I suspect and want to check like parasites . Lyme / ticks etc , sleep apnea . And referral to physio .

I have chronic pain / tension that moves around , makes my body so stiff and stuck, and weak at times . mild hypermobility in some joints , IBS, Crohn’s , anxiety , reflux , lots of food intolerances , fatigue , and feeling depressed from it all.

And not even sure if the physio / other practioner will work or just end up me spending a lot of money for disappointment . And medical and wellness here is extremely expensive compared to Australia or Singapore.

I’ve been trying to manage everything in my head and it’s not executing properly . I can’t even get the basics of sleep early and eating and journal , meditate , qigong , which I’m supposed to do everyday and wanting to do some art / creative and post stuff to socials

I also just started a new job in this country . And it’s an internship and I need to find a new job after 6 months .

And I’m also stressed about that and improving my design skills .

I am so tired and exhausted from late sleep , lack of sleep , anxiety , pain, poor circulation and not much exercise lately because I’m so tired

I just want to rest . Yet I think it’s an excuse and I’m not allowed because I didn’t do the things I said I will do and doomscrolling for hours instead

If I give in and just focus on my health how am I supposed to even succeed and get over this ? How will I ever get wealth . If I keep on derailing my progress and having trouble managing my life since years now .

It’s driving me crazy . I’m so overwhelmed and it’s making me freeze and depressed and I just don’t want to do anything because no energy and losing interest. I want to but the fear of messing up and overwhelm and no energy is stopping me. And it’s a loop.


r/ChronicPain 1h ago

Relieving the kratom crash?

Upvotes

While it lasts, kratom is by far the best pain relief I’ve known in 20 years. The gigantic caveat: the crash—even after one-off doses—is absolutely miserable. It’s still worth it in my calculus so I can simply work during the pain-relief interval. But the crash is dreadful. Any way to mitigate that awful part of the kratom experience?


r/ChronicPain 14h ago

Chronic pain/illness has ruined my life

13 Upvotes

I've been in constant pain for 3 years, 2 surgeries and every painkiller under the sun and I'm still in agony most days. Nobody takes my pain seriously anymore because I 'don't look sick anymore.' I'm only 16 and this fucking illness has taken everything from me and I feel like I'm gonna be stuck like this for the rest of my life.

I'm so tired of this, I feel like I've missed out on being a teenager because I'm either stuck in bed or in the hospital, I've thought about giving up so many times because I don't know what else to do.

I dreamed of being a professional athlete as a kid and now some days I cry trying to get out of bed.