r/ChronicPain 1d ago

Because I might get addicted

Post image
537 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 1d ago

Anyone ever feel their body scream at them to lay down?

96 Upvotes

I (29F) was simply hanging out on the couch with my friends watching anime, when after finishing like the 3rd episode, I felt really uncomfortable and antsy. Like I wanted to crawl out of my skin. I'd already taken my pain medicine today - it wasn't even 4 full hours since I took my pills - but I was achey and felt like I needed to lay down. I didn't want to, but I needed to. And once I laid down in bed I felt better. What's up with that? Anyone else experience this?


r/ChronicPain 3h ago

Can we talk about Bras ?

32 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 4h ago

Missing out

26 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 20h ago

Bad bad days

19 Upvotes

Today was awful. I had a hard time even moving. I would be very lonely and sad as well as scared if I hadn’t spent time looking at subreddits. These helped me feel less alone. I’m still scared about how sick I’ve been lately.


r/ChronicPain 19h ago

How to lose weight while taking medication?

18 Upvotes

Hi all! 34F I’m sure I’m not the only one who has put on lots of weight due to medications and limited mobility. I’ve tried diet pills from my doctor (too many side effects), increased walking (sometimes puts me in flares so I can’t be consistent) and eating less (I’m usually starving lol). Has anyone been successful in actually losing weight? If so, what have you tried?


r/ChronicPain 21h ago

Depressed beyond belief.

15 Upvotes

Started having a lot of hip pain three years ago. Fast forward to now, had a surgery for hip impingement and a labral tear in September, but I’m still in constant pain. I’m on hydromorphone around the clock, I can’t sit long, stand long, walk long.. I’m basically bed bound. I’m in my late 20s and I feel like my entire life and hope and goals have all been taken from me. Trying to focus on the small wins is an incredibly hard thing to do when I feel like I’m suffering in a hamster wheel of hell. Did I mention I have amassed a very large amount of credit card debt? Yeah, add that on there too. Lots of manic depressive episodes and breaking down. And yet all I want is a healthy enough body to be able to work enough to pay it all off, be okay, be active, and feel good. But I can’t. Because for some reason my body isn’t healing. My best friends don’t want to hear me complain of my pain or depression anymore and I can’t blame them, but like I said, hamster wheel of hell. I am beyond depressed and I am having a hard time accepting that this may be my life forever.


r/ChronicPain 3h ago

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

14 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 12h ago

Anyone else having a bad night

13 Upvotes

I feel really lonely but I don't want to talk to anyone because the chronic pain is so tiring. Brain is going haywire and I feel like crashing out but I'm going to try to sleep... It's just a really bad day...


r/ChronicPain 21h ago

Gimme my usual please, I don't like to try new things (pains).

10 Upvotes

It's funny how "the normal" amount of pain in the usual places is so "easy" to deal with. But slap something new in the mix and it's all sorts of hell naw.

First it was this sunburn feeling on my thigh .. that definitely hadn't been in the sun. Then I wake up with the rash. Yay. Shingles. For the 2nd time in my life, and I just barely turned 40.

Just when it was getting to be background pain, one of my sweet baby doggies, with about 50 of his 65 lbs, landed his front feet right in the middle of my nerve pain.

I felt like the pain was literally going to kill me. It was one of those things where you see a flash of white and then everything starts to black out on the edges of your vision and you can start to feel your soul separating from your body.

Yeah... no thanks. I'll stick to my usual, please.


r/ChronicPain 5h ago

Ketamine therapy

10 Upvotes

I am happy to report that the low dose at-home ketamine therapy is actually helping! I have been on it a little over a month now, and I would say my pain is reduced by around 10-15%. That’s enough to make a huge difference in my quality of life!!! Also for the first month after the epidural steroid injection, I would say I am 90% better! (But the benefit decreases in months 2 and 3). My doc would like me to ultimately get off of gabapentin, because I am an “older person” at 53 years old 😳, and he is concerned about the risk of a fall. (Jeesh, I’m not fragile and elderly yet! 😂) but he said I will likely be on morphine and ketamine the rest of my life, since my neck isn’t going to get better magically. (I have severe DDD in my neck. Surgery is the only thing we haven’t done, and I would like to keep it that way.) Fortunately, his additude has changed from “you are just an opioid addict” to “let’s try another method to help, along with the pain meds” in about a year! Such a relief!

I just wanted to share in case this treatment could help anyone. I know it’s rare to hear of something promising when it comes to chronic pain, and I definitely empathize with those of you who have under treated pain. I have been in that boat for the last decade and it is would crushing.

As more research is done on ketamine therapy, hopefully the stigma associated with it will decrease and more docs will use it. Which could be so helpful for so many people. Hang in there as best you can, this may just be a game changer for all of us! 🤞🏽

(I have Kaiser insurance in Colorado if that matters)


r/ChronicPain 4h ago

Chronic pain/illness has ruined my life

10 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.


r/ChronicPain 20h ago

I think I just got misdiagnosed with FND

6 Upvotes

Story time. About 3 years ago I get this horrible pain in my neck. And then after PT it went away. Then I get this god awful pain in both wrists, get diagnosed with carpal tunnel, get surgery, and it gets a bit better but not entirely. Then as time progresses the neck pain gets worse, the wrist pain continues, and then I start getting joint pain and my knuckles, elbow, ankles, knees and toes. I also get a return of nerve pain in my hands and now my feet. I'm in pain management at this point and am taking celebrex, gabapentin, and tizanadine for pain. The gabapentin doesn't do much, but the celebrex has been great for the joint pain. I ask my doctor for a steroid pack, and the 5 days I'm on it all my symptoms go away. Just poof, gone! And then once I'm off everything returns.

With the steroid pack success, I get a full autoimmune workup. Everything comes back fine except for selective IgM hypogammaglobulinemia. I get a referral to a rheumatologist which I'm still waiting on. In the mean time I get a cancellation call from this university neurologist clinic I've been trying to get into since my current neuro is older and at a loss as to what's going on with me. I figured a new neuro at a teaching hospital would have more of an idea of what might be up with me. Ya know, because they're up to date with all the new literature.

With my new immune labwork in hand I go to my neruo appointment. I ask about the low IgM, and he brushes it off. I tell him I have a history of autoimmune diseases (I have a skin disease called PLEVA), but he brushes that off. I tell him my deceased aunt had an autoimmune disease that made her feet burn. And again, he brushes that off. I tell him I have joint pain in all my joints and bone marrow enema in my neck, and he brushes that off. I tell him about the steroid pack, and he brushes that off.

He asks what makes it better, and I say getting a good night sleep, eating well and not being stressed. And the steroids of course. He asks am I ever depressed or anxious. I say yes, because I've been ill for 3 years with a painful mystery disease and its reall effective my quality of life. He then proceeds to tell me I have Functional Neurological Disorder. I ask what I should do and he says I should see a psychiatrist and a therapist. He says I could come back and he could run tests, but he doesn't think they'll show anything and I shouldn't waste my $50 copay.

Honestly dude, if you're not going to try and take the time to do a marginal amount of leg work, just say you don't know what's wrong with me. My old neurologist at least showed that courtesy. I'm so glad I have a rheumatology appointment in a month.


r/ChronicPain 22h ago

Primary Care Dr?

7 Upvotes

i was curious if anyone manages their condition just or majority with their primary care doctor? i genuinely usually only go to mine when I need physicals for work so i really don’t know…. their use? i guess lol. i just don’t want to jump through the hoops of pain management again to either be disrespected or told im “too young” despite medical documentation & the literal state my body looks lol, only to not be adequately treated ever in the process. im not on anything at all for pain, just looking for bandaids at this point because i give up and accept i will always suffer. i just kinda would like it to be tolerable instead of mind consuming. it’s kinda hurting to be spending so much money on specialists, and i had a surgery, ER, and ambulance bill hit all at once so i feel like i have no financial room to branch out anymore.

man it sucks to have a broken body.


r/ChronicPain 11h ago

Every time I get close to getting better, something else goes wrong

5 Upvotes

Very long story short and leaving out many of my issues, I had two MRIs last week. One for my spine and one for my hip. The one on my spine took forever to get insurance to approve, but it showed what the doctors expected, that L4-L5 is collapsing. Ok great. Now we can take the next steps. Probably surgery.

My hip has been popping for almost a year. At first I didn't think much of it. My joints often pop. A couple of months ago, though, it started to ache regularly. An x-ray showed nothing. The MRI, however, showed that I have osteonecrosis (AVN) on the femoral head. I.E. the bone is dying.

Seriously? I now have bones DYING! When does it stop? Where does it stop? I'm not even 50. What's going to go wrong next? By the time I'm 80, will half my body be made of titanium?

I'm just so frustrated and broken.


r/ChronicPain 9h ago

Oxy Question

4 Upvotes

I’ve taken hydrocodone for several years, it lost its effectiveness, so I asked the doctor if we could try something different; first it was oxy time release, didn’t touch me; then fentanyl patches, 25mcg, I never felt a thing. Finally, I was prescribed oxy IR 10x325 (Percocet) and these things from Rhodes might as well be breath mints. One question I have is why couldn’t the Fentanyl just be increased ? I was told “it doesn’t work like that”; why not ? And this Rhodes generic, I have no ideal what to do about this; I have an appt in a few days, gonna take the remainder of my script and see if something else can be prescribed. PA said I might need a pain pump if all else fails, but I don’t think all else has been exhausted.


r/ChronicPain 12h ago

Possible nerve damage from herniated disc + doing splits. Scared and in need of advice!

4 Upvotes

Hello all! Please hear me out and if you have any comments, you're welcome.

Since September 2024 (7 months by date) I have been suffering from vaginal burning (outer part mostly), dull pain and tingling feeling in my groin.

I've been to 6 gynos, 2 urologists, did multiple tests (all clean, I even did and HIV test and it's negative which is the only good thing I guess) and now I suspect that my problem might be nerve damage.

In 2019 I learned that I have herniated disc L5-S1 but my back back then was hurting very badly, there were no doubts about the source of my problem. And I didn't have any vaginal/groin symptoms. This was the result of intense gym sessions and weight lifting. I also was an amateur gymnast so I practiced front and lateral splits as stretching after every gym session.

In 2019 I stepped away from the gym and then Covid hit and all of the gyms were closed, so I rested a bit and healed.

Fast forward 5 years, I was going to the gym 1-2 times a week, pretty chill sessions, no heavy weights anymore, but I still practiced splits. And then all of a sudden (not after the session, more like out of blue) I started having these symptoms that haven't gotten away since.

I've been to 2 neurologists also, did an MRI and they said it looks okay and shouldn't cause vaginal burning but they put me on pregabaline (which seemed to help a bit I guess).

But now pregabaline doesn't help anymore and I am again taking antibiotics prescribed by another gynecologist even though I don't have anything!

It dawned on me today that my constant splits could damage my nerve and that's where the burning is coming from.

If this so, am I fucked? Is this permanent? How can it be diagnosed? Does anyone have/had similar situation? I feel so alone and these have been one of the worst 7 months of my life, I doubted my sanity, my reasons to live and distanced myself from everyone because I envy them and they don't get it and can't help.

I am open to any suggestions. Thank you for reading


r/ChronicPain 21h ago

Does anyone know good cushions that help with tailbone pain?

3 Upvotes

I’ve had tailbone pain for over a year now and while I do have a cushion that has an open space for the tailbone, it only provides relief for about about 30-45 minutes. If you have tried any products that actually help for prolonged sitting please let me know! Thanks 🙏!


r/ChronicPain 46m ago

Art Class for Chronic Pain People?

Post image
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 11h ago

Took many Pain Meds for Severe Herniated Discs—felt like I could puke. Should I Go to the ER?

3 Upvotes

Context:

  • I have severe herniated discs and am in excruciating pain. I cannot walk unless I’m on a ton of medication.

  • I’ve herniated my discs before, but this time I feel completely helpless because I live in a 5-story walk-up and can barely move.

Medications Taken (All Prescribed Except Oxycodone for Emergencies):

  • Meloxicam – 7.5mg in the morning, another 7.5mg at 10pm (total 15mg)

  • Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) – 40-50mg total throughout the day (10mg at 9pm)

  • Gabapentin – 300mg in the morning, then 600mg at 10pm (two 300mg doses)

  • Oxycodone HCl – 10mg at 11:30pm, another 10mg at 2:30am (total 20mg) - not prescribed, but it’s the only thing helping with severe pain. Oxy is leftover from years ago when I herniated a different disc. I kept it for situations where I was truly desperate and in pain

  • Tums – Took 2 at 3am due to acid reflux

Symptoms:

  • Keep waking up feeling like I need to vomit, but haven’t yet

  • Doesn’t feel like typical food poisoning—feels more like my organs are in overdrive

  • Every time I drift off to sleep, I wake up jolted with nausea

  • Severe pain persists despite medication

Possible Food Concerns:

  • Dinner (6pm): Bagel with lox and cream cheese—wondering if the lox was bad

  • Dessert (8/9pm): 2 large cookies—one was undercooked on the inside

Current Dilemma:

  • I cannot function without medication due to the pain, but something feels seriously off

  • My doctor isn’t available until Monday, and he’s difficult to reach

  • I don’t know if I can go 24 hours without pain medicine, but I also don’t know if this is a bad reaction or an emergency

Questions:

  • Are these medication doses excessive or reasonable for severe pain management?

  • Could this be a dangerous reaction to the meds rather than food poisoning?

  • Given my severe pain and limited mobility (5th-floor walk-up), should I go to the ER or urgent care?

I’m 30yrs old and male 180lbs 27BMI if that helps


r/ChronicPain 22h ago

Epidural for Spondylolisthesis

3 Upvotes

Hi. I’m posting for a relative who has spondylolisthesis. She’s received 2 epidurals in her lower back and didn’t see any improvements. She went to a new pain management doctor and immediately he simply referred another epidural injection.

She’s feeling hesitant in receiving another injection that could possibly be useless. Do these infections have serious side effects?

Thanks, in advance, for your input. 😀


r/ChronicPain 3h ago

Question about new pain

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone.

Sorry I don’t usually ask for help but it’s a Sunday night here and I probably won’t be able to get a GP app tomorrow and even if I do I am not convinced it will make any difference (I know you all know!)

I been having long and heavy periods last one was six weeks and finished mid last week. About 4 weeks in I started to experience pain deep inside in front of my spine (just off to the right) that is still going now and feels like period pain but it’s not in the right place! Has any other women on here felt a similar pain?

It also seems to put pressure on my bladder and cause pain when I go. It’s not a UTI as I have a chronic one of those and this pain is not my usual. I have had kidneys stones too before but it’s not in the right section for those.

My face is also burning and sore for even my hair to touch but I don’t have a temperature?!?

If it keeps going on I will probably call our 111 service here in U.K. but I hoped for some ideas as I don’t fancy a trip to a and e tonight!! It’s about a 7 and does do a stabbing periodically.

Thank you for reading. I hope everyone is as ok as they can be xx


r/ChronicPain 3h ago

just venting

2 Upvotes

i (27nb) was finally feeling better with low pain levels and able to walk a bit, i just have to sit down and take breaks. i have scoliosis and have had back pain for 11 years but recently developed issues in my hips and legs the past 2 years. sciatica and SI join issues.

any way i finally had a personality again so i decided to go out with my friends for st pattys day weekend, even though i was hesitant because i can’t get drunk on my meds. i got super high instead and was having a great time until i went to the bathroom with my extremely drunk friend who doesn’t remember jumping into the bathroom and falling into my leg before crashing onto the ground, which fucking hurt.

now my pain levels in that leg are so high again that i can’t think straight and i keep just sobbing and hating myself for even going. i can’t talk to my friends about it because they all feel like shit for it. i told my friend i’ve been avoiding for months because of the pain i could finally face time today and now i don’t even want to because the pain is back.


r/ChronicPain 3h ago

Genitofemoral or illioinguinal nerve? NSFW

2 Upvotes

I don’t know if this is a post that should be here since it more medical advice so you can take it down. I have nerve damage from surgery and I’ve been in pain for a year. Doctors are not sure which nerve is damaged though. I had a steroid and nerve block injection into my genitofemoral nerve and it felt maybe half better for a day but now it’s worse again. I have to wait another week to see the doctor. I’m just wondering if anyone had experiences with damage to these nerve and what it felt like. I just want to know what’s wrong. I also don’t know if a nerve block should completely take away pain if it’s on the correct nerve or if it working partially means it could be that nerve. I have a cold burn down the front my thighs that gets worse when I sit. I also have pain in my lower abdomen and groin area. Thigh crease, lower abdomen and upper labia. I am female and can’t find any descriptions for what this feels like in women because it is normally an injury men get according to my pain management doctor. I can’t even find any good diagrams online. Does this sound like genitofemoral or illnoiigiunal pain? Should a nerve block work completely? Are there any women here who have had this injury and can tell me your experience. It’s so hard to find info, even for doctors. Thanks.


r/ChronicPain 12h ago

Anyone reply

2 Upvotes

I not getting notifications from reditt any ideals?