Tell me about Chronic Pain

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Tell me about Chronic Pain

Araenna: Dec 27, 2012; Lipstick Apathy

What the hell.

1) Does anyone else have experience with this or a similar issue(e.g. Fibro, RSD, TOS, CRPS)?

I have fibromyalgia, some vague loose-but-not-really-hypermobile joint thing, sacroiliitis, endometriosis, migraines, IBS, and probably some related something I'm leaving out somewhere. They almost all effect each other, and it sucks major balls.

3) Has anyone found any relief from a specific medication or exercises?
Exercises, eh. Not yet, though just walking and moving around does help in general. I take cymbalta 60mg. I tried lyrica, gained a shitton of weight instantly, so yeah, no idea if that would have worked out. Imitrex as needed for migraines, ultram for pain, hydrocodone for really bad pain very rarely, and fiorinal for headaches. Flexiril is great for muscle relaxing. Bengay helps me too. Xanax gave me night terrors.

4) Does anyone else deal with bouts of frustration or depression over the whole ordeal?
Yes, all the time, constantly. I can't really help much there. I am starting therapy again soon, hopefully it helps.

5) Does anyone have any life hacks that make things easier?
Don't feel bad about using a cane, walker, wheelchair, scooter, or whatever you need. People might give you dirty looks in a store for being young or standing up to get to a high shelf. gently caress 'em. I have an awesome walker with a seat. It's great for walking around a mall or something. Don't have to carry poo poo, and can sit and rest.
I don't know about your specific hand thing, but compression gloves can be awesome. I wear fingerless ones whenever my fingers get chilly. Which is like, always.

# ¿ May 29, 2014 06:59

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# ¿ May 15, 2024 11:56

Araenna: Dec 27, 2012; Lipstick Apathy

Locker Room Zubaz posted:

I have a question: What do you guys do when your pain is a 10 and you can't get it under control?
My pain management doctor has me going to the ER but that seems like an absolutely ridiculous solution to this problem. At the ER they give me a truckload of Dilaudid which helps a lot, but it seems like using nuclear weapons to kill a fly. It's also thousands of dollars a visit and that is just not a sustainable solution especially in the summer when my bad days increase tenfold due to changes in the weather. I have been presented with dozens of other emergency medications ranging from headache abortives to high doses of oral opiates but none of them break the pain long enough that my maintenance meds will get it back under control. At the moment I am just taking those days and dosing myself to the gills with valium and pot and hoping that the next day will be better, which it rarely is.

Hydrocodone, flexiril, and willing myself to sleep. Like, straight up curling up, closing my eyes, and forcing myself to sleep through the pain. I think it's a learned skill or something.

# ¿ Jun 11, 2014 20:07

Araenna: Dec 27, 2012; Lipstick Apathy

I just got a gastric bypass, in part because of Lyrica weight. gently caress that med so hard. It put me over from fat to obese, where any exercise just hurt too drat much. Cymbalta works for me, though. No real weight gain, and it helps my depression. If you miss a pill though, or have to go off it, the withdrawals are terrible. I'm hoping I can go off it once I lose weight, just so I don't have to worry about taking it late and getting a migraine.

# ¿ Jul 8, 2014 20:25

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Tell me about Chronic Pain