r/ChronicPain • u/Old-Goat • Nov 07 '23
NEW INFO ON THE 2024 PRODUCTION CUTS
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 • u/CopyUnicorn • Oct 18 '23
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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
r/ChronicPain • u/aiyukiyuu • 9h ago
The pain has been making me feel really depressed. So, I was thankful that I was able to go for a walk in this Japanese garden. And even hit a mile! 😊 Had to take a few breaks to sit on the benches because of pain, but happy I was able to see Cherry blossoms in bloom and some ducks and geese. We were so lucky because it started raining when we left
r/ChronicPain • u/bcuvorchids • 2h ago
This is our Saturn peach tree. It toppled over but refuses to die. It was so weakened and actively dying that it had fungus growing out of its trunk. Chronic pain can bring you down and make it seem like you can’t possibly go on. I hope this tree will inspire you to find your way to make a life that works for you. Wishing all within reach of this post relief.
r/ChronicPain • u/OldAssNerdWyoming • 18h ago
I started lifting a few years ago mostly out of vanity. Chronic Pain killed my confidence and I let myself go. I could almost put my hand completely around my bicep and I realized how much I gave up. So to feel better and fight diabetes I started a six day a week regimen. Despite being 46 and disabled I'm getting stronger daily and my diabetes is under control. Still fat, still disabled but I'm stronger mentally and physically.
Keep fighting to be you friends? Find ways to adjust your passions to your abilities
r/ChronicPain • u/midnightsrose77 • 32m ago
I cleaned some today, but now I am flopped on the bed, nauseated with my body on fire. Cut me some slack, dammit!
r/ChronicPain • u/Nervous_Move5242 • 8h ago
I’m going to have to stop using them, they burn!
r/ChronicPain • u/Kitchen_Mood_9835 • 7h ago
Just curious, I've done lots of different therapies and practice mindfulness and meditation. I'm on my way to being a psychologist myself. But, I don't think it has helped me with my pain. It has helped me manage my pain sure.
From the way some people talk about it I get the impression it helps with the actual pain, have you experienced this? I've looked at the empirical evidence and haven't found a satisfactory answer - interventions were short, follow ups haven't been conducted yet, sample sizes were small
Thanks in advance!
r/ChronicPain • u/lemonsarethekey • 17h ago
r/ChronicPain • u/yOUR_Answer_EmC • 1h ago
I'm "okay" but struggling from all, one, or several (who knows) of my comorbidities. I feel deeply sad, teary, isolated, alone, and without energy. I feel like i can't get the help i need to have an impactful, productive day, and I can't accept where I'm at as okay and completely acceptable for today. These feelings are beginning to catastrophize and grow into self-pity making me feel this is a permanent state that will never get better, leaving me feeling hopeless in an exaggerated manner. I am looking for some encouraging support and connection from the group. Although, I'm cognitively aware these feelings will pass and they are not forever, it does not match up to the feelings deep within my heart, soul, and spirit that feel completely devastated and so hopeless. These feelings are kicking up shame that is unearned, inaccurate. I feel like I should be able to push through this, do better, be better, and be someplace other than exactly where I am at. I could go on and on, but I don't even feel I have the energy to do that. These are toxic ways to feel. I appreciate everyone in this group. If you feel like replying with an encouraging reply, please feel free. Or tell me your favorite joke or something I don't know! Choose your own adventure. Warmth, Light, and Love to you all. 💙
r/ChronicPain • u/Variety-Kindly • 5h ago
so i’ve been using tramadol for chronic pain for years and it never made me feel sick before. now i took 200mg last night and today i took 100mg and both times it made me feel really nauseous. has this happened to anyone else and did it get better again over time? i sometimes have to take tramadol at work and i don’t think id be able to do my job feeling this sick. i’ve taken tramadol on an empty stomach before and didn’t feel sick and i had eaten yesterday and today before taking the meds so i don’t know what this is about.
r/ChronicPain • u/8kittycatsfluff • 8m ago
Do doctors and other people think you are making shit up, or that you are imagining your pain? This just seems really dismissive to me.
r/ChronicPain • u/Feisty_Bee9175 • 3h ago
My doc normally does my procedures in hospitals like Methodist, or Memorial Herman, or a specialty hospitals that are apart of a big hospital like Memorial Herman. My procedures are always performed in an OR and there is a team of nurses and anesthesiologist. My procedures are almost always done with me put to sleep under sedation, and there is an image guidance machine above me on the OR table, it puts an image X on my neck or back, and a large needle is guided into my spine using this image guidance machine. They hook me up to a heart monitor, and an oxygen tube is placed on my nose/face. It is always professional and the setting is clean with all the necessary items needed for my procedure.
I have always had pretty good outcomes with my procedures. But I am a little nervous about this place. It says Emergency Hospital, and when I called to set up my procedure date they seemed to say this was going to be performed in another area, not in their emergency hospital side, and when I asked if their services are covered under Medicare I had one lady say she didn't know and another lady tell me she believes so but someone would call me at some point.
Medicare is very picky about where I can have these procedures. There are a lot of specialty hospitals that Medicare will not cover at all if I go to them because they overcharge. However Medicare always covers my procedures when I go to a regular hospital like Memorial Herman or Methodist, or one of their affiliated specialty surgery centers, etc.
I guess after looking at this place online and reading reviews it is making me a bit nervous..lol
I just wanted to know if there is anyone on here that has been to this place and could give some feedback.
r/ChronicPain • u/Accomplished_Crew306 • 21m ago
Does anyone take Milnicipran for nerve pain? I have Central Sensitization and wondering if it will work for me.
r/ChronicPain • u/jazzwiener • 1d ago
I don’t think I can do this anymore. It’s been 14 months. 14 months of not being able to work nor drive. 14 months of complete isolation at home, because as we all know how common it is to lose your friends when you’re the odd one out who suffers from severe chronic pain due to injury. In the 14 months I’ve been isolated at home, I’ve had 3 visits from “friends”. I’ve just undergone my 10th surgical procedure. I only leave the house to attend medical appointments and surgeries. I no longer am able to do any of my hobbies due to the pain. There’s no relief. I don’t sleep. Nothings working for me and I’m really fucking tired. This injury has stolen so much from me. I’m too young for this. This compensation claim is exhausting. Constant medical appointments are exhausting. Missing big life events is exhausting. I can’t go to my best friends (of the two I have left, that I barely see) destination wedding. I can’t do anything. I have tried every fucking thing to fix this. Every medication every procedure Physio and physio rehab, massage, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, I see a regular psych (have for years)…literally everything. I have accepted I will always have a level of discomfort and pain but it makes getting out of bed a fucking mission. I can’t do anything. I’ve basically run out of shows to watch because without the ability to do any of my hobbies or work, that’s all I can do. I don’t want to do it anymore.
I just needed to vent. Thank you for reading/listening. I’m just really struggling.
r/ChronicPain • u/duiiiid • 16h ago
I'm 19F and I've been struggling with back pain for years (has gotten much more intense the past 2 or so years). I had to drop out of my last year of high school because I physically cannot make it through school everyday given my back. For me, the pain fluctuates every day, but there is a constant baseline no matter what. I've learnt to live with that but in the times my back does get bad it's debilitating and I can't do anything but prop myself up on the lounge and wait and this is pretty much the only thing that gives me any relief from
GP got me to do a CT scan on my lower back (lumbar spine) and an X-ray on the rest (thoracic spine), but the results came back with nothing significant. I did bloods too for specific things but still nothing came back.
When my back hurts and it feels constantly strained and sore and it kind of tugs on/at my stomach and makes me feel nauseous. I get pain in the sides of my torso too, mostly the left side at the bottom of my ribs and at my hip. There is also like a specific spot to the lower left of my spine where if I touch it there is pain in a line. I don't know what to do because I feel there is something wrong given the fact that I can't walk for more than like 70metres without being in pain and soreness from my back but I push through it always until I absolutely can't
I have endometriosis last year and had surgery for it 5 months ago. I know the difference between endo pain and this back pain. They are different. Also my family has a history of lower back pain due to a pars defect in L5, but they did not find that in mine.
I've attached some photos of back/spine if that is useful. Sorry for the long post I just would like some advice or insight because I don't know what to do next
r/ChronicPain • u/HelpSeeker77 • 11h ago
My energy levels have continued to decrease so much the past few months. I can’t find a job because I am autistic but I cant work most jobs because my motion is limited so much with pain. I am managing to do delivery driving apps but only for two hours at a time before I am completely exhausted for the rest of the day.
I finally saw more doctors. I saw a rheumatologist who said my pain makes no sense because the tests are fine. I have every symptom of RA but the tests are fine so he doesnt know. Im going to get more tests, but they are the same tests they already took.
I also just learned my grandfather on my dads side had RA, as well as his brother. No one told me :(. But the tests are fine so I must not have it. I did get diagnosed with pateller maltracking on my knee. But whatever else I have is making it worse and it hurts to walk. He said it shouldnt hurt to walk. And i cant go up stairs anymore now, or play piano, or carry heavy things.
I did so much PT, I still exercise whatever I can because my elbows and shoulders are okay so far. I am out of ideas on what to improve in my diet. I take so many supplements. I have solved all my deficiencies.
Idk anymore. I am tired of being tired. I can deal with the pain but the exhaustion is wrecking my life. I have no social life and barely any hobbies because all my time is spent on trying to survive existing.
If only the exhaustion and the foggy brain would just go away. I can deal with the pain. But I can barely think or exist without being so tired. Everything feels like a terrible dream. I feel like a confused animal in a strange place. I cant make sense of the world.
Idk what to do. My mom is having me take methylene blue. Which is cool because I used to give that to my fish to treat infections. Im just trying random stuff at this point. I wanna grow up and just.. operate as intended. Too tired to grow up…
r/ChronicPain • u/grass_and_dirt • 19h ago
I am not soliciting medical advice. If you have general advice that's great but I'm not looking for anything to get my post deleted
I have been in pain since I was 8 years old. It's only gotten worse. I have never been taken seriously bevause I was obese as a child so it was always blamed on that, but now, over ten years later, I am not overweight at all, and in more pain than before.
I was in so much pain in my late teens I needed a wheelchair because I could barely walk. I have since improved somewhat with that because of PT and pain medication but I'm still in daily pain and my doctors are taking me less and less seriously.
I FINALLY found a rheumatologist who believed my pain, did not have a problem with me being on the pain meds, upheld the fibromyalgia placeholder diagnosis and was willing to run extra tests for my ANA flare ups. AND THEN MY INSURANCE FUCKING BOOTED ME OUT! Now I'm stuck with a shit rheumatologist again who doesn't take any of my problems seriously. She even said "Yes you have fibromyalgia, chronic pain, reynauds, anemia, scoliosis, history of thyroid issues, and flare ups in your lupus test results, but I'm not concerned" and sent me home basically. She did a lot of testing and I don't understand the results but accord to her everything is "fine".
IT IS NOT FINE!! I am in pain constantly. My body is in a perpetual state of feeling like I have the flu. It has been like this for years. Even if I get "good" regular sleep, stay hydrated, eat well, take supplements, stay active etc - I still feel like my body is shutting down. Always. This fucking SUCKS.
I've looked into the common suggestions I've been given (EDS, CFS, arthritis, lupus) and my doctor does not believe I fit any of those and I don't think I do either really. Not enough. I had results that indicated I COULD have lupus, but essentially, I was just before the line where they would diagnose it and start treatment for it because I don't have the most obvious symptoms.
My PCP thankfully seems like he actually wants to help me but mostly just refers me out and hopes for the best because he's limited in what he can do. And worst of all he will probably take me off of my pain meds because my new rheumatologist doesn't want to cover them anymore.
I just don't even know what direction to go in anymore. I want to live a normal life so badly. I don't WANT to rest. I HATE being stuck on the couch or in bed constantly. I want to work, drive, have a social life, be a person. It just feels like I have some mystery disease that nobody believes I have except for me. Nobody understands it. I'm sick of everyone telling me I just need to sleep better, or eat better, or hydrate more, or do yoga or whatever. I've been through the ringer and it's not improving enough to not leave me exhausted at the end of the day. It feels like I am sick constantly.
r/ChronicPain • u/chapelhxh • 2h ago
hi! i have issues with my sciatic nerve, SI joints, and general muscular lower back pain. i'm thinking of getting a lower back tattoo, & wanted to see if anyone has experience tattooing over areas that have chronic pain/can trigger chronic pain. mostly: did it help the pain? was it unbearable/triggered a flare up? any input. i saw another post when searching the subreddit, but it didn't address the question. thanks in advance !!
r/ChronicPain • u/Normal-Tap2013 • 1d ago
I know I'm generalizing so please take that into consideration but why do pharmacists hate chronic pain patients? Especially those on a high mme? They make us hand over our doctor's notes discuss our medical records in front of everyone waiting in line continue to question us even after we've provided our lifelong documents and then refuse to talk to our doctors they make our doctors put certain notes on the prescriptions and make us constantly go back and forth to do whatever they want and at the same time we're screaming in pain but we know if we don't do it we'll be bed bound and done. What do they have against someone who's just trying to survive? I do comprehend it's not every pharmacist so please remember that it's just it's becoming such a common occurrence that I can't say it's not a good percentage anymore.. I've been waiting at pharmacies in overheard them talking to other customers about another controlled medication whether it be ADHD Etc and they don't help them they give them the same story that we've all lived through where do you live we don't have to tell you we don't know and then 10 minutes later they tell you oh it's backorder and you have to go into every single one of these stores just to be treated like you're not human. We're human beings like our medication is just equivalent to insulin we need it daily to live without it we are basically hospitalized might be able to make it for like a day or two that's the same thing with insulin you might be able to handle ketoacidosis for a day or two with food management that's about it if you're lucky. And then they want to push you on bellbuca and Suboxone and all that which is actually horrible for you versus a medication that's been around for Generations because yeah it has some side effects it has some issues so does everything else but it's been proven to be effective and you can come off of it if you need to if your condition warrants it versus Suboxone where you're twice as addict and it takes four times as much to come off of it and you lose all your teeth I'm just tired of going to a pharmacy and having to hand over my lifelong medical records it's just like oh let me tell 50 people who are in line everything was wrong with me in front of everyone and it's at the point where I just do it because if I don't they're going to tell you to go f*** off. And it's happening so much and when I tell you who don't live the same life we do they're like oh you can sue for that like yeah I could sue probably 10 times at this point but I don't because I need to survive this is just it's exhausting
***Just a warning I use speech to text so things might be spelled wrong generally Common Sense can fix it but I'll try to make sure it makes sense at least. The funny thing is my speech to text can spell out medical terms and drugs better than it can spell out normal words that says something
r/ChronicPain • u/sunflowersncardamom • 3h ago
Hello,
I hope you’re having a happy Sunday, or at least a tolerable Sunday.
I’m a 22M from England [tragically].
I have severe chronic pain which triggers non eplieptic seizures. During these I often fall or injure myself, even hitting the localised sites where I have nerve damage. This usually results in a negative feedback loop where I can seize for hours.
I’m scared to ask my oxy dose to go up BUT with the amount of times i’ve had ambulance call outs I’m always offered their nitrous until I get to Resus.
Is there anyway that these tanks can be prescribed at home (whether under GP care or pain specialist care) to reduce use of of my instant release opiates/in my case oxycodone?
Whilst I can very easily get ‘smart whip’ or nitrous in other forms it is unsafe as it can cause oxygen deprivation and neurological issues since it’s not a 50:50 formula.
Please advise.
Thank you for your reading and consideration,
A
r/ChronicPain • u/KnowledgeSwapper • 4h ago
When I decided it was no longer a good idea to ignore chronic back pain last year, I began to theorize that it has possibly caused a few issues in other areas, but I’m still not sure. Nor do I know what can be done about it without serious risk of winding up worse. Wondering if others have experienced any of this.
It began with mild low back pain. Then I fell on concrete and things just started going downhill faster. Forearms, knees, hips, and mid back pain began to emerge. Early on an Ortho ran an X-Ray, said he saw nothing, wrote it off as musculoskeletal and sent me for PT. It didn’t help. Later I saw a Rheumatologist. Ran all labs…all negative. MRI revealed herniated and bulging discs, stenosis, impingement, degenerative DD, etc. Rheumatologist said it wasn’t good, but couldn’t help me since it wasn’t related to arthritis I suppose. Recommended pain management.
Looking back, well before the back pain was more chronic and never intolerable, I did have a bladder issue that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Which is still present to this day. Symptoms were and are frequent urination, weak stream, urgency, post void residual volume, nocturia, etc.
When it began it was driving me nuts. I kept seeing urologists who couldn’t seem to figure it out. Various uncomfortable tests, meds with bad side effects, diagnoses of interstitial cystitis, then pelvic floor dysfunction. I even had a bladder expansion (inject fluid to try to make it hold more I believe) procedure done which was awful and didn’t help. Also pelvic floor PT. Also didn’t help, and wasn’t very comfortable to endure mentally or physically.
Recently, after finding out about my back issues, I discovered that it may be related to it. The nerves that communicate with the bladder are tied to the spine. Why this was never suspected by the urologists way back when is very upsetting. Not saying I’m right, but why not even consider it? And look in to it at least a little? They did so many other things that were inconclusive.
I also have symptoms of tennis elbow now, in both forearms. And it doesn’t go away. Both knees have pain that fluctuates. I played golf for many years, so it’s possible it resulted from that, but I haven’t in quite some time and it hasn’t let up. So that doesn’t make much sense to me either. I have to think it’s all stemming from my back, but I can’t be certain.
I recently made an appointment with a physiatrist at the recommendation of my hand surgeon who is taking care of my scaphoid fracture. Which also sucks! But that’s another story. I don’t know what the physiatrist will be able to do for me, and she’s booked until June. So that’s gonna be a while to maybe get nowhere again, but hopefully not. Considering seeing a neurologist if possible. Anyone think this may be helpful? Or have a similar experience? Right now I’m just prescribed pain meds which I try to use sparingly.
r/ChronicPain • u/imenerve • 15h ago
Ive had lower back pain every single day for 4 years now and the last few months have been especially more painful. The pain radiates down to my thigh and the only time I’m not in pain is when I’m laying down. My PCP prescribed me a few pain pills since not a single OTC medication works and it’s helping but I’m so sick of taking them because not only are they expensive but I’m only allowed to refill 5 pills at a time. I’m supposed to get my first PT appointment in a few weeks but I don’t really know how effective it is going to be. The pain is ALWAYS there and it’s starting to affect me mentally. Has anyone experienced significant improvements with physical therapy? Idk what I’m going to do if it doesn’t work
r/ChronicPain • u/MackenzieMcCormick23 • 7h ago
I have issues with weakness in my legs and pain all over and was wondering if a cane would be a good idea. If so how do I find one that doesn’t make me look like a grandma at 19. (No offense grandmas I love you)
r/ChronicPain • u/nrjjsdpn • 18h ago
Every 4 weeks on Thursday mornings (really early as in 7:30am), I have my virtual appointment with my PM. On that same day, my refill is due. It’s a bit nerve wracking because it gives me major anxiety about whether or not I’ll be able to get it filled, but since transferring to the local hospital’s pharmacy, things have been much easier.
When I was with CVS, I’d call in advance to see if they needed to order my meds, but they weren’t usually able to tell me until they “have a script in hand”, so it didn’t help much, but the local hospital’s pharmacist said they’d keep an eye to be sure that my meds were always in stock, but that they also couldn’t tell me how much they have and only whether or not they think they could fill it. Though they did say that because they’re part of a big hospital that they’re almost never out of stock. It made me feel somewhat better, but “almost never” still means there’s a chance…
Anyhow, went to pick up my meds a couple of days ago and when I got there the pharmacist gave me a heads up that this month the 20mgs might look slightly bigger than what I’m used to. Same shape and color, just a tiny bit bigger. She said that last week she realized they were almost out and wouldn’t have enough to fill my script for even a week’s worth. She said she hadn’t realized it sooner because not many people, aside from me, take so much of it, but that she caught it and went to order more because she knew I was due this week.
She said that she had to order from a different manufacturer because if she had ordered from the same one that it wouldn’t have gotten here on time and that she didn’t want to leave me empty handed or with a partial script and then make me ask my PM to send in a new script for the difference because that’s all just a pain in the ass to have to do (on my part, she meant). She was trying to prevent me from having to worry and go through this whole ordeal. She also assured me that she had already ordered the usual ones as well, so next month I’ll go back to my normal manufacturer.
Honestly, I was super surprised and incredibly grateful because that was so thoughtful, considerate, and kind of her to do. Not only did she remember when my refill was due, but she took the steps to prevent me from being short because she understood how important it is for me to have my medication. I felt so validated and heard and understood and it felt so nice and like a huge change from what I’m used to.
And I was extra grateful because aside from one other pharmacist (who’s fought with my insurance to cover my pain meds and stopped someone from stealing them), I’ve never been treated so kindly by a pharmacist before. Which is kinda sad because we should always be treated with kindness and respect, but we all know that’s almost never the case.
Anyhow, I really want to bring her and her team some donuts maybe or bagels perhaps, just something to show my appreciation, but I’m also worried that it might look like a bribe or something nefarious. I could use y’all’s opinion on this. But overall, I just wanted to share a really nice story and how this one in a million pharmacist saved me from a week’s worth of excruciating pain and withdrawal and feeling like a pain in the ass with my PM.
Also, for those of you who are still with the big chain pharmacies, I urge you to look into your local pharmacies or local hospital pharmacies instead because the difference is night and day and it brings such incredible peace of mind and lord knows, we need it. Local pharmacists have never steered me wrong no matter what state I’m living in at the time. Truly.
Anyhow, thanks so much for reading and I hope that this story is a nice little change of pace.
I hope everyone gets their meds on time and has better days ahead - well, as better as they can be, under the circumstances.
r/ChronicPain • u/geniusintx • 22h ago
We have a small business, as in just my spouse and myself, and have worked ourselves silly making products for orders. I just keep finding spoons. I have to, it’s still growing and it’s our livelihood. My doctors would lose their minds if they knew what I was doing all day and evening the last few weeks. Well, accept a few days where I just couldn’t. Or the days I take involuntary naps. My eyes start to cross, I sit or lay down, and pass out cold.
Originally, I said it was like a steak knife in my joint, but I changed my mind. (This is me describing it to my husband.)
“No, make that a 7” Santuko knife and someone is twanging it every second.”
