Chronic Pain
- Thread starter Saladus
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Saladus
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Meeting with TMJ specialist tomorrow, not expecting much progress , but maybe he can help with some advice. Also emailed my primary doctor at the health plan I'm at, since interestingly enough I haven't seen him since July through this whole ordeal... typically I've been bounced from one urgent care doctor to another. I gave him an update on my situation, how the meds aren't doing much against these flare ups I get 2-3 times a day, and he suggested an appointment to work on some alternative meds to get that pain under control.
In general, I'm still almost always in pain around my head, but it's not on an insane level. At it's worse, I just prefer to lay down when the flare ups happen, which is usually 15-20 mins tops. But still, throughout the whole day it sort of feels like a day after someone has punched me in the side of my face. Sometimes odd things trigger this "sore" pain as well, especially doing a grimace or squinting... then that definitely causes soreness around the temple / corner of the eye. Yesterday was pretty terrible, whole morning at work I felt like someone had beat the shit out of my face. This morning I felt great for a long while, until about 3pm. I just don't get it at all. There's also often neck stiffness / burning down the sides of the neck, and lately there's been weird cramps in some muscles throughout the body. Hard to keep a positive outlook through all this waiting. It's actually not THAT long of waiting I guess... considering the real bothersome symptoms have been hitting since October / November. Still, I've generally always been healthy in general, and I guess it's just scary for me to have symptoms like this, for this long, with no obvious cause.
In general, I'm still almost always in pain around my head, but it's not on an insane level. At it's worse, I just prefer to lay down when the flare ups happen, which is usually 15-20 mins tops. But still, throughout the whole day it sort of feels like a day after someone has punched me in the side of my face. Sometimes odd things trigger this "sore" pain as well, especially doing a grimace or squinting... then that definitely causes soreness around the temple / corner of the eye. Yesterday was pretty terrible, whole morning at work I felt like someone had beat the shit out of my face. This morning I felt great for a long while, until about 3pm. I just don't get it at all. There's also often neck stiffness / burning down the sides of the neck, and lately there's been weird cramps in some muscles throughout the body. Hard to keep a positive outlook through all this waiting. It's actually not THAT long of waiting I guess... considering the real bothersome symptoms have been hitting since October / November. Still, I've generally always been healthy in general, and I guess it's just scary for me to have symptoms like this, for this long, with no obvious cause.
drmandolin
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I've never done heroin, so can't really compare, but the oxycocet I take for pain is the only thing that seems to touch it. Not every day that i take it but at least every other. Fuk I wish there was an alternative because now i am noticing that on days where it is really bad and I have to take more than a couple of them, I fall into this 36 hour trap. Day and a half after taking them my whole body feels like it is going to explode from tension. It's brutal. Makes me crawl the walls. I am assuming it is some kind of withdrawal. Nasty.
drmandolin
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Having said that, I never really seem to get anything from them but relief. Nothing pleasurable or whatever the fuk you are supposed to get from taking them. But I still get the withdrawal symptoms.
It's a shitty drug, but I have being doing this ballet with it now for months. Seems so wasteful to take one just to dull the body shock from not taking as many as you did the previous day.
I suppose i am seeing for the first time why people do crazy shit for drugs. The 'withdrawal' is ASTOUNDINGLY worse than I ever imagined.
BrutulTM
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I have been listening to Dr. Drew's podcast lately and I don't know if he knows what he's talking about but he claims that opiates are no good for chronic pain. He says patients tell him that their pain is a 10 out of 10. Then they get off the opiates, have a couple weeks of really shitty withdrawal, and then tell him that their pain is a 4 out of 10 with no drugs at all. I don't know if it's the addiction making you feel like you are hurting more so you will keep taking the drug or what, but he claims that long term the opiates actually make the pain worse, even though they are very good for intense pain (cancer, etc.).
Saladus
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Just an update since I haven't posted since god knows when... I'm still in fucking pain, daily. Not sure how to rate it, never gets beyond maybe a 5 or so? Specialist on my health plan as of May put me on Indomethacin with the potential diagnosis of Hemicrainia Continua (even though this doesn't feel like a headache). While the meds seem to have stopped these acute attacks of pain, it seems like the constant background pain has only stayed the same, or maybe gotten worse. My right lower side of my face, ear,and jaw feel as though I've woken up after someone beat my face with their fist for hours straight. It's just constant ear jaw tongue soreness that is driving me up a wall. My next visit is in the end of September, but this is a year now almost of just constant facial pain and discomfort, and I've had an incredible amount of difficulty at times coping with it. It's never excruciating, but still, it's bad enough that sometimes the burning and soreness can just take me completely out of the moment.
Gravy
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Damn, dude, I've got the feels for you.
I've had chronic pain in my joints for the past 15 years, and sometimes it gets overwhelming. I had my first knee operation when I was 16, and have had several since. Some days, I wish they'd just take both legs from the knee down, fuck it.
Anyway, I hope your appointment in Sep goes well, and maybe you can get more relief.
I've had chronic pain in my joints for the past 15 years, and sometimes it gets overwhelming. I had my first knee operation when I was 16, and have had several since. Some days, I wish they'd just take both legs from the knee down, fuck it.
Anyway, I hope your appointment in Sep goes well, and maybe you can get more relief.
drmandolin
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Man, that's fukn depressing. Maybe in a past life you were an Auschwitz guard that used to rifle-butt Jews in the side of the head?
Baek
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take 2 of each of these once a day on an empty (3hr since eating) stomach.
http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-S...t+serrapeptase
http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-N...f=pd_sim_hpc_1
http://www.amazon.com/Foods-Bromelai...ords=bromelain
/armchair doctor out
http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-S...t+serrapeptase
http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-N...f=pd_sim_hpc_1
http://www.amazon.com/Foods-Bromelai...ords=bromelain
/armchair doctor out
drmandolin
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drmandolin
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Seriously, Saladus... How the fuck do you do it? I am blown away by how acute that shit is for you daily, man. Wtf?
drmandolin
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It's been 8 long months for me. I can't fathom how some of you guys go through this kind of pain for y e a r s . . .
And yeah, Dr. Drew is better than Dr. Phil, (lmao) but I think he has a good point. I just went two days without taking a horse pill, and then had to give in like a pussy tonight as the pain just took me down. I can't stand it.
But I only took enough to dull it down. Already I can feel the rest of my body going through the gears because I probably didn't take enough to feed the withdrawal side of it from a couple days without. It's like fighting two battles at the same time. I dunno, maybe I am just taking the wrong stuff? I really don't know anymore.
Waaaaaaaaaaa........
I'm beginning to truly understand the deviousness of our bodies when it comes to chronic pain--despite being in a chronic pain rehabilitation and treatment program for the past 8 months. I've had intense chronic sciatic pain that leaves my right leg, thigh and knee on fire, and makes me lose feeling in my toes on that side when I walk after a serious post-operative bleed following my spinal fusion surgery. The fusion worked, but that fucking bleed...my sciatic nerve is screwed, and so I subsist on pregabalin, OxyContin in various forms, and clonazepam.
Sometimes, the pain is genuine so bad, it seems the only way it will get better is if someone grabs me by the ankle and rips the leg out of its socket.
I truly cannot conceive that level of pain, even momentarily, even for a DAY, concentrated in my head/neck/jaw. It would completely destroy me. I stand in awe of your strength and endurance, and I wish like fucking hell that I had an answer or relief for you.
Sometimes, the pain is genuine so bad, it seems the only way it will get better is if someone grabs me by the ankle and rips the leg out of its socket.
I truly cannot conceive that level of pain, even momentarily, even for a DAY, concentrated in my head/neck/jaw. It would completely destroy me. I stand in awe of your strength and endurance, and I wish like fucking hell that I had an answer or relief for you.
That was an awfully considerate response. Betraying my own biases, I see somatic people--everywhere.
Saladus
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Well like I said, indomethacin has been the most effective thus far. And by that I mean basically the once or two daily attacks in my face and head that last about 15 minutes. When those happened, it sucked pretty bad... It was a sure thing it would happen daily, and it would be difficult to locate where the pain was coming from. I know for certain, the last one I had when I had to stop taking meds for 2 days, felt like someone gripping my back right molars with pliers.
How I'm getting through it? Just doing my best to hang in there. Sometimes I get very frustrated at the jabbing feeling at the corner of my jaw, and sometimes I do get really down about it...it's so frustrating to see medications so far having no effect on this. While its god awful sometimes, I don't think it's reaching the level of pain some of you guys are going through.
How I'm getting through it? Just doing my best to hang in there. Sometimes I get very frustrated at the jabbing feeling at the corner of my jaw, and sometimes I do get really down about it...it's so frustrating to see medications so far having no effect on this. While its god awful sometimes, I don't think it's reaching the level of pain some of you guys are going through.
Baek
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Yep. Went to the doc for lower back / right leg pain. Doc determined it was a pinched nerve/ciatica thing from sitting on a fat wallet. I also had some pain in my left knee when 'bounding' up stairs, where I would wince and have to take steps one by one. A health supp friend recommended these 3 items and after some research I ordered them online. I was skeptical at first but after like a week I noticed a huge difference. I am bounding up stairs like no wish and still keep my wallet in my back pocket no problem. I took 2 of each of those a day for 2weeks now I just take 1 of each every week or so. Look into a good probiotic too. Inflammation is usually the cause of joint/arthritis like pain and healing the gut can solve an amazing amount of problems.
Anyone's pain coincide with their diet or time of day at all? Would be interesting if its worse following a beer and pizza bender.
drmandolin
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Thanks for the supplement info - appreciated.
And as far as pain timing, I get very frustrated as I have never been able to find a pattern. Many times I thought I was onto something, but then over time it is never consistent based on day to day activities. Sux balls.