Chronic Pain

I have MS, not the debillitating kind that physically makes you unable to move around. Mine is Pain. Don't let anyone tell you MS doesn't hurt. It does. I had so much pain that the doctors were beginning to say it was all in my head, the psychological head. I finally got it across to them that it was not something to get attention, it was REAL. It took me years, but finally the doctor realized, and I know it was previously thought that MS did not have pain associated with it, that my pain was from the MS and would never go away and I was finally given some relief.
I have been looking for a support group like we had a few years ago where everyone knew everyone, online of course, And supported and tried to help those who had chronic pain to get help.

Dear Margaret, I understand your frustrations about the general denial of those, including physicians, who doubt that the pain you suffer is real. I have Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy or Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome. The names mean the same thing, constant and chronic pain, forever. I managed to get my problem from a job injury, funny thing is I'm an RN and the health care system that I gave most of my life to has turned its back on me. I was told last week that my physician of many years will no longer treat my work related problems(blood clots and pulmonary embolisms to name a few)because its worker compensation. Now I can't find a physician to take over mid-stream. Oh well,that's life! Thanks for letting me see I'm not alone. Chris

Hello, I am very new here and dont even know if I am doing this right about posting...I am also trying to chat live but having alot of trouble in that area too. I dont even know if i belong in this group/forum....I suffer with chronic pain of a back injury almost 3 years..its been a roller coaster of a ride and a nightmare. Please reply.

Hi there, I also have ms and pain. You are not alone. If you want to chat my email address is msflygirl@rogers.com

I am glad that I received replies, it shows that there are those of us out there who need support. I have a neurologist in my town that refuses to see me for some odd reason he will not say. The neuro that I have appears to be laughing at me when I go to see him, no good advice, will not prescribe the MS meds for me or anything because, I believe, he doesn't think I have MS although it has been dx'd by the foremost expert on MS in the country. I don't even go to the doctor anymore for my MS. I go to my regular dr and he tries to help but doesn't know that much about it.
It is getting worse, not so much the pain, that is under fair control, but the other things that tag along with MS, depression, weakness, sleepiness, tiredness, exhaustion over little things, etc but, there is no one to help me. This is why I was so glad to find the support group. I mean, I can go to the shrink, but she only listens, she can't help and charges a bundle, so I come to the group, you all listen and it doesn't cost.

Hi everyone,

My name is Dan and I'm the Webmaster at ChronicPainConnection.com. I think you brought up a few really good points, Chris and Margaret--namely that many doctors aren't experienced with treating certain kinds of pain.

I just posted a guest blog by author Christopher Lukas, who writes for the HealthCentral prostate site. It talks about dealing with pain, and some of the other issues you have been bringing up. I urge you to check it out, and I look forward to seeing you around the message boards here.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dan,

I completely understand about doctors not believing you. I have been labeled as a "drug seeker", mostly because I'm young (23) and super educated about medications and the human body (I'm a pre-med student) so when I go to the doctor and spout out in medical terminology where, and how it's hurting...I guess it looks like I've researched what to say. I've been suffering with horrible chronic pain for a little over three years, had a few possible diagnosis thrown around, and saw a pain management specialist for about a year before he finally refused to keep treating me. Now if the pain gets too bad, I'm forced to go to the ER and get a shot of heavy duty painkiller and a prescription that ends up lasting me about a week. This has resulted in extremely high medical bills, some of which have recently gone to collections because I can't even work anymore. Lupus runs in my family, as does Fibro Myalgia, and I have two aunts who have MS. Unfortunately, because I'm so young, no doctor will even entertain the thought that I have any of these diseases. So, basically, I completely understand.

-Stefany

Wow - i did not know this thread even existed .. I have been posting in the Grindhouse and not connecting with too many with my diagnoses , so I am Adrian, and I have been diagnosed 6 years .. I also have side effects of fibromyalgia and migraines .. it has been very difficult to be on my own and not well .. but i had to take time for me .. i am still greieving my illness, never had a chance , and am still coming to grips that my MS is taking away my sight and memory .. and i don't know sometimes what i am doing .. so i don't do much . i get in these funks and try hard to come up for air .. i do , i do , but it is like evrytime i get over 1 hurdle there's another ...

Pardon my typing, and i feel better now, needed to get that off my chest .. i also have been having a huge problem with the dr.'s here .. it's like they don't get it and RuffLife, I agree , most doctor's are illiterate to MS , FMS .. they have come out with so much info so quickly it is scary and i get overwhelmed , considering i have been stumbling around for too many years in the dark.

Daylight is finally showing .. oh, and i have had a history with depression since i was young , and like a puzzle i filled in the pieces with a blindfold on. I have just about given up hope that these forums do exist .. i could not find them .. BettyBoop showed me and so here i am .. hello fellow MSer's .. Adrian

Hello - it is now June and no one has posted anything here .. guees y'all found someplace better to speak about MS and pain .. would be nice if there were only one , so I don't get lost ..

Well, I will be seeing an MS Clicin soon .. hopig to get better advice , since no one here had any real input .... agserra

I have just today joined this forum so this is new to me. I too have MS that is being treated symptomatically due to the fact that my MRI shows the lesions (about 10 MRI's last year alone to follow them) but my spinal tap was inconclusive. I have a great Neuro but even he is hestitant to prescrive pain meds. I am taking neurontin, klonopin and zanaflex through him ... can't say they help that much but I guesws its better than nothing at all. He