Chronic Pain

Hi, I am new here. I'm not sure where I should post this, so I just posted here. I have had my current pain for 1.5 years, and I'm on oxycodone. I take 2 per day. I don't recall the dose right now, but I know it's the lowest one they start people on. (Vicodin made me sick AND it didn't work.)

I really don't know anyone else in my personal life who suffers from or understands chronic pain. I sometimes feel as though I'm on an island. And I'm sure some people think that it's just a cop-out, because I'm not on the floor crying all the time. I have learned to function. When some of my family members hear what pain meds I'm on, they act like I'm a drug addict. They do not understand that I would not make it through the day if it wasn't for my pain meds. I do hate taking them, but I feel that until I find a cause to my pain, this is the only way. I have tried EVERYTHING.

I have a baby to care for and I stay at home. I couldn't work if I had to anyway. Thankfully my husband earns enough money. Sorry that was so long. I guess I needed to get that off my chest.

Hi randr,

Welcome to ChronicPainConnection! There's a lot of really great people here who completely understand what it's like to live in pain every day. In fact, there's a really nice support group called "The Daily Grind" that chats in the Off Topic section of the forum. Feel free to drop by and join in. They're always happy to welcome someone new.

Personally, I've had fibromyalgia for 20 years. I take tramadol and get acupuncture treatments for my pain. So far that has worked pretty well for me. I won't say I'm pain-free, but it keeps the pain at tolerable levels most of the time.

You mentioned not having anyone in your life who really understands chronic pain. That's one of the most frequent things I hear. It's so hard for people who have never experienced it to understand. Because of that, I wrote an open letter to help families and friends of chronic pain patients get a little better understanding. Here's a link: Understanding Chronic Pain

We're happy to have you here with us. Please feel free to share your thoughts, ask questions or just vent any time.

Best,
Karen

I have been living with chronic pain from lupus for 8 years and more recently fibromyalgia and sacroilitis. I take quite a few medications, several for pain. Others who see my medicine boxes freak out! Sometimes, I think they too consider me an addict as I am on several drugs stronger than morphine.

Just hang in there. There are people who understand right here on the forum. Come back often for support.

Diana

Hi randr, Welcome to our pain site. Sorry you need to be here. I'm on a high dose of oxycontin because I've been on it for over ten years. Of coarse I started on a low dose and my body got used to it. I've been judged very harshly because of it. The people who judge us would take pain meds if they hurt a bad as we do.It really hurts my feelings that some of them think I'm a drug addict.I don't even drink alcohol. We are here for you. Scooter

Hi Randr,

I only get 7 percocet per month, so I feel like I am WAY under medicated. I have Tethered Spinal Cord Syndrome & Scolosis (24/7 back & neck pain), Leg & Food deformity, Excruciating Migrains, and now they have found a LARGE 'mass' of some type in my spinal cord that this causing siatiac like pain 24/7.
(see my post under "Diagnosis/TSC"

I have been on so many meds for migrains & pain, but nothing they have given me really works works. (frova, proponanol, gabatine, Naproxin, nortriptyline, methocarbomol, predisone, naprosyn, diclofenac, toradol, topamax, to just name a few.....)

I completly understand how you feel about people not understanding. It is very frustrating. Actually, I felt as if my husband thought I was faking the pain until we received the MRI results..Now he understands a LITTLE more. At least you get to stay home with the baby....I am stuck in an office chair 8 hours a day with horible pain.

Hang in there. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
DonnaY

I've had upper back/shoulder/neck pain for 3.5 years--just constant, life-draining pain, there hasn't been one single day in those three and a half years where I felt no pain. There are good days and bad, but it's literally always there to some degree, every minute of every hour of every day.

I take 30 mgs of percocet (40-45 on a bad day) and 300 mg of tramadol daily, and the muscle relaxers zanaflex and soma. I don't feel the slightest bit guilty about taking what I need to make this life livable and I hope no one else on this board does either.

My friends and family are supportive (my heart goes out to you who don't have that, it makes me sick to read those posts), but of course no healthy person could possibly know what it's like to suffer from chronic pain. I don't broadcast the drugs I'm taking--it's my business and no one else's, after all--, but I wouldn't feel at all embarrassed if they knew.

Good luck randr. Finding some people who truly understand what you're going through is what this board is all about.

I've been dealing with Costochronditis for just under 2 years now. It's chronic pain from inflamation of the tissue in the chest cavity, the cartlidge that connects the ribs to the breast bone. It mimicks a heart attack and can get extremely painful.

I'm on Notriptyline for the Costochronditis and I'm also on Omeprazole for acid reflux wich they think might even be Gastroesophagul Reflux Disease (GERD) and is painful daily. I also have Vicadin for the extremely painful days.

I don't like being on a lot of medication so I don't take the Vicadin except on those days when I feel like I just can't take it anymore. And the other two prescriptions could probably stand to be a higher dose but again, I'm stubborn.....I don't like being on anything so I haven't had anything increased yet.

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with being on meds, trust me I need them and I probably need them stronger. But it's just me, I want to do whatever I can to get off of them alltogether.

So you're not alone.