when you first realized that you had chronic pain and that you would have it all your life, how did you deal with it? How did you learn to accept it and go on? I am having a real hard time accepting it, and learning to go on- learning to do more in life and to not get caught up in just my pain.

I could really use your thoughts and experiences. Thanks.

-KateLynne

Could you tell us what kind of pain you are in? I have had lots of back trouble and 7 surgeries. All have been painful. I now have arthritis and here it is Spring. I think the air conditioning makes me worse. I was ok all winter & I as soon as I turned the air on, misery. I wish I knew something that would stop the pain of it. After you have tried all kinds of pain meds & most have side effects, You just live with it. Yes, it can get bad enough to see a doctor, thats how I had all the surgeries. The long rehab and having to hire help, when its hard to find, makes me not want to go that route again. I have had much trouble with pain meds. Many I have been allergic to and itch bad, then others will bind you up.

You may have to seek help. The pain doctors I have known will try to make you conforable. I had a stimulation for almost a year, had that taken out also. I am allergic to metal. I am sure there are some on this forum that can give you advice better than I could.
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Fancylady

Honestly..I try and take it one day at a time.
Sure some days are easier than others as far as taking care of my wandering mind..But i have to keep myself busy.
I don't mean scrubbing floors and such either.
I mean doing puzzles and playing online games.Reading.Anything except sitting and dwelling on things you can't change.
My probelms started when i was 35 and it was and somedays still is rough for me to accept.
I am still young!I feel i "should" be out riding a bike with my girl and taking long walks in the park.
But my reality is i just can't do it anymore!!
I have to take what i have"now" and make the best of it.I dont wanna look back someday and say..I really wasted alot of my life wishing i had something else..instead of making the best of what i had!
I know firsthand all this isn't easy..I really do...I look at people in wheel chairs with no legs and arms..I really did see someone like this 2 days ago..and i told my daughter..If you ever think your life is bad..remember her..
We could always have things worse..So we gotta try and find a way to adjust to what we have right here in the here and now..No matter if it's rosey or not..
Otherwise ,we waste alot of precious time with the ones that love us!
Then fall into a deep dark depression..
I find if i look too far ahead int othe future i get seriously depressed!!
So i try and keep my mind in the here and now only..and just do the best with what i've got.I can't lift heavy things anymore.It used to just crush my pride to ask a man to come help me..Now i know..I will be hurting reaL bad if i don't..Thats just my life now!
If you would like to private message me because you need a friend..feel free!
I have to go for now..

Also,i wanna say hi to fancylady billie<wave>
I haven't talked to you in such a long time!!
It's good to see a post from you...
I hope you are doing ok and like your new home>
Take care everyone...
{{{{hugs}}}}

Kelly, I am like everybody else. I have good days & bad days. I am over on Weight Support on a daily basis. It's good to see your post too.
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Billie

Dear KateLynn;

Alcoholics Anonymous did the world a great thing when they coined the phrase, "One day at a time." If I wanted to give myself a super-duper panic attack right now, I would give up that phrase and start dwelling on living the rest of my life, my entire life, my whole life, my whole, entire life in pain. (Ok, I've gotten a pretty good start on a panic attack right now - LOL) But it's true, you must not think about anything but the here and now and do your best to be positive every day. If you find that hard, then there are hundreds of people here who are willing to help you. Just log on and you will get the positive side of life from folks who should be down but are just the opposite. That's what this forum is for - to share ideas, thoughts, concerns and to help each other.

Also, try to keep a regular schedule, try not to sleep all day, etc. Keep as busy as you can, some days are better than others as said by my good friend, Billie.
It's hard, nobody will tell you it's not but as the years pass, you get better at handling it. And, you might have to set limits for yourself and make sure others know them. For example, I don't travel well and my family all understand it. So, if I am unable to attend something, they will know why.

I blamed myself for my pain - like an idiot I don't know why. I have idiopathic PN and I'm not a diabetic so I felt I must have done something else to "get it". Dumb.

Wish I had more to tell you but right now, that's all I can come up with.

Best of Luck,
Nancy-H

I have relex sympathetic dystrophy nearly full body- severe pain all the time.

Thanks for the sweet words. I'll post more when I have time. You have helped me already everyone.

I was with a pain specialist for a long while. Then I switched over to a psychiatrist and it has made a WORLD of difference.

I actually got better pain relief meds from the psych then they ps. Great having someone to talk to.

Welcome! I am also mostly at the Weight Support board often but linger here too.
How to deal with pain day in and out? Gosh, you know if I think about it, I am not sure how I do it every day. I just take it day by day and do what I can depending on how I feel and what are my symptoms for that day. Like today, I was up to cleaning the apartment. Tomorrow however I may pay for doing just that. Tonight might also cause me trouble.

Okay serious now, I make sure I take my meds everyday eventhough my levels are low. I speak up for myself when I have to. It could be to doctors, friends, family, the neighborhood dog, whoever. If I am in pain and I can't do something I say I can't do it. If they don't like it, they can go and pound sand.
Sometimes you need to take a step back from everyone and evaluate yourself to make sure you are not overdoing for people. YOU come first...remember that!!!
The best and last thing I can recommend to you is coming here. Here we don't discriminate, we understand. You don't need to explain your pains just that you are in pain and need someone to vent to. You can complain about some person that is bugging you here. And most of all you have support and understanding.
I am glad you found us! Please come back whenever you want!

It's good to meet you! I'm not sure that I have learned to live with my pain yet, even after five years. I adjust my activities because I need to. And I tolerate it because I have to. Most people with experience will tell you that they learn to take things one day at a time, but somehow I've never learned that lesson yet.

I've always been a dreamer, and I simply cannot stop thinking and dreaming about my future, no matter how hard I try. So even though I live with the pain day-to-day, I'm always wondering what it will mean to me in the future. The only thing I've found which consistently makes me feel better is when I can believe that I've really done something to help someone else. I know this may sound Hallmark-ish, but it's true.

I set goals for myself, over the short term and over the long. I decide what I will do today, but also think hard about what I want to be doing a year from now. Dreaming of a better future is the only thing that keeps me pushing myself on a lot of days.

I hope you find your stride, and figure out what it is that works best for you. There is no doubt in my mind that everyone needs to handle pain in their own personal way. Good luck to you, Katelynne, and all my best wishes!

Idealist

I think right now I am competely unable to deal with anything.
I had a c-spine corpectomy October'05, was doing find. Blacked out 3-8,07 driving my car. Seems that I injured my c-spine again. Have never recoverd from the confusion, chest pain(myofacial pain syndrome or trigger point?), neuropathy is worse, cervical vertigo, different pain in my neck than before, jerking arms legs etc. Had a bad jerking attack and hit my poor little Chihuahua on her back while holding a cell phone. tonight. I have no control over the jerks nor any warning when they are coming. Had this for 13 years until the NS fixed it and now I feel like I am in a nightmare and can't wake up.
I am so thankful that I did not injure the people I hit in the SUV and only totaled mine. Very thankful I was not injured more...yet am in the dark as to where to go from here? Already had EGG, holt monitor(which I flunked just a little bit) MRI brain...now what? Fired my doctor Friday so got to get a new one. Meanwhile I am in limbo, my 70 year old husband is exhausted from having to deal with me. I wish I could run away from myself and feel sorry for anyone around me. Yet what is wrong with me, is not a drop in the bucket to what many face daily, and I need to quit whinning. Trouble is I can hardly remember anything short term, now why can't I just forget I am in pain, dizzy and sick at my stomach.

Thanks, I feel better after whinning. Anne