It is usually after a few days of trying to just suck it up and deal with the pain that I experience the 'pain brain' thing. Its like my breaking point. I get so frusterated that I am begging people to just do something and I get stupid suggestions that I've clearly tried repeatedly and THAT is when I snap. I don't know about everyone else but when you have been spending plenty of time as hells secretary, one can have a very short fuse. In my case, after going so many days without a break I have no fuse. I try so hard to remain as calm as possible but its only a matter of time before I turn into the Hulk. I start yelling and cursing because no one is listening. That's when I break down and just ball and ball. That's when pain brain kicks in and it is so hard to focus. I know I need medical attention just to get my knots to release but I don't go anymore because I know no one will help me and all I will get is more pain and anger for my trouble.

I have been following a diet they recommend for Fibromyalsia because its like the cousin of what's wrong with me. I've been doing it for a month now and I'm having more 'good' days than I ever have so that's awesome! I haven't gotten to a myofascial release place yet and that's because the closest is 2 hrs away in Kansas City. I have the luxury of living in the middle of nowhere. Car trips are very uncomfortable for me, especially long ones like that, so its my fear of the drive that has prevented it.

hey,

just wanted to say
thank you for writing what i feel
as do i suffer so many different
yet all connected
it is only now i am working on
the nerve related issues
no friend
as i call it the hiccup in the road
breast cancer
did away with both breasts
i found the lump in the right one
your not nuts
i'm certain i'm not
sad yes
because it has taken so many
years to find the right
kind of medicine and right amount to give me
SO I COULD HAVE SOME OF MY LIFE BACK
AND THAT'S JUST THE MECHANICAL PAIN (OPIATES/SIDE EFFECTS MUSCLE RELAXERS SPASMS)
AT C5/6-C6/7
#1 SURGERY PLATE 6 SCREWS
#2 SURGERY DONER BONE AGAIN AND CAGE
THE SURGERY THAT TOOK ALL AWAY
for about 5 hours worth of everyday ordinary
TASKS LIKE GOING TO THE LADIES ROOM
WITHOUT PEEING ON MYSELF
this came along with #2
#3 taking off my breasts
not what i expected but
what the he**
in a 2 year time frame

there is no other way but to mentally
try and get there
where you almost pass out

pain

personal
ailments
indescribably
nagging

not bad if i say so myself

someone who cares

Fix,

I think you've come to the right place, because so many (all?) of us have been where you are and experienced similar feelings and incidents. I think, for some of us that have been through the ringer, part of why we're here is to try to spare others from the same repitition of ordeal, and shorten the learning curve. Things like the Kübler-Ross model, the Vicious Cycle, The Politics of Pain, The Guinea Pig Complex, How to Talk to Doctors About Chronic Pain (and how NOT to), How to Cope, and many many more.

For now (I'm dealing with my own "stuff" right now), keep thinking about those good days, and Hang in There!

Doc

Dear fix me up, I have a similar nerve damage occuring condition that isnt fixable & i understand all that you are saying about the chronic pain because i have had it 20+ years. I think that pain can make us short tempered & much more but insurmountable pain can make us act like a crazy person, why exactly do you wait or not want to take pain meds to keep from going to a screaming, angry stage? Yes we do so much for our children like your parents are doing to love you so much to help with you & your son, so gracious of them imho, grace is the most important virtue we all must have with severe pain & patience otherwise we all would look like nutcases! Especially because we fall into the category that we need mercy, we are at the mercy of others & drs & famiy & it bites but its the truth, imho.

I had been medicated the entire time til apri of this yr. That's when my dr told me he thought I had been making up the pain and I was accused of being a drug seeker. I was taken off everything immediately.

Im so sorry! My friend in a small midwest town cant get a new dr because theres not that many pain drs, So, ER not helping, you poor thing, thats horrible! Im racking my brain trying to think of a way to help you get more good days! Have you read " what to do while looking for a good pain dr? " by dr forest tennant? It has alot of do it yourself with all kinds of his favorite products,great ideas etc.

Dr. Tennant has a couple of websites, and writes a lot of articles for/on Practical Pain Management

http://www.foresttennant.com/

http://intractablepaindisease.com/

I've been exploring some of his ideas on pain endocrinology with worthwhile results.

Doc

Here is some trigger point info that might be helpful for you - some do it yourself ideas and links -
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread125577.html


this link has tons of self help info from our TOS forum , but many of us get myofascial pain also -
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread84.html

I use a far infrared heating pad, IF stim, epson salt baths, various vitamins/supplements...

Yes, I've had "pain brain" way too often. My fatigue and mental fog gets much worse when the pain gets worse. I think the only way some of us is taken seriously is to bring an advocate in with us to the doc appts. I tend to type things up as well, but one can't do that at 2am in the middle of a flare!!

Has the pain doc given you something for breakthrough pain? What are you doing for the myofacial pain? PT, accupunture, etc?

Funny (funny—odd, not funny—ha ha ) you should mention that; 2 am flares are when I do a lot of typing here. ...But I get your drift.

Doc