DITTO TO ALL THAT MARK56

AND IN ADDITION TO MY 12-2011 HIT AND RUN REAR-ENDING, HUBBY HAD A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT 4TH OF JULY.

BROKE HIS NECK LIKE SUPERMAN. ONLY GOD SPARED HIM. HE IS NOT PARALYZED OR ON A RESPIRATOR.

HE HAS ALSO SUFFERED A STROKE AND CONCUSSION.

WE HAVE HAD A BATTLE, UPHILL BATTLE WITH INJURIES TO DEAL WITH.

YOU JUST HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, FOR THE MOST IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS, TWEAK IT A LITTLE LATER.

PAIN PATTERNS DO CHANGE.

MY REHAB FACILITY HAS A WELLNESS PROGRAM. I WAS IN THAT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AFTER MY 7 1/2 YEARS OF REGULAR PT THERAPY. THEY CHARGE $30 BUCKS A MONTH FOR LAND AND AQUA FACIITIES.

AND YES, WE ARE TRAINED BY PROFESSIONAL THERAPIST. USE THAT TRAINING EVERY DAY. LOVE MY THERAPISTS.

IT'S NOT ALL BEEN GOOD THERAPY, OR SHOULD I SAY, WORKED OUT FOR THE GOOD. YOU DO HAVE TO TRY THINGS.

ASTM WAS MY WORST EXPERIENCE THAT FAILED, FOR THE BIGGEST PART.

HOLOSTIC. BE WISE. THEY HAVE TONS OF INFORMATION. SOME HELPFUL AND SOME NOT SO HELPFUL. THEY ALSO PUSH PRODUCTS. IT CAN GET VERY EXPENSIVE. THEY LIKE CASH, TOO. I DID TRY THAT AS A HELPING/LEARING TOOL. JUST GOT A FEW MORSELS FOR MY BUCKS.

TRY IT. GET WHAT YOU CAN.

NEXT...

THINK ABOUT THINGS.

YOGA AND BREATHING AND RELAXATION TECHNIQUES GETS ME THROUGH A LOT.

PLEASE ENTERTAIN SOME OF THE DRUGS BEING OFFERED TO YOU.

I DO KNOW WHEN I STARTED TAKING MUSCLE RELAXERS, MY PAIN LEVEL DECREASED TREMENDOUSLY.

BTW: THE MUSCLE RELAXERS DIDN'T CAUSE ME TO EXPLODE. I WILL SAY IT DID CAUSE CONSTIPATION. I NOW AM AN AVID ACTIVA YOGUT CONSUMER. GOT TO HAVE IT. LEARNED THAT AFTER I BUSTED AN EYE VESSEL STRAINING, IF YOU GET WHAT I MEAN.

IF YOU DON'T BREAK THE PAIN CYCLE AND GET SOME SLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZP, YOU'RE GOING TO CAUSE SOME SUFFERIN' MY FRIEND.

I DO BELIEVE IN MANKIND. I DON'T THINK NO ONE HERE WANTS THE "MEDS" BUT HAS FIGURED OUT THE GOOD OUTWEIGHS THE BAD SOMETIMES.

I DO USUALLY BREAK A NEW MED IN HALF THE FIRST TIME I USE IT. JUST BEING OVERLY CAUTIOUS.

WHEN A PERSON IS IN NEED OF A CERTAIN DRUG, YOU DO HARM BY GOING AGAINST MEDICAL ADVICE AND NOT TAKING IT.

THE MEDS WORK DIFFERENT WHEN YOU NEED THEM, OK?

VALIUM IS ONE OF THE BEST DRUGS ON THE MARKET, FOR THOSE WHO TRULY NEED IT. IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST ABUSED DRUGS, WHICH GIVES IT A BAD NAME. IF YOU NEED IT, THOUGH, IT COULD DO A WORLD OF GOOD FOR YOU.

IT DON'T HAVE TO BE FOREVER.

I CAUSED MYSELF LOTS OF PAIN BY NOT TAKING THE MUSCLE RELAXERS.

I STILL HAVE YOUR ATTITUDE AND WON'T TAKE A PRESCRIBED SLEEP AID. I KNOW MY BODY NEEDS IT MORE THAN THE THREAT OF HARM IN TAKING IT WOULD BE.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD GET BETTER ON ITS OWN BY NOW.

I THOUGHT I COULD STAND IT.

I THOUGHT I COULD OVERCOME IT.

#WRONG

WEEKS TURNED INTO MONTHS; MONTHS TURNED INTO YEARS; AND, HERE WE ARE.

WE'RE ALL AFRAID OF THE SIDE EFFECTS.

IN LIFE, THERE'S ALWAYS A TRADE, RIGHT?

PILLS MAY MAKE YOU BETTER. ABLE TO HELP YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY. THEN YOU CAN DEAL WITH YOUR PILL ISSUES.

AT LEAST GIVE IT A SHOT.

DON'T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF. YOU'RE NOT FUNCTIONING WELL WITHOUT THE MUCH NEEDED MEDS.

SO, TAKE A MINUTE AND WRITE DOWN YOUR COMPLAINTS, FROM HEAD TO TOE, AND DECIDE WHICH YOU WILL ALLOW YOURSELF TO TRY TO HELP WITH THE RECOMMENDED MEDICATION. THINK... THINK... THINK...

YES, NEUROTIN IS A HARD DRUG TO TOLERATE. IT HELPED MY SYMPTOMS MORE THAN ANYTHING, THOUGH.

GET ADVICE AND OUR EXPERIENCES AND KNOW THESE SIDE EFFECTS ARE POSSIBLE.

PREPARE FOR IT (LET A LOVED ONE KNOW YOU'RE TAKING IT AND MAKE A POINT OF WRITING THINGS DOWN, IF YOU'RE ABLE) AND TAKE REST WITH IT.

IF IT'S RECOMMENDED, YOU MAY APPRECIATE THE RELIEF IT YIELDS.

NEURONTIN GAVE ME MEMORY PROBLEMS AND OTHER ISSUES. MADE ME TOO SLOW OF THE MORNINGS. FOGGY FOR HOURS. BUT OH, WHAT A RELIEF IT IS. SO, THERE YOU HAVE IT.

I DON'T NEED IT NOW, THANK GOD.

BTW: I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE "SEIZURE MEDICATION" EITHER.

BTW: HALF MY DOCTORS WOULD WRITE IT AND HALF WOULD NOT. ONE DOCTOR REFERRED TO IT AS "ROTTIN NEURONTIN" AND WOULD NOT WRITE IT.

HE IS MY BEST DOCTOR, SO I LISTEN TO HIM AND DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT. ;-)

I'M NOT IN NEED OF IT, EITHER, RIGHT NOW.

NOW KNOWING THE RELIEF IT PROVIDED, IF I NEEDED IT, I'D TAKE MY CHANCES AND SWALLOW IT ONE MORE TIME.

I WAS NEVER COMPIANT WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH HELP OR HARM COULD HAVE BEEN OBTAINED BY RECOMMENDED USE.

GIVE YOURSELF AND YOUR DOCTORS A BREAK, OK?

CONCEDE TO SOME MEDS AND KEEP A DIARY.

KEEP UP WITH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS.

IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE HOW YOU TAKE SOME MEDS. WITH WATER (WATER SOULABLE), WITH FISH OIL (FAT SOLUABLE). EMPTY STOMACH. WITH FOOD... READ... READ... READ...

YOU'RE NOT ALONE...

KEEP US POST...

Thank you EVERYBODY for your advice and opinions and suggestions.

I gotta tell ya, I flared for a long time on Thanksgiving, whoopdeedoo about the day cause it doesn't matter what day it is when flaring takes over.

I was frequently in bed bawling talking to god and asking him do I really have to be attacked like this? Is this necessary??

On a good note, I am going to seek out a less expensive form of aquatic therapy. I am for sure going to be cautious regarding "Holistic" methods, and trying not to get suckered into the "try this try that" then boom...thousands of dollars later.

For me, stress actually makes me feel even worse for some reason, like it brings it out like the cold weather does, almost like a light switch.

One day someone will create a safe method for battling and suppressing chronic pain, something that's NOT in a pill with additives and whatnot, something that's easy to tolerate yet powerful enough to do the job, something that maybe "creates an new path".

I hope you all have a blessed evening.

Had a decent day pain wise yesterday.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!