I see what your saying about weighing out the pros and cons, like me not favoring chronic pain medications, but at the same time my BRAIN never gets to rest and feel normal again, even for a little while. Plus anxiety from not feeling well in over 5 years is bad because it breeds STRESS, which I believe is one of the worst things for the human body and psyche.

So, It's either go on a regiment of something that the safest, but what's considered the SAFEST medication for the type of chronic pain I have?

When one of my doctors tried to give me (forgive spelling) Neurontin, I said forget it, I could care less if it has an innate ability to "possibly" block chronic pain...it's freaking seizure medication, I DO NOT want to be bothered with that stuff, forget it.

Cymbalta? I say no. Lyrica? Not a chance. Ketamine? Never in a million years.

Maybe chronic pain medications are a waste of time for a person with my mindset.

A jacuzzi that stays a consistent 92 degrees, with of course under water exercises along with that is a good idea but costly aside from regular maintenance, especially one big enough that I can take if I ever move.

Do you have any suggestions maybe on the holistic side of things?

Aside from aquatic therapy, I did a complete course of group hypnosis, but I find that because my misfiring pain signals hurt so bad and in different ways, fighting it makes me tired, I wind up foregoing self hypnosis like I was taught, and falling asleep instead which is quicker if my pain is at that level.

Eager to hear yours and ANYBODY'S opinions.


-God Bless

Hi Paul.... Hey Wings...... I am saddened Wings to read you were injured anew in 2011.... that has GOT to be hard hard hard......

Chronic pain pretty consistent here as well... I will not go into the meds, because, goodness, I read your posts; HOWEVER, how about talking on cost of aquatic therapy a bit.

I have had a LOT of therapy and the aquatic side as well. The stuff is almost... almost like magic. After all, being dipped in 92 degree F water for a couple hours or more [ yes, you did read that correctly ] has a therapeutic effect no matter what. If you have had enough sessions to get down a routine of the exercises to perform, then ditch the therapy part since it can be done on your own. My own therapist after a while, and recognizing I would just go into the therapy pool and exercise withdrew over time to allowing me to work unmonitored.... this worked for me because I work HARD and used the pool to the max.

This is where the cost of aquatic therapy becomes less intrusive. Deduct the therapist from the solution if they concur, then the therapy cost drops precipitously to the mere cost of use of the pool. In my case, since the therapist concurred, the cost went from $150 per hour to a dollar fifty to access the pool. I used the pool for the same two plus hours and paid minimal fees for the privilege.

Then there was the convenience factor. Therapy at the center was across town. Therapy pools are abundant around the area in rec centers, fitness centers, the Red Cross center which primarily serves handicapped folks... hey wait, I am one of those too....

Everywhere a pool exists, I have found folks willing to allow me to use the facility. Cost is usually very minimal. The exercises, as I alluded, are already burned into my mental hard drive, so, there I go. and you can too, I reckon.

Kinesio tape? Yeah that stuff is neat, and if its support helps by lightly binding so your tissues are not harmed, your doc may not disagree with its use.

The mumbo jumbo of using infrared, and ultra sound have both been part of my gig, so it is possible you may find help as well. One does not know without giving it a try.

Most I can offer since I am a car wreck victim and not an injection victim, is chronic pain CAN be endured, conquered, and life may occur in spite of its hindrance. Mostly, I have found helping others, even here in this special place, by reaching out to give encouragement lifts me with even the minimal naturally occurring endorphims of the brain squeezing that miracle of joy into our lives. I will pray for you as well, OK? That is part of my gig as well.

Get in the pool. Talk to someone about being able to use it without the trimmings.... you need not build one at home. Those are too expensive anyway, and if you do sell the home, they do not generally appreciate the home value anyway.

Yeah, I am kind of a "run off at the mouth typist as well" sorry if this was too long.

Prayin for ya, Paul,
Mark56

Thank you very much Mark for your reply and suggestions!

This is why (in desperation) I came to this site, aside from the fact that for over 5 yrs I've been trying to find people like myself, and for the past few years have been trying to find a support site like this one.

For me Mark, my aquatic therapy was via my local hospital, even though I get an automatic 35% discount on ALL my bills because I don't work, my aquatic therapy bill was a little over $500 a mos, BELIEVE IT. I was going around 6-7 times per mos if I remember correctly with an instructor and his helper.

My local YMCA has one, but I can't use it because people like us need the water to be at 92 degrees, theirs was 81 degrees max, and I asked them if they can make it hotter and they can't for many valid reasons, like it's the YMCA...lol!

What exactly does the "k-tape" do? How would it help me? Would the tape have to be wrapped around my lump/swelling/injection site?

The following is just my opinion, I hope that people understand that my situation is very unique on how I became injured, I'm not trying to steer folks away from immunization's, just be VERY WARY on whom's delivering the needle, and MAKE SURE it's being administered properly. I think cause I'm a big guy with big arms might of threw this god awful inept nurse a curveball, in hindsight I wish I would of sensed her inability before the permanent damage was done.


-God bless

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!!!!!!!!!!!!