This is not....oh here he goes again post, but I actually feel like I'm possessed with a demon. I just don't know where to turn or what to do. I am so overwhelmed. I'm driving to work, and I get a burning in my left big toe. This is not where I had the "neuroma" removed on my left foot. I continue to drive, and I get a sharp pain in my left groin. I adjust my sitting and that pain goes away. The burning stops in the big toe, and I have been taking ibuprofen for my "bad back" the past few days. I believe it is SI joint dysfunction. The pain is settling down there, but I've had back trouble for years. No bulging disks...some stenosis, but the SI joint has been problematic for years. I just feel so lost and alone with this pain. Having a spouse is almost worse, because I just get tired of being in a crappy mood with her. It wears on her, and I know it. It is difficult to keep a smiling face. I would truly love to know what I really have. PN...referred pain from my back....some other disease. It is not fun.

I'm not sure if I remember jatatak, have you seen someone specializing in just pain? And I know this sounds silly, but do you sit on a wallet? Sitting on a wallet for extended periods can cause back and hip pain.

Billye

Jakatak,

Listen to Billye. She's wise beyond her years.

Since dealing with sciatica and piriformis syndrome (intense, deep, and persistent pain in the butt) I always keep the wallet and PDA in my front pockets. Wallets press directly on the sciatic nerve and piriformis muscles, and tilt the pelvis sideways for extended periods of time. Your wallet may not be the main cause of your problems, but moving that lump from under your butt can't hurt and may in time allow the problem to clear up.

She is wise and i have been talking to Bob (the man my mom left me in her
will) about putting his wallet in his front pocket. i'm going to show him these
when he wonders up tomorow. Thanks again Billye

David,
Strong magnets helped my brother that was in real terrible pain caused by Sciatica [bad lower spine], he use to walk like he had a wooden leg, now you wouldn't know anything was wrong with him.
If i can help PM me.

You probably have a multiple issue here, jak.
PN being a significant contributing factor.
One that will probably be difficult to Dx and will give you conflicting Dx's from each specialist you see. You really, probably have PN along with whatever else.
Acceptance plays a major role in treeating PN effectively,. Until you 'give in' to the fact you have it, it is chronic, will be with you for life..... until a 'cure' is found, and actively seek proper treatment...... (with over 75 differenbt meds currently used singly or in combibation to reduce symproms and pain)- you will be fighting with yourself and will not be able to come to grips with your PN.
Notice I said reduce, not make go away. The degree of reduction is the effect of which meds and which treatments work best for you.
It differs with each of us.
We must seaarch to find it.....acceptance keeps us on the search path, and eventually we find that happy medium of paiin and symptom relief.
But remember.....it never goes away 100%.
We live with it daily. It is difficult for doctors to understand and empathize with, much less friends or spouses. That's why we come here.
Hopefully it allows us the acceptance to take the stress out and live more normal lives. the stress alone..... makes our PN much worse.

"SI"sacroilliac" the liagmentous juncture or 'joint' between the sacrum and illiac bones of the pelvis.

For the mental part and not just for you but for others have you thought about a therapist. I have been in therapy for 12 years on and off for other issues. I will say it helps to feel less alone and work on coping mechanisms.

I'm so sorry you feel so alone. I can relate to that part as my pain hits me at night. And only at night. So there I am trying to go to sleep and you know when you're in bed with your eyes closed it seems all your brain can do is focus on the pain making it that much worse.

A pain specialist might be a good idea. I wonder how much they can help without a definitive diagnosis... Or does that not really matter?

As Silverlady said, the wallet can cause problems. It creates a bulge on a pressure point. Sort of like sitting on a pingpong ball all the time as well as throwing the back and hip out of proper alignment. Sounds too simple but it's really not.

Wonder if an epidural would help any with this? The pain I had in that area hurt like the devil, but the epidural was most effective and got rid of it pretty quickly.

With nerve involvement, it is not always easy to get a diagnosis. I have been struggling with this for quite some time. Yesterday, I FINALLY saw another Rheumatologist who at least acts interested in helping with my problems...

I know what you mean about being in a crappy mood though. It is a struggle to stay happy-go-lucky... On the other side of this screen sits a witch a lot of the time...

Cathie