Good Morning Everyone hope all is doing well , I cant take this pain anymore I have done had 4 neck surgeries and I was praying that this last one was going to do the trick I has been going on 7 weeks now I have been in rehab but for the past week I have been getting up every morning hurting really bad I am not a fighter anymore im 45 yrs old and cant take it anymore I don't know what else to do I go back to see the dr tomorrow and I know he is going to tell me its my fault because I am a smoker i really need help and i am not on any pain med because for one he don't want to give me any and 2 i really don't want to get addicted to pain med again but my pain has come to the point where i want to ** just end it all i have 3 kids and a grandbaby and that is what is holding me back because i don't want them growing up without a mom are a grandmother i don't know what else to do anymore i have people tell me that it cant be that bad i am overectacting but i am not i wish they could walk in my shoes for one day . thank you for letting me vent and if anyone knows anything i might can do please respond . i am not crazy in the head i know my pain is real i walk around everyday with a smile on my face so people around me don't see me in pain but i cant do it anymore

I'm sorry you're in so much pain, doodlebug.

I wondered if you've checked out the Chronic Pain Forum

There is a Sticky thread there at the top of the forum with Useful Sites and resources that might have some tips in there to help you deal with this pain. You could also perhaps post on that forum to see if anyone has some ideas for you.

I'm so sorry you are in such pain. I've suffered from severe neck pain for many years myself, so I know what you're talking about! Don't know what it is about neck pain that makes it so hard to take. Maybe because it's so close to the brain it's just more of an insult to the body. Who knows?

Mine turned out to be coming from something called Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, rather than from the cervical spine. I had surgery but it didn't help me, either. People just don't seem to understand our pain because it's invisible. Do you live near a large teaching hospital? I ask because you may be able to find a support group for people with chronic pain there, run by a pain psychologist. Please do check out the Chronic Pain forum here on NeuroTalk as Lara suggested as well. You do not have to be alone in this.

Surgeons are the absolute worst when it comes to treating pain! Do you have a pain management physician? If not, please look for one. There are a lot of things they can do for you besides giving you meds - and, hey! meds ARE appropriate at times, especially when you are trying to recover from something as drastic as surgery!

When my neck gets really, really bad, what helps me is putting a cold pack on my upper neck while soaking in an epsom salt bath. I'm sorry your friends and family are not being more supportive of you right now. They need to be educated in ways they can help you. I hope you are feeling better by the time you read this. Keep posting and let us know how you're doing, OK?. We're here to support you in any way we can. I know it's tough, but you are worth it, Doodlebug! Your life is precious and you deserve comfort. I wish you relief, girl! Hang in there.

Alison