R U OK Today?

Hi CrazyJ
I'm in the "outback" so my summer is mostly around the high 30's to low 40's and dry. We only get the humidity when the rain is coming and at the moment i shouldnt complain about that because we really need the rain.
I use the Mega Mg for spasms and cramps and it definitely makes a difference to me but check with your doc before starting in case it doesnt work with other medications. I get spasms in my back and cramps in my legs and feet so i find it decreases these greatly.
Wendles

Hi Wendles, So sorry you lost your friend. Hugs to you xxxx

Finally after a year of not knowing if I was ever going to be pain free, I'm finally feeling that I might just be okay... at least for now. I have TAC - trigeminal autonomic Cephalalgia which is rare and the scientific way of saying massive constant migraines with lots of god awful facial pain and trigeminal pain thrown in just for the hell of it. At the moment my neurologist has me on Topamax, Endep, recently (because I had a major meltdown in his office and told him "I truly couldn't do this anymore") he started me on Botox which only slightly worked.. He's now weaning me on to Gabapentin over several weeks and so far so good 🙂

I'm actually sleeping through the night again. My concentration istill isn't what it should be, but I'm hoping that will improve over time. Right now I'm just grateful I can get through a full day for the most part not be in pain. I'm exhausted, but that I can live with. I sure hope this keeps up.

Hi Brindle ,
Any amount of relief is a god send so if you are pain free be happy but don't go out and do something which may aggravate and bring it back on.
The body from what I have heard uses sleep as a way of healing (like its own way of rebooting) I find if I start having nanny naps i know i have done something I shouldn't have.
Johnno

Today not good. Went out competing at a dressage comp with my beautiful horse yesterday and am now paying big time. Was doing really well until about 6 weeks ago when my back locked after straightening up from adjusting a hose. Just can't seem to find relief without strong meds. Physio has been a complete waste of time & money. Usually works but not this time. I feel about a low as I can go.

Hey Dgal45,
Rest and wheat packs are a nice way to mellow and hopefully reduce the flare up other than that I can't give any more help except maybe have a chat to your Physio and say that you don't feel they are helping theymayhave a different way to help , if you don't say anything they can't help.
Good luck and keep your chin-up
Johnno

Am I OK Today?

Not really 🙁

Edit - And it's my birthday 🙁 🙁

Happy Birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday dear Ange
Happy birthday to youooo

Hip, hip - Hooray!
Hip, hip - Hooray!
Hip, hip - Hooray!

Why was she born so beautiful, why ......... alright shut up Peter. Now you're just getting carried away. Hehehe!

We are thinking of you Ange!

Peter

happy birthday B) hope your day improves

I am not ok.... struggling big time
I just wish I could die in my sleep, I pray it will happen, and am so disappointed when I wake... usually when medication has worn off

I saw a psychologist last week, I told him I am thinking of suicide, and all he said was "well if you are going to do that, nothing I say will stop you"

Hi Pam,

Really sorry to hear you are having such a bad time of it. And unfortunately, most of the psychs out there aren't trained to deal with chronic pain sufferers and are pretty much next to useless. There just aren't enough of them around. They are not trained and have no understanding or empathy for people like us, when we are having a bad flare up. Some of these flare ups can lost for a long time, which really makes us think life isn't worth living.

I think most of us have been where you are on many occasions, which is why we are all on the same page as you. I don't say this to minimise your suffering, only to show to you that we believe you, we know what you suffer and wish we could hep, but we also know there isn't a damn thing we can do to help you at all, except to just be here for you.

I really do hope that you get some relief from this pain, so that you can rest and lower your anxiety levels. If it continues to get worse, take yourself off to emergency and/or make an appt with your doc and ask that they help you. Tell the doctor about your state of mind and that a psychologist is a waste of time, unless they know of one who is properly trained to help people like us.

You take care and I hope you get a break from this.

Peter

Hi pamcarr. I am so sorry that you are finding things really difficult at present. The psychologist you saw should not be practising and it would be appropriate to report him to the Australian Psychology Association.

You could be quite depressed and it's important that your GP knows how you are feeling. If you can't contact your GP over the weekend, please consider ringing either BeyondBlue or Lifeline, just so you have someone to talk to. Your GP may be able to find a psychologist who has experience with chronic pain patients. Another option would be to call your nearest public hospital pain clinic and see if any of their psychologists also practises privately.

I saw in another post where you asked if private pain clinics have the multidisciplinary teams that the public hospitals do. Well, some do and some don't. Some of them are more "procedural" than others, so they might offer you various interventions to see if they help. I think that more of them are offering the full team than in the past.

You may not believe it now, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I can remember being in the same position that you are in now and I now lead a full life and I am very busy. However, I do have to pace my activities or I pay big time. Please let us all know how you are doing.

Mary

Hi Pamcarr,

Sorry my love I missed your post I've been busy with bastards trying to say I am fit to work 40 hours a week so after rehab and subsequent pain management surgeon and GPs I was ready for the scrap heap.
As Mary said there is a light it may be dim but the bastard is there I found it Mary found it and by God we're gonna make sure you find it.
Go ballistic at your doctor re the psychologist he needs a rocket please keep in touch we as a team will do our best we know what you are going through

Johnno

Johnno, did they also tell you that you can work as a brick layer and construction worker?

You've got to be kidding me. How can they say you are right to go back into a 40 hour week. I recon if they forced me to, I would be in hospital before the end of that week and I would be vomiting due to the extreme pain levels. Not to mention that I would have probably done a whole lot more damage to my already damaged spine and weak core.

I guess it's only a matter of time before they get around to the rest of us.

Peter