General Chat

hiya julia, mine started as abdominal low ache that would get to a real bad pain had it now for 18 yrs, when they cant find out what it is they should keep trying, did the pain begin after the gall bladder removal? xxx

got gp to see me wed at 9 there must be something other than loads of morphine ive had half a bottle to day and im just comfortable, really cant cope with the burning nerve pain, hope you all have a good ite speak tomorow xxx

ouch LPC

that's a lot of morphine! I hope the GP will help when you see her on Wednesday.

The assessment went quite well ................. they didn't have too many changes to suggest although the nurse thought I should talk to the doc about possibly taking more of the tylenol+codeine as that would reduce the amount of tylenol I was taking in ................... as tylenol is close to paracetamol and too much causes liver damage, you might understand why. I currently seem to be averaging about 4300 mg of tylenol a day, and the maximum advised dose is 4000mg. Replaicng 2 625 mg tablets with the tylenol+codeine at 500 mg each would bring my dosage down to 4000.

And there's me been trying to keep off the codeine!

The physiotherapist turned out to have originally been a kinesiologist, and had worked for my physio Matt for a couple of years in charge of the gym, overseeing gym exercises for patients, and considered him her mentor. So she didn't see any need to change any of the exercises I was doing!

She did pull up on the computer the spinal x-ray I had last week. The hip is in pretty good shape, but the 5 bottom vertebrae now show damage ( it was 3 originally), and I am showing some curvature of the spine (scoliosis) in that area. Plus a couple of the discs between the vertebrae seem to be getting thin or compressed to one side.

The occupational therapist had a couple of tips that might help me be more comfortable in the car or at a theatre. That was basically it.

Oh, and a suggestion that it might be good for the joints if I lost a bit of weight. :)))

In all ..... I seem to be doing most things right. Which is both good and bad! Bad because they didn't have too much to offer me to reduce the pain.

I then walked about 4 or 5 blocks to a small mall, had lunch there and went into an outlet store for one of my favourite name label brands. I was very well pleased when I found 3 summer tops at half price ............... and even more pleased when I got to the cash register and discovered that there was a special sale on today. I got the 3rd top free!!


But I did do too much ......................... I'm aching from top to bottom now, and OH has just had do the Greek Roast Potatoes.

I go to see Matt the physio tomorrow morning ...... so I shall have to tell him what Natalie the physio today said about him :))



Take care everyone



sylvia
xxx

Sylvia, glad the assessment is over and you seem to have everything sorted out as best can be. Hope the change in meds helps not hinders things. Isn't it nice to get a bargain when you shop? I haven't bought much for ages, I must clear out some old things first lol
I have to ask, how do you do Greek roast spuds? I think they might be like the ones we had in Corfu and I did ask the waiter as his Mum was the chef but I forget what he told me now, he was telling me so much info about the different things I got a bit confused. It doesn't take a lot these days!

Puss, do you remember when I first joined in on here in 2005, I think my first or second thread was The bed is broken lol and I was asking about memory foam mattresses then, we got the whole divan package and it is comfy and warm, the only thing that bugs me is that you can only turn it top to bottom, not over and it has to be aired for a few hours each time you change the linen so means by the time I get up and strip the bed, I have to leave it till mid/late evening before remaking it with clean linen. Can't believe it's nearly 5 yrs old and I have been on gr for 5 years too, come the weekend.

I get the bad dreams a lot, they drain me and I often wake up crying, so much confusion in the dreams yet lots of links with my past family, friends and places, my brain must be in turmoil! I know it's the fm but doesn't make it any easier to cope with.

Puss, does that pain come under your bust and round your ribcage, like someone sticking hot needles in, because I have had that recently on one side and it's not nice at all, luckily mine doesn't stick around too long. I have lots more aches, pains and swelling in my left side than my right.

Have you ever had shingles in the area you get the pain as sometimes shingles can leave you with chronic pain. see below:

What is postherpetic neuralgia?
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a nerve pain (neuralgia) that persists after a shingles rash has cleared. If the pain goes, but then returns at a later date, this too is called PHN.

Shingles is an infection of a nerve, and causes a typical rash. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. About 1 in 5 people have shingles at some time in their life. Shingles can occur at any age, but it is most common in people aged over 50. Most people with shingles have pain, but the pain usually eases soon after the rash clears. PHN is pain that persists. (See separate leaflet called 'Shingles' for details about shingles.)

How common is postherpetic neuralgia?
PHN is unusual in people aged under 50, and if it does occur it tends to be mild. PHN is more likely to develop, and is more likely to be severe, in people aged over 60. About 1 in 4 people aged over 60 who have shingles develop PHN that lasts more than 30 days. The older you are, the more likely it will occur. However, early treatment of shingles can reduce the risk of developing PHN.

What are the symptoms of postherpetic neuralgia?
PHN causes pain on and around the area of skin that was affected by the shingles rash. The pain is mild or moderate in most cases. However, the pain is severe in some cases.

The pain is usually a constant, burning, or gnawing pain. In addition to, or instead of this, you may have sharp or stabbing pains that come and go. The affected area of skin is often very sensitive. Even slight touch may cause pain such as the rubbing of clothes or a draught of air on the affected area. You may also have reduced sensation to touch, and be itchy over the affected area.

Why does the pain persist in some people?
Shingles causes inflammation of the nerve. Pain can be expected whilst the rash and inflammation occur. However, it is not clear why some people continue to have pain when the inflammation has gone. It is thought that some scar tissue next to the nerve, or in the nearby part of the spinal cord, may be a factor. This may cause pain messages to be sent to the brain.

Will the pain go away?
Without treatment, PHN typically eases gradually and goes. In about 5 in 10 people with PHN, symptoms are gone by three months. However, without treatment, about 3 in 10 people with PHN still have pain after a year. Some people have a slow improvement over a long period of time. A small number of people do not have any improvement over time.


i have not had shingles but know people who have and then get the pain later on after they think the shingles has gone away.


Lizx

PD IS THOUGHT BY SOME TO BE PAINLESS
NO WAY APART FROM AT TIMES TOTAL IMOBILITY
THE PAIN IS BECOMING UNBEARABLE

sylvian glad your assesment went well as could be xx

liz, my nerve pain is caused by ms and they have possibly found a cure so hopefully soon there will be some reall help, funny ive often wondered what shingles did to cause so much pain never had it thanfully xx
i didnt realise that pd could be painfull dizzy sorry to hear it is, is it your joints or just anywhere xx

hi all

my pain is in my back round ribs and in front ribs too,
its so painful lately, got worse after friday when i spent time at daughters with little one,
werent being energetic or anything,
but its just never ending the ache,
and my shoulder on right is quiet bad now too thru night it wakes me up,

i find clothes i wear feel like they are a vice round my body unless i wear PJs
lol , and i cant go round in them all day

nightmares are bad for me too liz, i find i wake up crying,
and do play on my mind thru the day.

My lumbar vertebrae are affected by osteoporosis. I get a little pain in my hips if I walk too much, but housework can be a real pain in the back! Now OH has started getting severe pain in his hip, but mention of bursitis makes me wonder, he does get arthritis in hs hands. Both of us tend to look a bit curved forward these days. Exersises and pain relief are all that are offered.

dont they make yuou feel lazy when they suggest exercise ,
they do me anyway
turns me right off going for it

SORRY DIDNT REPLY STRAIGHT AWAY
MINE ISGENALY ALL OVER
ARMS GET RIGID,,PAIN STARTS AACHING THROB TO AGONY
LOWER BACK ACHE CONSTANT
AND AS FOR FALLING OVER, ,,,,,,,EVERY DAY

awe dizzi,

its no fun is it,

bleepin constant too

Hope everyone had a good rest i went to bed 7pm last night after falling asleep at 630 , i told natters to wake me for the soaps i slept till 8am then had doc appointment at 9, she has increased amytriptilene to 100mg a day 50 morn 50 night so i may not be on much untill my body gets used to that , i see the neuroligist mar 8th so not long to wait till he advises which one he wants me on.
hiya jean i made specky acyually realise he may have terrible back pain but he dosent have 2 chronic active illnesses , not that i dismas his pain at all but physicall he can do more than i can in the home.
juliaanne, have you told your doc about this around your ribs and back is it a tight very hot burning pain and do you feel fatiqued with it ? xx
dizy sorry to hear you suffer so much chat is parkins disease in our terms?
Our doc is brill and you always have to wait weeks to see her but she wont stop till she gets to the bottom of your pain so we are very lucky, specky would still be working if it wasnt for her telling him he would be doing so much more damage to his stenosis of the spine, back later the mother is coming lol xx

just got a foot spa from the charity shop so heres hopimg, ive got some bubble bath too to go in it ...hopeing the pain will ease in my foot x

yes it helped with the pain on my heel but has made my legs really hurt oh well there up resting now .

where is everyone xx

its not so hot pain puss round my ribs
its like an ache, like real sore nagging ache,
ive told docs several times they just say
yeh its the FM

ive even bought new bras to help, but they jsut feel more restrictive,

julieann i know what you mean about the bras lol i just wip mine off if ive done me trips out, usually someone will turn up and there is a random bra lying there lol.
re the pain,in ribs i hope youn get it sorted, my doc who specialises in rheumatolisit spelling he he, got double vision at mo its quite funny lol, said you cdont get fm in ribs but if you get burning there go back, cause i had a break from genes did you get sorted with some pain reliefe sorted xx

i got citalopram now,
my neurologist put me on um,
30mg daily,

and im on co-codamol, 15/500mg
oh yeh and blood pressure tabs, after much feet stamping and begging,

i not going back to neurologist at mo, after he suggested with my hubby i should go to a gym, and refered me to a cognitive therapist,
he said he will make you think positive,

i said im a positive person inspite of everything i look on positive side,
at that moment tho i was pretty down, as i was coming off one lot of anti Ds, and transfering to the citalopram,
i told hubby off for being unhelpful and making me feel lazy, lol
and i said think positive, whats that ! still have the FM but just think happy thoughts instead, !!!!!!!!!! i was pretty mad at time,
xxx

Im the same julie i wake up happy cause im lucky ive got a home older children a husband and we get by, but as soon as im mout of bed if it hasnt already started the pain is there but for some reason i stay happy, today i even said to my doc who has a cold and looked ill i hope you feel better soon we both laughed, im on the citaopram felt a bit woosie to start but feel ok now xx have you tried amytriptilene ?

im off to bed now double vision to much now lol xxx

i tried amitript, few years back, i was like a zombie , couldnt get my head off the pillow in the mornings, lol, i was walking round till 11am n auto pilot, couldnt stand that,

hope you have sweet dreams puss,
xxx

Hi,

I'm 63 and live in New Zealand - born in England. I have suffered chronic pain in my lower back, legs and feet for many years. When I was 18 I fell from top to bottom of the stairs on my back and have suffered on and off since then.

2 years ago my eldest son was advised to visit a chiropractor after he broke his collar bone and was in a lot of pain. The chiropractor xrayed him and told him his body was twisted out of shape! After a few manipulations, he began to feel good and in a few months was free from pain and his body was gradually straightening out.

Last year my pains had got to the point where I could hardly move - even lifting my head off the pillow was agony - my legs and feet were getting numb. I was full of pain killers.

My son paid for me to have a session with the chiropractor. He showed me my xray and I was terribly out of alignment, one shoulder was at least 3 inches lower than the other!

Although it cost me about £12 each manipulation for 12 weeks, within that time the tingling stopped and I was free of pain. I stopped all pain killers, rubbing creams etc. and haven't had any since. My shoulder is now about 1 inch lower than the other.

Unfortunately it's an ongoing thing, possibly for life, and I may need treatment every 6 months or so, but it was the best thing I ever did.

Patricia