Medication(s)

Hi Wendy, welcome to the group! Thanks for the info, I’ll check it out.  What type of pain are you experiencing and how did it come about??

Talk to you soon!

Mayra

Hi girls,

This is difficult to talk about but I’m just going to dive in.  I suffered from chronic pain for several years.  Monthly migraines (some lasting over 70 hours), lower back pain, etc.  I received epidurals for the back pain.  As the pain progressed, my energy level went to zero.  My pleasure centers shut down and I really stopped living.  It was difficult to enjoy anything.  My friends wanted me to get out, but even when I did, it was like wearing a pair of black and white sunglasses.  It only made me sadder that I couldn’t enjoy what I was doing.

My stress levels went through the roof.  I went to a psychiatrist and he put me on anti-anxiety medication.  He promised me that it was not addictive.  Well, it was.  It did nothing for the pain and although my panic attacks subsided, I ended up in bed with no motivation to live.  If you have a doctor suggest putting you on any “benzos“:  Klonopin, Xanax, Valium or Ativan, please seek another opinion.

So, during a painful withdrawal, I suffered a retraumatization of the abuse I suffered in childhood.  The reason I’m telling you this is because it ties into how I got help for the pain.  My new doctors put me on brain medications that also specifically help pain.  Apparently, it’s very common for survivors of childhood abuse to experience physical pain in adulthood.  The pain is NOT in your head.  It just is what it is.  And the longer you suffer from chronic pain, the more likely your brain will lock into a “pain loop“.  Then it’s so much harder to break that cycle.

I am currently taking 50 mg. of Topamax/day, 50 mg. of Elavil/WEEK, and 150 mg. Seraquel/day.  For my migraines I take Frova which, in my opinion, is a miracle drug (NO side effects, just no more migraine).  I have no more back pain at all.

I used to be very anti-drugs.  But chronic pain is unbearable and no way to live.  Although I try not to think about being on drugs forever, when I think about living with chronic pain, PTSD and anxiety, these medications are a hands-down winner.  I figure, some people have handicaps you can see and they have to accommodate.  So, what makes me so special – just take the darn things and get on with it!

I hope you find your paths to health and well-being in whatever works best for you.

Many blessings,

Karen

Hi—
After my accident a year ago, I’ve had different levels of pain from injuries I suffered in the accident. After both of my knee surgeries I was given percoset, adavan, oxycontin and morphine in pill form. I’ve suffered from headaches (hit my head on the steering wheel), back pain, knee/hip pain and more. I now suffer from insomnia and I refuse to take anything for that. I don’t take anything for pain…when I took some of these meds post surgery, I was one strange human being!! I didn’t make sense, I would pass out mid-sentence, etc etc.  

I’ve learned to deal with some of my pain issues and I wish there were meds out there that worked on pain but didn’t mess up the brain!!

Thanks so much!! There was a point that the doctor was going to send me for pain management in a clinic. I suffered from something called Regional Sympathetic Dystrophy (CRPS) and my doctor caught it very early on…thankfully. I still have many of the symptoms but right now the hip and back pain from being so out of kilter is the most painful.  

I’m managing…some days are worse than others…but I really don’t have much I can do with three still at home, I suck it up and sneak some rest time in when they are in school. I’m typically really, really active so being so sedentary for many months hasn’t helped. I cannot WAIT to get my knee replacement so I can start moving better and more often!!
Thx again!

Great advice!! Thanks!!

Cheryl

Hi Carine—
CRPS is something that most doctor’s pass off as “all in your head“. I got lucky and my doc has put a lot of time in learning about it and recognized it quickly.  

I don’t have much family outside of my children—a sister and brother who are quite busy…and my parents have both passed away. :(  I rely on my physical therapy, my doctors and my children for support and am no longer afraid to ask for it.

Chronic pain is the worst thing I’ve ever experienced but I try to distract myself. It’s nice to be here on this site and find some great support from others who understand!!

Cheryl

I am currently on medications. The ever growing list is long of things that have been “tried” on me.  As I see it my body is not lacking in: cymbalta, klonopin, xanax,effexor xr,ambien, tramadol, ultram er, welbutrin, prozac….
Need I go on.  I understand that medications have their place but I don’t believe so for chronic issues.  The meds themselves cause side effects that are just a crappy as the symptoms they try to cover up.  All a medication does is cover up the underlying symptom.  It doesn’t cure.  It will never cure.  I am currently working w/ alternative medical providers and I intend to be off of all meds by 2009 and used natural things my body knows how to similate.

I know this is an old post (but I am new to Fab40+) so hopefully someone will see it.  There has been alot good results from people drinking MONAVIE. They are able to reduce or get off their prescription meds by drinking 2 oz in AM and 2 oz in PM.  MONAVIE is a fruit blend with the primary ingredient being the ACAI berry from the Amazon.  I don’t have fibromyalgia, but I know people who do and having great results.  I do have chronic pain issues (neck and back) and carpel tunnel…and drinking Monavie everyday makes the world of difference!  If you are open to alternative therapies, than you may want to consider it.  Email me if you want more info.  Thanks for your time.