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Chronic, Endless Pain
I'm so desperate. I'm drinking nyquil capfuls, having a large beer, taking too many advil, because I'm in pain all the time and the doctors won't give me anything since I moved to Washington because they say I'm suicidal and "they don't feel comfortable". I went off my antidepressant so I could lose weight, so I could feel better about myself, so I could feel real. Then the pain began, after I had surgery for a large tumor in my ovary. I let them take the ovary. But they won't diagnose fibromyalgia, or indicate that they care whether I survive. Who do you go to for chronic pain? I want to overcome it without drugs. No seroquil or other walking death drug.
Pain management treat all kinds of pain. While most chronic pain patients do have orthopedic pain, these practices are not limited to ortho problems.
Have you ever tried wellbutrin for your depression? Reading your post, I really do think you need to be on one. Welbutrin generally doesn't cause the weight gain that seems to go along with some anti-depressants. I've taken lexapro for several years and never experienced the increased appetite or unexplained weight gain. I'm sure you're aware that there a ton of anti-depressants on the market. Maybe you just haven't found the right one for you.
One other cause comes to mind regarding the source of your pain. It's possible that you have developed scar tissue as a result of the tumor surgery. Scar tissue formation is a normal part of the healing process, but in some patients it forms to an extent that it pulls organs out of place and causes abdominal pain. When this happens, the medical term for scar tissue is adhesions. If your surgery was open rather than laparascopic, adhesions are even more likely. If you have a history of endometriosis or other abdominal surgeries the odds go up quite a bit.
Surgery is necessary to both diagnose and treat adhesions since they generally don't show up on tests or imaging studies. If scar tissue is binding internal organs, it is not so much removed as cut (or "lysed") to free the structures so they can return to their normal positions.
The risk of adheliolysis surgery is that more surgery can cause more adhesions. That's one reason it's usually done laparascopically so as to disturb as little tissue as possible. Making matters worse, some doctors refuse to believe adhesions cause pain.
I urge you to make an appointment with the surgeon who removed your tumor - was it a gynecologist? - and discuss the possibility of adhesions causing your pain. A simple surgery may set you right without having to fight the system for pain relief. Please stay in touch and let us know how you're doing. :-)
Have you ever tried wellbutrin for your depression? Reading your post, I really do think you need to be on one. Welbutrin generally doesn't cause the weight gain that seems to go along with some anti-depressants. I've taken lexapro for several years and never experienced the increased appetite or unexplained weight gain. I'm sure you're aware that there a ton of anti-depressants on the market. Maybe you just haven't found the right one for you.
One other cause comes to mind regarding the source of your pain. It's possible that you have developed scar tissue as a result of the tumor surgery. Scar tissue formation is a normal part of the healing process, but in some patients it forms to an extent that it pulls organs out of place and causes abdominal pain. When this happens, the medical term for scar tissue is adhesions. If your surgery was open rather than laparascopic, adhesions are even more likely. If you have a history of endometriosis or other abdominal surgeries the odds go up quite a bit.
Surgery is necessary to both diagnose and treat adhesions since they generally don't show up on tests or imaging studies. If scar tissue is binding internal organs, it is not so much removed as cut (or "lysed") to free the structures so they can return to their normal positions.
The risk of adheliolysis surgery is that more surgery can cause more adhesions. That's one reason it's usually done laparascopically so as to disturb as little tissue as possible. Making matters worse, some doctors refuse to believe adhesions cause pain.
I urge you to make an appointment with the surgeon who removed your tumor - was it a gynecologist? - and discuss the possibility of adhesions causing your pain. A simple surgery may set you right without having to fight the system for pain relief. Please stay in touch and let us know how you're doing. :-)
Washington? That's where you live, correct?
If my memory serves me correctly there are PMP in your state.
It is not the forum's function to locate specific physicians for members. I am not sure what skmedlin meant. Maybe she'll return to this thread and let us know.
If my memory serves me correctly there are PMP in your state.
It is not the forum's function to locate specific physicians for members. I am not sure what skmedlin meant. Maybe she'll return to this thread and let us know.
Sometimes doctors will refer you to pain management or prescribe pain medication after you are cleared by a psychiatrist. It's hard to really give advice without knowing more about why they think you're suicidal.
The best thing I can recommend, like everyone else, is going to your PCP or regular doctor and telling them about the pain.
You said the pain came after you stopped taking the anti-depressant, though. Sometimes depression can cause pain as well. If the anti-depressant is stopping the pain, I would take it. Having non-stop pain, myself, if there was anything I could take to stop the pain, I would take it.
I definetly think you should get to the doctor and let them know about the pain and everything and see what they say. Unfortunately sometimes anti-depressants are a part of pain management as chronic pain is depressing and depression causes more pain. It's a vicious cycle that you have to get under control in order to live well.
I really hope everything works out for you!
The best thing I can recommend, like everyone else, is going to your PCP or regular doctor and telling them about the pain.
You said the pain came after you stopped taking the anti-depressant, though. Sometimes depression can cause pain as well. If the anti-depressant is stopping the pain, I would take it. Having non-stop pain, myself, if there was anything I could take to stop the pain, I would take it.
I definetly think you should get to the doctor and let them know about the pain and everything and see what they say. Unfortunately sometimes anti-depressants are a part of pain management as chronic pain is depressing and depression causes more pain. It's a vicious cycle that you have to get under control in order to live well.
I really hope everything works out for you!
Hello Inconsolable,
Welcome to the Pain Mangement Forum. I am sorry that you are having undiagnosed pain. We can empathize with the challenges it bring into our lives.
Yes Chronic Pain can be treated through a Pain Mangement Clinic. There are several that will not prescribe opiates. They will try to go the treatment route. However most will not take you without a diagnosis and a referral. They can be very picky. I am sorry to say that because of that I am not sure if a PMP it is even a consideration for you. Please discuss it with your PCP.
I don't quite understand why you stopped taking the anti-depressant. I would rather be over weight that have pain or depression. It's not what's on the outside that is important. In my opinion it's how you feel and what's on the inside that really matters in this world.
There are other antidepressant that do not have the side effect that you experienced. I think it may be worth a try to try others. I really hope that you will consider exploring those options. If you found something that worked please try it again. I know I sure would, at least I think I would.
Consuming NyQuil by the capfuls and beer is a very bad combination. Please talk to a physician that you trust. If you do not have one than I encourage you to find one that makes you feel comfortable. A detailed explanation of how the pain is effecting your life and simply asking for help can be a good beginning.
Your physician may not diagnosis Fibromyalgia because they believe you do not have it. Have you consulted a rheumatologist? They are often able to prescribe non-narcotic medications that can help with pain.
Whatever you do dear heart, please do something. I hope you will be assertive and get to the source of your pain. We are here to support you. Please feel free to post and ask additional questions or just vent. I am so sorry that you find yourself in this situation.
Take Care,
~Tuck
Welcome to the Pain Mangement Forum. I am sorry that you are having undiagnosed pain. We can empathize with the challenges it bring into our lives.
Yes Chronic Pain can be treated through a Pain Mangement Clinic. There are several that will not prescribe opiates. They will try to go the treatment route. However most will not take you without a diagnosis and a referral. They can be very picky. I am sorry to say that because of that I am not sure if a PMP it is even a consideration for you. Please discuss it with your PCP.
I don't quite understand why you stopped taking the anti-depressant. I would rather be over weight that have pain or depression. It's not what's on the outside that is important. In my opinion it's how you feel and what's on the inside that really matters in this world.
There are other antidepressant that do not have the side effect that you experienced. I think it may be worth a try to try others. I really hope that you will consider exploring those options. If you found something that worked please try it again. I know I sure would, at least I think I would.
Consuming NyQuil by the capfuls and beer is a very bad combination. Please talk to a physician that you trust. If you do not have one than I encourage you to find one that makes you feel comfortable. A detailed explanation of how the pain is effecting your life and simply asking for help can be a good beginning.
Your physician may not diagnosis Fibromyalgia because they believe you do not have it. Have you consulted a rheumatologist? They are often able to prescribe non-narcotic medications that can help with pain.
Whatever you do dear heart, please do something. I hope you will be assertive and get to the source of your pain. We are here to support you. Please feel free to post and ask additional questions or just vent. I am so sorry that you find yourself in this situation.
Take Care,
~Tuck
Where do you feel pain? Is it ortho or somewhere else in your body? What state do you live in? May be able to help you find someone to help...
Thank you. Very sweet of you both to respond. Badshadow, I feel bad for you, too.
Chronic pain can be treated through a pain management doctor... normally though its an orthopedic pain management that is offered... I am not sure where you would go for any other pain management. Maybe some others have an idea... hope you feel better.
I am so sorry to hear of your suffering. I have suffered with Chronic Pain also, and I have been diagnosed with Fibroymyalgia as well.
My Dr. put me on Tramadol, which really helped, but which now is a monster in my life. I'm not having the chronic pain, but I've been very sick trying to get off this drug.
I hope you find some relief.
My Dr. put me on Tramadol, which really helped, but which now is a monster in my life. I'm not having the chronic pain, but I've been very sick trying to get off this drug.
I hope you find some relief.
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