not sure how to help my friend

[butterfly7698]

I don't know how to help my friend. She always seems to be in such horrible pain and nothing she tries seems to help. The doctors don't know whats wrong with her and i think she's starting to lose hope that they will ever find out as this has been going on since before we met six years ago and it's only getting worse. She tries to hide when she hurts and will just laugh it off and say she's fine when we ask. I've woken up to hear her crying in the middle of the night, and will watch her isolate herself when she's in pain to try and hide it.

Is there anything I can do to help her?

[worried878]

where does she hurt?

[jollyman069]

all depends what her problems are.. if her family dr cant help her, amybe they can refer her to a pain mangemnet dr. they can do wonders with helping ppl control pain

[Tuckamore]

Hi Butterfly,

Does you friend still live at home? I see that you are 17 years old? If so I would discuss your concern with her parents. They may be unaware of how severe her pain is at times. She is lucky to have a kind caring friend like you.

If she is not living at home and is on her own than please be more specific concerning her pain. We may be able to offer better suggestions.

Take Care, Tuck

[butterfly7698]

She is the same age as me and does live at home, I don't think she could live on her own if she had to. I've talked to her parents about it and they are aware of her pain and problems, though I'm not sure they know how severe it is somedays, I don't think I even know how bad it gets.

She has severe joint pain that has been going on since she was little. She's been to many different doctors but they dont have any answers for us. The medicine they've tried giving her doesn't work either, and I think she's stopped using it all. Would physical therapy count as a pain doctor because she went there and it only made things worse?

It started getting worse a few years ago, and since then she's pretty much stuck at home now. She can hardly walk somedays though she will push herself to do so anyway trying to make it not seem as bad as I believe it is. I think this has hit her hard because she was a real outdoors person and was always playing sports and running and now it's hard for her to even move.

She has the support of her friends and family but i wish there was more I could do to help her.