Our Welcome Message to You

[Tuckamore]

This community is focused on Chronic Pain, it's management and the many challenges that are associated with the often difficult journey of people affiliated with this condition. The majority of our members experience Chronic Pain. It has several definitions but in general Chronic Pain is defined as any pain that lasts longer than 3 months. We are glad that you found us and hope that you will become an active member of our supportive and informative community.

The following is a list of Acronyms that are frequently used in our community.

PCP   Primary Care Physician
PMP   Pain Management Physician
CP     Chronic Pain
DX      Diagnosis
SX      Symptom
PM     Personal Message
MH     MedHelp

MedHelp has some great features. Each of us have a Personal Profile Page that is viewable to everyone and a Home Page that only you can access. Please take the time to complete your Profile. It's often a helpful tool for reference when responding to your question.

Your Profile Page also contains helpful Trackers. This Page allows you to post a Journal, post your Mood, send and receive PMs, Notes, Friend's List, post Photos and so much more. There's an area called "About Me" that you may provide as much or as little information about yourself as you would like. You may also personalize the page by selecting from multiple themes, You may also control access/confidentiality levels of your journals & photos.

MedHelp offers so many great amenities that we cannot list them all. So please search our site for such features as our Health Pages, Popular Articles, Symptom Checker, Drug Information,  "Ask a Doctor" Forums, Health Forums and again, so much more. Watch for live Health Chats, a question and answer session with the World's Best Physicians and Health Experts. If you have any questions as you navigate our site please feel free to ask us.

Here are a few links within MedHelp that are related to Chronic Pain. They have been developed by your CLs.

Letter to People Without Chronic Pain
http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/155544/Letter-To-People-Without-Chronic-Pain?personal_page_id=14686

Informational Sites Associated with Chronic Pain:
http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/index/356518?personal_page_id=1060

Comparative Pain Scale
http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/191268/Comparative-Pain-Scale?personal_page_id=14686

Effects of Long Term Opiate Therapy
http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/141662/Long-Term-Opiate-Therapy?personal_page_id=14686

Prescription Assistance Programs:
http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/162076/Prescription-assistance-programs-and-phone-numbers?personal_page_id=1060

Addiction VS Dependency:
http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/138942/Addiction-VS-Dependency?personal_page_id=14686

Dealing with People with Chronic Pain
http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/155543/Tips-For-Dealing-With-People-In-Chronic-Pain

....And from MedHelp, MedHelp's Pain Tracker
http://www.medhelp.org/user_trackers/gallery/pain  ;

There are no physicians routinely on our forum. Some of us have medical backgrounds but there are no "experts" other then the expertise which comes from personally experiencing CP and the challenges it bestows upon us.

Don't be afraid to offer helpful opinions or suggestions and never be afraid to ask a question. We learn together. Our goal is to support one another and exchange ideas and experiences. Please review and follow our Terms of Service (TOS) at the bottom of this page. This will guide you as you post, respond and generally utilize this site. Be kind to others at MH and understand that though we share the same common denominator, chronic pain, we are all unique and wonderfully different.

We don't recommend specific drugs or physicians. These two areas are so very individualized. Which medication or physician may be right or effective for one person may not be for another person.

Please don't hijack an old thread (post) that belongs to someone else. Please initiate a new post for your questions and concerns, you'll obtain better responses. Don't tack on a question to someone else's post.... But do feel free to update your own new or older threads. We are here to foster the quest for knowledge, exchange information and ideas, gain a better understanding of conditions, medications and procedures and offer suggestions and support in our often difficult journey through Chronic Pain.

We hope to see you often and request that you join us as frequently as time permits. Please share your questions, concerns, challenges, joys, laughter and tears with people who truly get it....the Pain Management Community.

Welcome,
Tuckamore  "Tuck"
Sandee1818  "Sandee"
Your Community Leaders

[namnam46]

This Welcome Message is perfect for this Forum!! This gives all of us the best of the Journal Articles and Information right at our finger tips.  

I can't tell you how many times I had to ask different people, when I first became a member on here, what the different abbreviations meant.  Here they are at our fingertips.  

You made it so easy for us to negotiate around MH.

THANK YOU!!!...............Sherry  :)

[geminigirl1963]

I agree - Thank you so much for this welcome message.  I also have struggled sometimes to try and figure out abbreviations and this makes it so much easier.  As I've gotten more accustomed to the site, I've learned many of them already, but it's always nice to have a refresher - and so easy to access.

thank you also for posting some of the journal pages - I hadn't read them before and they really do help and give an insight not only to the life of those of us living with chronic pain, but also how we can help our loved ones to better understand what we're dealing with.

[Tuckamore]

I am glad that you both like the New Welcome Message. It took me a few days to put it together. I attempted to make it informational and included things that I had questions about when I first joined MedHelp.

The journals are often over looked as there has been no way to reference them. I hope our members, new and seasoned will find this helpful.

Thanks for your comments.
~Tuck

[shugs1313]

Thank You for a lovely welcome, I really appreciate it. I do I have to say I don't understand the part about hijacking threads and such so I hope I don't do it. If I do I am sorry in advance I will try to figure out what it all means before I have a chance to do it. Any way thanks again, looking forward to using the site.

[sandee1818]

Hi Shugs1313,
    Welcome to the PM Community. Hi-jacking a thread means when someone post a different question than what the OP ( the person who started the thread). If you have a question it is always best to start your own post so that it will get the proper attention. I hope I answered your question.
If not please let us know. We are here to help anyway we can:)

[kneeser]

Thank you for letting me join

[Tuckamore]

I didn't realize a comment brought these Welcome Messages down from the menu. It's a good thing. :0)

Welcome to all New Members. These old (but still relevant) Welcome Messages can normally be found in the "pull down" option -  in the bottom left side of the top and center blue banner.

Pain Management has underwent some very huge changes since this original message was written. Together we can stay abreast of those changes.

Our goal is to offer our fellow chronic pain patients, support and understanding - as well as attempt to answers the many concerns and questions that accompany chronic pain and it's management. By no means do we have all the answers. I've been at this for many years and know that we truly learn from one another.  

As I said Sandee1818, my former colleague and CL is no longer active on Medhelp. I'm here along with some great supportive and knowledgeable members to address your questions and concerns. I hope you'll find the support and answers you're seeking. Feel free to send me a "note" or a confidential message. If you need assistance with navigation also feel free to ask. My best to y'all!

Welcome Aboard,
~Tuck

"Tuckamore"
CL Pain Management  
      Senior Health
      Caregivers