How to cope with unrelenting pain

As most of you know I have a variety of health problems most of which cause me pain in some degree.

However lately (the last couple of months) it is getting more and more unrelenting. Because of a liver condition I can't take panadol, because of a Hiatus hernia I can't take Ibuprophens so the dr has given me Tramadol,

I started with one 50gm as needed, then I was upped to one slow release 100 tablet twice a day, now it is 2 100 mf SR tablets twice day and it is just not working.

The active ingrediant is Tramadol Hydrochloride, here it is called Zydol SR 100, I don't know what it would be called over there.

I'm ok with two or even three things hurting like crazy but when everything hurts at the same time I am in trouble, I simply cannot cope with the pain and end up feeling very nauseous on top of everything else.

I have been considering asking for a Pain Management specialist referal. Des saw one and they helped a bit, but as his was going to improve over time they didn't really do much. I seem to just get worse and worse and have more and more parts give up on me, Des was telling me how the PM specialist told him about putting in a permanent epidural and injecting pain meds directly as needed. I really, really don't want anything like that, that would mean no more baths, no more swimming, no more aqua aerobic's and I really, really don't need yet another substance on hand that it would be to easy to overdose on.

I'm just so sick of being in constant unrelenting pain 24/7. It doesn't matter what I do or don't do (I've tried staying inactive all day - bad move, I've tried doing exercise - another bad move) it is always there.

I swear I used to have a high tolerance for pain, and you would think that your body would get used to pain and you would just be able to ignore it, I seem to be heading in the opposite direction, I don't seem to cope with pain anywhere near as well as I used to. It's like my body has simply given up and somedays I'm afraid my mind and spirit aren't to far behind - hence my not wanting another drug in the house.

Is it possible to have your pain threshold reduce?? And if so how do you increase it again?? And how do you learn to live with pain in so many different parts of you're body when all you want the dr's to do is put you in a medically induced coma until they can finally cure at least some of the problems.

I desperately need help but I don't have any idea where to turn, I'm seeing my GP once or twice a week and she certainly tries hard but nothing is working, where do I go for help now?????

Re: How to cope with unrelenting pain

Acupuncture is a great idea, when I was in NZ I used to go fairly regularly but over here I just had no idea how to find someone good, if someone is going to be poking 100+ needles into my body I want to make sure they know what they are doing before they start. In NZ the dr recommended one so I may have to try doing that, one of the dr's I see is big on vitamins so I'm hoping she is open to other alternate forms of therapy.

I don't know why I didn't think of that

the pain is cased by various things, neuropathy *nerve damage" in my feet, (I can't feel the skin but I can feel pressure) and the nerves are constantly firing off the wrong signals IE: you are being burnt, you are being cut etc and now the problem is going up both legs to my knees, so I am also getting a lot of "someone just kicked you hard in the shins" type pain. Both calves, from ankle to knee, feel like I have had a massive cramp in them the night before (which I haven't) or like if I put any pressure on my legs I will have a massive cramp attack (I don't get one tho) I don't actually get cramp these days so I think it may be more nerves sending the wrong message, but I've never had a nerve signal go 24/7 and never let up or change

My tailbone feels like it did last year when I bruised it and I don't know why, but I can't sit or lie on my back for long without it getting very uncomfortable.

I get stomach cramps for no apparent reason lasting anywhere from minutes to hours, and it's not hormonal as I haven't had a period in over two years now (menopause is a wonderful thing )

My "frozen shoulder" causes muscular aches from my collar bone up and down to my shoulder blade and from my neck to my fingers. (it feels like the bones are being forced apart in my wrists and fingers) putting strong pressure on my collarbone and surronding tissue relieves this one to a certain extent and putting really tight pressure bandages on my wrist helps sometimes to.

Heat also helps, but unfortunately, being the middle of summer, heatpacks can become very hot and sweaty and uncomfortable fairly quickly (and I don't want to give up summer just so I can use a hot pack comfortably, I'm not crazy well, most of the time I'm not).

And you are right Michele about the lack of drugs, I take 9 tablets in the morning 7 at night and inject 4 times a day, I'm already so drugged up it's amazing I don't rattle

Yesterday was a 'bad' day painwise, today is not so bad, it's only my collarbones, elbow, wrist and legs today, I can cope with that.

But what used to happen about once a month is now happening about every 4-5 days and I am incapacitated by all over body pain. I have to do sometime bc I simply can't keep becoming a pain wracked nonfunctioning person 5 times a month.

thank you for your ideas, I really appreciate them, going to check out Lenora's links now, I haved used the TENS machine at physio I didn't know you could get home use versions.

Re: How to cope with unrelenting pain

The physio has discussed getting my dr to recommend surgery, but the trouble is diabetics don't heal very fast or very well. I may end up with massive scaring in my shoulder which would freeze movement in my shoulder to an even greater extent and if it gets infected I could lose my arm, I must admit I've had a few thoughts about cutting off my arm (or even my legs) when the pain gets excruciating but that wouldn't work. My friend lost her leg and still has pain in the leg she doesn't even have. And itching, I've seen her doing this, she ends up scratching all of her stump desperately trying to find the nerve that used to go to her foot so she can scratch that bit.

I know itching doesn't sound like much of a problem but it can drive you nuts when you can't scratch it. I had an allergic reaction a few weeks ago that involved itching, I literally scratched the skin off the top of my foot in my sleep.

thank you Lenora for putting me in touch with your friend, I got your email to us both (I loved the introduction ) but I haven't received any reply from her yet, but I think it is the middle of the night over there at the moment.

I'm going to see a different GP tomorrow and have a good chat with him, as I've said before the GP I'Ve been seeing is always asking me for my opinion. which is good, don't get me wrong, but I am seeing a dr because I don't know how to help myself or I would have done so by now.