I was seeing a Pain specialist for pain issues i was having for over 2 years. After so many trips to the ER, they sent to to him. I got an MRI and found I have DDD and herniations( T7 - T9). I was complaining of hand/wrist/arm/knee/leg pain too. It just would not stop the throbbing, burning s...
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My heart goes out to you!
Hollybgroovin
Monday, June 23, 2008 at 12:45 PMre: My heart goes out to you!
StephH
Monday, June 23, 2008 at 02:38 PMThank you, it feels good to know that at least someone else has felt this before...
I am trying not to freak out. My poor kids (My daughter is 4 and my son will turn 3 in Sept.) just don't understand. Why did Mom turn from fun and playful to sitting on the couch and snapping at us when we jump on her or grab her hands? I try not to, but it is hard. They want me to go play with them and will grab my arm and pull and I just yelp like a dog being kicked. want to roll on the ground with them again, give them horsey rides on my back... it just sucks. No other word for it. It sucks. My husband tried to understand. i think he does more than anyone else. My Mom acts like I am just a big whiney baby. My Aunt and my Grandma understand though. My Grandpa died from it when my Mom was young, so she doesn't remember. My Grandma says they had to carry him from the bed to the toilet and to the car to the office, etc. My Aunt says her cousin had it too and she was severly deformed from it. So they know the suffering that comes with it. Everyone else is just like "wha's the big deal? It's just arthritis, go pop a pill and deal with it." Well i have no "pills" to "pop" I have my prednisone which is actually the best I have had yet. My flare ups have gone from constant to up and down. Better than nothing for sure. Thank you for understanding and thank you for being there if I need to vent. You may have just saved my sanity...
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StephH
Patricia
Wednesday, July 09, 2008 at 12:02 PMi read your note and canempathize. I too have had severe joint pain for 5 years, mine
was caused by a missed case of lyme disease. I have som swelling but not severe like
ra patients. I have been on Percoet daily for 1 year and a half. I was lucky to have
another lyme pt take me to him. I did not give in to the pain med easily. I have done
every treatment available to date that he considers safe. I had a port in my heart for
a year and a half. Many people (I was an intensive care nurse) in the medical profess-
ion will jump to the addict profile before they know anything about what you have
been through. I tried every NSAID both prescription and not with severe stomach
problems resulting. I had ulcers ten years ago and some still tried to give me these
when gi bleeds are so common when patients self treat with advil etc. Pain drs. will
take away opiates for fear of being reviewed. They should pick an alternate area of
practice. Also percocet is 8.00$ amonth. I rarely exceed my daily dose and cant
walk well without it. The pain in crippling and often I have to rest to relieve it even
with the pain med. I tried everything, accupunture (good but 75 dollars a week)!
You are newly diagnosed so hopefully the treatment for the underlying cause will
reduce you pain. Try to find drs. who treat real pain and know that dependence on
opiates is a secondary issue when a patients functioning is being lost. It is not a
what the majority of people want to take but it does help and can keep you out
of bed which in the long run is so damaging to body and soul. Write back and I
will pray you find the right drs. Mistake abvove, the lyme friend took me to the dr.
I see in New York.
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My heart truely does go out to you as I have been standing right there in your same situation. I am 28 and have had rheumatoid arthritis for 14 years now. What the doctor means when they say that they will see how advance it is, is that by the xrays they should be able to see how much damage it has caused or if it has caused any damage at all. At that point they should be able to tell how aggressively they need to treat the disease. I know that this is all very scary right now, but once you get on more medications to better treat the disease, you will feel so much better even with the pain. I would recommend calling your pain specialist and letting him know exactly what is going on as far as the rheumatoid arthritis and not being able to afford the epidural. That may make him understand where you are coming from and then he may be able to give you something for the pain at that time. Unfortunately your relationship, kids, and job may still suffer until you get this all worked out. Make sure that you speak openly and honestly with your husband and kids (if they are old enough to understand) and let them know what the doctor is saying and what this might mean for you and them as well. It is so hard and scary. My relationship suffered as well until my husband was able to come to the terms that I was very sick. I had to finally quit working which really affected us financially but really gave me time to focus on getting better. My kids now understand, but it was very hard for them to understand that I could no longer do the things I used to. Now though my oldest son who is eight brings me a water every morning and opens my pill bottles for me so I can take all my medications. Keep your head up! I promise that all this does get a little better and a little easier as well. Please know that we are all here for you whenever you need support! Good luck and best wishes!
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