Share Your Pain Story

997 Replies to “Share Your Pain Story”

1. In 1996 I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease, suffered with pain since. Had my first lumbar fusion in 2008, followed by a cervical fusion in 2009, a second lumbar fusion in 2012. I have had constant pain and been on Oxy since 2008. In 2015, the neurosurgeon said he couldn’t fix the continued degeneration and suggested an increase in pain meds. Pain meds were increased and since 2015 I have managed my pain. Last year the PCP said she couldn’t no longer prescribe, started with pain management docs with injections in my neck and lower back. I got no relief and followed through with my orthopedic surgeons suggestion to have a 3rd lumbar fusion, now I am in more pain than I was, unable to walk without the use of a walker, and/or crutches -cane. The pain is unbearable and has left me with depression . It’s just wrong! My life is completely gone down hill without necessary pain medications. Before I was still in pain but it was under control, I was a functioning person, and working. Without pain meds I cannot work and have to hire help to keep my household up.

2. I suffered a car accident leading to cervical & lumbar surgeries in which brackets & screws were put in both. I’m now being forced to have repeated & painful procedures yearly in order to get any relief from my crippling pain & in order to be able to function , because OTHER people have addiction issues I’m denied pain medication. The doctors then repeatedly pushed anti inflammatories which resulted in me suffering with Bleeding Stomach Ulcers. They’re more concerned with & focused on addiction to the point where I’m being left to suffer & pay the price. My only option of procedures which are necessary yearly , are repeatedly denied by insurance causing me to have to appeal & fight while being left in pain. Yet I don’t see anyone having to fight for Narcan . I just can’t wrap my head around the outright discrimination of those of us with chronic ailments & disabilities being tossed aside & left to suffer cruelly while they help Junkies who don’t even want their help!! I don’t see them giving free chemo to cancer patients that can’t afford treatment. Or showing the same concern for our veterans! It’s disgraceful ! If my neighbor gets pulled over repeatedly for drunk driving should I also loose my drivers license because of my neighbors addiction? I guess we all should , it makes no sense!

3. While in the military I suffered a catastrophic back injury during a training exercise. I’ve been living with and treating chronic, sometimes debilitative pain for over 30 years. There is no individual treatment that works given the multiple issues that are present, including structural damage, spinal cord & peripheral nerve damage and resultant anxiety and depression. After these 3 decades my doctors and I have established a system to mitigate my chronic pain and resultant psychological issues although we have not found anything that resolves it completely. My holistic program includes God, diet, exercise, counseling, spinal cord stimulator implant, and medication that includes prescription pain medication. I am a full participant in my treatment and cognizant of the methodology used in the treatment of my chronic pain.

   In the past few years our government, through arbitrary and inconsistent legislation, has jeopardized the relationship between my doctors and myself as well as hobbled my physicians preventing them from doing their job. The new legislation has turned me from being an active patient who participates in a team effort with my personally selected medical professionals to ameliorate the burden of chronic pain into, in the eye of the government, some kind of addict only looking for the next high or a dealer looking for more product to push on the street. I highly resent that and my primecare physician is at wits end in trying to care for me and other patients.

   The solution to the drug epidemic that grips our country should not, and must not treat its citizens and medical professionals like some kind of drug cartel. Increase enforcement and penalties for those who do wrong & provide opportunities for those who are suffering but, don’t just cast a wide net in order to simplify the task at hand.

4. I can barely remember what life was like before the pain, and I will never be able to return to life as I knew it I have. The loss of “quality of life” is enormous and even after 24 years of debilitating pain, it continues to be relentless and aggressive. I started on non narcotic pain reliever for 7 years, as I knew I had to pace myself, as this was going to be life long and I wouldn’t accept taking a narcotic until it was clearly no longer an option. And in 1996, doctors felt that at this point with advances in pain relief, there’s no reason for anyone to suffer.

   Cut to 2017. Doctors just wanted to fire patients. I had to withdraw myself, under no medical supervision from the Fentanyl after being on it 17 years. I feel they should all be punished by the AMA for a lack of humanity and not living up to their oath “first, do no harm”. Without proper meds I have been forced to try procedures which caused side effects, RFA procedure left me with a massive fixed hard protrusions and disfigured my back in and from my cervical area to my lumbar. It is enormous and frightening to look at, but apparently being massively disfigured for life is no one’s responsibility. Even though it’s scar tissue from trauma after medical procedure because of inept doctor didn’t know when to stop.

   It’s not easy, as I have been researching it to get to speak to Congress, about this extraordinary bad position their laws have put innocent people, law abiding citizens, often to a suicidal end.

   I wouldn’t have had to resort to procedures, if there was simply a pill I could take to stop the agony. I see no help in sight, we’re currently the collateral damage left behind because people chose to abuse their meds. I have tried anything I could, which continues to worsen my condition, when all I really need is sufficient pain medication.

   How long did they expect we would tolerate this insanity before we join forces and rise up and fight for our rights to receive proper medical care. Let’s put them on notice, that with this overdue rebellion, is growing substantially every minute of the day.

5. I’ve had brain surgery for GR, email for Meashins, part of my neck taken out, I have multiple stenosis, herniation, degenerative disc disease, fibromyalgia, have had multiple surgeries on my stomach for my PCOS, tumors removed off my uterus, screws put in my feet, lumps removed from my breast, and that’s just the top of it. But I am not given anything in regards to pain medication. I just found out today that they are going to start weaning me down even more. I’ve done multiple epidurals, Cortizone injections, everything and anything that they’ve asked me to try. I’ve gotten no relief of my pain and now they’re going to wean me down even more off my pain medication because of some other person’s choice to recreationally use these medications to get high when I need them for my pain relief. I didn’t choose this, this was what I was dealt. These people choose that lifestyle who abuse drugs why are we being punished? I’ve made multiple calls to the state department, to the governors office when Christie was in. The doctor that was helping me, his office was raided and he was forced to give up his license and they left me hanging high and dry on pain medication with no other doctor to help me til I found this one and he doesn’t even want to help me in fear of losing his license.

6. I am a sixty five year old woman, I have Sarcoidosis and buldging disc and was hit by a car that left me with pain in my back neck and foot and ankle from four broken toes Fractured foot in two places and a broken ankle in two places.
   I now also suffer from arthritis in my legs and knees. When I go to the hospital and sometimes my pharmacy, I am made to feel like I am just trying to get drugs for recreational, because I have a very high tolerance for medication. My pain medication does not get me high, if it did I would stop it myself. It just releaves or sometimes just ease the muptiple pain that I am experiencing at time. I understand , about the miss use, I think we should not be subject to having to feel like we are just begging for drugs, because Dr’s and pharmacists are so afraid to prescribe your medication, even though you have been getting the same kind and amount of your prescription before and after this law had passed. When you have medical documents to show your medical condition. Please stop penalizing the sick for the actions of others. The Dr’s should have and look at your health records for the patient. And the pharmacist should be able to trust the Dr. I think it’s just the Ins Companies that don’t want to pay for your prescriptions.

7. I have had bilateral knee replacements, cervical and lumbar lamenectomy and right hip replacement. I am in constant pain and meds were cut in half. I have stopped any excercise and suffer greatly due to this. I am NOT a junkie or abuser, never have been. Why am I being persecuted for others idiocies. Doctors should treat each patient as an individual and not group us together with med abusers. As Doctors they can tell the difference. California is the worst for supporting this.

8. I have severe cronic pain and its progressive they are making my life very hard to want to go on.

9. Hi Iam a 63 year old woman who has 12in. Of metal and 8 screws in my back. I also have degenerative disc diease, fibromyalgia, oastioartritis, and oastiomylitis. I was on a regiment of pain medication and they took all of my pain meds away from me for a dirty u.a. It came back positive for meth. They said none of my meds could of showed positive. Later I found out that one of my meds indeed shows up positive. After getting this information I contacted the dr. I ways seeing left a message about what I found out. They will not call me or answer my calls. I was hoping I could go back to them and be seen. Now I can’t get anything for pain and Iam now stooped over and all they suggest is physical therapy and Ibprophen. Iam in pain every day cronic pain and mist days can only walk to the toliet. Iam sick of people telling me to do this and do that. I know how I feel and how I hurt. Physical therapy throws me into a fibromyalgia attack as well as severe back, knee, hip, and neck pain. It takes days to have one good day. I need some pain medication so I can function in life. Ty for listening to my story. Frances in pain!!

10. I am a mom, a wife, and an educator. I’m also in pain. I’ve been in pain for at least 17 years that began with a car accident. I had a disc replaced me in my neck. Then I was hurt at work and had to have another disc replaced. I have nerve damage, head pain, neck pain, and back pain. It’s continual and it never gets better. I work with a pain management doctor who no longer prescribes opioid based pain medications to me or most other patients. I take everything I’m told to to and I’m still in pain. I use a tens unit and I’m still in pain. There is not a day that does not begin or end with pain. I function and sometimes I feel like it is all I do. My mobility is challenged by my pain. The energy I expend on dealing with pain in incredible. People tell me I’m strong but I think of all the things I do not do because I do not feel well.