New to group; Happy New Year

[Guest guest]

Greetings all:

I hope you all had a Happy New Years celebration and that we all have a better

year this year. I know I need one.

I have been living with chronic pain since August of 2001. It seemed like out

of nowhere I started having upper and lower abdominal pain that got worse when I

ate or drank anything and was accompanied by severe diarrhea. I was very

cranky, but didn't really realize that it was because I felt so sick. My

husband finally told me to go to the urgent care our group runs if I was going

to be so cranky. He was so totally right, and I hadn't realized it. I ended up

at the hospital having a CAT scan as they thought I had an infected appendix.

Not. I saw my GP on Monday after that CAT scan, and she tried a few things and

then sent me to a very good gastroenderologist. During all of this, to try to

make a long story short, I ended up hospitalized twice in Oct of 2001, has three

CAT Scans, and a plethora of other tests, saw an infectious disease specialist

(the first guy who even thought of testing me for AIDS, negative thank you!!)

My tummy guy (the correct term just gives my fingers a cramp, sorry) did

everything he could and even did some testing that he was sure would be

negative, but he didn't want to leave a single stone unturned. And he found

nothing. There is nothing wrong that they can find. So he said that the only

thing left was pain control. I've been to two pain control specialists and

their idea of pain control left a lot to be desired. The first put me on

neurontin - and I know that it helps a lot of people but I lost about half of my

hair and almost lost my mind. I still don't remember a lot of what happened

during that time, but my husband assures me it was very scary. The second tried

epidurals - twice, and then quit. His attitude completely changed and he made

it very clear that he was not interested in helping me.

I finally went to a PA that works at my group that knows me fairly well. I

explained what had happened, (my prior GP had cut my lose due to by problems

with her lack of professionalism and lies to me) and he talked to my new GP and

they tried me on Oxycontin. It actually make the pain worse. Now they have me

on Duragesic patches on a dose so low that I get about 30% relief, nothing for

break through pain and when I asked for a dose increase I was told that he

wanted to send me to the last pain specialist that I had seen.

So that's were I'm at now. The pain is now at a point where I can't eat much,

so I will end up losing weight again - I lost 40 pounds when this first started

(my doctor just kept telling me how great I looked) and fortunately I still have

some to lose.

I have three small children, 7, 4 and 2. I also have an undiagnosed clotting

disorder so adding medications is a pain due to interactions. And I'm just

trying to have a life because I must still live for my children. My husband

also doesn't do very well on his own, so I do need to stay for him also.

If anyone has suggestions, please don't hesitate. I really wish I just had

loads of money - I would just take a lawyer with me to every doctor's

appointment and I'm sure things would change.

Peace to all of you,

Kathleen

[Guest guest]

Kathleen, I'm sorry I don't have answers for you, but I can sympathize with

your plight. Keep looking and talking on this site, and hopefully some

answers will come. I just want you to know you are in my thoughts and

prayers, and I hope you will get the help you need, so that you can live the

life you deserve.

Read all you can, and ask questions. The answers to what you may have may be

on this or another website.

Until then, I wish you all the best.

Good Luck, and Happy New Year to you also.

, Charlotte NC

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathleen, My name is and I am new to the group also. I know that I

do not have a magic wand, but I do have a big and heart and a huge set of

ears!

So I am here if you need me

in VA