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Hello gang,

I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Kathy and I'm 54 with no insurance.

I have fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, Raynaud's, chronic fatigue, allergies

(mold, mildew & poison oak), sciatica, chronic neck and back pain, chronic sinus

infections, tmj, acute myofascial pain, migraines, bladder leakage, three lovely

ulcers and bipolar, thanks to all of the aforementioned.

I take seroquel, celebrex, protonix, estradial, ditropan XL, sulfasalazine,

methocarbamol, amitriptylin, and a very small dosage of prednizone. I also take

tylenol, generic version of exedrin migraine, and slow mag.

My last husband, ny, walked out on my birthday and divorced me because I

didn't have all of these problems when we married and that wasn't " part of the

deal " . Yes, I've been married four times. But that's another story! Marriage

to ny and having all these problems was horrific. Yes, I tried to commit

suicide several times but, obviously God has other plans for me.

I'm off all the barbituates, vicodin (up to 8 per day), percocet, duragesic

(the highest dose), fioricet and xanax. I had gone to a pain specialist and he

was the one that moved me from vicodin to durogesic and percocet. I was filling

prescriptions for percocet at 240 at a pop. I'm off the xanax and barbituates

and enjoying life, thanks to God for stopping me!

Dealing with my pain is ever so much easier minus my ex and the barbituates.

I'm working on disability again. Having so many medical problems, suggestions

for one thing often aggravates another or even more than one. I've been to rock

bottom and working my way back to the top. Actually, I haven't felt this good

in years.

So.... I might be able to help others turn things around. But all I can do is

tell you what has worked for me. Last year I wasn't willing to listen to

anyone. My medications were prescribed by a physician, so I wasn't a drug

addict! Right? Wrong.

I alienated my family. They did try to help but, unfortunately,

they had conditions attached. I dealt with it on my own and , for me, it

worked. I learned to live by myself and keep clean. I had a great psychiatrist

and I'd seen others in the past and pulled coping skills from the past.

One thing that helped me was something a psychologist told me years ago (he was

a chronic pain sufferer, too). He told me to view pain as my " best friend " . I

thought he was nuts! But over the years, I have found it works.

Your best friend is always there, right? And you can relax with your best human

friend. Why not relax with your old friend " PAIN " ? Basically, I try to relax

when I'm in pain. Fighting it and getting stressed only makes it worse.

I take hot bubblebaths with a good book. Or set up a heating pad in my favorite

chair and another for bed. Do not leave it on for hours or too high. All

you're doing is cooking the location you have it at. Been there, done that.

Don't hesitate to email for whatever reason. I'm here, rain or shine.

Kathy