New to Group

[Guest guest]

Hello All,

I just joined and have been reading some of the recent posts and cannot believe

how much these stories sound like my NADA. I just started reading the SWOE book

and I'm beginning to really think she may be a BP.

The lawsuit threats, the suicide threats, the hissy fits in the supermarket, the

telling a small child completely inappropriate things, the screaming fits on the

phone, the raging, the pathologizing, it's all so familiar and it's all been so

confusing for so many years, and suddenly it's all coming together.

I think so much can be learned from the posts you guys are sharing. It's a real

eye opener and I'm realizing it's going to be a very long road ahead.

It's so difficult to set healthy boundaries with her because she just starts

raging and claiming that I don't see her, that I don't hear her, that her life

doesn't matter to me.

She starts accusing me of not loving her enough to want to be " truly close "

(which means complete and utter enmeshment, where there is no separation between

her and I).

She threatens that if I don't want a " REAL " relationship with her then we might

as well not have one at all, and that I am " throwing away my family. "

I hate to say it, but the thought of not having one at all is soooo tempting.

Oh my gosh, just thank you so much to all of you for listening and giving me the

space to just share my feelings and thoughts.

I really appreciate it.

-Isabella

[Guest guest]

don't worry about that, , I dont like my nada either...never have !!

He's alwasy been a nasty bully who delighed in abusing us...you could see

the look of excitement in her eyes when she was...where in Illinois are you

?? I'm in west central, very rural area, about 45 minutes from the MO

border...

Jackie

Thanks Jakie. I will look for that book. Yes , she is mentally ill and sick.

I really don't even like her.

[Guest guest]

> Tami wrote:

> I also get hypersensitive on the skin of my upper back sometimes. Wearing my

clothes hurts.

Tami.

That is how I I describe my fibro flares, that it feels like a pimple ready to

be popped but also I can't wear tight fitting clothes and bra hurts to wear. I

also tell them I fell like I had a surgery that has been cut but doesn't.

I have to stop and remember the types of pain and categories. This is a great

article on that : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pain

I remember having patients with cut off fingers or fractures that are trying to

stand on them as they were in shock and the endorphins were still keeping them

from feeling it.

You know in the Survival Guide for Intractable Pain Patients by Dr. Forest

Tennant, he talks about hyperalgia and considering it and several members go on

medication holidays , not taking their medications for a while so they will be

more effective when started back.

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, on opioid induced hyperalgesia

Opioid-induced hyperalgesia[1] or opioid-induced abnormal pain sensitivity[2] is

a phenomenon associated with the long term use of opioids such as morphine,

hydrocodone, oxycodone, and methadone. Over time, individuals taking opioids can

develop an increasing sensitivity to noxious stimuli, even evolving a painful

response to previously non-noxious stimuli (allodynia). Some studies on animals

have also demonstrated this effect occurring after only a single high dose of

opioids.[3]

Although tolerance and opioid-induced hyperalgesia both result in a similar need

for dose escalation, they are nevertheless caused by two distinct mechanisms.[4]

The similar net effect makes the two phenomena difficult to distinguish in a

clinical setting. Under chronic opioid treatment, a particular individual's

requirement for dose escalation may be due to tolerance (desensitization of

antinociceptive mechanisms), opioid-induced hyperalgesia (sensitization of

pronociceptive mechanisms), or a combination of both. Identifying the

development of hyperalgesia is of great clinical importance since patients

receiving opioids to relieve pain may paradoxically experience more pain as a

result of treatment. Whereas increasing the dose of opioid can be an effective

way to overcome tolerance, doing so to compensate for opioid-induced

hyperalgesia may worsen the patient's condition by increasing sensitivity to

pain while escalating physical dependence.

If an individual is taking opioids for a chronic non-cancer pain condition, and

cannot achieve effective pain relief despite increases in dose, they may be

experiencing opioid-induced hyperalgesia. In this case, they may benefit from

complete withdrawal from opioid therapy. Many individuals report reduced pain

levels when opioids are withdrawn.[5]

Since my pain is constant, I have a fear of it being worse which does not help

so I just try to be an even keel and work on what I can. Welcome to the group.

Bennie

[Guest guest]

Hi, I'm Rosie. I am 74 years old.

When I was 50 I had herniated lumbar disk surgery. While trying to recover, one

day I suddenly lost everything below my waist. An orthopedic surgeon let me lay

2 weeks with pressure on my spinal cord from a herniated disk at T-10. It had

herniated inward and put pressure on my spinal cord.

After 2 weeks my husband took me to University of Iowa hosptial where in less

than 3 hours I was in emergency surgery. The next morning I could move my big

toe, ever so slightly. It took a year of therapy for me to learn how to walk

again. However I walk with a cane and kind of drag one leg.

They have called it 'Brown Sequard Syndrome.' Not very often does this happen.

One leg is stronger with less feeling, the other is weak with hyper feeling.

Since that time I have had 6 total back surgeries. 5 years ago they put rods

from my shoulder blades down. I have not had any back pain since. However I live

with burning down my left leg. A pain doctor tried to insert a SCS 3 years ago,

but couldn't get the wire in because of the rods.

So I take a load of medicine. But you know what! It does not control me like it

used to. If I am not thinking about it or talking about it I don't know it is

there. I also had 5 years of severe depression when I realized I could not

return to the job of my dreams, I had worked very hard to get.

I was terrible to live with, very hard on my grown sons. And now everyone has

forgiven me except one daughter in law. So be it. That is her problem. I ask for

forgiveness, but she has refused. Chronic pain feeds depression. And depression

feeds chronic pain. A very wicked circle. I have that under control most of the

time.

Depression can rear it's ugly head very easily. I can usually realize when it is

happening and get to my MD for help. I also have inflamatory osteoarthritis. My

hands hurt so much of the time. I have had many tests for rheumatoid, but the

test always come back negative. One of the gals on here sent me a tube of

Voltaren Gel. that helps. I use hot wax, especially in the winter. I wear gloves

much of the time.

I am quilter, but I mostly piece them on the machine. (I am so proud--yesterday

I enetered 2 quilts in the county fair and got blue ribbons on both!!!)

I have not had the hand surgery you are referring to, but have a friend that had

it in Arizona last winter. I will forward this to her and see if she will answer

some of your questions. As long as I remember my limitations, I get along pretty

good.

My advice: have a strong faith, let the doctors do their thing and try to keep a

positive attitude. Every morning I ask God what He has for me to do for Him

today. Since you are on SS Disability can't you get Medicare? I got it when my

husband retired and I was 62.

Before that I was on his insurance. I too watch and read mostly, I am wishing

you all pain free hours and days.

Rosie

Terry wrote:

Hi everyone,

For the last few months my hands and fingers hurt so bad from stage 4 arthritis.

I already have had hand surgery. It didn't help. I think it made it worse.

Now I have no health insurance. I've been going to a pain clinic for 4 years

and pay over 100.00 cash each visit. I now take methadone. I hate it, but have

no choice as without it I'd just cry and go crazy from pain.

[Guest guest]

I'm so very glad to meet you Rosie.  Your story is one that frightens me about

hospitals and emergency rooms.  There's one hospital near my home that I will

avoid for almost all emergencies that require expertise or possible surgery.

It's a waste of money and time and like you found, could negatively change your

life forever. 

Glad you are here to talk and help others.  Hope you find friends here.

Jennette

>Rosie wrote:

>

>When I was 50 I had herniated lumbar disk surgery. While trying to recover, one

day I suddenly lost everything below my waist. An orthopedic surgeon let me lay

2 weeks with pressure on my spinal cord from a herniated disk at T-10. It had

herniated inward and put pressure on my spinal cord.

>

>After 2 weeks my husband took me to University of Iowa hospital where in less

than 3 hours I was in emergency surgery. The next morning I could move my big

toe, ever so slightly. It took a year of therapy for me to learn how to walk

again. However I walk with a cane and kind of drag one leg.

>

>They have called it 'Brown Sequard Syndrome.' Not very often does this happen.

One leg is stronger with less feeling, the other is weak with hyper feeling.

>

>Since that time I have had 6 total back surgeries. 5 years ago they put rods

from my shoulder blades down. I have not had any back pain since. However I live

with burning down my left leg. A pain doctor tried to insert a SCS 3 years ago,

but couldn't get the wire in because of the rods.

>

[Guest guest]

My Mom had herniated disk surgery in 2006 and each time the idiot doc

punctured the dura and she was leaking spinal fluid the 1st time we knew

and she did have to be flat on her back for 3 days in the ICU. She was

doing okay until she fell and the dura started leaking fluid again only

when they went back in to fix it, they gave her MRSA in her back.

So after that she had 8 weeks of IV antibiotics before she had emergency

anterior and posterior spinal fusion because the infection ate away 3 or 4 of

her Lumbar Vertebrae. She actually had the surgery 2 times in 24 hours (I

think).

She was diagnosed with both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis when she was 7

months pregnant with my brother who just turned 34 in April. From 1999 to

?? She had 16 orthopedic surgeries due to arthritis... ankle x6, back x4,

total knee, screw put in her head for a hearing aid (BAHA which stands for:

Bone Adhering Hearing Appliance), I know I am missing a bunch of them.

In November 2011 after Thanksgiving she fell and fractured C4 in her neck

and was in a " lovely collar " for 3+ months. At the same time we think she

totally blew out her rotator cuff in her right shoulder, well the collar

caused irreversible damage to her right shoulder joint

(osteo~arthritis).... and with a blown rotator cuff they couldn't fix

either. So she was on some heavy pain meds but basically told to punt for

pain management for the most part. If we gave her enough meds in the

hospital to take away the pain she would stop breathing, and we had to

" code her "

I'd love to hook you up with her but there is no email or phone calls where

she is... she went to Heaven May 8th, 2012 in her sleep. I miss her so

much, as you can imagine.

Sorry!

Anne

>Rosie wrote:

>

> When I was 50 I had herniated lumbar disk surgery. While trying to

> recover, one day I suddenly lost everything below my waist. An orthopedic

> surgeon let me lay 2 weeks with pressure on my spinal cord from a herniated

> disk at T-10. It had herniated inward and put pressure on my spinal cord.

>

> After 2 weeks my husband took me to University of Iowa hospital where in

> less than 3 hours I was in emergency surgery. The next morning I could move

> my big toe, ever so slightly. It took a year of therapy for me to learn how

> to walk again. However I walk with a cane and kind of drag one leg.

>

> They have called it 'Brown Sequard Syndrome.' Not very often does this

> happen. One leg is stronger with less feeling, the other is weak with hyper

> feeling.

[Guest guest]

>Terry wrote:

I have been lurking reading all the post.  Boy I don't know where to start. I'm

a 54 year old married woman.  I was granted social security last October.  Thank

god.  So I'm home everyday now.  In 2007 I had what I thought was a stroke, but

it wasn't. The hospital was horrible and there was no neurologist.

I was there for 3 days paralyzed below the waist.  The feeling came back and I

could walk after about 2 weeks. It was horrible. Since then it has been one

thing after another.

After going to San Francisco, my diagnosis was that the T-2 through T-4 discs

are pushed into my spinal cord, causing it to tether.  The pain in my upper back

is unbearable most days.

For the last few months my hands and fingers hurt so bad from stage 4 arthritis.

I already have had hand surgery.  It didn't help. I think it made it worse.

Now I have no health insurance.  I've been going to a pain clinic for 4 years

and pay over 100.00 cash each visit. I now take methadone. I hate it, but have

no choice as without it I'd just cry and go crazy from  pain.

I'm extremely depressed. I also had thyroid cancer. I was treated but have had

no follow up care since I have no insurance.  Most days I feel as though I'm

dying slowly.

Hi Terry

Welcome to the group. Do you have a local medical clinic? Ours only charges $15

on their sliding scale if your income is low. The health department in Helena

has nurse practitioners and a few doctors, their prices are cheap too. We also

have a dental clinic that has a sliding scale.

Call your health department and see what might be available to you. You might

have to wait a few weeks for your first appointment, but after that is will be

better.

I take methadone too, and it really helps plus it's very cheap. It's annoying to

get a new prescription each month, but there are worse things.

Once again, welcome to the group. Sorry you need us, but I am not ashamed to say

that this is an excellent group of people.

Kaylene

Moderator

[Guest guest]

Hi Kaylene,

Thanks for the welcome. Yes we do have a clinic here that can help with the

sliding fee thing. Just got to go thru a bunch of paperwork but it should be all

complete this week so will keep you updated. Thanks and have a pain free night.

Terry

[Guest guest]

Best stuff I found for constipation is Miralax. Buy it at any Walgreens or CVS.

Works great for me.

> sioux wrote:

> I wonder if anyone knows what to do about the terrible constipation that comes

along with Methadone.