I'm new

Hello my name in Stephen, and I just wanted to find some place where I could talk to people who actually understand what it is like to live with chronic pain.

I am 23 years old, about two and a half years ago I got the H1N1 virus. While I was recovering from it one night both my legs went numb so I went into the hospital because I was scared. They didn't do anything in the hospital, and by the time I got to see someone they had gone back to normal for the more part. After that I began having severe pain in my right leg constantly, and that is how I've been until now.

I just feel hopeless right now, because I've seen many specialists and no one has been able to figure out an answer as to why I am having this pain. I have to take heavy pain medication in order to live a somewhat normal life. Being a 23 year old on these medications is the hardest part, because people always doubt you, and always treat you not as a chronic pain patient, but as a drug addict.

I was on a pretty good pain management plan where I used to live, but ever since I had to move and got a new doctor he has turned my life upside down. He completely ignores all the specialists that had established my plan, and refuses to prescribe the proper medication. So I haven't been able to start a new life in this new city. Because even though I have enough coverage right now to keep me comfortable, I am under able to do very much more than sit around at home and go on short walks, whereas before I was able to live a virtually normal life.

I'm sorry if I'm rambling or have made any spelling or grammatical errors, but I just needed to get it out, and it isn't a pretty situation so there isn't any point in trying to make it as such.

One possibility to look at is Reiter Syndrome/Reactive Arthritis. It's not the most common trigger for an Influenza strain to cause ReA/Reiter's, but it's not unheard of and I personally had mine triggered by a series of Staph infections which is also an "atypical" trigger....some docs seem to think that only certain infections can cause Reiter's but virtually any form of immune insult can lead to it if the conditions are right and the precipitating event is powerful enough -- plus neurological involvement suggests that there could have been a co-infection of some type.

At a minimum, it's something to ask your doctors about.....and you may want to add a Rheumatologist to your list of docs to consult, but make sure it's one that is at least somewhat literate with ReA/Reiter's; many are not.

Hi Sprevost, Welcome to the Chronic Pain forum. Sounds like you having a bad run for sure and I hate to hear that of a young adult for sure. We have a great support group here and are happy for you to join us.