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Chronic Pain
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Posted 11/1/2021 12:25 PM (GMT -5)
Hi, I was recently diagnosed with chronic pain. I'm 32. I'm really struggling because I used to be a very active person and I'm having trouble adjusting to my new normal. I have hypermobility which is wreaking havoc on my whole body. I have pain in most of my joints but my everyday-all-the-time pain is in my neck and upper back. I have been on medical leave from work for the past 2 months and I feel like I am going crazy. I am alone and bored all day and then attack my partner when she comes home. She's just opened a new business, also in the last 2 months, and understandably needs a lot of down-time when she gets home. I'm feeling disconnected, depressed and irritated all the time. What kinds of things do you find help keep you and your relationships strong while dealing with chronic illness? I'm trying to keep a gratitude journal but I am having a hard time staying social or even being fully present with someone else when I am with others.

Please let me know what you have found helpful in adjusting and embracing new limits and routines and maintaining meaningful connection to others and to your body. I need help navigating this.
Posted 11/1/2021 3:56 PM (GMT -5)
Are you receiving treatment from a pain management doctor ?
Posted 11/2/2021 8:32 AM (GMT -5)
Ugh. I'm trying to get into the pain management clinic. When I first made the appointment in August they said they couldn't see me until August 2022!!!! I was on the waitlist and now I have an appointment at the end of January. My primary care physician has prescribed Lyrica (pregabalin I think is the generic) and muscle relaxer. Only the muscle relaxer helps.
Posted 11/2/2021 9:31 PM (GMT -5)
Some pain management doctors prescribe opiates and some do not. Some only do injections and procedures. You might have to see a few pain management doctors before you find one that is the right fit for you.

You will have to sign a pain contract. It is standard to agree to random drug screens, to agree to only receive medication for pain from your pain management doctor, etc. Some pain management doctors require you only use one pharmacy. Some require you have pill counts. (This is only done when opiates are prescribed)
Posted 11/3/2021 8:27 AM (GMT -5)
I don't know much about hypermobility, I did look on the net & saw rheumatologists treating this condition. Is this a new diagnosis along with the chronic pain?

You mentioned you are taking things out on your girlfriend. Don't let this drive a wedge between the two of you. Stop for a moment & reverse the roles & ask yourself, how would I feel if this were me. Distraction, distraction helps! I understand you are all worked up, however, getting this anxious & stressed out is not helping you at all. There are lots of good apps on your phone that will help with stress & anxiety. If you like music, play some music.

Mercy & Grace gave you some good info about pain mgt drs.
Posted 11/3/2021 12:24 PM (GMT -5)
Thank you Mercy&Grace and straydog for the info and advice. I have a hard time asking for help in general and this new normal has been a very hard adjustment. My partner and I had a really good talk this week, after we both had individual therapy sessions!, and have arranged with family, friends and hired professionals to help us out with chores and meals each week to take the pressure off both of us and so I can get some more regular human interaction. Meditation is something that is a goal for me to add to my routine this week - just a little bit at a time.

The hypermobility is something I was born with and didn't cause too much trouble in the past; it mostly caused occasional ankle twisting, tendonitis, cartilage scraping in the knees and infrequent neck and shoulder pain that would always resolve itself. It's new that the pain is now an everyday thing.

Hypermobility basically means my joints move farther than they are supposed to (causing inflammation and the cartilage to rub together and wear down) and is exacerbated by weak muscle development around the joints - because my joints move past the safe range of motion the muscles around the joints don't engage properly to hold them in good alignment. I'm working with a physical therapist to help me train and relearn how to move my body in a safe way that won't cause stress or inflammation on the joints. I'm also on the wait list to see a specialist about the possibility of me having Ehlors-Danlos Syndrome. Hypermobility is one of the many criteria for diagnosis. It's a genetic condition (my older sister also has hypermobility and other symptoms similar to mine) and it's considered kind of rare, so there is only one specialist in my area.
Posted 11/12/2021 8:51 AM (GMT -5)
Hi Leo, welcome. Sorry to hear of your troubles and I can 'identify'.

Being 'young' and forced out of 'normal' routine and interaction is a difficult thing to navigate. I was declared 'disabled from working' when I was just 46. That sudden void, coupled with chronic pain, is quite a blow to the psyche.

I'm glad to hear you're seeing therapists. I highly recommend the practice. I, too, use gratitude lists and find them helpful.

I know my partner must tire of seeing me with my heating pad wrapped around one body part or another...or seeing me hooked up to a t.e.n.s. unit...or hearing me complain about what ever is hurting on any particular day. I have to force myself to remember to ask her how her day was AND pay attention to her answer! Hard to do when my focus is on my own pain, but well worth the effort.

Support groups are a big help, too. Whether in person or online, I don't want to even think of where I'd be without them. Welcome aboard!
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