chronic pain and the painful stigma attached?

Question

I suffer from chronic knee pain due to a birth defect. I also suffer from migraines which makes it hard to treat the pain. When I seek treatment through my pain protocol i feel like everyone sees me as a drug addict. I have slipped into a deep depression from all of this, how do I cope with chronic pain and the depression it involves?

Answer 1

Are you in a pain management program? If not, I HIGHLY recommend it. The doctors there will give you a WHOLE new outlook.

I have Pelvic Congestion Syndrome. It's very common but very few women are diagnosed with it. About 20% of women with pelvic pain have PCS, but because it's basically varicose veins in the uterus and the pressure is relieved by lying down, it cannot be diagnosed via pelvic exam or regular imaging exams where you lie down. It takes a laparoscopy to find it. I've had it for about 5 years but in the last 2 years it became so bad I was bedridden, unable to get up and get dressed and live my life. The doctors were unwilling to do the lap procedure, and thusly found "nothing" wrong with me; they consistently told my husband and I that it was all in my head and I had no pain and was drug seeking. My husband didn't know what to think or believe since I was insistent that I was in this debilitating pain and the doctors were insisting I was not. He tried to put me into rehab because he didn't know what else to do.

FINALLY, I found a doc willing to do the lap, and they found the PCS. Doc said the only thing he could do for the pain was a total hysterectomy and that's not a guaranteed cure, but I am too young (26) to even consider that... so I had to go to pain management. I was terrified, because that doctor and I had gone through all the anti-inflammatories and mild narcotics and had worked me up to taking Percocet, which finally helped. I thought the PM doc would make me start at the bottom again. AND, my doc that found the PCS had started to treat me like a junkie because the Percocet helped me.

Instead, my pain doc was WONDERFUL from the start! he put me on Oxycontin so I could sleep through the night (and to get rid of the Tylenol in the Percocet) and gave me Oxy IR for any breakthrough I had. He didn't make me feel like a junkie at all for needing the meds, and never has since. He has always listened to me and genuinely wanted to help me. He makes sure I'm "enjoying my life" every single time I go, and makes sure I know I can be honest with him if I need to change my doses. He has changed my whole life. It's been a year, and I can work, play and do all the things I couldn't when I was in pain.

Of course, it isn't ALL good... some of my family members treat me like a drug addict and have told me I am not really in pain but instead have Munchausen's Syndrome and this is all a big lie to get attention and be treated by a doctor. Don't even waste your energy on negative people like that. Live your life in a way that pleases you, and let the BS roll off your back. I refuse to listen to my family's negativity, and instead focus on all the things I can do now that I couldn't before, listen to my doctor because HE is the ONLY person who knows best about my meds/condition, enjoy being able to be with my husband again, work, play with my dog, and just live my life in a way that makes me happy. Others will never know the intense pleasure it gives us pain patients just to be able to sleep through the night without being awakened by pain or take a walk without pain. You can't expect them to appreciate how difficult our lives are. Ignore them and focus on educating yourself about your condition and medications so that you know when they're full of... it. :) Join message boards and support groups for chronic pain patients, and surround yourslef with people who know what you're going through. Educate new pain patients so they don't have to go through the worry when thy're new to the condition and meds. These things will give you a boost (especially the first time a new pain patient say you've made them feel better about taking their meds or helped them in some other way with tehir condition) and allow you to let the negativity go in one ear and out the other.

Good luck. If you need someone to talk to who understands, please do not hesitate to e-mail me. I am always glad to lend an ear and my knowledge to another pain patient who needs it. :)

Answer 2

The things you have mentioned about the stigma regarding chronic pain (which is a disease) is exactly why chronic pain patient advocacy organizations are trying to get the word out about chronic pain. One of the organizations that is trying really hard is the American Pain Foundation. The link to their site is: http://www.painfoundation.org

One way I cope is to talk out how I'm feeling not only physically with my drs but also a counselor and the online support groups that I'm part of. If you are interested in joining one IM me off Yahoo Answers and I'll give you the name of a good one on Yahoo Groups.

Answer 3

I to have cronic pain. My lower back is all messed up. For the last 6 months I've been treated for lumbago, cervicalgia, sacroiliitis and sciatica. Most days my pain level is 6+. I've had epidurals and radiofrequency ablation of the lumbosacral region. I normally get by with 10 mg of oxycodone twice a day. Every three weeks I cold turkey for 4 days because of the fear of addiction. The withdrawals are
nasty but I manage. I am very active and prabably am an overdoer. I am good health except the pain.
The oxycodine really helps me but I do fear addiction. Best wishes to all of you who have cronic pain

Answer 4

I suffer from chronic pain also and I too am looked at like a drug seeker. I told my doctor that the medicine is no longer working and she referred me to a pain management clinic that will help. It took a year for me to get in there but it has helped. The people there totally understand that chronic pain is a real problem and don't look at you like a dope feen.

Answer 5

It's a cultish mindset: anyone who needs pain meds for chronic pain is deemed an addict. People are brainwashed by the 'War on Drugs'. People that don't have pain sit in their ivory towers and shout 'drug addict'. The DEA has doctors scared to death to write a script for adequate pain relief. What is the government doing involving themselves in my health issues any way? You have the right NOT to be in pain. Don't get your self deeper into guilt by trying to make sense of it. It doesn't make sense, it's just plain wrong.

Answer 6

Counselling is good for depression, and sometimes meds are needed along with the counselling.
Are you addicted to narcotics because of your chronic pain?
All chronic pain disorders- including migraines, have a strong psychological component to them. Find a healthy way to deal with your stress, and get a knee operation if you need one. Cut back on the pain pills.
You get get involved in an intensive outpatient chronic pain treatment center.

Answer 7

Try Kinotakara detox pads applied onto the soles of the feet
The pads helps relieve pain and detox the body of chemicals puts you into a very deep sleep when applied at night

Answer 8

get some counseling so that you can vent your feelings and learn ways to cope and join a support group. also consider seeking out alternative therapies like chiropractic and acupuncture. I also have a genetic birth defect that causes pain and didn't find releif until i started going to a chiropractor.