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How to deal with extreme physical pain

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Re: How to deal with extreme physical pain

#301

Post by loceng »

banana_giraffe wrote: post #12

I have a chronic condition that causes pain. One of the things I've learned, in as much as I can, is I don't tell anyone. I'd rather be rude than explain I'm in pain. Not because I don't appreciate sympathy. Not because I'm ashamed. It's because I don't want your advice on how to make the pain go away or to deal with it. I'm tired of advice. I've got too much advice. I try things, I research issues. I talk to doctors…

Do you mind sharing what diagnosis/labels you've been given as possible or confirmed causes? Do you know or suspect any specific cause(s)?

Edit to add: asking a question, if they're willing to answer - they don't have to, in case someone might know of a treatment or research they're not aware of yet, warrants being asked - unless we as a society want to be weak, shy, disengaged, and isolated in our suffering.

Re: How to deal with extreme physical pain

#302

Post by rattray »

loceng wrote: post #301
banana_giraffe wrote: post #12

I have a chronic condition that causes pain. One of the things I've learned, in as much as I can, is I don't tell anyone. I'd rather be rude than explain I'm in pain. Not because I don't appreciate sympathy. Not because I'm ashamed. It's because I don't want your advice on how to make the pain go away or to deal with it. I'm tired of advice. I've got too much advice. I try things, I research issues. I talk to doctors…

Do you mind sharing what diagnosis/labels you've been given as possible or confirmed causes? Do you know or suspect any specific cause(s)? Edit to add: asking a question, if they're willing to answer - they don't have to, in case someone might know of a treatment or research they're not aware of yet, warrants being asked - unless we as a society want to be weak, shy, disengaged, and isolated in our suffering.

That sounds like the sort of question which OP may consider exhausting. And frankly I don't think the answer would add to the discussion.

There exists many chronic conditions which cause pain.

Re: How to deal with extreme physical pain

#303

Post by agumonkey »

Courage to Scott, and sufferers.

One thing, pain and expressing pain is vital. For you and also bonding. It's not a given on how to respond to someone's pain. If you deny someone too much he'll suffer a lot lot more [0]. Now sometimes pain is too intense and we also alienate people around us because they're, most of the time, not ready to understand or bear the load.

[0] something builtin our brains ?

Re: How to deal with extreme physical pain

#304

Post by failrate »

treeman79 wrote: post #262
Retric wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sleep apnea is like knee pain in that loosing significant weight either makes a huge difference, or does nothing. Unfortunately, if it doesn’t work for you people will still constantly bring it up.

As someone who struggles with weight and chronic conditions. There are low hanging fruit. Dropping weight, removing processed foods, exercise are your bare minimum of what everyone should try for solving Medical problems. Now a lot of problems can be solved this way. Just not everything. I suffered exercise intolerance for decades. No mater how hard I tried I would need two weeks of recovery after any work out. Turne…

I have a similar exercise intolerance, could you enlighten me to what the underlying problem was?

Re: How to deal with extreme physical pain

#305

Post by zikzak »

DoreenMichele wrote: post #257
ignoramous wrote: post #251

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I always appreciate advice (or any input, really) when it comes from someone with experience or wisdom regardless of whether they are a medical professional.

This is maybe not completely clear, but one of the issues is that if you have a serious condition, you may know more than most doctors do about the condition. I mean you may know more about it than general practitioners and you will only have some hope of learning more from a doctor if you see a specialist. So you have buckets and buckets of info and you run into well-meaning people who want to feel helpful and they…

I spent years having people tell me I should eat more fibre or try to not let myself get stressed out, etc. That stopped when the lower half of my digestive system was replaced with a very obvious ostomy appliance. Now, the visible reminder of my illness makes me different enough that they know there's no really shared experience and we talk about other things. That and my increasing resemblance to Quasimodo as my joints fuse and deform, of course. Anyway, just commiserating!

Re: How to deal with extreme physical pain

#306

Post by question000 »

banana_giraffe wrote: post #12

I have a chronic condition that causes pain. One of the things I've learned, in as much as I can, is I don't tell anyone. I'd rather be rude than explain I'm in pain. Not because I don't appreciate sympathy. Not because I'm ashamed. It's because I don't want your advice on how to make the pain go away or to deal with it. I'm tired of advice. I've got too much advice. I try things, I research issues. I talk to doctors…

Yeah I'm in the same situation and I just started lying to everyone and obtaining treatment illegally, buying prescriptions online and treating myself based on what I've read instead of waiting 6 months for a 15 minute appointment with a neurologist who not even going to look at my medical history. While I'm no closer to being out of pain, I'm getting treatment at a pace and quality I find appropriate and not getting bogged down being prescribed several subtle variations of the same type of medication.

I literally had years of being prescribed different types of SSRIs for "mood" when my real problem is dystonia. My doctor, a specialist, finally revealed she's not "allowed" by the insurance company to prescribe the anti-Parkinson drugs that I can easily buy with bitcoin.

I don't I know you don't want advice, but my advice is fuck it you may not be a doctor but you only live once.

Re: How to deal with extreme physical pain

#307

Post by loceng »

rattray wrote: post #302
loceng wrote: post #301

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you mind sharing what diagnosis/labels you've been given as possible or confirmed causes? Do you know or suspect any specific cause(s)? Edit to add: asking a question, if they're willing to answer - they don't have to, in case someone might know of a treatment or research they're not aware of yet, warrants being asked - unless we as a society want to be weak, shy, disengaged, and isolated in our suffering.

That sounds like the sort of question which OP may consider exhausting. And frankly I don't think the answer would add to the discussion. There exists many chronic conditions which cause pain.

No, they said people offering unsolicited advice is exhausting. Them posting in a thread about pain, along with saying they’ll read research if people have it - even “If you have research, fine, I'll read it. One day. Maybe months from now.” - says they are open to it. You have no idea if them answering would add to the discussion - quite arrogant of you. Not sure why you’re coddling. My asking questions isn't the same as offering unsolicited advice.

Re: How to deal with extreme physical pain

#308

Post by thking »

lenkite wrote: post #254
gwbas1c wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's because I don't want your advice on how to make the pain go away or to deal with it Banana_giraffe isn't alone. I had chronic obstructive sleep apnea and I quickly got tired of unsolicited woo-woo illogical suggestions to treat it. Exercise and meditation doesn't fix problems with bone structure.

Neither exercise nor meditation worked for me, but very intense throat exercises alleviated the condition. I also took up singing. Now, I daily follow a 5 minute intense throat exercise before going to beg until my neck and throat aches. Only then I hit the pillow. People suffering from sleep apnea seem to have bad throat muscles and big tongues.

Would you mind sharing the excersises that helped?

Re: How to deal with extreme physical pain

#309

Post by loceng »

ignoramous wrote: post #251
ludamad wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm less dangerous if I know nothing, but duly noted about how unwelcome medical advice can be

I always appreciate advice (or any input, really) when it comes from someone with experience or wisdom regardless of whether they are a medical professional.

Indoctrination is real when it comes to medical professions, there are major pitfalls with the current system including regulatory capture by for-profit interests, e.g. the medical industrial-institutional complex.

I've learned the vast majority of what I've needed to heal not through the mainstream medical system - and more often than not there's disbelief, skepticism, or false narratives they react with simply because they didn't learn it through their narrow specialized path, being selected primarily for their memorization skills and not critical thinking and reasoning skills.

Re: How to deal with extreme physical pain

#310

Post by calmoo »

hannofcart wrote: post #157
steve_adams_86 wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had severe sciatica from ages 25-30 and it was like another lifetime. I don’t know where it came from or where it went, but that was a remarkably worse period of my life. Reflecting on it I wish I wasn’t dragged down so much. But in all honesty I think I’d handle it even worse now. It was agonizing at times. I remember laying on the floor squirming in pain, no idea what to do. Hours of it. Thinking about it makes m…

I am struggling with sciatica related to my SI joint right now. It's not nearly as excruciating as most of the other posts but it has rendered me unable to work at all. Am not able to sit for more than an hour before the pain is too much. Lying down is only slightly better. It's been quite some time since I have been able to get a good night's sleep without having to wake up with the pain buliding up slowly. More tha…

I've been suffering from Sciatica for the past 10 years or so due to bulging disks - If you haven't come across Stuart McGill's work already, he is the best when it comes to back health. I would recommend his book "Back Mechanic"[1]. It mostly targets disk related issues, not sure how much crossover it has with SI related sciatica, but I'd bet you could benefit from core-focused exercise.

1. https://www.backfitpro.com/books/back-mechanic-the-mcgill-me...

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