I just went through three surgeries (for arthritic foot, shoulder and a pain implant replacement (spinal stimulator). I'm just starting to feel back to whatever "normal" for me is! Next week I get a spine injection for major nerve damage caused by a hit-and-run driver. They always help. I'm a firm believer in Interventional Pain Management. Medications and various procedures like that make my life worth living. My doctor is great.

Friends and Family just don't understand. I might say to my youngest Daughter (she 41!) That my neck really hurts, which is does constantly, sympathy? a hug? No way. She'll come back with something like, "Oh you've always got pain somewhere! " True, I do, no question about hospital visits or treatments.
Sometimes I'm in so much pain but I'm frightened to say anything.
Also anxiety.

Generally speaking Doctors are useless, they just want to throw pills at everything and that does NOT work with chronic pain. One idiot put me on a drug Lyrica that caused a series of falls (I'm disabled anyway) and ended up breaking my hip. When I confronted him, it was very obvious he couldn't care less. I have found it far better to keep my mind busy and take nothing.

The fact that I can't get treatment for chronic pain is just mind blowing to me. I have wide spread pain do to a connective tissue disorder and pain management clinics won't see me. My pcp won't treat me for anything aside my chronic sinus infections because she knows most of my stuff is beyond her scope. My hematologist won't treat me for bone pain caused by my chronic blood cancer, because it's just part of the disease. Physical therapist tell me not to do things that hurt, but just about everything hurts. Neurologist diagnose me with 3 types of chronic headaches and tells me to stop taking Tylenol, which is all I have for pain. She does give me a muscle relaxer amd migraine meds, but jeeze louise, I need a break from all the other pain

Hi lady rose.anxiety is a challenge to manage.i suffer bouts of anxiety.hugs Lorraine xx 😄