Dealing With Pain

[Rockhound]

Since weaning myself off my pain meds, so I can more safely drive my vehicle, which I had chosen not to drive since being on the pain meds, is getting harder and harder to deal with.

My pain meds have or rather, usually reduced my pain threshold to about 50% for the most part and in some areas it appeared to have reduced it to nearly 0%, since now I am experiencing pain in those areas, like I can't remember, having not had to deal with it in those areas for such a long time.

Life or rather my quality of life, even though I can drive my vehicle without the fear of causing an accident, due to the effects of a narcotic, has actually been reduced, since their are times when the pain is so bad, I am reduced laying in bed with out the strength to anything else. Even lying in bed becomes intolerble at times, I had forgotten how much of my anxiety was connected to my pain level and how often my panic attacks seemed to co-inside with my pain level.

I just don't know how much longer I will be able to contend with the pain, just because of my fear of being in an accident brought on by the affects of the pain meds. Now I fear I may be in an accident, becuase my attention was hampered while dealing with the pain and not on my driving.

I got to go now, because the pain in my hands, while typing is interfereing with my spelling the words I right, I have to keep making corrections as I go along, because my fingers don't seem to want to do or rather type the characters my fingers should reach to, twitching in pain as a move about the different key strokes.

Besides, it's time I should be thinking about something to eat for luch, which brings on a whole new set of pain issues from sitting to standing.

Rockhound Rider :P B) B)

[Pete53]

I pay about 16 bucks a case for ensure from the VAMC PX

[john999]

Boondoc

Oxycontin has a bad reputation due to abuse, but we vets don't abuse it. I think the other factor is cost. Morphine and methadone are cheap. The VA's care is always driven by cost. They believe the oath they took as doctors is to do things as cheaply as possible. The private pain doctors in my state are just scared to death to prescribe adequate pain meds. It has gotten to the point that they require urine tests every thirty days. They would much rather do expensive procedures than relieve pain. I have good private insurance so every pain doctor wants to inject me and do this or that procedure to rake in thousands of dollars. Never mind that it does not help me.

[Jayg]

I also feel your pain rockhound.

I have been on Hydroc since 2000 but almost daily for a while now. I take natural herbs bromelaine and tumeric daily to help lower liver enzyme counts as my counts were triple the high end- very bad! I also take other nautral herbs(legal yall) but thats another story.

I am 37, out of work, need a knee brace and 2 walking sticks to walk around for exercise, can't walk 10 minutes without them for pain. This makes me really depressed, angry, sad, worthless all the negative emotions.

There are up days and down days- lately more down but try try to move your mind to something else when ur down. Doing lite yoga, computer thinking games, reading positive books, building model planes, woodworking, painting, drawing- I am sure many people can give advice on what to do when ur in pain and can't do much. TV is ok but the reruns during the day can make you ralph after a few weeks.

I did take a road trip with my wife and daughter this year to see our beautiful country - Denver, Arches Natinl Park, Yellowstone, MT Rushmore- and man did I need that. We really were hmmmm frugal to the max in order to make this trip as only my wife was working- I have no income other than $123 a month- 10% SC. I drive carefully on hydro and with redbull/coffee/donuts to at least make me think faster, drive more cautiously and a little slower than speedy gonzales more like his cousin slowpoke rodriguez! ! But this trip was well needed. We shared the driving and when I was down my family was supportive even when we couldn't see some stuff cause I was hurtin. We stayed inside the natnl parks for $10 per nite and free entrance forever! cause I am a disabled vet in Voc rehab- cheap but yes my back killed me- the other nites in hotels were free from hotel points and a few slept in our 4Runner.

I say this cause if or when you are able to get out either you drive or someone at least 1,2, 3x a week go out walk around a park, breathe some fresh air, even if all you do is sit on a bench and read or just look at the Canada geese. It does help me- just to see something other than the TV and cnn.

I hope this helps- and reach out to the people here as you have, there are lots of people here who seem to wholeheartedly want to help and listen and we all humanly need that - just someone to listen and hear us. I hear you and all the others who replied do too, take comfort in that. Take care and be well.

Man! Thanks for that. It was a little like taking the trip with you. :P My wife and I have hoped to make a trip like that with the boys (still preteen) if/when we get a big increase on the ole disability.

i am fortunate to live in the country and can see the geese fly over, and actually see the stars at night... Some folks moved nearby must be from the city. Their place is always lit up like a sports stadium. They don't even know what they're missing. ... But it still isn't like seeing this big land.

Anyway, again, thanks.

Hang in there too.

[Aquabear]

Jayq, LarryJ thanks :D and all. Nice utube CommanderBob funny I put John D on my Ipod for this trip :P , doobie bros-black water, god bless the usa n more! We are here together. Our own ""Band of Brothers and Sisters". Thanks to all who have started this and maitain it. With the help I got here -legal and emotional- I hope n pray I can do the same for someone else who like us are in need to listen, support, encourage and help overcome. I have my 5th spinal injection tomorrow and not looking forward to it at all but I gotta do something; do all I can before opening me up for true spinal surgery. My Doc had said might be a joint problem in the spine- shots may not do anything but I am going to still try.

Jayq, I live just outside NYC but I also hate lights when I sleep- especially my neighbors B) ! When roadtrippin outside the local area, our country is amazing. One day I hope to have a second small place -like where you are. I am noticing as years go by I want to be away from the fast paced, cutthroat, rude BS here- slow things down a bit and breathe some clean air. Jealous of ya.

When ur ready, I got a ton of stuff from our trip -ideas- the good, the bad and the oh my god what were we thinking ! DOH!

The internet/TV does not do justice to the beauty like the man made Gateway Arch design or mother natures Natural "Arches Natnl Park". Total time 19 days. Hard drivin all that time-no joke NY to St louis, Denver, Moab UT, Jackson WY, Yellowstone, Mt Rushmore SD- Home

Lots of sincere, great people out there, got a lot of thanks for serving out country was a nice feeling- even one from 911 rescue, he was on a dog team; we probably ran into each other n didnt know it. brings back some hard n sad memories

I saw many people there like me with knee braces, canes, walkers, even wheelchairs going to some of the accessible sites- it makes me realize the pain sucks and knocks you down but at least I'll get up and walk after some meds this guys never gonna walk again, ever.

I have a small lake I walk around but probly nuttin like what you have there. But theres stuff everywhere local to us all - example I found out there are are 150 different falls all over NY state! We made a few camping weekends out of seeing them(yes sleep on floor back not happy but heart is). Stay at a state run local campsite-cheap n clean, bring our own food no dinners out for us stuff like that. DON"T FORGET THE SMORES ALL KIDS (and adults)LOVE EM!!! and the ghost stories around the campfire :)

Take care, talk to you all soon goodnight

[Jayg]

Yes I am fortunate to be in the country. It was the result of a dedicated search for 'our place' to drive down roots and drive them deep. We're on 28 acres, with some cows (not our own yet, we've leased.) Nearest neighbor is a quarter mile away. I can shoot archery, pistol, and light rifle in my back yard. We will soon have horses. It'll be tough having to stay on the ground but I can still teach the boys to ride. So life is good here. But it comes with it's own head (and back!) aches. Lots of fence to keep up, wire stretched and breaks mended, lines to be sprayed, the constant battle against goat weed, stock tank floats sticking and overflowing... Thank God for the boys. So getting away is still good!

[gp747]

i am new to pain meds and take hydrocodone,and sometimes i get extremely nauseaus and have thrown up on several occasions . what do you do about that ?