Chronic pain

You have my sympathy Maw. I have had various shoulder injuries over the last few years including frozen shoulder and rotator cuff tear. I now have pain in the ball of the joint and down the top of the arm, which I think may be osteoarthritis although I have RA. When I had physio in the past a pulley was recommended to gradually improve the range of movement - 10 repeats forwards and 10 to the side twice daily, done gently with shoulder relaxed. I hope you find relief soon.
Shoulder pulley

I am in a similar postion Maw in being super active & busy to becoming sofa bound in a matter of a month or two. So I have every sympathy for you. All the things you did without thinking now require a very conscious effort. That is hard to adjust to.
It will depend on what is actually causing pain and it seen you do not have a clear diagnosis yet? My back epidural did not impact.

Am very glad you are finally having a scan. Do consider acupuncture. I found it very helpful when I had sciatica.

I only mentioned the TENS because I ‘did something’ to my back and was crippled (literally couldn’t walk, straighten up..) for a fortnight and painkillers did hardly anything except take the edge off.

The TENS machine worked for me. When you’re in chronic pain it’s worth trying anything.

Marydoll that sounds awful. I feel so sorry for you. I wonder could the Actipatch help you that Paddyann mentioned.

TENS works for me too but I also did an elimination diet when I realised my osteo was being made worse by wheat.
I tried 10 days without any wheat at all and the chnage was remarkable.
There are many kinds of non-wheat breads and pastas nowadays so it doesn't impact too much.

I can sometimes enjoy a small cake or a couple of biscuits with no effect at all but I still wouldn't risk a wheat bread sandwich, pizza or a plate of wheat-based pasta.

Oh, Anja has reminded me, I also have a TENS machine!

Maw, I can empathise.
I eventually had a referral to a pain mangement specialist, as I have chronic pain in just about every area, especially the old fractures in my back. It was becoming unbearable.
I had been through all the usual medication, like Gabapentin, Tramadol, Morphine etc and could barely function. I was still teaching at the time and it really dragged me down.
About ten years ago at the pain management clinic, I was prescribed Fentanyl patches, which really took the edge off the pain and I could function reasonably normally again.
Like most medications, you get used to it eventually, but when we tried to increase the dose, I was like a Zombie. Unable to drive, I decided I would stick with the lower dose, trying to get some sort of balance between lucidity and pain relief.
I will be on them forever, topped up with eight paracetamol daily. Thnak goodness I have regular liver checks.
I do hope you get some sort of relief very soon. . Chronic pain is so debilitating.

Maw have you tried a TENS machine?

Thank you for the recommendation Paddyann I was browsing the long river site in the early hours of this morning!
Initially euphoric because the pain was gone on Friday morning, only for it to be bad by bedtime, all clear all day Saturday (yes!) but achey again by last night .
I am to have an ultrasound and I am hoping that the cortisone injection I had may yet do the business.
Ho hum.

I wonder if you have a good osteopath near you. I am taking DH today. He is going to spend an hour with him diagnosing the problem, time a GP doesn’t have, and I suspect he may recommend an MRI. I worry about treating a problem that has not been properly diagnosed.

maw, I'm sorry you have this to cope with. I'd give you a hug but it might hurt.

You will feel worse if this is a recent diagnosis but asking for a referral to pain a management specialist seems like a good idea.

And, spring is just around the corner which always makes us feel better.

Take care.

Apparently doctors are soon to be able to prescribe Actipatch according to an article I just read.

Sounds good Paddyann.

Try ACTI PATCH its available from Boots and online from Amazon..I think .My daughter used it for her Fibromyalgia and it worked well for several months.Sadly nothing works for terribly long with Fibro but the relief she got when using it was fantastic and gave her her life back for a while.Its similar to tens m/c but theres no sensation from it and you wear it 24/7 .Each one lasts a month .I think they do a trial size that only lasts a week for around £5 .Its certainly worth a try .Go online and see the brilliant reviews for all different illnesses/conditions.Hope it helps .

Had a look at the video and will visit the website- thanks Grannyknot.
Chronic pain every day is the pits. You get past crying- uses up valuable energy. I have fibromyalgia.
I force myself to do a half hour walk when I can maybe 3 times a week. The official advice given is to keep moving your body. But like you I'm not going to deliberately cause myself more pain no matter what anyone says. I think rest helps particular pains.
I try when I am able, to do fun things rather than housework. (Ive had to lower my standards.). This keeps me optimistic most of the time. Fun things that are manageable like painting, jigsaws, puzzles, reading, tin whistle, papier mache. ( as opposed to cycling, hillwalking, circle dancing....things I used to love). Its amazing how many new things you can find to enjoy that are easier on the body. You have to try to keep looking forward and being positive- not always easy. I think I may try acupuncture again. It can be helpful. wishing you well Mawbroon.

Sorry Maw to read of this. Chronic pain is a nightmare. As you say it affects your sleep so that makes everything worse.

I’ve pm’d you. ?

I know how you feel MawBroon. I have arthritis in lots of joints confirmed by xrays, including my shoulders. Like you, the thought of someone knocking into me makes me scared, although how often does that happen in real life? I have fibromyalgia too which doesn't help!
I was prescribed Tramadol at the end of last year and I have to say for me it makes the pain easier. Maybe look into it and if you feel it might be for you ask if you could give it a go?
Hope you get some relief soon

sorry to hear you are suffering so much pain and hope the x ray reveals something which can be put right quickly.

The general painkiller which works best for me is higher strength co-codamol (15g codeine) which is prescription only. I’ve never found voltarol to be very effective.

I don’t know whether this will work for you but when I had my shoulder problem I folded a spare duvet to put on top of the bottom sheet to give some extra softness to lie on. (My sore shoulder was the side I habitually sleep on).

I empathise with anyone who has chronic pain. It’s so debilitating.

Sorry to hear you are in constant pain. It really gets you down at times. I have had a lot of help from painsupport.co.uk/forums/forum/general/
I found the group friendly and supportive and pick up lots of useful information from them.

“Haven’t opened the link” oops

Lots of brilliant suggestions and welcome sympathy - thank you all.
I have seen about 4 different Drs ad they have come up with tendinitis, rotator cuff injury and osteoarthritis respectively! Wear and tear!
I had a steroid injection back in October which “lasted” until just before Christmas and have another booked for early February.
I am having it X rayed tomorrow morning (who knows, it might be another -itis! ) and will try acupuncture next as well. I am spending a fortune on Voltarol heatpads/deep freeze pads/Voltarol gel and Nytol to help me sleep!
The psychological aspect is one I need to address and while I aren’t opened the link yet as I have been out all afternoon, I look forward to looking at that.
After years of looking after Paw I had got used to being the fit and well one and suspect I am just not ready to accept that I may have a chronic condition which I may have for the rest of my life.
I am not ready for that scrapheap!

I would definitely ask for help with pain management - there may be a special unit, or a patients' group where people share ideas.
Nothing works exactly the same all the time - I use a mix of heat bags, TENS (including the pen version )and analgesia. I also have exercises that I do regularly and carefully, and I would ask for a physio referral if you haven't already seen one.
I would say that analgesia and anti-inflammatories work best when you take them regularly. This doesn't always fit with the idea of taking as little as possible
I tend to know when I am having a 'good day' and can take a lower dose, or a 'bad day' and take maximum dose. If I am away, or having a busy day, I simply take maximum dose.
Some people find that tablets or gel work better for them, so you do need to try things out.
For me, it is best to find a balance between keeping moving and not doing too much.