Pain and the hobby... discuss your pain.

[PCSarge]

On 17/01/2023 at 09:02, neurotix said:

 

 

If you happened to read my original post and what I have to go through and deal with, well, I think you have it even worse. I'm on disability and don't even work because of DDD and fibromyalgia as well as compressed discs in my neck and low back, and a hip torn labrum and cam and pincer impingement.

 

Much respect to the fact you actually hold down a job and one that involves carrying things, etc. I don't know how you force yourself through the pain. I find it difficult to force myself through the pain just walking around my house and going up and down stairs, let alone going out to appointments or shopping with the wife.

 

Any tips on how you cope with it mentally and just force yourself through would be valuable to everyone here, I think.

 

Also, is there anything doctors can do for you? Do you get pain meds or anything? Because this sounds like its much worse than anything posted so far, though I suppose it's relative and everyone feels pain differently. Personally, anything leaning over a desk like art, soldering, building keyboards, working on computers I can only do on good pain days and doing so will cause me to be in bad pain the next day. It sucks.

i've not at all really been on pain meds, every once in a while ill take an aleve, but nothing more than that.

 

pain comes with a quid pro quo. if you can focus yourself on something else and ignore it, it dont hurt as much i've had this pain for long enough now its just part of life. i built endurance to it over time, and have had very understanding employers along the way.

 

also not to bring anyone into the habit but. CBD oil and smoking decent pot numbs pain for decent amounts of time. a good smoke numbs it for about 4 hours.

 

 

[neurotix]

14 hours ago, PCSarge said:

i've not at all really been on pain meds, every once in a while ill take an aleve, but nothing more than that.

 

pain comes with a quid pro quo. if you can focus yourself on something else and ignore it, it dont hurt as much i've had this pain for long enough now its just part of life. i built endurance to it over time, and have had very understanding employers along the way.

 

also not to bring anyone into the habit but. CBD oil and smoking decent pot numbs pain for decent amounts of time. a good smoke numbs it for about 4 hours.

 

 

 

All very true, thank you. I've learned over the years as well that keeping myself busy, especially on bad pain days, just focusing on something else like gaming or my other hobbies makes the pain more bearable.

 

I do use CBD but it doesn't help with pain, it helps me sleep. And yeah pot does help but I don't use it anymore and can't use it ever again as I have a condition and months of smoking pot daily basically made me act like I was schizophrenic for half of 2020, with me being in a state mental hospital on and off for 6 months with abusive guards that was like a prison. This was when we still lived in WI. Basically I can't use it or I get very anxious and paranoid, and end up going crazy. So I can't use it ever again. It is true that it helps pain, and especially neuropathic pain like fibromyalgia.

Edited January 21, 2023 by neurotix

[Sir Beregond]

On 16/01/2023 at 14:37, Sir Beregond said:

Hope everyone is doing well. Still contemplating cancelling my upper endoscopy procedure coming up on Thursday when they called to tell me my portion was $1800. Let me tell you about how bad this insurance is. 

Well ended up going through with it. Glad I did. Guess I have Barrett's Esophagus now.

[J7SC_Orion]

...I wish everyone who laid out some of their medical challenges well.  I have a few of my own, but they pale in comparison - what is more, I live in a region with free healthcare, though that can bring with it other non-monetary issues such as long wait-times, among other things. I also like to add that I have a friend who lives in a near-by city now and has been living with MS for two decades and is now permanently in a wheelchair and can only use his left hand. I helped him with some computer stuff a few weeks back, and it is only when you have 'a visual demonstration' when you realize just how debilitating some illnesses and injuries actually are... I did have a recent operation on my back with GA and all that, but that involved an old muscle injury, not deeper than that, and after a couple of days I was back to doing my thing.

 

@neurotix  ...you mentioned Gabapentin - I am certainly no doctor dishing out medical advice, but I was briefly on Gabapentin before my doctor switched me to Pregabalin, albeit fairly light dosages. Pregabalin is a newer derivative, though obviously you want to check the side-effects. I am on the minimum dosage because of an old accident where some nerves on the bottom of my right foot were cut. It can get painful, but the Pregabalin helps, as does T3s and extra strength Ibuprofen though I try to limit the intake of T3s. Besides, some of these cause tinnitus, like having serious 'coil whine' in your head - it usually takes two to three days of not taking T3s or Ibuprofen to clear that up. Back to Pregabalin - keep the dosage as light as possible because it can otherwise 'slow you down'. That whole family of that type of meds was originally developed to control seizures for epilepsy, so a 'slow down' is built in... 

 

Next...smoking. No need for extra 'quit' advice from me, but as a reformed smoker of extra light cigs, what helped me was 'Thrive' 2mg gum. A few chews of it and I forgot that I was going to go for a smoke...

 

Re. exercise, when you have excruciating pain, exercising can appear like a big bad aggressive dog waiting for you to open the door - and yet, if you can manage to get into s.th. regular, even if it is 'light' like going for extended walks, it has tremendous overall health benefits. When I haven't done my exercises (in a nearby forest, so bonus for mental joy and closeness to God's creation) for a bit, the first two days double the pain in my foot, but then it dramatically declines, and becomes much more manageable than before the time-out that occurred for whatever reason.

 

On building / working on computers - if that is what you like to do, do as much of it as you can with the help of your wife. I'll add that I tend to build very heavy systems (all w-cooled) for work and play with dual mobos, PSUs and so forth, some of which tip the scales at more than 120 pounds (5x 360 x 63 rads, three GPU blocks, heavy tempered glass...). I say this because I have learned that:

a.) it is easier using a certain type of 'case' such as TT Core P5,6,7, or 8 (or similar by other vendors) that are mostly open and just have magnetic dust filters on three sides (the front glass is heavy, though you could get a custom Plexiglas replacement). Ease of access...

b.) a spinning top table or motorized display such as > this  just as an example could also be helpful to you.

c.) for the 120+ pound monsters I have, they're hard to even grip correctly never mind move even when healthy, so I use the little computer desks (Ikea, Walmart, Amazon) with wheels as the permanent computer stand, making sure they have the correct weight rating.

 

Whishing you and the rest of the gang here all the best !

[neurotix]

On 21/01/2023 at 14:25, J7SC_Orion said:

...I wish everyone who laid out some of their medical challenges well.  I have a few of my own, but they pale in comparison - what is more, I live in a region with free healthcare, though that can bring with it other non-monetary issues such as long wait-times, among other things. I also like to add that I have a friend who lives in a near-by city now and has been living with MS for two decades and is now permanently in a wheelchair and can only use his left hand. I helped him with some computer stuff a few weeks back, and it is only when you have 'a visual demonstration' when you realize just how debilitating some illnesses and injuries actually are... I did have a recent operation on my back with GA and all that, but that involved an old muscle injury, not deeper than that, and after a couple of days I was back to doing my thing.

 

@neurotix  ...you mentioned Gabapentin - I am certainly no doctor dishing out medical advice, but I was briefly on Gabapentin before my doctor switched me to Pregabalin, albeit fairly light dosages. Pregabalin is a newer derivative, though obviously you want to check the side-effects. I am on the minimum dosage because of an old accident where some nerves on the bottom of my right foot were cut. It can get painful, but the Pregabalin helps, as does T3s and extra strength Ibuprofen though I try to limit the intake of T3s. Besides, some of these cause tinnitus, like having serious 'coil whine' in your head - it usually takes two to three days of not taking T3s or Ibuprofen to clear that up. Back to Pregabalin - keep the dosage as light as possible because it can otherwise 'slow you down'. That whole family of that type of meds was originally developed to control seizures for epilepsy, so a 'slow down' is built in... 

 

Next...smoking. No need for extra 'quit' advice from me, but as a reformed smoker of extra light cigs, what helped me was 'Thrive' 2mg gum. A few chews of it and I forgot that I was going to go for a smoke...

 

Re. exercise, when you have excruciating pain, exercising can appear like a big bad aggressive dog waiting for you to open the door - and yet, if you can manage to get into s.th. regular, even if it is 'light' like going for extended walks, it has tremendous overall health benefits. When I haven't done my exercises (in a nearby forest, so bonus for mental joy and closeness to God's creation) for a bit, the first two days double the pain in my foot, but then it dramatically declines, and becomes much more manageable than before the time-out that occurred for whatever reason.

 

On building / working on computers - if that is what you like to do, do as much of it as you can with the help of your wife. I'll add that I tend to build very heavy systems (all w-cooled) for work and play with dual mobos, PSUs and so forth, some of which tip the scales at more than 120 pounds (5x 360 x 63 rads, three GPU blocks, heavy tempered glass...). I say this because I have learned that:

a.) it is easier using a certain type of 'case' such as TT Core P5,6,7, or 8 (or similar by other vendors) that are mostly open and just have magnetic dust filters on three sides (the front glass is heavy, though you could get a custom Plexiglas replacement). Ease of access...

b.) a spinning top table or motorized display such as > this  just as an example could also be helpful to you.

c.) for the 120+ pound monsters I have, they're hard to even grip correctly never mind move even when healthy, so I use the little computer desks (Ikea, Walmart, Amazon) with wheels as the permanent computer stand, making sure they have the correct weight rating.

 

Whishing you and the rest of the gang here all the best !

 

 

Hi @J7SC_Orion. Thank you for your very encouraging, very thoughtful post full of suggestions. I am so sorry it has taken me this long to reply to it.

 

I saw my doctor yesterday and got my Tylenol #3 refilled, as well as an increase in the dose of gabapentin, since I was on hydrocodone following a procedure and they had dropped me down to one 5mg a day that I had to split. I was previously on tylenol #3 before the procedure.

 

I also recently saw a hip doctor as I have bad hip pain, especially sitting. Initially, they wanted to do a hip femoacetabular surgery to the left hip first, then the right. However, I had the left hip MRI'ed (and thankfully my insurance approved it without 6 weeks of physical therapy) and they basically said I have moderate arthritis in the joint and that this would prevent me from getting the femoacetabular surgery. Interestingly, there is no torn labrum of the left hip anymore, which showed up on previous MRIs, and they said it could have healed on it's own. Anyway, what ended up happening is they injected me with 40mg of kenalog in both hips with a 3 inch needle. It was not fun to have done and I am very sore, even as I sit at my PC and type this out. This was on Tuesday that they injected me, but I am very sensitive to injections and having had steroid in the past, it makes me very sore for a week before I get relief. Finally, I was told I need a hip replacement and they don't want to do it because "I'm young" (38, I don't feel young) and would like to delay it for as long as possible and give me steroid injections every 3 months instead. However, we got a referal to the doc there that does hip replacements and I kind of just want to get it done and over with. The replacement lasts around 20 years and then needs to be removed and put back in and I'll be 58 then and actually old. Anyway, I've been keeping myself busy and hanging in there but have needed a lot of medication to deal with how bad my hips hurt from those injections. I will get relief in due time, and if I don't, then that would be a green light to proceed with the hip replacement.

 

Now to address your post. We tried looking for the "Thrive" gum you mentioned, and my mom (who was a nurse for 20 years) said it seems to be the same as the regular generic nicotine gum I already have. Also, it is not available in the US, however we can import it from Canada on ebay. I am wondering if there is something different/special about it that generic nicotine gum does not have, like does it burn the back of your throat or something? If I get a hip replacement, I will probably be forced to quit. It's like $10 + shipping for 36 ct Thrive gum, so let me know if its different than the regular stuff.

 

Regarding pregabalin- I have been on this in the past and it was not effective for me. as I said I am on gabapentin and it helps, and the dose was just increased from 1200mg to 1600mg daily. It is literally hell to go without this med as I will have increased neck, low back and hip pain as well as pain all down the back of my arms and legs, and random stabbing pains throughout my body. I was off it for a year from 2020 to mid 2021 and the pain daily got to be so severe (fibromyalgia) that I had no choice but to ask my PCP to put me back on gabapentin.

 

Regarding exercise, any type of exercise, even just cleaning our master bedroom and bathroom (vacuuming, dusting, lysol wipes on the toilet and sink, Screen Mom and a microfiber cloth on the mirror, etc) puts me in really bad pain. I used to study martial arts, I still have an 80 lbs. heavy bag hung up, I have a weight bench, I have some folding mats to put down on the floor to do Yoga or Qigong (like Tai Chi) on, but I don't do any of it because it just puts me in horrific pain the next day. Walking is also difficult and what with injections and back surgeries and so forth I have not done that, though my wife and I went on a long walk the other day and I tolerated it well (this was before the hip injections). But yes, she gets no exercise either and taking daily walks has been discussed though it is supposed to be in the teens next week and frigid cold like that is really bad for fibro. I should stop making excuses and just get out there and do it, I need to lose weight.

 

Anyway, that's my update and my response. Please let me know about the Thrive gum thing and if it's different than generic nic gum.

[J7SC_Orion]

On 26/01/2023 at 11:01, neurotix said:

 

 

Hi @J7SC_Orion. Thank you for your very encouraging, very thoughtful post full of suggestions. I am so sorry it has taken me this long to reply to it.

 

I saw my doctor yesterday and got my Tylenol #3 refilled, as well as an increase in the dose of gabapentin, since I was on hydrocodone following a procedure and they had dropped me down to one 5mg a day that I had to split. I was previously on tylenol #3 before the procedure.

 

I also recently saw a hip doctor as I have bad hip pain, especially sitting. Initially, they wanted to do a hip femoacetabular surgery to the left hip first, then the right. However, I had the left hip MRI'ed (and thankfully my insurance approved it without 6 weeks of physical therapy) and they basically said I have moderate arthritis in the joint and that this would prevent me from getting the femoacetabular surgery. Interestingly, there is no torn labrum of the left hip anymore, which showed up on previous MRIs, and they said it could have healed on it's own. Anyway, what ended up happening is they injected me with 40mg of kenalog in both hips with a 3 inch needle. It was not fun to have done and I am very sore, even as I sit at my PC and type this out. This was on Tuesday that they injected me, but I am very sensitive to injections and having had steroid in the past, it makes me very sore for a week before I get relief. Finally, I was told I need a hip replacement and they don't want to do it because "I'm young" (38, I don't feel young) and would like to delay it for as long as possible and give me steroid injections every 3 months instead. However, we got a referal to the doc there that does hip replacements and I kind of just want to get it done and over with. The replacement lasts around 20 years and then needs to be removed and put back in and I'll be 58 then and actually old. Anyway, I've been keeping myself busy and hanging in there but have needed a lot of medication to deal with how bad my hips hurt from those injections. I will get relief in due time, and if I don't, then that would be a green light to proceed with the hip replacement.

 

Now to address your post. We tried looking for the "Thrive" gum you mentioned, and my mom (who was a nurse for 20 years) said it seems to be the same as the regular generic nicotine gum I already have. Also, it is not available in the US, however we can import it from Canada on ebay. I am wondering if there is something different/special about it that generic nicotine gum does not have, like does it burn the back of your throat or something? If I get a hip replacement, I will probably be forced to quit. It's like $10 + shipping for 36 ct Thrive gum, so let me know if its different than the regular stuff.

 

Regarding pregabalin- I have been on this in the past and it was not effective for me. as I said I am on gabapentin and it helps, and the dose was just increased from 1200mg to 1600mg daily. It is literally hell to go without this med as I will have increased neck, low back and hip pain as well as pain all down the back of my arms and legs, and random stabbing pains throughout my body. I was off it for a year from 2020 to mid 2021 and the pain daily got to be so severe (fibromyalgia) that I had no choice but to ask my PCP to put me back on gabapentin.

 

Regarding exercise, any type of exercise, even just cleaning our master bedroom and bathroom (vacuuming, dusting, lysol wipes on the toilet and sink, Screen Mom and a microfiber cloth on the mirror, etc) puts me in really bad pain. I used to study martial arts, I still have an 80 lbs. heavy bag hung up, I have a weight bench, I have some folding mats to put down on the floor to do Yoga or Qigong (like Tai Chi) on, but I don't do any of it because it just puts me in horrific pain the next day. Walking is also difficult and what with injections and back surgeries and so forth I have not done that, though my wife and I went on a long walk the other day and I tolerated it well (this was before the hip injections). But yes, she gets no exercise either and taking daily walks has been discussed though it is supposed to be in the teens next week and frigid cold like that is really bad for fibro. I should stop making excuses and just get out there and do it, I need to lose weight.

 

Anyway, that's my update and my response. Please let me know about the Thrive gum thing and if it's different than generic nic gum.

  

 Hi @neurotix ...as mentioned before, I am no position to dish out medical and dosage advice; I can only let others know 'what worked for me' over the longer run so that they can check with their treating physicians. On the Pregabalin, I was started on that one by my doc but at light dosage re. the old cut nerves injury in my right food. A few years after, she suggested Gabapentin as an alternative when I complained about some side effects, but at the end of the day, Pregabalin works better in my case...both do take several weeks to fully cycle on / off so that can complicate matters. If Gabapentin works for you, best to just stick with it.

 

T3s can be a life saver when the pain gets out of hand, but since I am sensitive to acetaminophen re. tinnitus, I try to use it sparingly. After my recent back operation (GA, but muscle-related, not bone related), they also gave me s.th. called 'Auro-Tramadol'...it works a bit slower than T3s and does not have the same side-effects, but it includes 325 mg acetaminophen and it can keep you up at night (there must be some heavy caffeine in it, though doesn't say) ...never mind the tinnitus, long term use of acetaminophen also has impacts on the liver. Still, the Auro-Tramadol (37/5/325) does work as an alternative for T3s though they should never be taken together according to my surgeon, just as alternatives to each other. 

 

While on the tinnitus theme, I mentioned that I finally figured out the culprit in my case (acetaminophen) though there's a delay of about three days before it goes away...being in the computer-related field, I like some quicker 'if / then' conclusions, but human physiology is obviously a lot more complex. One odd thing which really does work during the times when tinnitus has come back due to the meds is 'black screen' YT video (all ads up front, black screen after 10 or so second)...typically they are about varying degrees of rain (moderate to massive) and come with / without thunder and run for 8, 10 or even 24 hrs...I know it is weird to sleep to a rain / thunder sound, but it works for some reason. Matching my tinnitus frequency to the rain frequency in the various YT black screen vids is what I do... 

 

On the Thrive gum, I had tried Nicorette gum first, but in my case, Thrive just worked much better for some reason. It's available in 2 mg and 4 mg - both as lozenges and gum and mint and other flavours. The Thrive 2 mg mint gum juts seems to hit the right spots with me but you might be different...it's not a wonder cure but I obviously recommend it for smokers to try because of my own experiences. Somewhat oddly enough, the Thrive lozenges work less well for me.

 

On the 'forest exercise', if I skip more than two days, I can tell...it not only includes some tricky hiking through gorges given the terrain here, but also some weird form of log lifting and semi-pushups...the latter is simply finding a sturdy fallen tree (I'm 6'4'', 240 pounds) to do 45 degree push-ups on as I cannot do full ground-push-ups do the aforementioned foot injury (front of the right foot). Any kind of exercise that you can manage is helpful to guard against osteo- and other arthritis. I realize though from my own experience that it can be a chicken-and-egg question re. too much pain.  

 

Finally, there are other sleeping meds - unfortunately, most are habit forming. I do have 7.5 mg zopiclone if I need them, and I will say a deep sleep free of noticing (or not waking up due to) the pain rejuvenates the mind. Then again, other medical issues can be made worse with Zopiclone and such (ie. sleeping twisted and you don't realize it) so apart from habit-forming I like to guard against, I like to avoid the pain which follows int he morning...so basically for pain emergencies only when you feel run down after lacking deep sleep for several nights.

 

Once again, wishing you all the best !

[neurotix]

On 27/01/2023 at 17:32, J7SC_Orion said:

  

 Hi @neurotix ...as mentioned before, I am no position to dish out medical and dosage advice; I can only let others know 'what worked for me' over the longer run so that they can check with their treating physicians. On the Pregabalin, I was started on that one by my doc but at light dosage re. the old cut nerves injury in my right food. A few years after, she suggested Gabapentin as an alternative when I complained about some side effects, but at the end of the day, Pregabalin works better in my case...both do take several weeks to fully cycle on / off so that can complicate matters. If Gabapentin works for you, best to just stick with it.

 

T3s can be a life saver when the pain gets out of hand, but since I am sensitive to acetaminophen re. tinnitus, I try to use it sparingly. After my recent back operation (GA, but muscle-related, not bone related), they also gave me s.th. called 'Auro-Tramadol'...it works a bit slower than T3s and does not have the same side-effects, but it includes 325 mg acetaminophen and it can keep you up at night (there must be some heavy caffeine in it, though doesn't say) ...never mind the tinnitus, long term use of acetaminophen also has impacts on the liver. Still, the Auro-Tramadol (37/5/325) does work as an alternative for T3s though they should never be taken together according to my surgeon, just as alternatives to each other. 

 

While on the tinnitus theme, I mentioned that I finally figured out the culprit in my case (acetaminophen) though there's a delay of about three days before it goes away...being in the computer-related field, I like some quicker 'if / then' conclusions, but human physiology is obviously a lot more complex. One odd thing which really does work during the times when tinnitus has come back due to the meds is 'black screen' YT video (all ads up front, black screen after 10 or so second)...typically they are about varying degrees of rain (moderate to massive) and come with / without thunder and run for 8, 10 or even 24 hrs...I know it is weird to sleep to a rain / thunder sound, but it works for some reason. Matching my tinnitus frequency to the rain frequency in the various YT black screen vids is what I do... 

 

On the Thrive gum, I had tried Nicorette gum first, but in my case, Thrive just worked much better for some reason. It's available in 2 mg and 4 mg - both as lozenges and gum and mint and other flavours. The Thrive 2 mg mint gum juts seems to hit the right spots with me but you might be different...it's not a wonder cure but I obviously recommend it for smokers to try because of my own experiences. Somewhat oddly enough, the Thrive lozenges work less well for me.

 

On the 'forest exercise', if I skip more than two days, I can tell...it not only includes some tricky hiking through gorges given the terrain here, but also some weird form of log lifting and semi-pushups...the latter is simply finding a sturdy fallen tree (I'm 6'4'', 240 pounds) to do 45 degree push-ups on as I cannot do full ground-push-ups do the aforementioned foot injury (front of the right foot). Any kind of exercise that you can manage is helpful to guard against osteo- and other arthritis. I realize though from my own experience that it can be a chicken-and-egg question re. too much pain.  

 

Finally, there are other sleeping meds - unfortunately, most are habit forming. I do have 7.5 mg zopiclone if I need them, and I will say a deep sleep free of noticing (or not waking up due to) the pain rejuvenates the mind. Then again, other medical issues can be made worse with Zopiclone and such (ie. sleeping twisted and you don't realize it) so apart from habit-forming I like to guard against, I like to avoid the pain which follows int he morning...so basically for pain emergencies only when you feel run down after lacking deep sleep for several nights.

 

Once again, wishing you all the best !

 

 

Hi again J7SC_Orion, once again my apologies for the slow reply. I can't really respond to all of this, but I can respond to some of it.

 

I am still curious about the nicotine gum but as we said, we have to import it on Ebay and theres only 36 in a pack and it is $10 a pack plus international shipping. So I'd really like a answer as to whether or not it burns your throat? If it does that might simulate the sensation of smoking and help me quit and make it worth the cost. My current nicotine gum is just generic crap, and it is 4mg. So we would try the Thrive in mint in 4mg.

 

Your suggestion about using thunderstorms to fall asleep, believe it or not, is something I regularly do and have been doing for months. This is the video I use. I call it "my ASMR" although I guess it's not really ASMR as it doesn't cause chills or tingles or anything, I just have always loved hearing rain, thunder and so on. I am actually 1/8th Mohawk Native American, and was born during a really severe record setting thunderstorm, so my Indian name in our language is Rowe:'ren (pronounced low-way-low) which translates to His Voice is Thunder. So it makes sense I like thunderstorms. Because of the intensity of my pain, I sometimes go to sleep right after dinner and get in bed and put this video on, always the same one. Let me know if you like it if you try it out.

 

 

Hope this one helps you if you try sleeping to it.

 

I generally don't have any problems sleeping, I take zyprexa 20mg as well as "Calm Caps" supplement and benadryl. I go to bed around 8pm nearly every single day, and wake up at midnight or 1am wanting sugar unfortunately. Usually eat granola bars or something a peanut butter sandwich, get back in bed and am back asleep within 10 minutes tops. This stopped for a while and I was sleeping all the way through the night which I obviously prefer, but recently has started again. Sometimes I need to take a leak so that wakes me up, then I want sugar.

 

I take T3 daily, two 25mg pills, and going without them causes ridiculous withdrawl and pain symptoms. I also take naproxen when I take my other meds, but recently stopped taking acetaminophen which I took 6 daily of because of your suggestion that it damages the liver. I knew about this already, but because of what you said and knowing that even taking a "safe" amount daily damages the liver by the time you are old, I stopped it. It didn't help anyway.

 

Anyway, thanks again for your long and thoughtful post and support, brother. It has helped me to know that I am not going through this alone. See a hip surgeon tomorrow and have no idea if he will want to do a hip replacement or not given my age, but the steroid injections I got in my hips 2 weeks ago (40mg kenalog in a 3 inch needle in both hips) have NOT helped and just put me in greatly increased pain for that period.

 

Look forward to hearing back, and wonder if any of the new people joining have anything to contribute or a story to tell in this thread.

Edited February 5, 2023 by neurotix

[Kaz]

About 10 years ago I had serious "carpel tunnel" syndrome.  I used to play Starcraft 2 competitively and was using a high DPI mouse that caused a repetitive strain injury.  (P.S.  Don't use HIGH DPI settings, micro movements are harder on the body than large sweeping motions).  I stopped using computers for a month, when I started again, within 5 minutes of using a mouse I'd have tears running down my face.  I couldn't specifically say what the problem was or where I felt the pain, it was just everywhere.  Nerve pain is funny like that.

 

I went to a doctor, they started me on a muscle relaxer.  I could maybe stand to use a computer for 10 minutes after that.  Then they sent me to physical therapy.  Physical therapy and frequent stretching did help.  After 10 visits, I could use the computer for 3 hours a day, taking breaks every 20-30 minutes.  The physical therapist told me most people would have recovered by now, and my insurance would only cover 20 visits a year, so I decided to look for a better solution.  I went back to the doctor, and they sent me to get an EMG.  They shocked my elbows and tested the response time in my fingers.  Man did that hurt!  Who would have thought directly shocking a nerve could be so painful?!  They asked if it was both hands, and I said "If I tell you no, does that mean we don't have to do the other hand?"

 

The EMG showed that I did not have nerve damage, and at that point I refused to let them do carpel tunnel surgery on me.  They couldn't tell me what the problem was, so I didn't trust their fix.  I figured, I couldn't be the only gamer with this problem so I went back to researching.  On Teamliquid.net, I found hope.  Another gamer who had gone through this, and one who had actually found a solution:

 

Trigger Point Therapy by Clair Davis

This book talks about myofascial tissue, a thin layer of tissue that surrounds the muscles and helps them keep their shape.  The myofascial tissue can bind up and form 'knots', that prevent the muscle from having full range of movement.  This strain usually doesn't cause pain in the muscle that is bound up, but in the muscles connected that are overstretched and overworked to compensate.  The book offered an explanation to the problems I was having, as well as an index showing me which muscles to work and where the bind ups (trigger points) would be.  Working those trigger points wasn't fun, it was quite painful and it took me a while to read about it, find them on myself, and work them out.  I was slow working, prone to stopping after the slightest improvement, and didn't work all the muscles when I first started.  It took me a lot longer than it should have, but 3 months later I wasn't inhibited by pain anymore.

 

I really can't recommend this book enough.  There's enough information it could easily be sold as a textbook for $120 and still be worth it.  Over the years, I've bought 4 copies because I give them to people I know who are struggling with pain.  Removing someone's pain is the best gift you can ever give.  It's not an easy solution because it requires reading, finding the spots on yourself, and taking the time to work them.  Pills are easier, but for anyone who truly wants help with pain, putting in the effort is worth it.

 

I did pick up a Thera-Cane, which the book recommended.  It was instrumental in releasing trigger points held in my shoulders, without the Thera-Cane, I didn't have the leverage needed.  It's a bit expensive for what it is, but for what it does, it's worth it's weight in gold.

 

I've been impressed with the book as it's a true cure for pain.  There are a handful of situations that really do require surgery, and I'm impressed that the book correctly identifies when surgery is the best choice.  It also has a few pages about fibromyalgia, and suggests that it is often caused by trigger points and can be resolved.

 

I also struggle with back pain.  Around age 19 I was leaning over the engine of a car and my back popped in a bad way.  It hurt so bad I had to lay on asphalt for 15 minutes before I could move.  Ever since then I've had back pain (lower right, just above the hip), it comes and goes a bit, but it can get quite bad, enough so that I don't want to sit at a computer anymore.  Spending time stretching and working trigger points brings my back into a usable state.  I'd still like a doctor to tell me exactly what's wrong with my back, but they don't care that much.  They offer pills and physical therapy, insurance in the U.S. has weird rules about what they will pay for, if they haven't paid for every possible alternative action, they won't pay for an x-ray.

 

If you end up getting the book, let me know how it goes. 

Edited February 6, 2023 by Kaz

[neurotix]

15 hours ago, Kaz said:

About 10 years ago I had serious "carpel tunnel" syndrome.  I used to play Starcraft 2 competitively and was using a high DPI mouse that caused a repetitive strain injury.  (P.S.  Don't use HIGH DPI settings, micro movements are harder on the body than large sweeping motions).  I stopped using computers for a month, when I started again, within 5 minutes of using a mouse I'd have tears running down my face.  I couldn't specifically say what the problem was or where I felt the pain, it was just everywhere.  Nerve pain is funny like that.

 

I went to a doctor, they started me on a muscle relaxer.  I could maybe stand to use a computer for 10 minutes after that.  Then they sent me to physical therapy.  Physical therapy and frequent stretching did help.  After 10 visits, I could use the computer for 3 hours a day, taking breaks every 20-30 minutes.  The physical therapist told me most people would have recovered by now, and my insurance would only cover 20 visits a year, so I decided to look for a better solution.  I went back to the doctor, and they sent me to get an EMG.  They shocked my elbows and tested the response time in my fingers.  Man did that hurt!  Who would have thought directly shocking a nerve could be so painful?!  They asked if it was both hands, and I said "If I tell you no, does that mean we don't have to do the other hand?"

 

The EMG showed that I did not have nerve damage, and at that point I refused to let them do carpel tunnel surgery on me.  They couldn't tell me what the problem was, so I didn't trust their fix.  I figured, I couldn't be the only gamer with this problem so I went back to researching.  On Teamliquid.net, I found hope.  Another gamer who had gone through this, and one who had actually found a solution:

 

Trigger Point Therapy by Clair Davis

This book talks about myofascial tissue, a thin layer of tissue that surrounds the muscles and helps them keep their shape.  The myofascial tissue can bind up and form 'knots', that prevent the muscle from having full range of movement.  This strain usually doesn't cause pain in the muscle that is bound up, but in the muscles connected that are overstretched and overworked to compensate.  The book offered an explanation to the problems I was having, as well as an index showing me which muscles to work and where the bind ups (trigger points) would be.  Working those trigger points wasn't fun, it was quite painful and it took me a while to read about it, find them on myself, and work them out.  I was slow working, prone to stopping after the slightest improvement, and didn't work all the muscles when I first started.  It took me a lot longer than it should have, but 3 months later I wasn't inhibited by pain anymore.

 

I really can't recommend this book enough.  There's enough information it could easily be sold as a textbook for $120 and still be worth it.  Over the years, I've bought 4 copies because I give them to people I know who are struggling with pain.  Removing someone's pain is the best gift you can ever give.  It's not an easy solution because it requires reading, finding the spots on yourself, and taking the time to work them.  Pills are easier, but for anyone who truly wants help with pain, putting in the effort is worth it.

 

I did pick up a Thera-Cane, which the book recommended.  It was instrumental in releasing trigger points held in my shoulders, without the Thera-Cane, I didn't have the leverage needed.  It's a bit expensive for what it is, but for what it does, it's worth it's weight in gold.

 

I've been impressed with the book as it's a true cure for pain.  There are a handful of situations that really do require surgery, and I'm impressed that the book correctly identifies when surgery is the best choice.  It also has a few pages about fibromyalgia, and suggests that it is often caused by trigger points and can be resolved.

 

I also struggle with back pain.  Around age 19 I was leaning over the engine of a car and my back popped in a bad way.  It hurt so bad I had to lay on asphalt for 15 minutes before I could move.  Ever since then I've had back pain (lower right, just above the hip), it comes and goes a bit, but it can get quite bad, enough so that I don't want to sit at a computer anymore.  Spending time stretching and working trigger points brings my back into a usable state.  I'd still like a doctor to tell me exactly what's wrong with my back, but they don't care that much.  They offer pills and physical therapy, insurance in the U.S. has weird rules about what they will pay for, if they haven't paid for every possible alternative action, they won't pay for an x-ray.

 

If you end up getting the book, let me know how it goes. 

 

 

Thank you for your long, detailed response. I am sorry about your condition but am happy you seem to have found relief and a method that works for you.

 

I am well aware of the myofascial tissue thing. I have tried a myofascial neck massage and it just made my neck hurt really badly for about a week. I have also tried a trigger point massage of the neck- same thing. I even had deep tissue massage done to my whole body at one point, the masseuse herself said "people with fibromyalgia are so sensitive and problematic" and when she was done massaging essentially my whole body very hard, I could barely get up from the massage table. I hurt all over badly for a week. I have tried acupuncture and the first time I did it, it made me feel really high for about 2 hours afterward, almost identical to a weed high, but then everytime I went back I never had the same feeling again and it didn't help. (I had a really open mind and was very receptive to acupuncture as I used to practice Daoist/Taoist meditation, Qigong (sorta like Tai Chi) and read Chinese philosophy.)

 

I appreciate your offer of the book and trigger point massage as well as myofascial massage, but fibromyalgia REALLY doesn't like have trigger points pushed on. It just causes me worse pain. My wife massages me frequently, and does work the trigger points but it's sort of questionable whether it helps or harms me. A lot of the time she does, I have worse pain the next day.

 

So unfortunately, I won't be looking into the book as fibromyalgia is quite the beast to live with and my body does not respond well to these methodologies. I appreciate it though and am happy to hear it helped you.

Edited February 6, 2023 by neurotix

[J7SC_Orion]

On 05/02/2023 at 13:23, neurotix said:

 

 

Hi again J7SC_Orion, once again my apologies for the slow reply. I can't really respond to all of this, but I can respond to some of it.

 

I am still curious about the nicotine gum but as we said, we have to import it on Ebay and theres only 36 in a pack and it is $10 a pack plus international shipping. So I'd really like a answer as to whether or not it burns your throat? If it does that might simulate the sensation of smoking and help me quit and make it worth the cost. My current nicotine gum is just generic crap, and it is 4mg. So we would try the Thrive in mint in 4mg.

 

Your suggestion about using thunderstorms to fall asleep, believe it or not, is something I regularly do and have been doing for months. This is the video I use. I call it "my ASMR" although I guess it's not really ASMR as it doesn't cause chills or tingles or anything, I just have always loved hearing rain, thunder and so on. I am actually 1/8th Mohawk Native American, and was born during a really severe record setting thunderstorm, so my Indian name in our language is Rowe:'ren (pronounced low-way-low) which translates to His Voice is Thunder. So it makes sense I like thunderstorms. Because of the intensity of my pain, I sometimes go to sleep right after dinner and get in bed and put this video on, always the same one. Let me know if you like it if you try it out.

 

 

Hope this one helps you if you try sleeping to it.

 

I generally don't have any problems sleeping, I take zyprexa 20mg as well as "Calm Caps" supplement and benadryl. I go to bed around 8pm nearly every single day, and wake up at midnight or 1am wanting sugar unfortunately. Usually eat granola bars or something a peanut butter sandwich, get back in bed and am back asleep within 10 minutes tops. This stopped for a while and I was sleeping all the way through the night which I obviously prefer, but recently has started again. Sometimes I need to take a leak so that wakes me up, then I want sugar.

 

I take T3 daily, two 25mg pills, and going without them causes ridiculous withdrawl and pain symptoms. I also take naproxen when I take my other meds, but recently stopped taking acetaminophen which I took 6 daily of because of your suggestion that it damages the liver. I knew about this already, but because of what you said and knowing that even taking a "safe" amount daily damages the liver by the time you are old, I stopped it. It didn't help anyway.

 

Anyway, thanks again for your long and thoughtful post and support, brother. It has helped me to know that I am not going through this alone. See a hip surgeon tomorrow and have no idea if he will want to do a hip replacement or not given my age, but the steroid injections I got in my hips 2 weeks ago (40mg kenalog in a 3 inch needle in both hips) have NOT helped and just put me in greatly increased pain for that period.

 

Look forward to hearing back, and wonder if any of the new people joining have anything to contribute or a story to tell in this thread.

 

...hello again - didn't quite see your follow-up question on 2mg mint Thrive gum. It doesn't burn my throat, but you won't really know until you try it. Walmart Canada carries it here and I'm surprised that it is not available directly in the US. One thing you might want to do is to either check with a Walmart near you or wrote directly to the distributor in Canada and ask for a free sample pack.

[neurotix]

So an update on my pain condition. Remembering that it's my neck, my low back (which has gotten quite a bit better generally from the microdiscotomy procedure), and especially, my hips.

 

I first saw a hip doctor who I never even met: just was attended to by his main PA. They took an MRI of my left hip and I have the cam and pincer impingement, as well as mild to moderate arthritis in the joint. I had steroid injections with a 3 inch needle and 40mg Kenalog in both hips. I hurt really bad from them for like two weeks. I went back, doctor said I needed a hip replacement. Referred me to a different doctor in the organization that does that.

 

Anyway, he brought up my MRI and xray on the screen and said my arthritis in my left hip was mild and he thinks I have burcitis, which is basically an issue with the burca, basically something on the outer leg bone (where I don't have pain, my pain is in the joint itself.)

 

He injected the burca with steroid- didn't hurt me, hasn't helped me. I've also been sent to do physical therapy for burcitis 2 times a week for 6 weeks, and I am going back to the same physical therapist I've seen previously for my neck and low back. I am sure she will take measurements of the angle of rotation of my hip joint before and after, and after will be worse.

 

So essentially, I feel I've been misdiagnosed.

 

Maybe if I do the physical therapy and it makes things worse (which is what happened with my back- on the function scale for low back, 40-60% is severely disabled. When I started PT for the low back the score was 50. Afterward, the score was 70, and 60-80% qualifies as crippled.) I might be able to get a hip replacement but I kind of doubt it and I think the doctor knows my insurance likely won't cover a hip replacement, I think there is also some reverse ageism going on because I get told I'm "young" and they don't want to give me a hip replacement because of that (I'm 38).

 

Anyway, there's my update on what's going on with me. I had a good couple of pain days in a row, but am having a really bad time today, especially with sitting and with my left hip with a constant moderate ache.

 

I hope everyone finds the relief they need.

 

-neuro

[neurotix]

Good news, I have an update. The Doctor I was seeing who diagnosed me (wrongly) with bursitis referred me to his partner, who handles impingements and is sports medicine. He wanted to send me for a special CAT scan using the Stryker protocol, and the imaging will be sent to them in Germany for them to construct a 3D model of my hips that I assume he can rotate, zoom in on, and so forth. The CAT scan got approved by my insurance and it's on Monday, and it takes around 2 weeks for Stryker to construct a 3D model for him, at which point I will have an office visit, and presumably, be scheduled for the operation.

 

The purpose of this is for him to know exactly where the impingements are, and he can perform a procedure using that data to go in my hips and use essentially an angle grinder or sander to get rid of the excess bone matter in the hip, as well as to try to round off the top of the femur (mine is mishaped; it's genetic). I will have to do 6-12 weeks of physical therapy, and note this is only for the left hip, the same process will have to be repeated for the right, including the imaging. He can start on the right 6 weeks after doing the left while I'm still recovering, I can be sent for another CAT, etc.

 

 

Edited June 15, 2023 by neurotix

[neurotix]

CAT scan done today. Will take about two weeks for my doctor to get the 3D model back from Stryker, then I will have an office visit and possibly get scheduled for surgery on the left hip. Then 6-12 weeks of physical therapy and recovery, and they'll do a CAT on the right hip during that period, then another 2 week wait, etc..

 

The place I'm going to, OrthoIllinois, has xrays but they outsource other imaging to large companies/hospitals in the area, in this case Northwestern health care. Thankfully they were very on top of their game, I asked right away if the CAT was going to be Stryker Protocol and they said yes. We also needed to get a CD of the imaging to take to my next office visit with the doctor, and it took some time but they gave us two CDs in case we lost one or something.

 

The health care here is awesome, they've done more for me in two years than they accomplished in 6 in Wisconsin.

[neurotix]

Update: I am scheduled for hip surgery on September 8th. I will have to wear a brace and be on crutches for two weeks, as well as do physical therapy twice a week for 12 weeks.

 

After 6 weeks I will have an office visit with my Doctor, and if the surgery on the left helps then I will be sent for a CAT scan on the right hip and get scheduled for surgery on it with the same conditions I stated above, after surgery.

 

I believe the procedure I'm having is called a hip arthroscopy.

 

There was a really bad f up and issue with the imaging, Northwestern health sent the CAT scan data to Stryker in the wrong format. This caused a significant delay of about 6 weeks instead of 2 for my Doctor to have the 3D model of my hip.

 

Either way, I have quite a large mountain to climb, but I'll do it if I can sit and not have pain in the hips. I may not make a full recovery til March, and I may be doing physical therapy through then.

 

Edited August 18, 2023 by neurotix

[speed_demon]

I'm a bit late to the party here but I assure you I fit in quite similarly to the general discussion.

 

My skeleton is pretty rough and I've got pain from just about every region of the body. Had an accident on a trampoline when I was 12 and caused some severe damage to my spine and neck. I've got missing ligaments in both legs so my range of motion is way beyond normal and unfortunately that makes it all the more easy to cause injuries. Both knees pop and click; sometimes giving out entirely with accompanying pain.

 

My lower back is a big issue for me and the pain is pretty severe. Can't sleep properly these days it hurts so much. Can barely sit let alone lie down. The only time it doesn't hurt is after a hot shower pointed at the lower back. Only trouble is my shower is on the second floor and climbing the stairs sometimes is a no-go. Back muscles lock up so tightly I can hardly twist to climb them.

 

One thing I didn't see mentioned is dental issues. I've got a condition where the bone in my jaw is disintegrating rapidly, on top of some extremely brittle teeth. And unfortunately I've been fighting tooth infections for the past two years as a result. Woke up one day and thought I was having a heart attack, turns out the infection had spread from my tooth. Skin on my upper torso was bright red and my jaw and right side neck muscles were incredibly painful and rock hard. Thankfully amoxicillin is my life saver. This is all incredibly painful and eating is now a big ordeal as I have to be careful not to cause further damage to my already brittle teeth.

 

I've got PTSD and a genetic heart defect as well. Currently in the process of applying for disability. It's all very new to me. From what I am told I have a fairly good chance at getting SSI so that's some relief.

 

[EHW Ai]

One of my stand by me/sandlot misadventures:

 

We used to walk everywhere in Oceanside (Long Island)...

 

Back in the day when I was a young kid--the first half of the '60s, I was 7 or 8, not sure these days--my younger brother and I used to walk to the local candy store/soda fountain we called Merry's. Often barefoot, but not always, we'd pick up discarded pop bottles along the way and turn them in for either two or five cents a piece at Henry's delicatessen, just across the street from Merry's. Along the way, we'd pass by Camp Bauman's, which occupied a long stretch of our journey, with OJC (a synagogue) just across the street.

 

Anyway, right about that time, the folks at OJC decided to expand their premises, setting up a construction project, one of the larger ones of the day locally. During one phase of the project while on our way to Merry's, my brother and I decided to investigate the goings on's there and crossed the street into the construction area. There were a few other kids we somewhat knew there and we got together with them and decided to play a game of war (mostly involving throwing stones).

 

Kids in those days could be like that...

 

So my brother and I, comprising one of the teams, decided to climb up to the top of the roof of the expansions under construction and figured we'd have the advantage from above. We were already well-trained for the task given how much we climbed anything back then, school roofs, trees, etc., whatever seemed to pose similar challenges.

 

Up we went, climbing to the top of the first floor, using bricks that jutted out from one of the corners as hand- and footholds. Once on the top of the first floor, we  found and used a wooden ladder there that would allow us to gain access to the top of the second floor; and further up we went.  

 

Up top, I took casual note of a large circular hole in the upper roof, which these days I assume was there to facilitate adding some kind of dome. I didn't pay attention to that hole for long though, nor did I carefully evaluate my further surroundings for danger. I just knew that as the 'leader of my team,' I had to try to prevent the opposing forces from reaching our position and decided I would haul the ladder we used up to the top of the upper floor. Grabbing hold of the top of it, I began pulling it up, walking backwards. I got far enough to trip over what I think was a cinder block, and fell through the hole. 

 

56 feet down to a concrete floor adorned with quite a few set rebar pointing skyward. Missed the rebar by inches I'm told, and I only have flashing glimps of memories of what happened next.

 

Ruptured my spleen, broke my pelvis in two places, my left wrist, and suffered internal hemorrhaging. Three days after they took the spleen out, I woke up briefly in a hospital corridor, passed out, and when I did wake up again, there was a cast on my left arm, and tubes shoved in every orifice I had and a few extras they had to make in me along the way. 

 

Didn't do my mom any good, of course, she was recovering in the same hospital from coronary failure. I spent the next two and a half months in that bed, and was schooled from home the rest of the year. Eventually I healed as far as healing goes after one experiences a splenectomy, and life went on.

 

Little did we know back then just how much not having a spleen as you get older might adversely affect you, especially if you're not careful. It can, it certainly did, and still does. 

 

I don't b.... and moan about it though and learned to live with whatever ensued long ago. I don't burden others with my problems, or at least I try not to do so. I will say that I'm thankful for certain folks that stuck with me along the way during my more recent stay in the hospital, and those who continue to. You really are good people, whether you want to admit that or not.

 

 

 

'x' marks the approximate spot of the hole I fell through

 

cheers.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 6 by iamjanco

[J7SC_Orion]

7 hours ago, speed_demon said:

I'm a bit late to the party here but I assure you I fit in quite similarly to the general discussion.

 

My skeleton is pretty rough and I've got pain from just about every region of the body. Had an accident on a trampoline when I was 12 and caused some severe damage to my spine and neck. I've got missing ligaments in both legs so my range of motion is way beyond normal and unfortunately that makes it all the more easy to cause injuries. Both knees pop and click; sometimes giving out entirely with accompanying pain.

 

My lower back is a big issue for me and the pain is pretty severe. Can't sleep properly these days it hurts so much. Can barely sit let alone lie down. The only time it doesn't hurt is after a hot shower pointed at the lower back. Only trouble is my shower is on the second floor and climbing the stairs sometimes is a no-go. Back muscles lock up so tightly I can hardly twist to climb them.

 

One thing I didn't see mentioned is dental issues. I've got a condition where the bone in my jaw is disintegrating rapidly, on top of some extremely brittle teeth. And unfortunately I've been fighting tooth infections for the past two years as a result. Woke up one day and thought I was having a heart attack, turns out the infection had spread from my tooth. Skin on my upper torso was bright red and my jaw and right side neck muscles were incredibly painful and rock hard. Thankfully amoxicillin is my life saver. This is all incredibly painful and eating is now a big ordeal as I have to be careful not to cause further damage to my already brittle teeth.

 

I've got PTSD and a genetic heart defect as well. Currently in the process of applying for disability. It's all very new to me. From what I am told I have a fairly good chance at getting SSI so that's some relief.

 

 

I am sorry to hear about your situation; I can identify just a little bit, per earlier post, regarding old injuries which came back to haunt me. When I seriously injured my right foot (age 17) all those years ago, I (blissfully) had no idea what kind of trouble it would cause all those years later...cut nerves, metatarsal nerve pain due to foot geometry changes and all that...daily prescription pain killers and more. Still, it hasn't reduced my activities (including daily hikes) very much, at least for now. 

 

 

Edited March 6 by J7SC_Orion

[neurotix]

Thanks for sharing, guys. I knew most of speed_demon's issues from a Discord DM. Hope things get better for you soon.

 

Jan, thank you for the story and effing ouch! You're tough to survive that. What kind of issues does not having a spleen cause? I am also disheartened to hear you had a hospital stay recently, but if you'd rather not share I can understand why.

 

Me well, last year Sept. 8th I had surgery on my left hip to repair a torn labrum and hip cam and pincer impingement. It's helped significantly though I am still recovering so have some bad pain in it sometimes for a few days at a time. I did 4 months physical therapy twice a week as well (which more often than not set off the pain and made things worse). Long story short - I had physical therapy, I got an MRI and a CAT scan of my right hip and am due to have all the same surgeries on April 4th on my right hip. Followed by 5 months physical therapy. The left was done so now I'm set to do the right. Then we'll have to see about doing something for my neck pain, ECT wrecked my neck.

Edited March 6 by neurotix

[EHW Ai]

On 06/03/2024 at 18:40, neurotix said:

What kind of issues does not having a spleen cause? I am also disheartened to hear you had a hospital stay recently, but if you'd rather not share I can understand why.

 

Thanks,  but up until very recently I've actually been a fairly private fellow. For decades.

 

I also don't like to dwell publicly on state of mind, body, and/or feelings (pretty much the moral of my story here/lesson to be learned). 

 

From my POV, such thoughts are something one typically shares only with very close friends and loved ones, if ever.

 

 

[neurotix]

It's perfectly understandable and (no offense) a generational thing and I think particularly with men. Don't sweat it. I can look up what having no spleen means or does to you on my own, or ask my mom who was a nurse for 25 years.

 

Either way, I wish you the best of good health going forward.

[neurotix]

For those with back or neck pain, or even pain in the limbs, this helps me a lot:

 

Amazon.com

A.CO

Massage table warmer but you can use it as a heating pad. Just don't put it under your top sheet and try and use it as a mattress pad warmer or you'll fry it (this happened to one we gave to my sister).

 

[The Pook]

On 06/03/2024 at 16:07, iamjanco said:

such thoughts are something one typically shares only with very close friends and loved ones

 

like me 

[neurotix]

On 20/01/2023 at 20:46, PCSarge said:

pain comes with a quid pro quo. if you can focus yourself on something else and ignore it, it dont hurt as much i've had this pain for long enough now its just part of life. i built endurance to it over time, and have had very understanding employers along the way.

 

 

 

 

This is so true. Not only have I also developed a tolerance to the pain from always being in it, but what you said about keeping yourself busy or engaged in something is extremely important, as then you focus on a game or a show or whatever instead of how bad you hurt.

 

My family always encourages me to do stuff, and a lot of times I don't listen.

[neurotix]

Alright I had my second hip surgery on Thursday, this time on the right. Pain post op was really bad like the car ride home, and my leg (front thigh) where they opened it up. Getting out of thd car was a b----. Also, had severe difficulty sleeping that night and had to take Benadryl (which I had quit) as well as other things to finally fall asleep at 3:30am.

 

I sleep falling asleep on my back and wake up usually on the right side. Problem with that is, I have a brace I have to wear 24/7 for at least a month and being right sided, prevents me from laying on that side. However, last nights sleep was better and I slept in til 11am.

 

Anyway, I am getting around fine just like the last time, supposed to be using crutches but I'm not :x Just taking smaller strides and keeping my weight on the left leg.

 

I start PT on Tuesday which will be a strength/movement radius evaluation and then the next one will be actual exercises. Supposed to go for 5 months. Last time only did 3 and am still having relatively bad left side hip pains so I aim to follow through this time for the next 5 months. A lot of hip exercises work both hips at once, nature of the beast so I'm optimistic and looking forward to this helping.

 

Hope everyone else here is pain-free or at least tolerating well. Regards guys.

Edited April 6 by neurotix

[ENTERPRISE]

18 hours ago, neurotix said:

Alright I had my second hip surgery on Thursday, this time on the right. Pain post op was really bad like the car ride home, and my leg (front thigh) where they opened it up. Getting out of thd car was a b----. Also, had severe difficulty sleeping that night and had to take Benadryl (which I had quit) as well as other things to finally fall asleep at 3:30am.

 

I sleep falling asleep on my back and wake up usually on the right side. Problem with that is, I have a brace I have to wear 24/7 for at least a month and being right sided, prevents me from laying on that side. However, last nights sleep was better and I slept in til 11am.

 

Anyway, I am getting around fine just like the last time, supposed to be using crutches but I'm not :x Just taking smaller strides and keeping my weight on the left leg.

 

I start PT on Tuesday which will be a strength/movement radius evaluation and then the next one will be actual exercises. Supposed to go for 5 months. Last time only did 3 and am still having relatively bad left side hip pains so I aim to follow through this time for the next 5 months. A lot of hip exercises work both hips at once, nature of the beast so I'm optimistic and looking forward to this helping.

 

Hope everyone else here is pain-free or at least tolerating well. Regards guys.

I hope you heal up as soon as