Posted by simcha on August 23, 2010, at 18:27:56
In reply to Re: Cymbalta approved by FDA for chronic pain » simcha, posted by ed_uk2010 on August 23, 2010, at 14:15:12
ed_uk2010, thanks for the comment. My background pain has become familiar and I've learned to tune it out most of the time. I have a very high tolerance for pain as a result. This helps me manage well enough, so it can be an advantage. However, my very high tolerance for pain can prevent me from going to seek medical help when I should sometimes.
I always promise I won't wait as long to go to the doctor for the next flare up just as I get relief from going to the doctor for the current flare up. Then, I forget and fight going to the doctor, because I get frustrated at hearing the same old thing every time. There's really nothing that can be done when they don't know exactly what's causing the pain between flare ups.
Honestly, I have to say that probably most people deal with some level of pain every day once they reach a certain age. I know I'm not alone. Sometimes it scares me because I see my Mom deteriorating and having more frequent flare ups as she ages. She's tough. At the moment, she's getting treatment for a flare up. She's doing better. She has it worse because she has had 4 discs removed from her spine and she always has a few bulging discs. And she has permenant nerve damage that they can't fully explain.
I'm better at 40 than she was at 40 and I've not needed any surgery, so I'm very hopeful. Sometimes pain helps me to focus. It's a reminder to take better care of myself (when I listen to it). And I know I should exercise more, because it usually helps when I'm gentle about it.
So, if my background pain gets worse, then I will try to go to a pain clinic again and try all the things they throw at me like I have before. For now, it's manageable.
And, yes, my pain can make me crabby and it affects my mood sometimes. It can trigger a depressive episode. I do seek treatment when I notice this happening.
Thanks for everyone's concern, I didn't mean to make this thread about me and my pain. I just couldn't believe the strong reaction I had to learning that Cymbalta is being approved for chronic pain.
poster:simcha
thread:959273
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100821/msgs/959533.html