Posted by fairywings on August 21, 2005, at 7:18:00
Okay Eddie, here's my repost from psychology, thanks for wanting to reply to me....fw
I had an injury about 10 years ago, and I have chronic pain from it in my hip, butt, and down the back of my leg, sometimes in my lower back. I'm aware of the pain all day/every day, its just that I've "adjusted" to it because it's gone on so long, and because I chose not to take meds when I was injured because at the time I had two little kids, and was baby-sitting two other young kids. At the time I used a medical magnet with very good success. I learned to live with it, and learned to sleep with it, or so I thought. I'd forgotten that it kept me up, woke me up repeatedly through the night, and always woke me up early.
About 4 months ago my p-doc Rxd me Ambien for sleep and it worked wonders, so I asked him if I could take it every night. He said yes, I'd build up a tolerance, but that I could. Anyway, tonight I decided not to take it because it knocks me out so much, and my husband isn't home; I'd hate to think I wouldn't wake up if something happened. So, I tried to sleep, and guess what? No sleep, at first it was because I kept thinking about things. Then I realized how much pain I was in, and every inch I moved was agonizing. I put on my magnet, and it helped enough to get to sleep, but I woke up from the pain. Can't believe I used to put up with this every night. Finally I just got up because I couldn't stand the pain anymore.
I've tried physical therapy, which worked for a while, then chiropractic, which did nothing, now I'm doing neuromuscular therapy, which is a form of deep muscle massage therapy - which feels really good, or at least the first session did, and I have very high hopes for.
I've gotten to the point where I realized if something doesn't help me, I'll be in a wheelchair in a matter of years. Anybody else have any other ideas for chronic pain? Other ideas for sleep, other than meds? Anybody doing neuromuscular therapy? If so, how's it working for you? Anybody else living w/chronic pain and not taking meds? Anybody else choosing to exercise w/chronic pain because you know that, for yourself, if you don't you'll be worse off?
thanks,
fairywings
poster:fairywings
thread:544676
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/health/20050411/msgs/544676.html