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Post by gemstone on Jan 12, 2011 15:42:45 GMT -5
Ok, I think I need a bit of straight talking with regards to the pain I'm in and how I cope.
I know we all have different types of pain due to the different problems, but I feel like I should be dealing with this better.
During the month, I have around one week where I am pretty much pain free followed by a week of moderate to intense pain followed by two weeks of horrendous pain with about 3 days where I can't stand upright (this is when my period is at it's heaviest) as it's too much for me and I'm in so much pain I feel delirious. On top of this, I have the related problems which in my case are mostly bowel related.
I am just entering the second week now, where the pain is pretty bad - I have been taking ibuprofen (I overuse this) and using my heating pad and hot water bottle and it's taking the edge off (I'm going to try my tens machine now). I have rectal bleeding for the two weeks of really bad pain as well as a sort of period.
The rectal bleeding pain is awful and that is like a separate pain from the cramps and back pain. It's like someone is scraping knives in there, and I have sharp urges to 'go' where I then pass blood - often (and I apologise) by passing it with gas. It's so painful.
Or is it? I'm wondering with all the problems I'm having at work, if I need to stop whinging and get on with it. I'm often in tears during these two weeks and the three days where I can't stand up is often when I'm off work.
I just really want your opinions - be straight with me, I won't take offence - do you think I'm making too much out of this or am I just all hormonal and stressed?!
Also sorry for the rather self-involved post, this has just been playing on my mind.
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Post by hellsbells on Jan 12, 2011 16:17:05 GMT -5
Hey gem, I'm gonna bump this over to the pain advice board.
We all have ways of dealing with pain, your pain is your own, you feel it, you shouldn't worry about 'making too much of it'. If nothing helps, you need to go back to your GP and ask for may help with controlling it. Have you used the TENS yet?
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Post by hellsbells on Jan 12, 2011 16:23:20 GMT -5
By the way, pre-lap and everything, I had HORRIFIC rectal pain. It almost reduced me to tears, and I was taking ibuprofen purely to get rid of that pain. The gastro doc prescribed me amitryptilene in a low dose. Not without it side affects (a bit dizziness at times and a bit of drowsiness) but after 4 - 6 weeks the pain was completely gone!
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Post by gemstone on Jan 12, 2011 16:29:04 GMT -5
I'm just sorting my TENS now, I wanted to wait until the pain felt bad enough to need it. I think I just feel a bit 'left alone' now. The hospital aren't going to do anything until I get the scan and my GP doesn't want to know, although I am changing my doctors this week so I may have a better chance. I think I just don't know where to turn in this with the pain and everything.
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Post by hellsbells on Jan 12, 2011 16:41:39 GMT -5
Use it for 4 hrs a time, 3 times a day to start off with, then as and when needed, but for a good 3 hours. That's what the nurse told me to do. Good luck, and ask about the amityptilene.
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Post by Karen on Jan 12, 2011 18:46:21 GMT -5
Um, if you just needed to suck it up a bit, that would mean the pain is all in your head and you could control it. I think all of us would agree that's NOT the case with our pain, so please don't try to minimize it! It sucks to admit that you have pain that incapacitates you, but admitting it is often what motivates you to get the help and care you need!
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Post by pretty on Jan 12, 2011 19:10:30 GMT -5
Just as Karen said. You have to NOT suck it up. THis is real, it's not your fault, and you WILL feel better after surgery and after getting the rectal thing sorted. in the meantime we all are here for you and please don't hold back from expressing your pain. love you!
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Post by KSA on Jan 12, 2011 20:37:24 GMT -5
The pain is REAl like Pretty and Karen said so please vent as much as you need to. Any chance the week that it is hard to stand you can get a massage? That really helps me. My worst times I go to massage therapy a half hr or hr either would work. I am so sorry it has gotten this bad for you. Take Care honey~
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Post by chicagogal2 on Jan 12, 2011 20:52:36 GMT -5
I'm so sorry you are going thru all of this. You are not being dramatic about it - I quite frankly admire you for putting up with it as much as you have - I'd be in total panic mode. I hope things improve quickly for you! Take care!
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Post by gemstone on Jan 13, 2011 1:41:36 GMT -5
Thank you all for posting. I think this is just starting to wear me down a bit too much. I'm sat here now trying to type this to show that I can get up and do the things I need to. I've already run to the bathroom three times in pain passing stools and blood and have been heaving with it, although not vomiting. I'm having a bad time I'll have to admit it and I'm not coping well. I'm going to use a spoon now and shower.
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Post by gemstone on Jan 13, 2011 7:24:37 GMT -5
I'm in work now, in a lot of pain. I'm using my tens for my back pain which is helping - I really noticed when I turned it off for a break - and a hot water bottle pressed on my tummy. I know this is jusy a bad day and not one of my worst days which sucks, but at least I'm in work and not at home. One of the girls I work closely with is great, picking my printing up and doing other things so I don't have to leave my desk.
It's made me feel good that I can force myself to work and cope even though I'm running on empty!
Thank you all for your support, I know this isn't in my head, and I'm going to make an appointment with my doc to see if there's anything else that can be done whilst I'm waiting for the scan and the lap.
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Post by hellsbells on Jan 13, 2011 7:52:18 GMT -5
How long did you use it for?
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Post by gemstone on Jan 13, 2011 7:54:03 GMT -5
I had it on for just over three hours this morning. Now I'm going to use it for four this afternoon and four tonight.
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Post by cherry on Jan 13, 2011 10:00:28 GMT -5
I don't think the amount of time you have it on is an issue, it's moving the pads to allow your skin to breathe. Unless this one works differently to what I know, I vote keep it on as long as you want to, just move your pads around. Pulse setting worked best for me, it has longer lasting relief so I'd use it before bed and then put it on if the pain woke me up. There are no side effects, just the skin issue.
You don't suck it up like the girls have said. You eventually develop coping mechanisms in most cases, learn to deal with it along with treatment and pain relief. And your symptoms are frightening so that in itself is another thing you're having to slowly process. You don't have answers yet, they seem a long way off even. I hope your new GP helps. I'd say go in there with a list of what is going on with, a list of things you think should happen next, a list of what's already been done and what has happened as a result. Somebody has to push for your dates to be moved up.
And sometimes we just can't cope with some things. Cos you feel like you're chasing your tail minus the fun. The pain and sensations feel like the most god-awful things are going on, not many people around you seem to care enough to ask. It does grind you down. It's completely changed who I am for one thing.
I can only say that if you find you have a choice in how you feel, that you're having a day where your head is clear enough despite the pain, decide to live a little, to laugh rather than lie in a room by yourself. Cos sometimes it gets to you and there's a choice on whether you'll fight it or let it drag you down into depression. Doctors expect that as a natural progression but to do things that make me happy (even if it's just putting a comedy on cos I can't eat or move) and offset the misery of the really bad moments, I wish I'd known that from the beginning cos I've learned it helps me to cope better. Everyone is different but I hope it works for you. You seem to have done that in some context anyway, because you're chasing up your medical care and you're being proactive with work. I admire your spirit so much. Otherwise, you've been so brave, and if you collapse into a weeping puddle, you still are brave. I don't know how I'd do it day to day, if I was going through this with no definite answer and therefore no choice of treatment and pain relief. Sometimes you need a good cry and to throw your hands up, to find yourself and to find that bit of extra strength to keep going. See if your GP will send you to a pain clinic, at least you speak to a pain relief specialist and can get counselling... the appointments are usually pretty quick.
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Post by italialynn on Jan 13, 2011 10:53:23 GMT -5
You said it so perfectly, Cherry. You actually made me weepy-eyed!
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