As for what helps, besides medication, I find that I must avoid too much caffeine (really stirs up the neuropathic pain) or alcohol. Also, too much salt in my diet seems to kick it into overdrive. I know that somewhere there is a list of foods which are listed (pro/con) for people in chronic pain. Also, as your neuropathy is from previous surgery it might not ‘follow all the rules’ as far as what works. Here’s what I use:

**progressive relaxation exercises (also known as meditation).
**Hot baths help mine (but I’ve heard of some who need ice — it’s trial and error).
**Try to keep my mind off it by being mentally busy all the time.
**Some days, I just give in to it and cacoon on the couch watching whatever’s on a movie channel.

Anyway, I strongly urge you to check out healingwell.com/community/ Look for the forums and you ‘ll see quite a list for various conditions. IMHO it’s the best I’ve seen and is well moderated and full of very caring and supportive moderators and members. Please check it out and good luck. “OO”

I’ve not been coming here much since th C ymb*lta and a few other interventions got me through some rough territory.
I’m wondering is you could elaborate/clarify for me what you been by certain drugs being anxiolyti, double-edged sword…and,not sure about so indicate in findrxonline to be confident that this discovery is beneficial to all

Would love to hear more of what your story, what experience has been and what you’ve learned from the CP experience. OO
tnx again for posting

I imagined the holy man saying “Life is like a beanstalk isn’t it?” to the seeker and when the seeker soon turns away (perhaps confused and disappointed) he glances back (when the musical exclamation point occurs soon after) to see the holy man looking like a large man sized beanstalk playing that piano (we hear) with his bean pod fingers… a greenish light around him that is both his essence and a glimpse into a wider universe… All of it radiating happiness and contentment

Yah man. Life is like a beanstalk. And a lot of other things too ;-D

“In the ocean he findeth a drop, in a drop he beholdeth the secrets of the sea. Split the atom’s heart, and lo! Within it thou wilt find a sun.”
(Baha’u'llah, The Seven Valleys, p. 12)

1. Pain MDs– yes, by all means get a better one. There are 2 kinds of Pain Specialists, I’ve been to both: The most common (because that’s where the money is, given that people want relief, not necessarily a solution imho) are what I call Needle Specialists, they just treat the symptom not the patient and so give drugs an shots. There’s a place for that, but that is a small piece of the puzzle that is chronic pain.

The second type, and the ones which enabled me to fight my way back to having a life are as you say, holistic, also called Systems or multidisciplinary approaches. I went to Temple (Phila) Pain Control Center in 1986 when they were going gangbusters. Since then, the $ seems to have shifted so they are no longer equipped with as many specialties as before.

When I had my outpatient at Temple (1986) I saw: psychiatrist, psychologist, neurologist, physical therapist, behavioral therapists, dietitian and a Social Worker. I also took the MMPI and other psych tests. What I learned after all of it enabled me to slowly set in motion a plan and protocol for living with pain — even thriving with pain.

So…I’d look around for a more holistic/behavioral pain management center, which can work with Dr Needles.

2. The ‘addiction’ issue for CPP:

This topic tends to send me into a bit of a rant, but I’ll try to spare you. The medical profession has become so paranoid in our litigious society that most of the time they UNDER medicate, for fear they’ll be arrested for trafficing. This leads to most CPP suffering needlessly. A friend of mine is a compounding pharmacist and he told me that pain meds regimens should be tailored to the patient in terms of dosage and intervals.

What frustrates me on this is that the medical community has at its disposal tools and protocols for differentiating drug-seeking behaviors from CPP with legitimate need for stronger meds. But fear rules out so most of us suffer as a result. I like to ask people worried about ‘addiction’, whether they feel that a diabetic who needs insulin is ‘addicted’ to it. Of course not…so for those who have serious chronic pain addiction is a moot point– call it what you want, but to be able to relieve pain and live ones life because of taking opiates all the time, well, that seems more important…anyway, sorry for the rant ….

3. Chicken or the egg

Well, looking back on my years as CPP, I now see that there is an interesting path of causality between depression & CP. I found out at age 62 that I have a serious depressive personality and surrendered to it, taking Cymbalta, which is surely the cause of my recent breakthrough in terms of overall happiness (even as the symptoms worsen steadily with age– my coping has changed significantly).

There is, imo, a causal loop (actually a ‘negative feedback loop’ to be technical) between the Depression & the headache (or whatever pain presents). The headache can cause depression, or worsen it, and the depression can lead to the headaches. Once in a serious headache, depression worsens, which worsens the headache, which worsens the depression….etc.

So the solution must be systemic in that etiology may not be that critical in the problem solving phase. Of course, if you have a solid dx say of bi-polar, chronic sever deprssion, or whatever, and treat for that, then if the headaches go away (or ameliorate significantly) then the next step in addressing the CP will be more apparent.

As for self-care vs supporting your husband: yes, would be nice if you didn’t have to choose. However, perhaps if you frame it not as an ‘either-or’ but some kind of balancing act of the 2 needs.

Lastly, yes, much to give thanks for here. The family & grandchildren are constant reminders of the beauty that exists in life, and the need for Hope especially in these dark times.

Take care,
OO