Sleeping too much

Hi @Former-Member

I am wondering what makes you think you don't qualify for a pain clinic - because maybe they vary - you haven't had much honest feedback about them

Some advocate different kinds of medication - others are against it. It the degree of our pain and how we are coping with it that makes that distinction but the first one I went to was a bad idea - years passed and the pain in my face went away when I had abscessed back teeth removed - and I hurt my spine that was already in bad shape - and I had all sorts of tests in hospital - that is - xrays, C-T scans with and without constrasting dye, a radioactive bone scan then a myleogram. The next year I had an MRI and all of this proved the long term damage in my spine

This was a result of the sporting excesses of my youth

But since then I have been taking strong medication because I see a pain specialist who specialises in geriatric health - (ooh - that gives my age away) and after starting this odyssey on huge amounts of medication I take a lot less - but I could not have what I take without seeing a pain specialist

It's not just medication though - I have been through the works - hydrotherapy - not a good experience for me, massage, biofeedback, tai chi, medication, walking - lots of walking and aromatherapy - and some of these work and others don't but the pain clinic had provided so much help for me in the past I am doing very well considering

But other pain clinics - I know this from other people - don't always have this wide-spread options - and they can be quite harsh. It can be a tricky world and there is an anti-policy I am sure you have heard all about - so I could be audited at any time. I might have already been audited but I am a cooperative patient so I haven't heard anything - yet

So until you have some or all of those tests - particularly the MRI - you can't know if you qualify or not - but there is the waiting list - always the waiting list

And btw - none of what I have at the pain clinic has ever cost me anything - the Government pays for all of it - except when this first happened I was in the private system - I had a good job - but in the public system for me - things have been very good

Dec

@Former-Member and @Former-Member

We can sympathise and empathize with each other - and listen to each other's rants and understand that pain is bl##dy uncomfortable and we all "get it" and how it slows us down

Bodies do age at different speeds for different people - just as does our skin - and I have heard so many nurses suffering from back problems from nursing people who need things like a bed-bath - and imagine turning a heavy person - even if the bed is at the right height etc - that is still a stress on the spine

When Dad was in a nursing home they needed two people to get him out of bed and into the wheel chair and onto the loo and whatever else they did that took a long time. I was outside waiting and my back was joining in all the noises the nurses were making

Pain is a different experience for everyone who has it - and so when I was in a pain support group we never compared pain - so if we have a few people with chronic pain here - it is understood that is an individual experience - but we can share an whinge away knowing we have each other's support

And @TAB - I really want to encourage you to keep your appts with the pain clinic you see - I have no idea what they advise or can help you with - but those appts are like gold -

Aw man!!! - if you have an appointment - then attend please

Dec

Oh darn @TAB

I guess it shows how great the need for help with pain is and how little resources are available

You missed your first chance 2 - 3 years ago - but you can try again - and there is more than one clinic

I have no idea where though

But keep trying - chronic pain is a horrible and sneaky beast

Dec