Mental Health Living with chronic pain

[Inso]

Hi all,

I have two severe neurological headache disorders causing me immense pain 24/7. SUNCT/Cluster headaches & Chronic Migraine. I'm on a pile of pills which no longer work effectively enough.

I am degenerating, getting worse every week, my only option is surgery which will take a few months. There are no more drugs I've taken them all. I spend at least a quarter of each day close to tears and having suicidal thoughts. LUCKILY medical marijuana is phenomenally effective, I go from 'time to end it all' to 'phew I can just about cope'. Along with occasional Oramorph.

Basically I'm totally fucked and have no easy way out. Since it is rapidly getting worse I'm not sure how I'm going to live through the next few months. I've lost everything, a promising career, any chance of a meaningful relationship with anyone, it's fairly hopeless. Thankfully I at least have parents that will let me stay in their house rent-free for now.

In a sense though, I have an arrogant, stubborn state of mind where I won't let it beat me. But I'm reaching my limit.

I know many on here developed problems with Opiates as a result of chronic pain. So can anyone empathize with suicidal feelings while in unending pain? Each day I feel this tingly, severely anxious, depressive breakdown slowly building...

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Hey There Inso!

I can't say I've had it that bad. I think that not letting it beat you is an amazing trait to have. For that, you are strong.

I'm not quite sure about your grievances. Is it because of the headaches? Is there an addiction present? Is it the state of depression and anxiety that's building? I'm trying to get a sense of what you feel is primarily causing this horrible state, and how your career and relationships took a downswing, along with having to live with your parents.

I think that maybe it will help to think of something each day to be grateful for. I know it's not easy, maybe not enough. But it might help. For instance, it could today be supportive parents, not having to live on the streets.

Keep us posted and let's see if we can't brainstorm some things.

Can you see your doctor to perhaps try other medication, given that you feel what you're on now aren't effective enough?

 

[herbavore]

I'm really sorry to hear about those two horrible conditions. I have never experienced them but have friends and family who have. My sister got monthly botox injections in her forehead which addressed the migraines very well. Cluster headaches also have a novel experimental treatment option (http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2011/06/lsd-alleviates-suicide-headaches). I am NOT advocating trying LSD on your own. Simply giving you something to discuss with your doctors by asking if they are aware of these studies and whether you might be eligible for a trial.

 

[SamanthaB]

Hi Inso.

I cannot imagine what you are going through and my heart goes out to you as you traverse these issues. That being said, I would, in the interim, find a good acupuncturist close to where you live. Make sure you choose wisely and that the person is well trained and certified. They can do amazing things with pain. If you go in for an appointment, you need to believe that this is going to work for you and it more than likely will.

I had pretty bad spinal stenosis and was not ready for surgery. I could hardly walk when I first went in, and two appointments later, I could walk. I went twice a week for two months. It was truly amazing. Now, I was not without pain. But, within about a month I was probably 75% better. In two months, I was almost pain free as long as I did not do some of my usual things that aggravated it. My acupuncturist was well trained in China for 5 years and certified by the State of Michigan where I live and also whatever schooling he had to go through here in the United States. He was also the head of the Acupuncture Society of Michigan. The most important thing he told me when I started, was that I would know in two sessions if this was working or not, and if it was not, not to waste my money on any more treatments. I cannot say it will work for you, but it is used very often for all kinds of headaches.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do with these headaches. I would not wish your kind of pain on anyone.

 

[oxyloveUK]

There are many options. I understand how awful pain is on one's mental state so I get how you feel

Clonidine is a great medication for migraines as well as opiate withdrawal

Studies show methadone is a superb painkiller for pain management done in multiple doses a day so if you could ask a pain clinic for that it would be worth a try. It is very hard to come off once you get on but in this case it sounds like benefits outweigh the risks of living with that kind of pain brother

Wish I could get medical marijuana in the UK, it would solve a lot of problems but it wont happen because the government has a horrid attitude to addicts in the country

 

[Doctormigraine]

Hello there Inso,

I'm really sorry to hear about your painful conditions. In this condition, you should go for Botox treatment for migraine headache symptoms. It is common knowledge that plastic surgeons in Hollywood inject movie stars with Botox and in that circumstance, the toxin paralyzes the facial muscles and eliminates frowns and lines. The maker of Botox says that some patients in company-sponsored trials experienced a 50% reduction or more in headache days per month after two cycles of Botox, and more than 2 out of 3 patients showed some improvement. In my opinion, patients should be educated about medication overuse headache and detoxed before Botox is ever considered.