What To Do?

[Guest guest]

I have only posted once to explain why I am in the group, but

I will recap so that perhaps you'll remember my post.

I was medically

retired from the military in 2004. I had my injuries at the time of

my discharge but at that time the DOD only discharged you with one.

So for the last 4 years I have been fighting with the Veterans

Affairs to get my injuries rated. At the time of my discharge they

only rated my left knee that is still not fixed after 4 othroscoptic

surgeries the last was a total ACL replacement using my ham strings

and lower café muscle.

My other injuries are Nerve Entrapment of the Left Leg down to

the left ankle, Tinnitus, Hearing Loss, Lumbar disk disease, Right

Hip Displacement, and Arthritis of knees, hips, ankles, back, and to

top it all of carpel tunnel of my left arm due using a cane and i am

only 43 years old.

At this time I am currently rated at 60 percent disabled

according to the rating boards of the Department of Veterans Affairs,

but I have a claim in for total 100% due to my established service

connected injuries that claim was put in 12 January 2007 its been

over a year and half waiting until the Administration Paper Gods of

the Veterans Affairs decide my claim, but I received a letter telling

me that it should be settled within the next 45 days.

I have had chronic pain now for over 5 years now it has been

about almost 2 years that I have been on medication for the pain the

other years I was self medicating with good ole JD and beer trying to

get though the day,but that road only gave me temporary relief and

yet the pain was still there once it wore off. The pain medication I

am on now doesn't help in the least bit it takes the pain range from

an 8 -9 back down to a 4-5 level to where I can function. I wish

there was a magic bullet they could make to take it all away.

The medications I am on are Naproxen 250mg 4 times a day,

Hydrocodone 10 / Acetaminophen 500mg 4 times a day, Cycolobenzaprine

10mg 3 times a day. There not helping at all and what really sucks is

that within the last 19 months the veterans affairs have changed my

primary care doctor 4 times due to the leaving for better pay or in

the one case he retired.

I hate having to go through a new doctor they treat you as if

you're a new patient next month I have a office visit to renew my

medications but I am thinking I need medications that last longer and

provide better relief because the ones I am taking are just are not

cutting it.

The pain and the stress is all but eating up not only my body

but also my thoughts, I am closing down and finding I don't want

people around me. My marriage is all but over because I have with

drawed she doesn't understand that Pain is the major focus in my life

and trying to seek relief is my goal. The worst is when I run out of

my pain medications because I know I am not suppose to but there are

times I would double up just to find some sort of relief if only for

that 6 hours.

I am sorry this was long but I needed just to let it out if just

though this group.

Know that I read every ones messages and I feel so bad that

there are other men and woman suffering from chronic pain it's the

worst of the worst half think were crazy ¼ think were drug seekers

and the ¼ really do try and help us fight this demon attacking us

from within.

Rob