Re: Pain Scale or Pain Log

[Guest guest]

Think of this as a pain diary. At the end of each day, give a rating for your

pain and about when, also what you were doing. I rate mine morning, afternoon

and late night and note what I was doing at the time. Like inactive, working or

sleeping.

  Since I take extended release pain medication the rating gives times when my

pain is not being managed so well and why. It's more to determine if my pain

is being managed than it is tracking my pain without meds.

My goal is pain rated 3-4 throughout the day/night. When it starts averaging

higher my doctor ups my dose.

If you are taking short term pain medication, you will fluctuate much more than

extended release meds.

Jennette

>Crystal wrote:

>What's your opinion responding the pain scale and/or pain logs? I have had my

chronic pain disorder going on 14 years now, and I still don't understand how

I'm supposed to be able to track my pain.

[Guest guest]

Crystal wrote:

> Hi all,

>

> What's your opinion responding the pain scale and/or pain logs? I have had my

chronic pain disorder going on 14 years now, and I still don't understand how

I'm supposed to be able to track my pain.

Crystal,

I was required to keep a pain log so my Doctor could tell what you are talking

about. On the American Pain Foundation website, click on Learn about Pain, go to

the Publications section, scroll down to the Target Your Pain Notebook. It has

a whole section on this subject and other ways to describe your pain, and daily

logs you can keep and triggers.

www.painfoundation.org/learn/publications/files/TargetNotebook.pdf

I did not realize the triggers I had until I kept one and I also had to keep a

" functional assessment " which was tracking what I could and could not do and

this section had incorporated it .

You can print this out and take it to your Doctor and it will help him and you

to understand. You can keep it in a three ring binder and it helps for

documentation for SSI claims also.

I developed and have my own and there are others online but I like this one the

best as it explains why, when, and how it works and has an expressive scale for

pain.

I have tried to describe my pain in ways my Doctor understands like " I feel like

I have a knife sticking in my butt and if I sit down it jams and hurts more " My

fibro, " I feel like someone beat me with a baseball bat all over " " I feel like I

am a porcupine with the needles turning inward and can't stand anyone to touch

me " .

For my pinched nerve, I told my male doctor, Well, put a clothes pin on your

private and see what pain you would feel " I have known him for years and he got

that.

We have discussed this subject before and other members have come up with some

real great descriptors also. I have always thought of writing a small series of

books on them along with what disorder they described : )

My cramps feel like someone took an air pump and took and deflated my muscles or

rubber band and twisted each one in place.

I think the Target Chronic Pain Notebook is a good idea for you to do if even

for three days to see if you can see a trend. My fibro is controlled unless I

lose sleep or get stressed and I call my Doctor for a sleeping pill if I miss

three days of sleep as I know its' coming.

I actually got shingles last year for the first time ever and my Doctor stated

it was stress from my uncontrolled pain and I was able to get meds for it within

the first three days. My pain Physician Assistant missed what it was and my GP

was not happy about that and then two weeks later, I got a break out again, from

over doing things I was helping my Dad and they increased my break thru

medications.

Knowing your triggers is very important and a recent family stress situation is

going to throw me into a trigger and my GP wrote me a script for Valium for a

week until I get this taken care of. You have to learn to care for yourself so

you don't get worse and I am fighting that battle also.

Hope that helps, Crystal, and learning all you can about your consition and what

is available is helpful but hard to do when you feel bad. Let us know how you

are.

It doesn't matter if you don't log every minute or second, just what you can : )

Triggers are stress, frustration etc and you just wrote that. Avoidance is a

technique you use to deal with your pain and you chart that as " What helps " ,

When pains wear off, how long they last, what helps etc. You will be surprised

how it helps. Didn't mean to write a book.

Bennie

[Guest guest]

Like you my pain in feet,legs and back, is usually down in morning but as soon

as I get up from bed the pain really starts and I can be on pain scale a 3-4 in

morning and then within 10 minutes it can be up to 10.

Problem I have with pain scale is that they ask you to compare it to the worst

pain you have felt well up until 4 yrs ago I had not much pain and was fit.

The worst pain I have had is now, and as it is chronic pain 24/7 that is harder

to deal with as there is no light at the end of the tunnel for me as they cant

fix anything.

And yes I get through each day only for my family's sake. And yes at least once

a day I wonder what I am trying to do. But somehow I get through.

I once kept a diary and rather than put in pain scale I put how I felt at

certain times during day. But mostly put what I was emotionally feeling, mood,

etc, and found that gave a better indicator of my pain.

I did the diary on the computer as I spend a lot of time on the computer as a

distraction thing, and play games and chat to people in groups like this one

etc, as I feel I am still in contact with the outside world, and sharing

feelings etc helps keep mind off the pain.

But slowly losing my eye sight in the only eye I have, the other artificial, and

makes it hard to use the computer. And don't know what I will do once I can't

see or use the computer.

But pain scales work for many people and diaries for others, but now I don't

keep a diary as for the last 18 months I have had major depression. And found

the diary hard to keep going.

On anti depressants but they can stop me being depressed a lot of the time, but

just too stubborn to give up yet, I think.

 

thank you KEVIN

> Crystal wrote:

> What's your opinion responding the pain scale and/or pain logs?

[Guest guest]

> wrote:

> But pain scales work for many people and diaries for others, but now I don't

keep a diary as for the last 18 months I have had major depression. And found

the diary hard to keep going.

,

With the Target Pain Notebook at American Pain Foundation, you print out and do

it when and if you want. If someone asks you something that is not applicable

just tell them, This does not apply to me. Four Years ago I had no pain but I

started noticing pain that interrupted my life..... Time ago.

Some times you have to be the one that is sensible so that inaccurate

information is not put in your notes. A true " pain journal, dairy includes

mood, feelings, comments, physical capabilities, meds, and if they work and how

long " . It does not have to be daily but a snap shot in what is happening and to

try to identify the most comprehensive way to treat. Also when there are

changes . It is just mis-named so to speak.

Bennie

[Guest guest]

> Crystal wrote:

> What's your opinion responding the pain scale and/or pain logs? I have had my

chronic pain disorder going on 14 years now, and I still don't understand > how

I'm supposed to be able to track my pain.

Hi Crystal in N.Va.,

I've been dealing with doctor's who ask me what is my pain scale

today I tell them it's the same as the last time you asked me. He keeps asking

me and I keep telling him it's at a 6 with the pain killer and muscle relaxer.

Without them it would definitely be a 9. And a 9 means it is time to get to the

nearest hospital.

/NYS