Re: Chronic pain, Depression and Guides

[Guest guest]

> Desert Fire wrote:

> I have often heard the doctors say, " I am so sorry there is nothing more we

can do for you, it's a permanent and degenerative condition. " More than I have

wanted, I have heard this many times. My main doctor keeps trying though.

Depression is part of the pain. I am on Prozac, it helps. However, I knew I

needed a support group, that is why I am here.

Desert Fire:

Pain is separate from depression although they seem so entwined. Untreated pain

causes depression and will wear and wear a body down to include many organs of

the body and the neuro transmitters that help us to keep is mentally healthy do

that " flight or fight " syndrome and depression becomes entwined with it.

Vitamins, Enzymes, Nutrition, and Hormones also effect our pain and research has

proven this. This group has been a life saver for me as I cannot get out most of

the time, and sometimes I like our off topics and we are accepted no matter whom

we are.

Pain can be treated but people's systems can worn down from under treated pain,

Most comprehensive pain treatment plans includes a multi modal approach to

include pain medication, physical therapy (to include simple massage myofascial,

and others, heat or ice, topical medication to include lidocaine patches,

compounded ointments, capcasin, others, muscle relaxants, nueronal medications

(gagapentins, topomax, lyrica, nuerotin)anit depressant (pain specific:

Cymbalta, Elavil), Cortisone, (Injections or oral), anti inflammatories

(torodol, NSAIDS,) ,anti-depressants and appointments with counselors to assess

our psyche, acupuncture,water therapy (swim, for me hot tub), tens unit, pain

pumps, and electrostimulators and other alternate therapy.

http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-chronic-pain is good article on

pain and depression and Social Security psychologists wanted to know all about

my plans for taking my life.

Pain management Doctors that only use one mode . you might consider another one.

Such as the ones that only will see you if you allow them to inject you and if

you don't, they dismiss you. Pain Contracts work both ways and most

aneshethisiologists administer injections and will include them and if you

refuse them if you feel they do not help you, they may call you non compliant.

An article I read that the protocol was for three injections and if those don't

work, they are not going to work and should be discontinued. It also said a

disco gram should be done to check to see if the pain is disco genic (coming

from the discs)

Degenerative Disc Disease is a permanent, degenerative disease that many people

experience.A large part of many patients confusion is that the term degenerative

disc disease sounds like a progressive, very threatening condition. However,

this condition is not strictly degenerative and is not really a disease:

There is a good informative on a Spine Health article to include current

clinical spinal trials:

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/degenerative-disc-disease/what-degenerati\

ve-disc-disease

http://www.spine-health.com/video/sciatica-exercises-degenerative-disc-disease-v\

ideo

Spine Clinical Trials Currently Recruiting

� Superion Clinical Trial: For Treating Moderate Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

� The EVIDENCE Trial: For Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

� The SPINE Trial: Novel Electrotherapy for Chronic Back Pain

� OsseoFix Spinal Fracture Reduction System

� Biostat System Non-surgical Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain

�

>

� Part of the confusion probably comes from the term " degenerative " , which

implies to most people that the symptoms will get worse with age. The term

applies to the disc degenerating, but does not apply to the symptoms. While it

is true that the disc degeneration is likely to progress over time, the low back

pain from degenerative disc disease usually does not get worse and in fact

usually gets better over time.

� Another source of confusion is probably created by the term " disease " ,

which is actually a misnomer. Degenerative disc disease is not really a disease

at all, but rather a degenerative condition that at times can produce pain from

a damaged disc. For more information view Degenerative Disc Disease Interactive

Video.

Disc degeneration is a natural part of aging and over time all people will

exhibit changes in their discs consistent with a greater or lesser degree of

degeneration. However, not all people will develop symptoms. In fact,

degenerative disc disease is quite variable in its nature and severity.

The article consists of over three pages and speaks of sciatica and degenerative

disc disease, spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease and other co

existing conditions.

One of the MOST (yes, I did use all capitals) important guides I have ever

read and has been updated is " Intractable Pain Patient's Handbook for Survival "

by Dr. Forest Tenent which can be downloaded for free or through paintopics.org.

I actually was certified as an intractable pain patient by an original co

partner of Dr. Tenent's (excuse me if I get the dynamics of this wrong, by my

previous doctor, Dr. Hochman, Founder of the National Foundation for the

Treatment of Pain)certified me. Dr. Hochman passed away last year and devoted

his life to helping his patients find pain relief, thus I use his name out of

respect. I had a card that had I was an Intractable Pain Patient and he was to

be called if my pain plan or pain assistance is needed to care for me.

I never had any problem when I gave this card to Nurses trying to be rude.

The opening in the Guide, I wanted to share, as I know some will not go read

this guide but does explain a lot and I have taken it to my Doctors before and

they have thanked me and I am going to take two more copies, one to my newest

pain management doctor and one to my internal medicine doctor.

Dr. Forest Tenent states and explains Intractable Pain:

Your IP is long-standing, constant, keeps you from sleeping, drives up your

pulse rate and blood pressure, and alters your adrenal hormone levels. You must

remember that your pain is your enemy. To cause it to worsen or flare for any

reason may do further damage to nerves and other body tissues that are already

permanently damaged.

Your attitude about pain must change. Increased pain hurts you. When the pain

flares, your pulse rate increases, and hormones stored in your adrenal gland

flood your system causing further body deterioration, rusting, and aging.

Therefore, you MUST do whatever it takes to suppress your pain and prevent

flare-ups. You simply want to keep pain as far away and as controlled as

possible. Never try to " work through it " or " tough it out " or believe that

character and will power will solve your problem.

DEVELOP A SURVIVOR MENTALITY

Now that you have accepted your condition and you begin to consider pain your

enemy, you must develop a positive attitude of hope and survivorship. Why? We no

longer consider IP entirely hopeless and incurable. Recent medical research

advancement is fast and furious. While I make no guarantees, I now see many IP

patients who used to have severe, pain 24 - 7, but now have some pain free hours

or even days. There are new terms you have to learn along with the word

" intractable " .

First, you must know about the " cardiac-adrenal-pain syndrome. " This is

essentially the biologic difference between ordinary chronic pain and IP. The

life-shortening, debilitating mechanism by which IP destroys a life is the

over-stimulation of the cardiac and adrenal hormone systems in the body. A term

of hope is " neurogenesis. " This means that nerves can regenerate or regrow. At

one point, we did not believe this was possible, but now we know differently.

This is the key to the cure or permanent reduction of IP. You must stay healthy

and live long enough to benefit from all the new scientific developments that

are in the pipeline. Another term is " anabolic therapy. " Anabolic means to grow

tissue. Some new pain treatments are meant to grow nerves and other tissue. Many

are truly hopeful such as hormone treatments and nerve stimulation, to name some

current front-runners in the race to cure IP. Your immediate job is to stay

alive and functioning. Keep the pain away and maintain your mind, body, and

social life while awaiting the advances of research and science.

Dr. Tenent has spent many years adding to this Guide and has other publications

he has written, I think members would like along with other authors.

This Guide those had put it in a format that I have seen many ask the same

questions, he has answered. I recommend it again and to the newcomers and it

and other information are listed in our archives that the moderators had made

sure that we have a good section of information to help us. Bennie