Introducing myself

[Guest guest]

Hello. I am 44 and live in New Zealand. I am blessed to have a wonderful husband

and a 16 yr old daughter - and 2 cats

I have had Reactive Arthritis (an inflammatory systemic type of arthritis) since

1993. I am permanently on drugs to suppress my immune system to reduce the

inflammation in my body. Three years ago I had a hip replacement and my foot is

next on the list for 'repairs'.

Arthritis brings with it enough pain to try a person, but 2 years ago it also

caused me to develop neuropathy in the sensory nerve in my groin (lateral

femoral cutaneous nerve). Now I really had pain!! I've trialled gabapentin,

nortriptyline, custom orthotics, codeine etc and had 2 unsuccessful surgeries on

the nerve (decompression and resection). I have had to reduce my work hours,

social activities etc.

I asked to be referred to a pain specialist as my GP was reluctant to give me

tramadol (or anything stronger than codeine) and I had had enough! (Don't get me

started on the inequity of pain relief available to cancer sufferers vs chronic

pain sufferers.)

So last week I saw the pain specialist (he is an anesthetist) and he readily

prescribed me tramadol 200mg SR twice daily. Better than that though, he

injected my nerve with anesthetic and clonidine - and the pain has been gone for

4 days now

I understand it will wear off but am just enjoying the relief for now.

(Happiness is absence from pain!) I feel better being under the care finally of

someone who works with pain victims and doesn't think I am making it up.

Have others here been helped by injections for nerve pain? Or taken oral

clonidine? He also mentioned injecting phenol as a future option.

I look forward to being part of this supportive group of people - those who

haven't had ceaseless daily pain just do not get it, do they? (Lucky them.)