Seeking Prayers and Strength for Chronic Pain Relief | Personal Story

[Jean DeVries]

Not that you asked, but.....

I had the ultrasound today. There was nothing there. Wait. I mean nothing that shouldn't have been there.

And I still don't have my tonsils.

I guess I"m kind of disappointed, because I was hoping at least for an answer that sounded like something I could have fixed. If it's not gyn-related, then it's bowel related.

Like I thought an ultrasound was bad. GI's do even ickier tests. My worst fear is that they're not going to find anything there either, and it'll get lumped into IBS, the catch-all diagnosis for things that can't be explained. Which means it also can't be fixed. I'm Gen-X. I want it all, and I want it now. I don't want to know I'll spend the rest of my life in this pain.

Besides, if I eat any more fiber, I'll float.

I'm also disappointed because I won't be getting another month off of work. My magazine pile has crept back up to high......

 

[Kitchen Diva]

....I normally don't ask for things for me.

But I would really appreciate some prayers/good thoughts. Long story short, I spent most of last year in pain due to what doctors said could be digestive, or could be fibroid tumors. I had the fibroid tumors removed. The doctor said they were the ugliest ones she's ever seen (like, has anyone ever seen a 'pretty' tumor?). Anyhow, the pain I went through was the most excruciating thing I've ever gone through in my life. I've never given birth, but I suspect it was something similar to contractions, since my gyn said it was like my uterus was trying to expel these tumors. TMI, I know.

Anyway, I had the tumors out, and for five months was blissfully pain free.

Well, guess what. Pain. Back again. I have no idea what for this time, since what I thought was causing it is gone. I have an appt with the gyn next week, and my regular doctor won't give me pain meds. I struggled most of last year trying to get pain meds, although nothing much helped. It also keeps me up at night, so I don't get much sleep.

Prayers for strength for me to withstand the pain, and not let it get me depressed like it did last year would be appreciated. Then, of course, a little extra shout out to the deity of your choice that someone can actually figure out what's causing this pain. The anxiety of wondering when it's coming next is almost worse than the pain itself. Almost....

TIA.

Jean, first off, why won't your doctor give you pain meds? There are a few if responsibly taken won't render you addicted... I get upset when I hear of someone in pain, and when a doctor can minimize it and they choose not to. I will be praying for your pain to lessen for sure! I have this really awesome book of prayers, but I think my sister has it down in her room right now. (her and her daughter are staying with us, b/c she found out her hubby was sexually abusing their 3.5 year old daughter)

I will also pray for clarity and wisdom as the doctors try to figure out what is going on with you.

I can totally relate to unbearable pain. I was unable to walk for months following a back injury- and narcotics only took the edge off the pain- it was awful. So I feel just terrible that you are hurting like you are. If it was legal, and if I had enough to make an impact, I'd send you the rest of my Vicodin!

Hang in there, and let us know what happens.

I always wanted to say something snappy about the fact that you are upside down in your avatar picture...maybe that's why you hurt? All that blood is rushing to your head?

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Hi again,

For those of you sitting on the edges of your couch wondering, "How's Jean doing?" here's the update

I finished my antibiotics.

I haven't had any pain since then.

I visited the GYN today. I thought I was just going for a conversation, but apparently the rule is you take off your pants no matter what. If they're gonna make that rule, they should make the paper drapes they give you out of flannel, and lots of it.

Anywhoo, she doesn't think it's the fibroids, but scheduled an ultrasound anyway. And not one of those happy soap opera ones...it's one of those where they check not only your girl parts, but also the health of, like, your tonsils, at the same time. I keep telling them I don't have my tonsils, but they keep looking anyway.

So, perhaps all last year when I was in extreme pain, it was really just UTI's. Who knows......

Did they test you for fibromialga (sp?) colitis or chron's disease?

Glad to hear you are feeling better. I suppose I should read an entire thread before commenting or posting...now there's a novel thought!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Well, the good news is I slept through the entire night last night.

The bad news is, the pain came back right around lunchtime. And has been lingering ever since.

Fortunately, it's not too bad - bearable for now. Good thing, because I had to go out TV shopping. I've been "storing" my brother's TV in my living room for the past three years while he's worked on a cruise ship. He recently got a job in Virginia, and so today the movers came and my TV moved to Virginia. Kinda of selfish of him, I think. I mean, I babysat that TV faithfully every night, paid it good attention, pushed it's buttons, kept it clean, and he just up and took it like it belonged to him or something. Ingrate.

Which brings me to the second hijack in my thread - why are televisions so blankin' expensive? I didn't want to have to sell bodily fluids to afford one, but holy cow. Does anyone really NEED to spend $1100 on a TV? Do you get more out of a television show if you can see everyone's pores than if you can't? Seriously...I don't get it. You can't just go buy a cheap TV these days. And it seems to be TV month....just about every place I went was out of the one I wanted in the price I wanted to pay. Needless to say, I went to like 8 different stores tonight and by the time I decided which one I wanted, the store it was at was closed. So now I have to go back and do it all over again tomorrow night. I did leave a pack of flustered TV salespersons in my wake however. "What makes this one better?" "OK, I understand it's HD, but WHY is that better? Will I understand physics more with this TV? Can I further the cause of sustainability and world peace if I can watch TV in HD?" Makes me understand just how ridiculous consumerism really is. Yeesh. Hijack over.

Oh, and I talked my PCP into giving me good drugs. Not Becky good, but a step higher than what he's given me at any point in the past. I'm an Aries. They don't call us Rams for nothing....

I think it was because I threatened to rip out my uterus and shove it in him through the smallest hole on his body. Then he'd understand my pain....

(No, not really. I didn't threaten my doctor. I talked to the nurse, who understood my pain, and I think, threatened my doctor.)

OMG you are too funny! I laugh when I read your posts. Well, most of them are funny- you being in pain isnt' funny!

Did you try Wal*Mart for a TV?

I had a male GYN- he wanted to do a hysterectomy on me at age 26. He said there really wouldn't be any significant changes to me physically, sexually, emotionally...etc. etc... so I said to him (I'm an Aquairius, so no ramming here, just good old BITE ME flowing through my veins) So I said to him.... Why don't i cut off half of your weiner and you tell me that it doesn't change you sexually, or physically, or emotionally, or mentally. If you do well with part of your weener gone, and your wife doesn't leave you- then you can take my uterus and my ovaries.

Needless to say, I still have all my parts!

 

[katie0128]

I had a male GYN- he wanted to do a hysterectomy on me at age 26. He said there really wouldn't be any significant changes to me physically, sexually, emotionally...etc. etc... so I said to him (I'm an Aquairius, so no ramming here, just good old BITE ME flowing through my veins) So I said to him.... Why don't i cut off half of your weiner and you tell me that it doesn't change you sexually, or physically, or emotionally, or mentally. If you do well with part of your weener gone, and your wife doesn't leave you- then you can take my uterus and my ovaries.

Needless to say, I still have all my parts!

OMG!!! That is SOOOO funny! I'm an aquairius, too, and "BITE ME" is one of my favorite sayings!!!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

OMG!!! That is SOOOO funny! I'm an aquairius, too, and "BITE ME" is one of my favorite sayings!!!

I love that saying as well. The problem is my chubby hubby is Italian...and he likes to bite. Not good for me or my favorite saying! Jean said she was an Airies, hence the RAM thing... I always thought Aquairus's were water bearers, but we aren't. I think we rule the air...regardless, since I wasn't sure what symbol, sign, animal or mineral or vegetable represented my "sign" I went for the Bite Me thing.

Glad I can make ya laugh. Jean makes me laugh, too!

 

[katie0128]

I love that saying as well. The problem is my chubby hubby is Italian...and he likes to bite. Not good for me or my favorite saying! Jean said she was an Airies, hence the RAM thing... I always thought Aquairus's were water bearers, but we aren't. I think we rule the air...regardless, since I wasn't sure what symbol, sign, animal or mineral or vegetable represented my "sign" I went for the Bite Me thing.

Glad I can make ya laugh. Jean makes me laugh, too!

Oooo... kinky!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Oooo... kinky!

Not really- just painful...
But I'm glad you are here to take my innocent and beautiful words and run them to the gutter.

(kidding)

 

[Jean DeVries]

Jean, first off, why won't your doctor give you pain meds? ...I always wanted to say something snappy about the fact that you are upside down in your avatar picture...maybe that's why you hurt? All that blood is rushing to your head?

He won't give me pain meds because he doesn't have a uterus. Therefore, he has rendered himself incapable of understanding pain. And, he seems to be the fiber police, so if it is IBS, it's somehow my fault because I don't eat enough fiber (when are they going to start putting that crap in ice cream????)

Actually, he's really nice, but he's in the same boat as a lot of doctors...only has 5 minutes to talk to me, and it's easier to just shove a scrip in my hand for something than it is to really get to the bottom of it. Except for narcotics. For some reason, he won't part with those......

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Ice cream, shakes, malts...they can all have more fiber in them!

 

[katie0128]

Ice cream, shakes, malts...they can all have more fiber in them!

Benefiber is great... I get to pretent that everything is "healthier". And on the more serious side (hahaha...) my 4yo DS has lots of GI issues and this is a way for him to be able to eat lots of foods that normally don't fit into a high fiber diet, without him even knowing he is taking more "medicine".

 

[Jean DeVries]

OK, so it's been really bad, off and on, for the last week or so.

So bad that tonight, after about 1/2 hour of wailing on the floor, my sister took me to an urgent care center. The doctor there said that it was too low to be IBS or appendix, but could be a hernia or kidney stones. However, I didn't present all of the symptoms of either one, so he suggested I see a surgeon to get rid of my hernia, and gave me Vicodin.

Back to no answers. I'd settle for the same answer from at least two doctors. I don't know where to go from here, I'm at my wit's end, and the stress of the pain is making me a crazy woman. I know I can't live the rest of my life like this.....

 

[pamperedbecky]

OK, so it's been really bad, off and on, for the last week or so.

So bad that tonight, after about 1/2 hour of wailing on the floor, my sister took me to an urgent care center. The doctor there said that it was too low to be IBS or appendix, but could be a hernia or kidney stones. However, I didn't present all of the symptoms of either one, so he suggested I see a surgeon to get rid of my hernia, and gave me Vicodin.

Back to no answers. I'd settle for the same answer from at least two doctors. I don't know where to go from here, I'm at my wit's end, and the stress of the pain is making me a crazy woman. I know I can't live the rest of my life like this.....

Oh Jean!! I'm so sorry to hear that. That must be SO frustrating! I hope you get some definitive answers soon!

 

[lacychef]

You poor thing It has to get better soon!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

OK, so it's been really bad, off and on, for the last week or so.

So bad that tonight, after about 1/2 hour of wailing on the floor, my sister took me to an urgent care center. The doctor there said that it was too low to be IBS or appendix, but could be a hernia or kidney stones. However, I didn't present all of the symptoms of either one, so he suggested I see a surgeon to get rid of my hernia, and gave me Vicodin.

Back to no answers. I'd settle for the same answer from at least two doctors. I don't know where to go from here, I'm at my wit's end, and the stress of the pain is making me a crazy woman. I know I can't live the rest of my life like this.....

Ouch Jean! It's crazy that no one can figure out what is wrong!

But at least this doctor was nice enough to give you Vicodin!:thumbup:

 

[vwpamperedchef]

Jean you are in my prayers! And I am praying the Dr's can make an accurate decision on what's causing you so much pain!

 

[Jean DeVries]

Ouch Jean! It's crazy that no one can figure out what is wrong!

But at least this doctor was nice enough to give you Vicodin!:thumbup:

I would have been a little more excited about it if it had actually worked...took two of them. Nothin.

Except it made me all jittery and I couldn't sleep.....

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

You were supposed to take the ones labeled, "Vicodin" and not the ones labeled, "NoDoze."

 

[AnnieBee]

Hey Jean,

I hope you get a GREAT night of sleep tonight. I'm so sorry to hear about your health problems, I hope you get some answers VERY soon, but in the mean time I will say a prayer for you. I particulary wanted to reply when I saw this thread for the first time today, because I will be in your neck of the woods for Easter - Yay! Most of my in-laws are in the GR area, and we will spend Easter Day at my BIL's in Grandville (about 5 mins from that AWESOME mall ). Anyway, I will wave a hello to you as we drive through the area!! Too bad the weather is so cold, as they have a super fun Easter Egg Hunt and lots of fun stuff at their church which I want to take my little ones too. Oh well!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Hey Jean,

I hope you get a GREAT night of sleep tonight. I'm so sorry to hear about your health problems, I hope you get some answers VERY soon, but in the mean time I will say a prayer for you. I particulary wanted to reply when I saw this thread for the first time today, because I will be in your neck of the woods for Easter - Yay! Most of my in-laws are in the GR area, and we will spend Easter Day at my BIL's in Grandville (about 5 mins from that AWESOME mall ). Anyway, I will wave a hello to you as we drive through the area!! Too bad the weather is so cold, as they have a super fun Easter Egg Hunt and lots of fun stuff at their church which I want to take my little ones too. Oh well!

Anniebee -

You will be soooo close to where I live! Wave to me too (I'm in Jenison)

What Church will you be at? (like there are only a couple to choose from here! )

 

[Stephaniecafe]

I couldn't sleep again tonight. Must be Diety sending me to the computer because here is a post so much like my life that my breath caught in my throat. In and out of the hospital for simailar problems for the last 5 years... Pain free for the last six months though. My doctor found the fibroids and cystes as well. Turns out it was PCOS. Painful stuff. Personal note, worse than labor! Had two boys despite the situation thanks to many prayers and personal soul searching. As a result I only have one ovary left. Here is what I found, that the pain was and is part of a journey. I hated it! I have pain today that I haven't had for a long time. Don't know why we have trials except to make us humble and bring us closer to God, though some use them to talk themselves out of believing that there could be a higher power watching over them. My experience is that prayer works. Every day. So my prayers are with you and my whole family will remember you tonight as we kneel as a family. Don't let the sadness in... Look for the light and you will find it!

 

[AnnieBee]

Anniebee -

You will be soooo close to where I live! Wave to me too (I'm in Jenison)

What Church will you be at? (like there are only a couple to choose from here! )

LOL Becky! Actually, we will probably be at My MIL and FIL's Church for Easter services as we will be staying with them. They live in Middleville, and go to Caledonia CRC, a really wonderful church. My B and SIL in Grandville go to Ivanrest Church (also CRC) on - wait for it - Ivanrest Ave! Their Community Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Saturday is alot of fun and an awesome outreach. We will spend the rest of Sunday at their house. Anyone want to go to an Easter Egg Hunt??!! - Jean, it'd be great to meet you! We could have a little Chef Success meet and greet while we're at it

 

[ChefBeckyD]

LOL Becky! Actually, we will probably be at My MIL and FIL's Church for Easter services as we will be staying with them. They live in Middleville, and go to Caledonia CRC, a really wonderful church. My B and SIL in Grandville go to Ivanrest Church (also CRC) on - wait for it - Ivanrest Ave! Their Community Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Saturday is alot of fun and an awesome outreach. We will spend the rest of Sunday at their house. Anyone want to go to an Easter Egg Hunt??!! - Jean, it'd be great to meet you! We could have a little Chef Success meet and greet while we're at it

I have friends at Ivanrest! (I wondered if that was where you would be going for the Egg Hunt! They have a big ad in the local paper this week.) They have a great Moms Time Out on Tuesdays....I have a couple friends who go to it.

I would love to go to the Hunt - but we have so much going on at our church Easter Weekend (services Fri, Sat, & 3 on Sunday) and DH and I are both very involved....hope the weather cooperates for you!

 

[Jean DeVries]

OK, Becky. I think I'm a freak of nature.

Vicodin does nothing for me. It doesn't wipe me out like my sister promised. It doesn't make me loopy like others promised. It doesn't kill any pain. I took two of them last night....nothin. Again. I'm exhausted...haven't slept in like the two nights.

Can't wait for that doctor appointment tomorrow.....

 

[ChefBeckyD]

OK, Becky. I think I'm a freak of nature.

Vicodin does nothing for me. It doesn't wipe me out like my sister promised. It doesn't make me loopy like others promised. It doesn't kill any pain. I took two of them last night....nothin. Again. I'm exhausted...haven't slept in like the two nights.

Can't wait for that doctor appointment tomorrow.....

You FREAK!

It has the same (non)effect on my mom. I'm that way with antihistamines. I take them and feel like my whole body is buzzing, and I still can't breathe any better. Then I can't sleep for hours afterwards. Which means I can never take nighttime cold meds.


I HOPE HOPE HOPE the Dr. can do something for you tomorrow. It is miserable to not be able to sleep, and can be dangerous.

 

[Jean DeVries]

Well, after waking up at 5:00 am and sobbing for about four hours, I went to my doctor appointment. He told me I probably have nerve damage, and was going to refer me to a surgeon. This caused me even more hysterics because that mean there was no pain relief in sight....

So I said, "What about kidney stones?" and so he agreed to take some urine. He came back like 5 minutes later and said I had a "raging" UTI. WTF? How come they didn't find that at the med center on Monday night? He said that it's possible for those things to rage quickly. Ok. That doesn't explain the pain last week. Or the week before. But I'll play his game, mostly because it's more hope than nerve damage.

So, I have antibiotics, stuff that numbs the bladder and turns your pee orange, and some Tylenol with Codeine.

He said if it didn't get better by the weekend, I should go to the ER so they can do a CT scan.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Well, after waking up at 5:00 am and sobbing for about four hours, I went to my doctor appointment. He told me I probably have nerve damage, and was going to refer me to a surgeon. This caused me even more hysterics because that mean there was no pain relief in sight....

So I said, "What about kidney stones?" and so he agreed to take some urine. He came back like 5 minutes later and said I had a "raging" UTI. WTF? How come they didn't find that at the med center on Monday night? He said that it's possible for those things to rage quickly. Ok. That doesn't explain the pain last week. Or the week before. But I'll play his game, mostly because it's more hope than nerve damage.

So, I have antibiotics, stuff that numbs the bladder and turns your pee orange, and some Tylenol with Codeine.

He said if it didn't get better by the weekend, I should go to the ER so they can do a CT scan.

Oh Jean, I'm so sorry you are having such a miserable time.

Well, hopefully the antibiotics and the bladder-numbing orange-pee meds will help......but I thought Tylenol w/ Codeine was the same thing as Vicodin?

 

[Jean DeVries]

It pretty much is, but different drugs work differently on different people. Hopefully this one will work.

I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooooo tired.....

 

[katie0128]

Well, after waking up at 5:00 am and sobbing for about four hours, I went to my doctor appointment. He told me I probably have nerve damage, and was going to refer me to a surgeon. This caused me even more hysterics because that mean there was no pain relief in sight....

So I said, "What about kidney stones?" and so he agreed to take some urine. He came back like 5 minutes later and said I had a "raging" UTI. WTF? How come they didn't find that at the med center on Monday night? He said that it's possible for those things to rage quickly. Ok. That doesn't explain the pain last week. Or the week before. But I'll play his game, mostly because it's more hope than nerve damage.

So, I have antibiotics, stuff that numbs the bladder and turns your pee orange, and some Tylenol with Codeine.

He said if it didn't get better by the weekend, I should go to the ER so they can do a CT scan.

Personally, I would ask your MD if he can write an order for you to have a scan done as an outpatient. If you go to the ED for a CT, you are going to pay out your rear AND your currently numbed hoo-ha for it!

I don't know about the cost where you are, but for a local ED visit for a CT scan around here I'd expect to pay around $400 just for the ED visit, plus the charge for the scan, the radiologist to read it and if the ED MD isn't a hospital employee (which many are not), you will pay as separate charge from the company (s)he works for as well. Again, charges may be different where you live, but around here, I'd assume total charges could reach $600-$700!!!

Not that I'm an MD or pretent to be one, but he is right about the UTI coming quickly. I've had one develop and get to the "raging" stage in about 2 days... VERY painful and VERY annoying. That doesn't explain the previous pain, but at least you got some pain meds for now.

 

[JAE]

Sleep well, Jean! (I hope....zzzzzz)

 

[PChefPEI]

Prayers going your way, Jean.

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Miss Jean the Orange-pee Queen.... I hope are you sleeping well!

Try taking two vicodin and 1 hour later, take a couple of advil- not tylenol as it has acetominaphine in it, and you should not take acetominaphine with Vicodin as it has a nice amount in there already and you could potentially over dose on acetominaphine (sp?)

I thought I was the only one that had psycho doctors that couldn't agree on what was wrong with me- they were all to happy to keep me on narcotics and steroids for a few years, and all that did was give me a severe hormone deficiency and make me sterile.

So now I'm just mad that there are others out there like me, who can't get a straight answer and we have to keep going from doctor to doctor. MAKE THEM listen to you and take more than 5 minutes. I learned that the hard way. Once I demanded that they listen and help- rather than shove a prescription note in my hand, we actually got somewhere.

I hope you are sleeping. My prayers go out to you. You are too much fun of a person to be in this kind of pain!

I'm also sorry Vicodin does nothing for you...sometimes it takes a day or two to build up in your system- and maybe Darvocet or Percocet would work better for you?!?

Blessings!

 

[raebates]

Having experience 6 full weeks of insomnia earlier this year, I know that not sleeping is its own personal nightmare. I can't imagine adding horrible pain to the mix. I hope you are sleeping well right now. You'll be in my prayers.

 

[Jean DeVries]

So Saturday night I just couldn't stand it anymore. I was in pain, I wasn't sleeping, and hadn't slept in almost 3 days, so I went to the emergency room at 2:30 in the am.

They hoooked me up to pain meds and an IV, took a CT scan, and I waited. The pain meds never worked.

When the poor young resident doctor came in and told me there was nothing on my CT scan, I thought I was going to lose it. I never wanted a kidney stone so bad in my entire life. That poor resident had no idea what to do with me...I was hysterical. The worst pain of my life, and there is nothing they can do for me. I'm not sure how I'm going to deal with this.....

They gave me other pain meds and sent me home. (With, I might add, another scrip for Vicodin, which I probably told them like 20 times didn't work.)

Yesterday was a good day, and I got an entire night's sleep last night. But the stress of waiting for it to hurt again is unbearable. The pain is unbearable. And not knowing where to go next is unbearable.....I'm just looking for some hope and no one can give it to me.......

Thanks for listening.....

 

[katie0128]

My DH has chronic back pain, even AFTER having a microdiscectomy for his herniated disc. His MD is pretty good about giving him meds to help take the edge off, but keeps telling DH he needs to go to a pain clinic to figure out how to manage it better. Maybe that is something to try...

 

[Kitchen2u]

I'm praying that you get SOME kind of answer to what's causing all your pain ~

 

[Debala715]

Jean, would it be possible for you to go to a more advanced hospital for testing to get some actual answers of why you are having so much pain? I'm thinking a visit to the Mayo Clinic might be in order.I'll be praying that you get some kind of relief and some answers!

 

[legacypc46]

I've been reading your posts and am terribly sorry they can't find either a cause or something to alleviate your pain. I have to second the recommendation for more advanced testing.

leggy

 

[Jean DeVries]

Finally...a shred of hope.....Thanks so much to everyone who has stopped by here with advice or well wishes. I really do appreciate it.

Last night, I got a shred of hope. When looking back at when the pain started again, it was about 6 weeks ago. Now that I know it's not organ-ish (thanks to the CT scan), and knowing that Doogie Howser at the hospital told me it was probably musclular/skeletal, I got to thinking.

At the beginning of February, I went snowshoeing. I know Becky D is the one person who has ever seen me, so I know she can testify...I'm not exactly athletic. In fact, I'm round. I'm not not athletic, I'm just not in shape. (Well, except for round...). Normally when we snowshoe, we just go for like an hour and then spend the rest of the weekend sitting around telling stories and enjoying the company of friends. This year our usual leader, full of energy thanks to an 80 pound weight loss, led us all over the north country. About halfway through, I had the worst annoying pain in my hip area, which I attributed to just being out of shape, and having to cart around not only me, but the 40 pounds of snow that had accumulated on my snowshoe. Plus, snowshoes make you walk funny anyway...not in your normal stance. It hurt. Once I took my snowshoes off and started walking normally, it went away.

So, I says to myself, "Self...perhaps you did grievous bodily injury to the overly complicated muscle structure that makes you walk." (I'm desperately grasping at straws, mind you....) Thank (insert the deity of your choice) my chiropractor does same day appointments.

I went to my chiro, told him the story, and he was like, "Um. Yeah. You probably have some muscle issues." The whole time he was adjusting me, nothing hurt. Pain free. Woohoo! Of course, it came back when he was done, but he did some more work on some muscle groups and trigger points in the area, and it felt better.

I was in pain most of the day today, but could feel muscles moving around as I applied heat to them (thank god again for a desk job....). Fortunately, for the moment, my boss is being very understanding and knows I'm in pain - could be the uncontrolled sobbing in her office. Now, I have no idea if muscles are the source of the problem, or my back and muscles are now screwed up from compensating from the pain, but it was just nice to hear a doctor say, "Yeah, I think this is what it is, and we can fix it. No problem." I'm running with that....

In the meantime, I've made an appointment with a pain clinic in town that comes highly recommended from coworkers who have husbands who have used it, and with a massage therapist who comes highly recommended by her husband, who sits next to me at work.

Oh, and my regular doctor? He's referred me to a GI, and a urologist. I'm going to both appointments, but I'm leaning more towards the muscle issue now (perhaps a little misguided, but it can't hurt, right? I mean, I already know I'm not suffering from anything that can be seen on a CT scan.....)

Thanks again for following my little saga. I know it's small compared to the trials of others, and I know I should be grateful that my problem is small compared to others who request prayers on this site. I'm trying to keep that perspective.

You are all appreciated!

 

[janetupnorth]

Jean - glad you are getting SOMEWHERE - hope it helps......and any reason to get a massage is a good one! Look on the bright side, at least you aren't puking your guts out like my DD did Sunday night all night... (Of course you'd probably trade that for the pain you've been having!!!!)

 

[rebeccastt]

Jean,
It's not a small thing when you have chronic pain. We take our usual pain-free days for granted, but when you are hurting, it can be extremely miserable!

I'm so glad to hear that you are possibly finding some solutions and getting back some hope.

 

[Jean DeVries]

Another Day, Another Diagnosis.........this one is probably for real. I know I said that about the chiropractor diagnosis, but I'm almost 100 % sure this is the real one.

I went to a GI doctor today because my PCP seems to be stuck on/obsessed with me having IBS. It's what he told me all last year when I went in with pain (which turned out to be fibroids), and it's what he referred me to the GI for this time.

So the GI asks some questions, pokes around, and says to me, "Well, I'm pretty sure I know what's wrong with you. You don't have IBS."

At which point I asked him if he would mind getting on the phone and calling my doctor and SHOUTING that into the phone so we could finish that idea with him once and for all, and move on to the real problem. He laughed.

I was serious.

Anyway, he said, "I don't think you have IBS because first, you don't have any symptoms of IBS..it's not localized pain, it's all over cramping, bloating, etc. Second, IBS patients usually don't need something stronger than Dilaudin in the Emergency Room when the pain gets out of control."

Yep, I knew this. Just couldn't get my PCP to understand.

So then he said, "I think you actually have adhesions/scar tissue from your surgery."

Well duh. Why didn't i think of that? It's in the exact same place as the pain I had last year, in the exact same place where the fibroid that was growing outside of my uterus that was taken off was. If I follow this thread back, the pain was worse during times when my female parts should have been doing something. And when I went to the gyno two weeks ago, she put me on the pill, which, I believe through no scientific investigation, just a gut feeling, only exacerbated the problem, since the pain was the worst it's ever been. And scar tissue could be messing with the muscles right there, causing the back and muscle pain my chiro described.

So.....back to the gyn next week to discuss with her some exploratory surgery to yank off scar tissue. Which, I understand, only causes more scar tissue. It's a vicious cycle, I know.

So, please pray that this is actually it. I've been looking for a "solveable" problem, and would be forever grateful if this is it. Easy problem, easy solution (and two weeks off of work

And pray that somewhere I find the money to keep up with the copays for the dozens of doctor, med center, and hospital visits I've gone through in the past two weeks

Jean

 

[janetupnorth]

Jean - I hope that truly is the answer so you have some resolution and the pain goes away. Not fun!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Jean- here is to Blessings from people to just stick a check in the mail to help you out with co-pays! I'm glad that you are finding doctors to listen to you, and it seems like you are getting to the bottom of this.

Your humor gives me hope for my situation at home right now, and whenever I see your name on a thread, I run for my mouse and click on it as fast as I can. I'll continue to pray for you, that God would take your pain- feel free to speak to you pain and tell it that it has no place in your body, and you didn't invite it, so go away now!

Keep us informed! I'm eagerly awaiting your next update.

 

[Stephaniecafe]

Jean,
Having gone through the same thing and the scar tissue- issue, Hang in. The surgury helped me. The pill made it worse at first too and the second surgury was because of that! I will be praying for you! I know for sure that it works!!

 

[Jean DeVries]

Why I Love My GynecologistSo today I went to the GYN for Pain 8.0.

I love her.

I waited 45 minutes to see her (That's not the part I love). She walked in, sat down, and said, "Well?" I said, "I need you to scope me." She said, "What are you doing on May 2?"

So, on May 2, I'm going back for more surgery. It will only be laproscopic, so no time off of work

I ran through the litany of places I've been trying to solve this problem. My doctor, who told me I had nerve damage until I peed in a cup, then the emergency room where I no doubt scared a third year resident into never becoming a doctor, the GI who couldn't figure out why I was there, and then the urologist who said I probably didn't even have the UTI that started the whole thing.

She said, "What if I don't find anything?" to which I replied, "That's not really an option. Turn that little camera thingie around and around and around until something shows up." I asked her how to prevent them from coming back, and she said that there was some something or another she could put on them. "I'm pretty sure I did that the first time though" she said.

To which I said, "No. Let's say you didn't."

So, I have a month to hope the pain stays away, and hope that there are adhesions that just need to be unadheeded. Or something like that.

The bonus is that she asked me if I needed drugs. I said, "Well, I have plenty of Vicodin, since that's what doctors seem to want to give me when they're ignoring me telling them that it doesn't work." and she said, 'Nah. There's stronger/different stuff we can give you."

Wha? My PCP (hereafter referred to simply as A-HEM, HIM) said that Vicodin was it. There wasn't anything stronger.

So, not only am I armed with hope for a "cure", I'm armed with drugs stronger than Vicodin. Hopefully that will get me through the next month.

 

[Stephaniecafe]

Wow! Isn't it nice to finally have someone listen to you and give you something good for the pain? Is it working? I pray it is!

 

[legacypc46]

Wow Jean. I'm constantly amazed by your wonderful humor. I hope these latest developments are the breakthru you need. In the meantime, can you change your PCP? Would you like us to take him out? (Wouldn't that make for an interesting police report?!)

leggy

 

[Jean DeVries]

Yeah, "Doctor clubbed with stoneware bar pan, and his you-know-what's appear to have been mutilated with what could only have been a PC food chopper."

I can see the headline now.....

Nah. It's not his fault. He went to Michigan State....





(for those who didn't already guess, I'm a Michigan alum. It's a particularly heated rivalry

 

[kathijenkins]

....I normally don't ask for things for me.

But I would really appreciate some prayers/good thoughts. Long story short,
Prayers for strength for me to withstand the pain, and not let it get me depressed like it did last year would be appreciated. Then, of course, a little extra shout out to the deity of your choice that someone can actually figure out what's causing this pain. The anxiety of wondering when it's coming next is almost worse than the pain itself. Almost....

TIA.

Praying for you for all of the above....hope they find the cause soon & can stop the pain.