This is a post I wrote on the 16 August 2017. I am in too much pain this week to write, so I am re-posting this.
So what should I do? I am faced with a choice, and I know that I have to get some more information, but a decision is looming.
Up to 3 years ago I was virtually symptom-free of my MS. I had been using LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone) for 10 years and all my symptoms had either reduced or disappeared. I was like everyone else. Fantastic, I was very happy.
Then I was in a minor car accident, but I did hear a loud crack in my neck. I seemed fine for the rest of that day, but the following day I had a headache. Then peripheral pain and numbness in both arms. Now I have, as a result of the trauma in the accident, all my old MS symptoms back (heavy leg – causing walking problems, numb hands and face, and fatigue), plus I have a headache that doesn’t disappear that has a pain level of 5/10. It does reach 8/10 in spikes during the day, and gets worse with activity and concentration.
So my pain specialist is suggesting a course of treatment that I am worried about. Today I spoke with my GP, and I think I have been able to clarify my thoughts. But it is frightening. Do I stay with my current level of pain, and do some work that I can do, or do I follow a treatment program that MAY make the pain worse. It could be a success, and I would have no headache, or maybe less of a headache. I also have to consider my MS. Could I get a flare up or relapse of my MS, and as a result get some new symptom. One that I do not know the impact of on me, physically and/or mentally. Scary.
This isn’t a straight forward if I do this, then this other thing will happen. It is more complex and entails risk. The risk of failure could be devastating. At the moment I have a decent routine. I have limits, but I know what they are, and I have learned to live within these. Occasionally I push these limits and pay a temporary price. The great thing is that it is temporary. I will recover. This procedure may not be that simple.
I have a few key questions that I will be asking my pain specialist, and, depending on the answers, I will make a choice. A choice that I will have to live with the consequences of, for the rest of my life. Tricky. In another few weeks, I will make this decision.
Wish me luck, I will need it!!
Hi Robert
i read your post and had my wife read it as well: she is a pain Nurse and works specifically with chronic pain patients. she was wondering if there are specific programmes for People with chronic pain available for you (or if you have done one already?) . the programmes here (and in UK and Australia) usually involve a short Hospital Programme of 3-4 weeks Duration (not neccessarily as an in-Patient) and involve education, psychotherapy for coping strategies, ect, as well as allowing a doctor to install and monitor a pain medication regime. she just thought maybe you should look at doing something like this before acute Intervention of any sort.
I have been through the gamut of treatments for my headaches. There are certain medications that I cannot take, because of the medicine that I take for my MS. The ones that have some effect on the pain make me drowsy, and I feel like I am wrapped in a blanket. I don’t like that at all. I am doing meditation based on a recommendation from my psychologist. That is helpful, as is the journaling. My life has altered a lot due to these headaches, and I have, over the years, developed a strategy for living with it. This acute intervention may be a bit too much, as the risks may not be worth it. Lets see.
I hope you are keeping well 🙂
Irene always says that the psycho-social issue of chronic pain gets ignored by a lot of doctors. Chronic pain actually changes brain structures and heightens sensitivity to pain, magnifying it beyond its actual physiological Level. just increasing medication or performing a surgical procedure doesnt always help, as the Long term chronification process has already happened. glad to hear that the Meditation helps.
You will have to thank Irene from me. I will do a little research to find out more about ways of postponing, or maybe reversing this chronification process. By using a holistic treatment method, rather than treating specific symptoms, should give a better result.
I really appreciate that you have taken the time to write this. Thank you.