"The Pain is in Your Head." For those of you who live in pain, especially when no one

[Mike 03]

believes you. Keep up the hope. It took my sister twenty years of fighting.

Finally, a victory for my sister!

I have a story to share about my sister, who finally won a twenty year victory against the pain in her pelvis and low back.

At first I thought this was more suitable for the lounge, but pain is something many of us experience, and it's not a superficial issue. It can destroy your life--every moment of your life, for some people.

I'm very close to my sister and we both attended the same university, and both pursued degrees in the creative arts. When she was a senior she began to experience intense, crippling pain in her back and legs. She had loved to play tennis and do things, but this pain changed her life. In a sense it ruined it.

She went to doctor after doctor, and received diagnosis after diagnosis. She had all sorts of injections, biopsies. She experienced spinal headaches and became addicted to painkillers and other substances that ruined her life and made her terribly unhappy.

I am skipping some parts, because they would be too personal, but suffice it to say, improperly diagnosed pain ruined her life and by her own admission made her a terrible mother.

To add insult to injury, her condition was misdiagnosed for almost twenty years.

She was told she had arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, a pinched nerve, tendonitis, swelling. She was told that the pain was in her head,imagination, back, her butt, her knee, her leg.

Over the past five years, the pain localized in her hip, grew worse and worse and worse, to the point she could barely walk.

The last doctor she visited told her: It's a bit of bursitis. (Twenty years of bursitis?)

FINALLY, she got admitted to the Mayo Clinic. They did a complete workup on her and within six hours she had a doctor telling her:

"It's your hip." It was so bad that the tissue was beginning to die (a conditon called "necrosis") and he ordered a complete hip replacement in two weeks.

ON EDIT: I forgot to write what he said to her: "You must hurt like hell all the time. How would you like to go 24 hours without even thinking of your hip?"

What he meant was he could see what was wrong and fix it. He realized that someone with her hip condition must hurt all the time, and think about that pain all the time: and he could make it so that she could get through a day without suffering. I call that a miracle.

She got to see her own X-rays and imaging studies with her own eyes. And this wonderful doctor validated that her pain was not in her imagination, or some trivial issue. Her hip looked like a war zone.

The operation took four hours, which is long for a hip replacement, because he had to really fish out all the damage to her bones.

Interestingly, the surgeon things her defect might be from birth. We don't entirely understand the implications of this yet, but my sister has an identical twin who has mild but not severe hip pain in the mirror opposite hip.

Okay, so she had her operation yesterday, and I visited her today.

I've never seen her so happy in my life. I'm practically in tears telling you this. She is so excited. Yes, she is still in pain, but she knows there is a light at the end of the tunnel. She is looking forward to getting off so many drugs, to being there with her precious daughter, being alert and aware. She's looking forward to doing yoga, walking, being able to bend over and tie her own shoes....

For the first time since college, she is looking forward to the future.

I'm so happy for her. Today brought streams of tears to my eyes.

To all of you who suffer from chronic pain, it is not "in your head." Please never give up and keep searching for the answer, keep searching for a doctor who believes and is willing to help you.

Pain kills people. It kills the spirit. It robs people of decades.

If you love someone who is always in pain, take them seriously.

Please.

I wish that I had done more earlier, but I relied on the doctors to explain what my sister was feeling. But doctors sometimes are wrong, and I wish I done more.

But I'm so happy today. And thank you all for listening!

[annabanana]

1. That is WONDERFUL news. What a tremendous relief

it must be for her, for you, for the whole family. There is nothing so soul crushing as being told that something that is eroding your life is "all in your head".

I am so glad someone finally got to the root of the problem, and that it turned out to be something that has a real solution.!

hugs for you and her
:hug:

[Mike 03]

9. Today was awesome.

Thank you.

She has been through so much, and even my own mother did not believe her, or her own twin sister.

I can't even express how great today is...

[shadowknows69]

2. Apparently my pain and my mental health issues are both in my head

Well, ok, one of those actually is in my head technically but I have two car accidents that say my physical pain is real. Living with "imaginary" pain every day sucks canal water.

[knitter4democracy]

18. There's no such thing as imaginary pain, I think.

Pain is what our brain interprets from the signals it gets from the nerves, so if we're in pain it's because we're in pain. So, I think doctors should treat it, no matter what.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Systematic Chaos]

5. Yup. Your whole existence starts to revolve around the pain.

All you spend your every waking moment doing is asking the same questions internally over and over:

"If I attempt to do this, what are the odds of something happening which will make my pain worse?"

"If I take one misstep and fall today, will I be able to get back on my feet through the pain I'll feel, or will I be stuck?"

"Should I take another pain pill now, or save them up for bedtime so that a larger dose will help me sleep better?"

And on and on and on and on. :(

[dysfunctional press]

12. i have the opposite problem about bedtime...

if i take the pain meds to close to bedtime, they keep me awake all night.

[PufPuf23]

You are wise and aware nt

[PufPuf23]

22. You are wise and aware nt

[JTFrog]

30. *delete* wrong spot

[Lars39]

7. Welcome to DU, pJosefsson

:hi:

[Systematic Chaos]

4. Proud to put this one on the Greatest Page.

Anyone here who knows anything about me would immediately understand why. :)

I'm very happy for your sister, Mike, and I'm glad for you to have this good news to share with us.

[Mike 03]

10. Thank you.

I wish I could share the whole story of my sister and what all she has overcome. She is one of my heroes.

Today was so amazing. She has struggled for so long, and to see her get over this hurdle, finally, and have her pain validated and cured was incredible.

Thank you so much, and thanks to everyone, for leaving a comment.

You are so kind to share in this moment with me.

[annabanana]

16. You have shared a lot of yourself here.

You are one of the posters who has let people here into your life.

I for one, feel honored.

[Frank Cannon]

6. Thank you so much for sharing that story

I feel bad that your sister had to suffer so much for so long, but I'm glad that it only gets better for her from here.

My best to you both.

[Wiley50]

8. I didn't realize so many of us live our lives in pain

But we do.

I found the greatest resource for those of us who suffer

The American Pain Foundation

painfoundation.org

heck of a website too with a DU type forum

Be sure to sign up for the email newsletter

You'll be relieved you did

[csziggy]

11. Your sister has to be happy to finally be diagnosed and have an end to the pain in sight!

:party:

[rwheeler31]

13. Thank you Mike.

[ohheckyeah]

14. I'm happy for your sister that there is

something they can do to help the pain. I'm sorry she lost so many years to it. I have as well and unfortunately there isn't much that can be done about it.

[Kaleko]

15. You sound like a wonderful brother, Mike.

What a relief it must be for your whole family...

Best of luck to y'all.

[knitter4democracy]

17. May she truly be pain-free from now on! I am after ten years of hell.

I had chronic appendicitis for ten years, the last year of which was sheer hell. It was misdiagnosed, and I can't take narcotics (they don't block pain, just give me side effects). Most of that time, it came and went, but in the last year, it came and stayed. I finally convinced the specialist I bullied into taking me on as a patient to stop all medical crap and just cut me open. His resident found my appendix had glued itself to my pelvic wall. I was in so much less pain when I woke up from the sugery that we thought at first that the narcotic was working only to find when the nurse gave me another dose with only the effect of making me puke on her shoes that it wasn't. Still, the pain when I woke up from that one was sooo much less that I could've done cartwheels.

Then, seven months later, we found the kidney tumor (not all of the pain had gone away, and then I got a low-grade fever that came and went, so STBX convinced my doctor to order a CT scan, thinking there was an infection from the appendectomy). That pain's mostly no big deal anymore (the rib they cut gives me fits sometimes), but the broken bones from last year are annoying, as is the bladder pain I have now that no one knows what to do about.

All those years, though, STBX, an internist, told me that the pain was all in my head and couldn't be as bad as I said it was. He convinced his mistress at the time that I was mental and psychosomatic. She was horrified when I told her the truth.

[renate]

48. my gosh, you've been through a lot

Not just physically, although the physical pain was probably made worse by all the stress. I hope the years ahead are sunnier ones. :hug:

[knitter4democracy]

67. Things are a lot easier without him in the house.

I had no idea just how bad things were until after he moved out. I surely have put in my time, though. :)

[dana_b]

56. oh my!

10 years and they didn't find it! you've been through the ringer too. I swear the MDs need to go through an intense pain course before they put their hands on a patient. they don't understand the basics of pain. Pain indicates that something is wrong. Pain is also subjective. if a patient says that they are in pain, you believe them - not ignore it or tell them they're nuts. I'm a nurse and have seen this - from pain specialists!! "Oh, he's just drug seeking... blah, blah..". It's crazy.

I'm sorry about the tumor, bladder pain and all too. I hope you find relief soon.

[knitter4democracy]

68. I'm just hoping the bladder thing isn't what everyone thinks it is.

The urologist and internist are leaning toward interstitial cystitis, but I can't do prednisone (makes me psycho) or narcotics, so there's not a whole lot I can do for it. Bleah. At least the pain isn't totally awful. It's not like I can't handle it.

I get it the other way--doctors always feel bad that they can't give me anything. When I broke my elbow in a stupid slip and fall last summer, the urgent care doctor was all upset that he couldn't give me a scrip. He kept saying that it had to really hurt, and I finally had to tell him that, if I could handle waking up from my kidney surgery with a 10" long incision and a pound of flesh and three inches of rib gone with only the numbing agent in the duramorph working, I could freakin' handle a cracked bone. Sheesh. I thought he was going to cry, which was really weird.

[CoffeeCat]

19. I am so happy for you, and for your sister...

This really is amazing and I am so happy that your sister found this caring, compassionate and intelligent
doctor who found out what was really happening.

I truly believe that when it comes to health care, you MUST be your own advocate. Doctors are not Gods.

They make mistakes. The misdiagnose. They miss things. They get tired and they don't feel like thinking
beyond the obvious. We MUST do our own due diligence and never stop until we get the answers we deserve.

I had lower back pain. It was properly diagnosed, but it went on for a long time. I know what pain does
to your life. It steals is.

I remember when I woke up from my back surgery. I cried--because I felt like a new person. I so understand
what your sister is feeling.

I'm so happy for both of you.

Thanks for sharing your story!

[buzzard]

20. I hope your sister gets relief from this, I spent years with an ankle problem and finally had a bone

biopsy that showed the same thing avascular necrosis or bone death, what caused it no one seems to know and unfortunately the solution is ankle fusion which may help or may not the outcome is different for everyone (ankle replacement is not a viable choice for me). I know how chronic pain sucks the life out of you and I don't think people truly understand the strain, I completely understand the comment about not thinking about her hip for 24 hours, I am sure she couldn't I hope she will be able to soon.

[Hubert Flottz]

21. I wish your sister the very best...

It's nice to hear a story with a happy ending once in a while.

[havocmom]

23. Great news! Very happy for your sister and you, your family

And I really need to get my gimpy hip to the Mayo clinic.

Interesting what you mentioned about the possibility of the defect being there since birth. My whole family has lots of hip socket pain, and it gets dismissed by doctors so we just all put up with it, but it is destroying MY life. I can't do anything I enjoy, can't sleep, can't walk without extreme pain.

Whole family also way more flexible than most people when we were young. My guess: a situation not unlike hip dysplasia in dogs - the socket is not deep enough to hold the bone in place, lots of wobbling, movement beyond normal ranges, eventual damage from years of too much movement. But what do I know? Not a doctor, just the person in my body who has observed and experienced it for decades.

Mike, you give me hope that someday I will get a doctor who will not blow me off, but actually LOOK at what is there to see.

[libodem]

24. Your compassion is so touching

and I am so glad for your sister to be better. What a relief to have the problem fixed, to know she will get well, and have it validated that it was not all in your head. I've had my own problems with chronic pain and it is very frustrating to have a doctor suggest that it might be an attitude or mental problem. It's very hurtful.

[mykpart]

25. Bravo for your sister! She is very brave to go against the

medical establishment, and she should be very proud of herself. While there are many fine doctors, there are also many who are so arrogant that if they can't find what's wrong, then it must be nothing. My doctor told me the pains in my left armpit that radiated down my arm were caused by arthritis. I found another doctor, and 3 weeks later had triple bypass surgery. We all have to balance what the doctor says with our own common sense. And I wish that doctors were more sensitive to people in pain.

[SeattleGirl]

26. I deal with a lot of people who have chronic pain, and I do not think

they're faking.

These are people who have been injured on the job, and sometimes a little thing ends up being a big thing. People develop chronic pain, and the docs can't always figure out the exact origin of it.

Sometimes, they are able to help these folks, and what a difference it makes!

I ones I feel really bad for are the ones where the docs still have not figured out what's wrong or how to fix it.

I'm so glad you sister was able to be helped.

[madamesilverspurs]

27. She's lucky to have you!

My family was as frustrated and bewildered with my situation. Won't go into it in detail here, but by the time I got to the right doctor I just wanted the pain to stop, didn't really care if I walked again or not. I started feeling better the second I realized that he was really angry - on my behalf. Before he took away the physical pain he began to relieve the mental and emotional pain. I do believe that any of my previous doctors walking into that room would have found themselves beaten senseless. He said that the first people to be denied a medical license are those who don't know the difference between "I don't know" and "there's nothing wrong." Then he went into a rant about the negative influence of the insurance industry; he said that the xrays gave ample evidence of 'deliberate medical neglect,' most likely pushed by the neurosurgeon who had to know what the problem was but chose, instead, to cut a deal with the insurance company to blow me off for half of what it would have cost to do the surgery, that he could blow off six people in the time it would take for one surgery. Nasty, huh?

[lostnotforgotten]

28. Good News - I Am Glad That She Found Her Personal "House"

eom

[Bluenorthwest]

29. Joy for your sister

and thanks for your post, for the thoughfulness and for speaking for those of us who live in pain. Few people ever notice how difficult it is. Your sister is lucky to have you.

[JTFrog]

31. I think where you live plays a big part. I live in Indianapolis, home of Big Pharma.

For some reason they just want to keep pumping me full of anti-depressants instead of dealing with my pain here.

It is wonderful to hear about your sister. I'm just wondering if you think that where you live played any part in finding her solution or if you think it was just a matter of running into the right doctor.

*edit - sorry, really just wanted to ask that question, not dump my own personal crap in this thread.

[we can do it]

32. Another Life with Wasted Years Due To Incompetent Doctors

I am SO sick of it. I lost my dear mom because of one overpaid ass after another, she also endured much needless suffering. I am so happy your sister can enjoy the rest of her life. And thanks to the doctors and medical providers who do a good job

[GoCubsGo]

36. Tell me about it.

I lost my grandma to stomach and colon cancer, because her quack doctor did nothing about her chronic stomach pain until it was too late. We thought my mom had a stroke last fall. They did all sorts of scans and tests on her and couldn't find any blockages. It took a so-called "specialist" two months to decide to do a PET scan, which finally determined that she had Paraneoplastic Syndrome caused by a malignant tumor in her breast. It's not like that's a rare syndrome. Hell, even the writers for "House" know all about it. Mom was a nurse, and she was telling them to check into that while she could still speak coherently. Nobody listened. This was supposed to be a big-shot doctor who treated Mohammed Ali's Parkinson's Disease. "Overpaid ass", for sure. Thank goodness she has a great oncologist. We're hoping with chemo and physical & speech therapies, she gets back some of what she lost--if she makes it through all of that.

It stuns me that it took twenty years for doctors to figure out that Mike's sister needed a hip replacement. I'm so glad she is getting her life back! Hooray!!!

[we can do it]

47. I Hope Both Recover Fully and Make Up Some Lost Time

Please take good care of them- its very stressful and lonely (even with family close by) when you are sick and it seems no one is helping (or gawdforbid making it worse)

hugs to all of you
:grouphug:

[Maine-ah]

33. thankyou for posting

I have a lot of the same symptoms that your sister had. I have been given the same run-around by my doctors.

Consistant lower back and pelvis pain, chronic head aches, neck pain. I was in 2 car accidents within months of eachother when I was 19, I'm soon to be 35. I've been living like this for almost 10 years now. I hope that eventually, my doc will figure this out. Since I have an appointment thismorning (foot problems now) I'm going to mention this to him.

The only time my pain went away was while I was pregnant with my daughter.

[nashville_brook]

34. as a chronic pain person, i completely get it. i'm so happy for your sister.

[acmavm]

35. YOU ARE SO RIGHT!!! In 1991 I had amazing pain from my head

(actually neck) down to my toes, but expecially in my upper back. The quack that I went to said I pulled the muscles in my upper back. He treated me from October through December 30th, 1991. Then he accused me of going to see him to score drugs.

That incompetent rat bastard never took an x-ray. Never did any type of real treatment, just billed me for every fucking office visit and my 'treatment'.

I had a disk in my neck that has completely smashed with the disk material shattered and scattered all around in my neck cavity. There was nothing left except two vertebraes pinching off my spinal cord. If I would have fallen I very possibly would have been paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of my life.

Luckily, when he accused me of just trying to score drugs, they little ambulance chaser thought he was getting even by sending me to a specialist who know immediately that I was in big trouble and that I needed surgery.

The quack is still operating here in Omaha, so watch out who you get your medical treatment from if you're a local.

[nichomachus]

37. Good for her! But . .

Be very aware of symptoms of drug withdrawal.


A friend of mine recently had successful surgery for a horrible back condition. A few days later, he called me to tell me he was having a lot of trouble mentally. He had snapped at me on the phone the previous day, which was very unlike him.

When he started telling me what was going on, I said "Holy shit -- you're in withdrawal." And I told him to immediately get to a doctor who handled addiction. He did and the doctor confirmed that he was undergoing withdrawal from the pain meds. None of the other doctors he was dealing with had thought about that. Duh!

I rushed over and stayed with him until the withdrawal symptoms subsided. He was a mess for days, but he got through it. Until we figured out what it was, he thought he was having a nervous breakdown.

Maybe your sister's docs are on top of this, but often, when there are multiple docs involved, these things fall through the cracks. That's what happened in my friend's case.

[elleng]

70. So good of you to stay with your friend,until he was better.

And how right that multiple docs=cracks. Thats one reason why I say every ill person needs an 'advocate,' might be you, or me, or whomever, but someone to keep eyes and ears out for everything that is said and done, to ask questions, and to help solve the various 'mysteries' that occur.

[Stargazer09]

38. I am so happy for your sister!

And for you!

I was in a car accident a couple of years ago, and I experienced a lot of pain in my back and legs afterwards. Some days, I couldn't even walk. The doctors sent me to a "back class," which was basically the military's way of dealing with people with back pain. "Here, go to this class and do the exercises, and come back if the pain doesn't improve." I told them that it didn't help, that the exercises made the pain worse, so they sent me to physical therapy for a little while. That helped enough for a while, and I resumed my regular life.

Unfortunately, I injured my back again in a cycling accident, and I was right back where I started. I finally found a nurse who had experienced the exact same pain, and she made sure I got a referral to an off-base pain management clinic. The doctor there gave me some medication that was actually supposed to be for epilepsy, but after a month or two on that, the pain went away and only occasionally flares up. It's been over two years since then, and I'm happy that someone finally listened to me.

It's really sad that your sister had to suffer for so long before someone would actually look at her x-rays and see the damage. I'm glad that the problem was finally found, and I hope that her recovery goes smoothly!

:hug:

[BoneDaddy]

39. Congrats

The medical field is full of examples such as these. Doctors are important servers of humanity but they are fallible and if you are unhappy with your "diagnosis", get a second, third or fourth. That is if you could afford it in this country or have the access to multiple physicians.

I am glad this worked out for her.

[madamesilverspurs]

40. Another reminder

that 50% of all doctors graduate in the bottom half of their class. And of those in the upper half, a certain percentage will figure out that they can make more money by pleasing the insurance company instead of doing what's needed for the patient. One of the reasons we need to fix our health care system.

[supernova]

41. Wonderful for your sister

I'm happy for her she finally got her problem resolved.

:hug:

Docs don't always have all the answers. I'm glad she finally found the one that did.

Docs can have a hard time understanding patients and this story really typifies this phenomenon.

[RubyDuby in GA]

42. I'm glad she never stopped fighting for a cause to her pain! I know what she went through

but not as bad. I really am happy for your whole family that she will finally know what life is like without constant pain!

Beginning in January of 2005, I began getting terrible cramps in my pelvic region. I thought it was just because my friendly visitor was coming and let it slide. The next month - the same thing. After 4 months of increasingly severe pain, I went to my gyno to see what was wrong. I usually get treated by his wife, but she was out so he took my chart and did the exam. Afterwards, I went into his office (where he proudly had his Limbaugh books displayed) and was told that it must be in my head because there was nothing wrong with me.

Two months later, the pain was so intense that I went to my regular doctor who listened to me and ordered CT scans. They showed a huge mass on my right ovary. He said that because it wasn't his area, he showed it to a colleague in his building who was an OB/GYN and she said it was the worst case of endometriosis she had ever seen. I immediately took a copy of the scans back to the quack gyno and asked him to explain his initial diagnosis. He said he must of missed it. I had my right ovary removed in August of 2005. I filed complaints against him with the medical board in GA, but never heard back.

I consider my son a miracle.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

43. Long Time Fibromyalgia Sufferer Here, So I Can More Than Relate. Great News About Your Sis And I

hope she is pain free soon!

:toast:

[Laurab]

44. What a nice and thoughtful brother she has.

I have 5 siblings, and they're great, but not one of them understands the chronic pain thing. Nor do my parents, or my son. My husband doesn't really get it, but he's supportive in his own way - he's the one who takes me to appointments to get nerve block shots, and MRI's and things like that. I'm lucky enough to have a daughter who kind of understands.

It started around 10 years ago with Chronic Fatigue, or CFIDS, and last year added major back problems. It's SO frustrating to know that they think "it's all in my head"....."maybe if you changed your diet", "you just need to get out more"..... and mom is always saying how awful pain medication is, as she's guzzling her beer. I learned long ago that I can't expect anyone who hasn't experienced chronic pain to understand, and I've found that it helps to talk to other people who DO experience chronic pain.

The back pain is more understandable to them, because there are pictures and words that they can understand, but even so, I can't say a single person in my immediate family truly understands the misery of chronic pain. I'm lucky enough to have fellow sufferers to talk to, and, as I said, it helps a lot, but it is so difficult knowing that most of my family just doesn't get it, and probably never will. I think the only people who truly understand chronic pain are people who have lived with it, and I learned long ago that I have to just let the stupid things my family says go, because I'm the one who FEELS the pain, and I do what I have to do to keep it under control. It does create a bit of a barrier though.

Your sister is really lucky to have you, and I'm happy for you that she was finally diagnosed correctly, and can live her life again.

[Matariki]

45. That brought tears to my eyes. Happy for and your family. Question---

Was that the first time any doctor bothered to xray her in all those years? Or was it the first time someone correctly read the xray?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

46. Moral of this story: Keep trying

When one of my brothers was ten years old, he was constantly getting what appeared to be the flu.

Several doctors said that it was all in his head, that no child should get sick that often. One doctor even accused my mother of Munchhausen's by proxy, i.e. deliberately making my brother sick. He told her that she and my brother both needed to see a psychiatrist.

Finally, a friend recommended an old-fashioned country doctor type who lived in the next town. He examined my brother and said, "Ah-hah!"

He found that whoever took my brother's tonsils out had done a lousy job and left bits of tissue in. These bits of tissue were chronically inflamed, causing repeated illnesses.

My mom asked why this doctor had been able to find the infected tonsil tags when others had not.

He just shrugged and said, "They didn't think of looking there."

Surgery to remove the tonsil tags effected a miracle cure. No more mysterious bouts of "the flu."

[TZ]

49. I'm glad she finally found out the problem.

Aren't the people at Mayo just wonderful? I went there last year (I was sooo lucky it only took me a MONTH to get an appointment!) and I couldn't be happier with me treatment. To bad more doctors and health care providers can't or won't model themselves after them...

[JDPriestly]

50. When I lived in Europe, every baby was x-rayed (at least my babies were)

at about 3 months. Sure enough, the bones of one of my children are not the same on both sides of the body. The doctor told me to make sure that child took ballet lessons from early on. She gets some back problems, but she is really active, so she has learned to deal with it.

I don't know if this is true, but doctor (who was Orthodox Jewish) in Paris told me that this problem is especially prevalent in Eastern Europe and also among people of Jewish descent. So, heads up. Have your baby checked early on, especially if you fit the profile.

[midnight]

51. Pain is often called the fifth vital sign.

Pain is often called the fifth vital sign. In conjunction with temperature, pulse, respirations and blood pressure, pain can reveal a tremendous amount about the health status of a person.

Pain also affects the quality of life through it's affect on such things as mood, activity, appetite, sleep, hygiene, and the ability to focus and concentrate.

Read more: "Vital Signs: Assessing Pain: Pain, the Fifth Vital Sign" - http://healthfieldmedicare.suite101.com/article.cfm/vital_signs__assessing_pain#ixzz0AnoHgZTc



Twenty years for this to fixed is an outrage!

[pacalo]

52. Thank you, Mike!

[Hamlette]

53. 1 in 20 girl babies are born with one or two subluxated hips. 1 in 200 boy babies.

It is one of the most common birth defects. When babies are first born, notice the doctor take the baby by the ankle and push the leg up (knees to tummy) and then rotate the knees out. They are listening for a clicking sound or "looseness" that will tell them the hip is dislocated or not completely formed. (Still cartilege, not hardened into bone.) Easy to fix if detected.

I was born with a subluxated hip which was not detected. I've had many operations and I can attest to how painful it is. I got a total hip in 1995 and I'm thrilled beyond belief. She'll love hers too.

[dana_b]

54. I'm so glad for your sister and this made me tear up

it's good to see that she got relief. She didn't deserve this hell and to be treated like she was nutso.

My mom suffered with Lupus for over 23 years before she was diagnosed and was told that it was "all in her head".

I have chronic back and leg pain due to a "nurse back". Two herniated discs with sciatica down both legs. Some days I just get so depressed and think "what's the point?" (getting out of bed, going to work, doing anything). I just turned 44 and walk like a 65+ year old. Walking and standing for any length of time is terrible and even laying in bed is painful. People look at you and don't see it so it must not be there.

I'm very happy for your sister though. It's wonderful that she has such a good brother like you.

[JerseygirlCT]

55. My mom spent most of her adult years like that -

before hip replacement surgery existed. Once it did, she had both hips done - and it was a miracle. It took 2 weeks in a special NYC hospital each time, and the rehab was hell. But finally, she wasn't in constant pain (not that she'd complain). She had the first one redone a few years back, and will need the other redone (parts wear out - though they lasted 20+ years - not expected).

My younger sister just had her first done - still needs the other. So yes, I completely agree with the idea that this can sometimes be congenital. I've escaped the hips so far, but at 48 already have osteoporosis and several shot discs... exercises being the best cure there, luckily.

But it seems we've got a back genetic strain in there, somewhere!

The surgery isn't fun, but the results are miraculous. And seeing someone you love suddenly without pain is a wonderous thing.

[kckc]

57. I thought you were my aunt for a second!

Same exact hip pain, lots of siblings with hip pain, same diagnosis- hip necrosis. They also told her it could be congenital. She got her new hip and is thrilled. Just make sure the rest of you get checked out. Her grandson was complaining of leg pain and just happened to break his femur skateboarding and when they did the x-ray, his hip was starting to necrose already. He was 14!!! at the time. He also has a new hip now and can't do a lot of sports but is much, much better, pain-wise.

[bkkyosemite]

58. Wonderful story, Thank you from a chronic pain sufferer.

[rasputin1952]

59. Great News!

Pain is the most overlooked aspect of the medical community. It is not jhelped by the myriad of drug laws that have been passed, as many physicians get calls from various DEA and local police calls about prescriptions...(as if a cop could properly diagnose and treat pain, even docs and nurses have trouble w/settling on a "constant" to assess pain).

In any case, being in pain quite often from arthritis in my C and L spine, I know what she is going though.

Success is a great thing, always happy to see people get the threatmwnt they need...:)

As a bonus...it made you happy, because she is happy...:D

[OnionPatch]

60. Thanks from another chronic pain sufferer.

I'm so glad to hear your sister finally found help. So sad, all the years she spent in pain. Years ago, I had a headache 24/7 non-stop for two+ years and went to every specialist there was. Each had a different diagnosis, among them "stress" and "nerves" but none of their treatments helped a single bit. My family was even starting to wonder about me. I was nearly suicidal. Finally a dentist figured out I had a bad case of TMD, treated me, and the headache went away. To this day some people don't believe TMD is a valid health problem but I can attest that it most certainly is. Seems like any challenging health problem conveniently gets labeled "hypochondria" by the medical world and by some people who have never suffered from chronic pain. What a tragedy. Sometimes it's the reactions and treatment from other people that is the worst pain of all. There's nothing worse than being in chronic pain than being in chronic pain and knowing people think you're faking it. I get migraines very often these days and I know some people think I use it as an excuse to get out of doing things I don't want to do, so it's history repeating itself. :banghead:

[NM Independent]

61. Chronic pain is no joke. It brought me dangerously close to suicide a little over a year ago.

If I didn't have a wife and two sons to live for, I swear I would have offed myself. At that point it had become so incredibly intense for so long, and I had so few answers from my Doctor (after many misdiagnosis and horrible med routines), that I just didn't see a way out. I had been in incredible neck pain for over two years. I eventually found out I had a combination of 4 different diseases/conditions in my neck (bone, muscle, and nerve conditions). Unfortunately I'm stuck with this BS for life. The only upside is that there are treatments out there to lessen the pain (yippee).

[sierraok]

62. Suffering from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome

for almost 12 years now...please, please, PLEASE do not scoff at those of us who suffer from chronic pain. After living with pain 24/7, we literally do not have the ENERGY to continue trying to convince those who do not believe us, and that includes some in the medical field.

:)

[catrose]

63. I was going to teach a seminar on fibro pain this weekend

But only two people signed up.

Here's my short version: Touch for Health, Reiki, Chi Gong, Feldenkrais, Tai Chi, acupuncture, yoga, chanting, Nia, smooth swimming like sidestroke and inverted breast stroke, and anything that will reorganize your neurological functioning.

And make sleep your religion. I took drugs at night and listened to Mozart and things like Delta Sleep and wore braces or Handeze gloves. I've just recently been diagnosed with a sleep disorder; maybe I should have had that checked sooner.

Best of luck.

[Oldtimeralso]

64. I Am Glad Your Sister Was Finally Diagnosed Properly.

I have been in cronic pain for more then half my life, finally diagnosed with degenerative arthritis and fibromyalgia. Now bring treated I even got my primary care physician to believe in fibro!

[silverojo]

65. I'm amazed that a Mayo doctor found the problem

Members of my family worked for Mayo, and we got the worst medical care imaginable. The poor treatment my aunt got at the Mayo hospital directly resulted in her death, and the only reason I couldn't sue was that (in our state) you had to be a son or daughter, to be able to sue. It'd take me months to describe how they ruined my health (for life!), and how I witnessed employees and patients having their lives destroyed by Mayo doctors. :(

I'm glad your sister is doing better. I wish more Mayo doctors would be that good. :)

[Contrary1]

66. My husband experienced something similar...

It was his wrist that hurt. Sometimes it would just go limp. There were days that he could not do his job (computer), and days when it hurt so bad, he could not drive.

He went from one doctor to the next. It was a sprain; wear this ace bandage. It was tendonitis; take this pill, and use your other hand. It was Carpal tunnel, wear this brace. Let's shoot some steroids into it, see if that helps. Here's some more pills.

Finally, one of the doctors referred him to a sports medicine center. There was a diagnosis in a few minutes. He had a cyst growing within one of the wrist bones. By the time they operated on him the following week, it had eaten pretty much clear through. They removed some bone from his hip to repair it.

I have stories about what my late mother went through, trying to get her doctors to believe that she was in pain. One of her heart specialists took me aside and said that as people get older (especially women), they tend to "whine". I almost decked him.

Oh yeah, the pain she was "whining" about turned out to be an aortic aneurysm.

For those of you with aging parents, be prepared to be their advocate. Many of them will need you to be there to do that.

[elleng]

71. Been there, done that (for my folks)

and learned how important advocacy is.

Thanks

[Control-Z]

69. Bookmarking this thread

I have dealt with pain for so many years and been through all the BS. Accusations of drug seeking, that I am faking, that it is psychological, or all in my head...

Living with, and through, such excruciating pain has felt like a life long curse to me. After many years I realized it was best to keep it to myself whenever possible. After it had destroyed some of my most cherished relationships.

The joy and opportunities I have missed...it feels like a big part of my life has be stolen from me.

[BuelahWitch]

72. My Mom went through something similar with headaches

:hi: So glad your sister finally got the help she needed!

[Pathwalker]

73. After 17 years, I have no fight left in me, and no hope whatsoever

that the reason for my pain will ever be discovered. I finally just gave up yesterday, and had the break-down that's been boiling up since the most recent flare-up that's left me unable to stand upright, or even walk. I haven't stopped crying since yesterday, and your post has me sobbing uncontrollably - I hope my spelling's okay, because I can't see my keyboard through the years.
I am so happy your sister was finally successful in getting relief. I just don't have any fight left in me to fight another doctor. My doctor's response to my pain was was a cynical look when she handed me a script for pain pills, and shock when I tore it up and handed it to her. I don't want or need another script for pain - I never took the last ones you gave me, I told her. The damn things just give me MORE problems, they don't help! A cat-scan and an MRI later, they are still shaking their heads,clueless. I have no hope, though, and I'm mentally broken, sobbing without end, unable to believe that there's even one doctor in my town capable of helping me. I have given up.
It has destroyed me, my life is nothing but unyielding pain - and no hope at all.
I don't know if anyone will even read this, but I had to get this off my chest.