I’ve been up for about an hour and a half. So much pain. My back, hip, left knee, and hands are just throbbing. Thankfully, typing doesn’t seem to exasperate the hand pains. This is becoming too much.
I am currently working on an article about sleep needs of the 40-something woman. I am one and my sleep patterns have gotten really off track, though I am learning maybe not as much as I was believing. Tonight/this morning, I hurt. I hurt so much it woke me up. I can’t roll over without my lower back/sacrum area hurting. I can’t stretch, fully body stretch, without my left knee hurting, badly. I’m complaining, yes, but I don’t think unreasonably so…
While I was in the hospital they introduced me to a pain reliever I’d never heard of before: Voltaren. Voltaren (diclofenac) is an anti-inflammatory type pain reliever that works more specifically with arthritic type situations to help reduce the inflammation that causes joint pain. I fell in love with this medication within 2 days. Why? I actually was not in pain except the joint to the left of my sacrum, which at least reduced in intensity. Day 3, even that joint stopped hurting. I couldn’t believe it and was so overjoyed to be pain-free for the first time in 3 years.
I didn’t want to build up a tolerance to the medication so I wasn’t taking it unless I was in pain. Label says take as needed for pain. Now, I’m in so much pain I’m losing sleep, which makes me wonder if “take as needed” was not the right prescription to give. I took one about an hour ago, but I had also taken one right before bed, around 9 pm. That’s only 4 hours. I can’t find any info telling me if this is not good or just fine. I just want to not be in pain, to sleep through the night without being woken up every time I try to turn over, to stretch fully without pain, to not be up at 1:30 am writing unless I’m doing so because the idea woke me up.
What pain medication do you use? Are they working the way you want them to? Would you recommend them? What type of pain are they for? What’s your trick to help with the pain when it just becomes too much? I ask so that I can be better prepared when I go to the doctor tomorrow. I want to be able to have ideas of what could work. At the very least, I want to be able to understand what I may be prescribed, if it is something different. I want to be able to participate in my care.
Dragonfly Gypsy USA 
Mieke,
Sorry to hear you are struggling so much. In the last year, I have had terrible neck pain that went up behind my ear, caused headaches in the temples and couldn’t look over my right shoulder or lift my arms. Had every test, PT, acupuncture, and massage. One night, I skeptically tried an essential oil product my friend used. I only did one side to see if it would give me any relief. I was amazed! Within 3 minutes, I was pain-free for the first time in 8 weeks. None of the meds gave me any relief, and with my psych meds I have to stay away from NSAIDS. I was also pleasantly surprised that I was still pain-free the next morning. I called my friend that morning and asked where I could get my own. She ordered some and gave me hers until it came in. Since then it has been the only source of relief for muscle aches, calf cramps, and even the bottoms of my feet after Christmas shopping. It is a product called Past Tense and it’s from DoTerra. You can find them online or I can hook you up with Terrie, my consultant. She doesn’t push product on you so you can just let her know what you want. I even attended a class to make my own blend and there was a woman there with nerve pain from having a brain tumor removed. She couldn’t even turn without moving her whole body and her shoulders were to her ears, she hurt so badly. I told her to try the Past Tense and watched as her shoulders settled and she began moving her head freely. I actually had to point out the fact, she hadn’t even realized. I don’t know how essential oils work or why, but they do, and when you hurt that’s all that matters.
That said, my daughter was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. It’s neurological and basically has to do with your nerve receiving pain signals due to an injury. So, your brain sends out pain signals to protect the injury. Then, the brain confuses those signals with injury and sends out more pain signals. Its a vicious cycle. What started as a knee injury became hip to toe and migrated to the other leg and eventually the hands. It is a chronic pain condition and it is nerve pain. CRPS is considered THE most painful chronic pain condition. The pain is often compared to that of burn patients and amputees. She did a 3 week intensive PT/OT rehab program through Seattle Children’s 8hrs a day/ 5 days a week. It was Hell, but gave her the most improvement. The neurologist put her on Gabapentin 600mg/3 times a day. It is for nerve pain, so I don’t know if it will help in your case. Check with your doc.
Stay strong and I’ll say a prayer for you,
Vicki
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Thank you so much Victoria! I will definitely have to try this Past Tense on my aches and pains, as well as my husband’s!!
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