Pain Level, from 1 to 10 (back pain, kidney stone, blood, surgery)

[Velvet Jones]

Originally Posted by Mikala43

I think it's relative..... I've had severe gallstones, pancreantis, pluerosy, I'll give them an 8-9, I had a bad response to a liver biopsy (your awake for the procedure) and I'll give that a 10.

What???? That sounds horrendous. How the heck to do they take a liver biopsy and keep you awake, and for god sakes why? I've had pancreantis and a inflamed liver, so I can definitely feel your pain.

[Mikala43]

Originally Posted by Velvet Jones

What???? That sounds horrendous. How the heck to do they take a liver biopsy and keep you awake, and for god sakes why? I've had pancreantis and a inflamed liver, so I can definitely feel your pain.

I find it VERY odd. The first one they only gave me a local (topical, muscle, and liver), and a perocet if I was uncomfortable after. I was horribly traumatized (mentally), but the pain was bearable after the percocet. I had a lot to say to my doc about the whole thing.

The 2nd time, they gave drugs in advance, which was part pain killer and part wonderful drug that made you not care about having the procedure. Just as I was saying "that wasn't bad..." my side exploded, 4 shots of morphine, and another of some other pain killer later..... LOL.

Glad there are no more of those in my future!

I truly hope you don't have any more problems too.

[Manuel de Vol]

Originally Posted by Velvet Jones

What???? That sounds horrendous. How the heck to do they take a liver biopsy and keep you awake, and for god sakes why? I've had pancreantis and a inflamed liver, so I can definitely feel your pain.

Originally Posted by Mikala43

I find it VERY odd. The first one they only gave me a local (topical, muscle, and liver), and a perocet if I was uncomfortable after. I was horribly traumatized (mentally), but the pain was bearable after the percocet. I had a lot to say to my doc about the whole thing.

The 2nd time, they gave drugs in advance, which was part pain killer and part wonderful drug that made you not care about having the procedure. Just as I was saying "that wasn't bad..." my side exploded, 4 shots of morphine, and another of some other pain killer later..... LOL.

Glad there are no more of those in my future!

I truly hope you don't have any more problems too.

Whatever floats your boat. I had both a liver biopsy and a kidney cyst drain [using a liver biopsy needle] with a local (topical) anaesthetic.

In each case, the Doctor told me: "This won't hurt much" and I believed him.

In each case, it didn't.

The first C-scope I had (and it was a proper C-scope) was done without any form of anaesthetic. The doctor was a friend and if it had hurt, I would've made his life miserable!

The next time I had a c-scope I was told: "You can't possible have this procedure without an anaesthetic."

You can - but it wasn't worth arguing. [I think the real reason was 'we can make much more money from your insurance company if we give you a general and keep ypu in overnight' - but I'm not 'medical-billing' qualified.]

Thanks, Suzy-q for the http://lane.stanford.edu/portals/cvi...Pain_Scale.pdf. - I wondered where the scale had come from.)

There is a huge range (pain is always subjective) in the table in the stanford link. Some of the items listed (at quite high numbers) are [to me] almost irrelevant. Others would cause me more concern.

At level 3: A blow to the nose, causing you a bloody nose. Whether it actually hurt or not, my reaction (and surely it's the reaction to the pain stimulus which is important?) would be extreme.

Doctor giving you an injection. Is that worse than me giving me a injection? (I'm a diabetic)

I'm really glad I don't get punched in the nose 4 times a day!

At level 4: The initial pain from a bee sting. Are we talking about the pain experienced by the bee? Getting your bum ripped off may well hurt.) I do not feel bee stings. At all.

I've experienced some acute pain. The worst was the recovery (takes about 3 weeks) from a laser palatoplasty. Every time your mouth and throat get dry, every time your mouth and throat get damp, every time you swallow, every time you cough, every time anything in the back of where your throat used to be moves - it hurts. The tissue (which is trying very hard to heal) tears and you get a new scar.

That's the whole point.

And you - you idiot - you were told about this and you elected to have it done.

If you were ever daft enough to go down that road, you may well find that your 'pain tolerance' levels are elevated.

Which is great. For you (or at least, for me) but my pain tolerance levels don't mean anything for anybody else.

'Pain control' is (AFAIK) a rapidly-developing area of medicine. The '1 to 10' scale may not mean very much, but - and bear in mind that everybody who encounters that scale will do so for the first time at some time - it's better than nothing.

Addendum: Second worse pain.

I was on limited amounts of morphine when [I asked them to burn] my throat out, but on unlimited (as long as my liver would take it) amounts of codeine.

Have you ever seen those signs on large chunks of granite which say: "This stone was laid by the mayor of [Wherever]"?

Take enough codeine and you'll know exactly how he felt when he laid that stone.

[124c41]

Two ex-wives. Let's see...I reckon a 10 for each.

[Pawporri]

1 = You stubbed your toe.

10 = Your toe just got cut off. (w/o anesthesia)

[packer43064]

Originally Posted by nybbler

Interesting, I've never seen that scale before. I had my wisdom teeth out and after the anesthesia wore off that was definitely a 9; if you'd offered me heroin I'd have taken it. I broke my hand and aside from immediately after the impact, that was surprisingly mild, a 3 unless I touched it and then a 5.

Same here. I broke both bones in my left arm near the wrist. I must have been in shock because I felt nothing for over an hour after it happened. Only when they said they would have to "put me under...hook me to an IV....and move the bones around so they were in the correct place" did I start to freak out and feel some pain. I don't even think it was a "5"....I can hardly remember the pain and it was maybe 5 years ago. Hell I've crashed when younger on a bike and felt more pain, lol.

Of course it didn't set right and they had to re-break the bones and put them back in place for a 2nd time....over a month after the initial breaking of the arm! That sucked.

[qlty]

I hate that question,I am always asked by the nurse that sees me before a Dr visit and I tell them I don't know what that means and would she know if I gave her a number.She can't know how I feel anyhow nor does a doctor in my opinion.From now on I will say it hurts like Heck or Hel l or I would not bring it up if it didn't.

[cat1116]

After my total abdominal hysterectomy, I was given take home meds, which helped but I gradually eased off and didn't feel the need to take them anymore. My gyn oncologist uses a facial grimace type of pain scale rather than just the numbers 1 - 10.

[Mikala43]

Originally Posted by cat1116

After my total abdominal hysterectomy, I was given take home meds, which helped but I gradually eased off and didn't feel the need to take them anymore. My gyn oncologist uses a facial grimace type of pain scale rather than just the numbers 1 - 10.

Ok, now I'm envisioning the doctor taking a pic of the patients "pain face" and putting it in file as back-up.

[packer43064]

Originally Posted by qlty

I hate that question,I am always asked by the nurse that sees me before a Dr visit and I tell them I don't know what that means and would she know if I gave her a number.She can't know how I feel anyhow nor does a doctor in my opinion.From now on I will say it hurts like Heck or Hel l or I would not bring it up if it didn't.

It really isn't that complicated. A 10 really, really hurts. A 1 is....oops I stubbed my toe.

Of course she doesn't know how you feel....that is why she is asking rate it from a 1-10!

Common sense applies.