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The fact that you need 1600mg of Ibuprofen to knock it out gives me an idea of how bad it is. The most I have ever taken is 800, and the pain that prompted that was pretty damn awful. I wouldn't want to rely on it long-term, as too much Ibuprofen makes me queasy.
Damn, I am sorry you are going through this.
My pain laughs at Ibuprofen...don't even feel it. I get a slight placebo effect and maybe a 10% drop....and the amount I'd have to take would likely destroy my liver and kidneys and pancreas.....
I constantly experiment with various things including light opiates (I don't drink and don't smoke pot)....and even light tranqs (which are muscle relaxants)....the basic idea is to take as little as possible and not die from the "cure" (tylenol sends 10's of thousands to the ER and to early deaths)...
Location: Somewhere gray and damp, close to the West Coast
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Three Wolves In Snow
I suffer from chronic pain after a car accident where my spine was knocked out by a half an inch at the neck. Do that to your spine, if feels amazing. The pain is non stop. It never. fricken. stops. It's also frustrating. Just trying to get to sleep is a chore because I have to have the pillows in a certain way so that my spine is aligned in a certain way - and once I find that position, (finally!), if I move, I have to restart that process all over again. For 19 years, I've been unable to just go to bed and go to sleep. It's: go to bed, make sure everything is set before the fight, fight with the pillows - folding and twisting them to support the neck and align the spine in just the right way...and that can take a very long time.
And even when everything is to the point that I can actually sleep, there's still pain, but it's not as bad because it feels like relieving pain...if that makes any sense to you. It usually feels like little electrical charges down my limbs, but while it's not neutral, it feels like pressure is being released - so painful, but "not as bad", and actually what I look for to be able to sleep. Yeah, that's pathetic, isn't it?
As I'm typing right now, I'm in pain. I'm "used to it" in that I can function and get my brain to concentrate on other things, but that doesn't mean I stop feeling it, and it doesn't mean I'm not aware of it...at all times. Every day. All day. Never ending. Never stopping. No relief. None. And there never will be any. Ever.
I understand to a certain extent what the OP was talking about. In some cases, even doing the smallest of things will bring me horrendous headaches and pain in my back, and to my limbs so bad that I can't even find the right position to sleep in. I just pop 1600mg of Ibuprofen and wait to pass out. It could be simple things like cleaning the house. Because I still have not learned to do one thing at a time, it's "do it all and don't stop until it's all done" work ethic I've had my entire life. It doesn't matter how many times I tell myself to pace myself, I do it all at once. But it's not like it's heavy duty. It's sweeping the floor, mopping the floor, wiping down everything in the bathroom, and doing laundry. (Everything else is done on a daily basis cleaning wise.) That's it. And it can lay me out for an entire day after that.
However, I don't have the type of pain the OP's wife has, and I can still get up, get out, walk around, and be independent, but I'm telling you, even on my scale there are days when it's maddening.
♥ ♥ ♥ to you. I also suffer with chronic pain from a condition that's know colloquially as the "suicide disease". I'm lucky that mine is better controlled than most people's and I don't have to resort to opioids. I had to quit FB groups of people with the same condition -- too depressing. Best wishes and prayers to you.
A lot of pain (or the actual way a person feels it) has to do with the rest of their life, not just the pain. Even decades ago, I noticed that my back pain was more evident when I was "down". There have been numerous articles written about it. It's fairly simple chemistry, the "pleasure and love" chemicals and hormones that our bodies make naturally are pain relievers. Oxytocin, Dopamine and a number of others are always in play...or lack of.
The famous studies of Okinawa touch on this:
"Okinawans have less cancer, heart disease and dementia than Americans, and women there live longer than any women on the planet.
Perhaps their greatest secret is a strong dedication to friends and family. They maintain a powerful social network called a “moai,” a lifelong circle of friends that supports people well into old age. Okinawans also have a strong sense of purpose in life, a driving force that the Japanese call “ikigai.”
It's interesting that the USA uses vastly more painkillers than any other modern society - and yet they aren't doing much good (in terms of the happiness index or longer life).
Issues such as pain and pain management and suicide are a whole bunch deeper than each of our individual opinions and experiences.
I think the problem here is more than skin deep! It seems impossible that Americans have 40 times as much base physical pain as other countries.
And yet, even at 40X the rate, we are here complaining that it's not enough?
40 X 0 = 0 That's how it works in my case and in the case of OP and his poor wife and in the cases of many others who have replied to this thread. I have sciatica and when it flares up the pain is so bad that I get tears in my eyes. I cannot stand for even 5 minutes. The pain is that bad. This means that when I'm having a sciatica episode, I can't do anything for myself and that's even worse than the pain because I am a very independent person who doesn't like to accept help from others.
I used to have a primary care Doc who would prescribe me pain meds if I really needed them and during my pain free times I never used them. Then along comes the big government crack down and my doctor was forced to take an early retirement because the local medical board felt he prescribed too many opiates. Well, a significant part of his practice included nursing home residents who were experiencing constant severe pain. Wouldn't want to help THOSE people, now would we? Two other doctors in my small town also took early retirement around the same time because of frustration trying to treat their patients with chronic pain.
Thanks to the DEA, my rural part of the country which had problems with affordable competent medical care to begin with is now served by a single clinic where the quality of care is a complete joke. People around here have taken to traveling down to New Mexico to a spine clinic which offers pain management. I got the phone number of the New Mexico spine clinic from a friend, and I'm seriously considering going down there since I've had absolutely nothing to help me with my pain for two years now.
I have spent so many days confined to my recliner with ice packs that I've lost track of them all. I've experimented with medical mj and I've discovered that a tincture of 1:1 CBO/THC helps a little but nowhere near enough. Meanwhile, the druggies around here are still getting their oxy's and meth no problemo.
It makes me very angry that law abiding people who have done nothing wrong are sentenced to suffer severe pain with little to no help for the foreseeable future while the drug dealers continue with business as usual.
OP, you and your wife have my deepest sympathy. No one should have to go through what you describe.
OP, as a fellow resident of Lousyana, I'm well aware of the medical marijuana program. Including the costs of follow up Dr visits. Which is bs. Anything for the state to get money. Also you could bypass the medical marijuana card and buy cbd oil without the "recommendations".
I'm in chronic pain, have muscle spasms and suffer from PTSD. I haven't tried to get a card because of the costs and the said loophole. In June I had surgery on my knee with just 30 hydrocodone 7. On the bottle, it stated that Federal law prohibits the refill. Well I ran out. Taking as prescribed. Still hurt too. My Dr said just take ibuprofen or Tylenol. Right. Took the edge off for a little bit. But hey, doctors and government knows what's best for us. Thing is that they don't feel what we feel.
Currently looking to relocate north. Out of state. Where I can get a medical marijuana card and be able to use it. Sure, I can use the cbd oil, but would that stimulate my hunger? There are some days that I have to FORCE myself to eat because I have migraines from a pinched nerve. Bones fused together. Yep, told my doctor about the headache and shoulder pains. Again...Just take ibuprofen. Bit the bullet and went to chiropractor. Xray confirmed the fusion.
All in all, I call it Population Control by the government. You die either from overdoses or suicide because some do not wish to live their lives in pain.
Part 2 of the article. This is about the doctors and the pressure they’re facing from hospitals and state regulations to stop or reduce prescribing such medications
Currently looking to relocate north. Out of state. Where I can get a medical marijuana card and be able to use it. Sure, I can use the cbd oil, but would that stimulate my hunger? There are some days that I have to FORCE myself to eat because I have migraines from a pinched nerve. Bones fused together. Yep, told my doctor about the headache and shoulder pains. Again...Just take ibuprofen. Bit the bullet and went to chiropractor. Xray confirmed the fusion.
All in all, I call it Population Control by the government. You die either from overdoses or suicide because some do not wish to live their lives in pain.
MA.
Pot is legal even recreationally. You can buy it at a store - cheap.
If you get a card (easy), you get 20% off (no state tax like there is on recreational)...and you have your own counter (no lines, etc.)....
Pot is legal even recreationally. You can buy it at a store - cheap.
If you get a card (easy), you get 20% off (no state tax like there is on recreational)...and you have your own counter (no lines, etc.)....
That type of pain is awful. It basically takes over your entire life, but other people have no idea how much pain you are in. I went through a neck issue that luckily subsided with a few injections, but I can understand why people don't want to either live with it forever or take opioids.
There are lots of rumors about why Kurt Cobain killed himself--heroin, depression, etc. But I have also read interviews with his childhood friends who have stated that all of those other issues stemmed from a long-time issue with chronic pain that he eventually could not live with.
Thank you greatly for the information. I would love to head up to MA. But scared of the high COL. I'm sure it's not too bad in some places.
Florida...No...I'm trying to get away from the heat and humidity!!!
Western MA where we live actually is not very wealthy....well, except my cul-de-sac.
All working class roots here - the biggest employer is social services. College town atmosphere.
It's just not dirt cheap.
Oh, BTW, you can certainly come from out-of-state and purchase in CO. or MA.
We had a mass immigration from CT for a couple weeks when the rec. part of the dispensaries opened. Major lines!
What you do with it after you buy it is up to you.
I actually got my card even tho it was legal recreationally - and even tho I haven't been a user. I want to try certain formulations and like to be above board and since I am not a stoner (since I was 19, at least), I got a card.
I have been ordering the legal CBD from Charlottes Web. Expensive...all CBD is. Apparently, THC is vastly cheaper to make...
Hey, I'm 65 and today I walked a couple miles, climbed onto the roof and used a pole saw to cut back branches, rode my bike and worked on my electrical panel. Health is our greatest wealth and whatever I need to spend to keep me from sitting around and watching TV all the time....I will.
(Note - I'm in Florida now....hence the outdoor activities. We winter here).
My MA. doc is also under the painkiller gun like docs everywhere. When I told him I'd be away a couple months he printed me out scripts for 30 days....4 of them! Small amounts...but with my moderation in all things they will do fine.
It’s worth mentioning that the 2018 Farm Bill was passed by the Senate today. It still has to be passed by the House. Assuming it is, this is what it means:
Quote:
- Allow hemp production in all 50 states for any use, including flower production and CBD or other cannabinoid extraction.
- States will have the option to submit their own plans to regulate hemp.
- Spell out that licensed hemp producers who grow cannabis plants that exceed the THC limitation of 0.3% will not be guilty of a drug crime but instead must submit a plan to correct the “hot” hemp.
- Allow interstate commerce for hemp and hemp-derived CBD.
- One does not need to smoke marijuana or get high to benefit from medical cannabis.
- CBD is not psychoactive like THC. High doses of CBD-rich formulations are safe, well tolerated, and sometimes necessary.
- But high doses of CBD are not always more effective than lower doses. As little as 2.5 mg CBD combined with a small amount of THC can have a therapeutic effect.
- Preclinical studies have shown that full-spectrum CBD-rich cannabis oil (with a small amount of THC) is efficacious at much lower doses and has a much wider therapeutic window than pure, pharmaceutical-grade CBD.
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