I've been in group situations where people have asked me (or others in my situation) questions which I feel may crop up here. In an effort to avoid embarrassment and frustration on both our parts, here's a general FAQ that might be helpful.
Q: Why don't you just take some aspirin/use a heating pad/put some ice on it/buck up a little?
A: Of the 19 medications I'm currently taking, five are for pain, and two of those are narcotics (including morphine). And on some days, even those don't work. I do use heat and ice as appropriate, but they are short-term solutions. As for bucking up/toughing it out/not being such a baby about it, this is me bucking up. You should see me on the days when I'm not.
Q: 19 meds? Do you really need all those?
A: Yes, and yes.
Q: Have you had a second opinion?
A: Yes. And a third, fourth and fifth.
Q: My sister had back trouble and she tried...
A: Please don't finish your sentence. I've tried everything available to the modern chronic pain patient: surgery, medication, heat therapy, the TENS unit, physical therapy, massage, movement therapy, epidural injections, meditation. The only thing still on my list to try is acupuncture. Some of these have worked for me, some haven't. What works for one person may not for another, and vice versa.
Q: Why can't you work?
A: Chronic pain affects more than just the part(s) of the body in question. It's not like when you broke your arm or twisted your ankle. In those cases, the body is rapidly working to repair the damage, and you get over it. With chronic pain, the brain is constantly getting signals that something's wrong with the body. The "fight-or-flight" reaction that we all learned in school kicks in, but because it's not having an effect, its messages keep getting sent. The brain eventually starts allocating more cells dedicated as pain receptors, and the cycle continues. All this causes fatigue, difficulty concentrating and other effects. Think of it as trying to do your job while alternately being stalked by a madman with a loaded gun. How productive would you be? Add to this the effects of morphine and other necessary pain medications, and it doesn't make for a very good employee.
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