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Physical pain

whiteraven

MyPTSD Pro
I just need to connect with others who might understand.

I am in an enormous amount of pain, some from costochondritis, some from fibro, some I can't identify. It hurts to walk, to sit, to lie down. If I touch my arm or leg, It feels like it's bruised - everywhere. Both hands hurt.

Last night I made vegan stew, which required me to cut up potatoes and carrots, and I thought it would just create problems with my hands, but I went to bed hurting all over, and I could barely get up this morning. Had told my mom I'd visit today, and I was gone most of the day - I hurt so bad. Pain like this makes the depression and aggravation so much worse. I just want to go to bed and stay there.
 
Before reading this, please understand that although I may have been where you are, I get it that there are millions of ways to get there and as many ways to get out. This is mine:

I have been where you are. Doctors were checking me for twenty different possibilities and sending me home with opiates, it turned out my body wanted the opiates and was causing real pain to get them. It was a truly awful time that is hard to think about. Don't ever think of psycho sematic pain as anything less than the other types, it hurts maybe worse because there isn't much to do about it. I rode it out until I met a very smart doctor that told me what was going on and had me cleanse the opiates out cold turkey with lots of water and juice. It worked for me but I still have to live through times when my body is trying to avoid the painful stress by hammering me with painful headaches and spasms.
Thank you body, you developed coping strategies that worked for you but not for us. I am in charge, we are going to face the stress and PTSD nightmare in other ways than shutting it all down with opiates and sleep, thanks anyway. Lets compromise?
My gut and various pain receptors are pragmatists, as am I, cut to the chase and get to the fix that works. Quit dancing around the details, can we escape this? YES? Okay, bring on the pain and get out of the game and find the comfortable places.
Now that I get that, I have to accept that some of the pain is being caused by my body's extreme desire to get away from the sources of the stress. Pretty impressive attempt for a collection of nerves and bone and muscle, but I have a cerebral cortex and lobes, I can find better ways out of this and will. But still, thanks, that was a pretty damn good try, it was working, but my way will be better and healthier, stop being so impatient. Here, have a benzo instead, lets get some rest.
 
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I have been where you are. Doctors were checking me for twenty different possibilities and sending me home with opiates, it turned out my body wanted the opiates and was causing real pain to get them. It was a truly awful time that is hard to think about. Don't ever think of psycho sematic pain as anything less than the other types, it hurts maybe worse because there isn't much to do about it. I rode it out until I met a very smart doctor that told me what was going on and had me cleanse the opiates out cold turkey with lots of water and juice. It worked for me but I still have to live through times when my body is trying to avoid the painful stress by hammering me with painful headaches and spasms.
+1 Yup. Except I did it myself. I was at the bad place where effects are reversed and rather than fall asleep, it was like drinking red bull. Why dangerous? It's depressive effects on your system are still there and you are far more apt to overdose.

The pain has been there from the beginning. In your head is the worst. It stops you from doing anything and amplifies other aches and pain.

Now that I get that, I have to accept that some of the pain is being caused by my body's extreme desire to get away from the sources of the stress.
Nailed it. It's also a barometer for how high your stress is. The hard part is paying attention to your stress rather than pain. Find something that takes the edge off pain and deal with whats stressing you. I know all that pain stuff gets way more active when, like the last few days, I'm fighting anxiety more.
 
I had a wonderful day yesterday, I was able to get to a good place with one of my major stress sources. Just having closure was like being relieved of a large weight on my shoulders and I could face the next obstacle and breathe better.
I think I suffer with this all of the time. Growing old has it's aches and pains, i don't know anyone my age that isn't restricted in some way, but I am close to the edge in so many ways already that it doesn't take much of a tremor to make all the cards fall. Or much of a break to really feel the improvements.
 
hey @whiteraven how are you holding up? My pain is coming back. right now its strong and like weights attached to my bones.
Oh, thanks for asking! No one asks how I am, and it is so appreciated!

My mom and niece and I went on a short day trip Saturday (I drove), and Sunday I hurt absolutely everywhere. Yesterday was a pretty bad day, but I took over-the-counter meds before bed and when I got up, and I was much better today. I never remember to not over-do it. It seems that most everything I like to do is overdoing, and that makes getting up in the morning so hard. And, of course, the physical pain leaves me depressed. It's a vicious circle.

I'm sorry to hear about your pain. Any better this evening?

Don't ever think of psycho sematic pain as anything less than the other types, it hurts maybe worse because there isn't much to do about it.
Forgot to reply to this. I don't think the origin of my pain is psychosomatic, although I do think emotional stress can add to it.
 
Oh, thanks for asking! No one asks how I am, and it is so appreciated!

My mom and niece and I went on a short day trip Saturday (I drove), and Sunday I hurt absolutely everywhere. Yesterday was a pretty bad day, but I took over-the-counter meds before bed and when I got up, and I was much better today. I never remember to not over-do it. It seems that most everything I like to do is overdoing, and that makes getting up in the morning so hard. And, of course, the physical pain leaves me depressed. It's a vicious circle.

I'm sorry to hear about your pain. Any better this evening?
It's a common theme for my T to tell me to relax, take my time etc. But that's with the trauma. Are you saying you feel stuck in the go position? Or more like need more rest than giving yourself? I have experienced both
 
Found this oldish thread, and it is exactly where I am now. To be clear, my pain is not from psychological issues--I have costochondritis, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and am post-op. The last two mornings I've awakened in an enormous amount of pain, everywhere. I was going to rest today, but I've been really wanting to go *somewhere,* especially since the weather has been so much cooler. It's beautiful here today.

So, I went to the post office to mail a package to my niece, got gas, and drove to a local park to get a gift there for my mom. It was sooo pretty, I decided to walk one of the trails. Oh good grief. I walked almost two miles. It nearly killed me--I got back to the car in so much pain I just cried.

I hadn't gone to the store in four weeks, so I *had* to go. I mean, I've been eating crap. Prices are so high, and I spent so much time trying to find the lowest-priced things. I still ended up paying way more than usual, and the pain just got worse because I walked around so long.

Now I just want to go to bed and stay there the rest of the weekend.
 
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