Pain And Ptsd

[Jimmy1]

IMO I don't think you lose the sense of pain but your threshold is put way up. Look at those martial artists, you can see them grimace, they feel it but not to the levels of a normal person.

My back surgeon asked me what pain level I was feeling when they were assessing me for the VA, I asked him which level, the civilian level or the military level as I believe you are conditioned for that too. Your are trained to push through the pain barriers which is actually bad. For instance, if you have lower back pain and you are carrying 100 pound on your back, then the right thing to do would be to stop, but that would not get the job done would it? See where I am going.

To me, pain meds just don't work. Reminds me of a song. Who sang it. 'The drugs don't work', 'They make you hurt', 'But I know I'll see your face again'.

Waffling.

 

[Sarg]

One. But I think he got into trouble and the judge makes him come to the meetings. But! He contributes. And he calls shit when he sees it. We're the group PITAs and we do tag team.

Back to the judge. I think it's a she and she is very pro-Veteran. She gives alternatives to prison. Job, counseling, ect. I remember back there was a huge toll of Nam Vets that did hard time. The beast would get up in them, they'd get drunk, hurt someone. Or worse.

I had a short talk with him and told him his friends are welcome as well.

If we still have a group in a few months. Got the word last Wed. that the Vet Center Management had two groups going, ours and another run by a private counselor. They announce they will drop the Vet Center counselor in favor of the private one. We're gonna fight it. We were just getting down to real communication and now this shit.

Jimmy, I got to thinking and duh!, I'm taking 1200 Gabapentin a day! It was prescribed for anxiety but I've been on it years and years and think of it as a head med and not a pain killer.. It didn't seem to dull pain at first but maybe now it's kicking in. I'm trying to wean off it as I don't think it really does that much for the anxiety.

Sarg

 

[Zipperhead]

They want to shut you down in favour of a ring knocker? You may not have a grad ring from some prestigious school, but you have something those educated do gooders never will. You understand. When will this world accept real life experiences as a valid education?

 

[Sarg]

This is one of the things that got me into hot water with VA management. I wanted to privatize the whole shooting match. So, now what they have going is they keep all their VA jobs and shove the work off on a private contractor. And you nailed it! No one is going to understand how to treat combat PTSD better than a combat Veteran.

Beside that, he's a Brother. They just have to mess with us all the time.

Sarg

 

[Jimmy1]

 

[vikingr12]

Zip, we have talked about the leg pain and I am glad you are doing better. There are a few exercises I learned from a PT that help with leg pain in general. I can write them out if you wish. And you do have to take it slow but they are really low impact and in some ways fun. Good for the back too.

I'm afraid I had some bone deterioration recently and was really down for a while. I am rebuilding. But the right leg is still numb unless you touch it with pressure; then the screams are fantastic. If I was a masochist, I would pass out from sexual exhaustion.

 

[Zipperhead]

I've been going to a chiropractor for two weeks now, and start physio on Monday. After 7 years of living with this it seems that the doctors are finally starting to take it seriously. Okay, to be fair, after the first visit to the chiropractor, suddenly discovering that there was hope, I started looking for solutions, and they were all to happy to oblige. So I guess, after 7 years I decided enough was enough and physio starts Monday. It's a very different world when Hope shows up. Thanks Vikingr

 

[Jimmy1]

Well it's been nearly two years I think since I had the disc's removed, replaced, and fused in my back. To start with the pain was pretty well gone, but now it's creeping back and I don't know what to do. I did some yard work the last couple of days, and even after taking tramadol and paracetamol with codeine, nothing works. I have no idea what to do. I get physio every week.

 

[Anglesachse]

Physio is ok for keeping you mobile, or even getting you mobile, the problem we all have is doing the jobs that are not done on a regular basis.

I suffer big time in winter when the snow falls, clearing the "drive" is so untypical a job and movement, that even with 3 days a week in the gym and all, it is a killer.

There are just so many movements that are not done regular enough to keep the body upto scratch. But having a head start thanks to physio or the gym and being mobile is a big bonus.

 

[vikingr12]

Jimmy and Zip,

Pain becomes an old friend, something different from the Beast which I can't help but think is a constant enemy. Maybe some day I will embrace it.

Sometimes it's not a friend but that is what friends are: a pain and a pleasant thing.

We live on the third planet from a sun among many. We have a brain and nerves. A cosmic joke or tragic farce as one man smarter than me said.

We can only look at our hands and feet and live with them.

I am watching you guys. Para and codeine is an old remedy with a new name. I know it well as a rescue man and one who took it. I know it's hard but try not to take too much. It's hard on the organs.

And Zip the best with the PT. I can only do so much with PT. And dammit if I don't feel like an old lady complainin' about it. You gotta go somewhere.

 

[Zipperhead]

Got word of Friday from Veterans Affairs. Apparently they won't pay for physio. It's the first time they have refused to help me out since I started out in the rehab program. I don't know if it's because they don't like the chances of success, or if the last round of budget cuts caught up with me, but I'm doing this alone now. Blind leading the blind type thing. On a positive note, I can sit without pain now. After so many years of being in pain while sitting, it's hard to sit. I keep expecting the pain to come at any second. But the chiropractor seems to have hit the right spot for know, so hopefully I can keep this going. I have found myself smiling for no apparent reason lately. Confusing and at the same time wonderful. Not even Veteran's Affairs can ruin this for me at the moment.

 

[reddevil1111]

Jimmy I have chronic pain as well. I think you know it means a new level of permanent pain is coming soon. Pain management might help. The basic stuff like meditation and all that does a little to help but the hypnosis and other options might do you some good. Just me .02 mate.
Zip I am glad your seeing some daylight with things. I hope the good news keeps rolling in. Hope is sometimes all there is. That's not a bad thing you know.