Tough times

Constant pain is tough and relentless.  I know what you mean about trhing to break out of prisin.  I'm constantly putting my body into all sorts of contortions because Im instinctively trying to get away from the pain.   But like you say,  there's no escape.

Pain medication makes a person feel rubbish  so it's all round horrible 

I fully empathise with you  xx

Hi Lindasue 

I'm sorry to read about your pain and sleeplessness. Not getting enough sleep makes everything seem worse. Is your pain relief not working? Would it be worth seeing your GP for stronger medication? I'm hoping you have a better night tonight. 

A x

Thank you, yes I'm waiting to get the ok for some stronger medication as I'm taking a lot of other ones for different issues  

Hi Lindasue I wouldn't recommend  Brixton  Prison  as I had a brief holiday there  , Fresh air and getting outside really helps body and mind if you can . I hope you feel better soon All the best Minmax 

Fresh air and movement certainly is a good distraction, if you can get out. Sometimes it’s just not possible though .

Hello Lindasue,

I hope you will not find this suggestion fantastical, but it's something I practice and it actually works - at least for a time. I went through a long period of intense sciatic pain some years ago and was at my wits end. Nothing touched it. But I discovered something whilst dealing with this pain and I've used this technique since. It works on nerve pain. I've not had the same success with general muscular-type aches and pains.

When you're lying there in bed try to concentrate your mind on the very epicentre of the pain. Try and identify the worst bit and then imagine a thumb. Press that imagined thumb firmly down onto the most intense point of the pain. It takes a bit of concentration and practice but when it works you will find that your 'mind' has interrupted the pathway that is transmitting the pain to your brain. The pain will lessen and often be completely stopped whilst the pressure from the 'thumb' [your mind] presses down. Once you get to know how the pain behaves you will feel it trying to wriggle out from the pressure you are applying. It tries to find another way through but you can follow it and keep the pressure on and thwart it.

I'm sure this sounds like a lot of effort, but I found I was able to fix my mind onto the pain and stop it for quite long periods - 20 or 30 mins at a time. Often it would relax me to the point I'd be able to fall asleep. Apart from anything else, I found it very empowering to be able to do this. I'm sure that it's possible for all of us to learn to do this and I found the more I did it, the easier it became to tune into the pain and switch it off.

From time to time I do have pain and if it's nerve pain then I employ this technique to get a bit of respite. I don't like taking a lot of pills and have found I need fewer if I combine this with less damaging medications. I hate what opioids do to my insides and have managed to keep them at arms length so far. Apologies for the long-winded explanation, but it may help you or somebody else. 

Hope you feel better soon, whatever you decide.

Hugs from Rainie x

Hi Rainie, that's amazing, I do something similar, mind over matter you may say. As the strongest painkillers i can safely take are paracetamol, and all but very small amounts of anaesthetic are too dangerous, I was taught to focus the mind to ignore the pain, and as 80% of the pain you feel is your mind telling you there is something wrong and it just wants you to act quickly to stop the pain, and is not real pain, I have been able to have many medical procedures free of anaesthetic and the risks to me it comes with, though not pain free.

Eddie