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22488. SnowOwl - 8/21/2007 3:06:08 AM Arky, it's nothing serious and I'm sure I've whined about it before. I have neuropathic pain radiating from my spine around my chest. It feels like a tight steel band around my chest, which sometimes also gives a "pins and needles" sensations and at other times feels as though things are writhing around under my skin.
It is not serious, it's just painful and I've had it for years. Unfortunately, this type of pain is about the hardest to treat because normal pain-killing type meds don't work on it. Instead, you get treated with a whole cocktail of meds ranging from anti-depressants to anti-convulsants to beta blockers.
Unfortunately, some of the meds have some really nasty side effects, and none of them really do much for the pain. In fact, the most useful thing for pain relief for me is a TENS machine, which sends little electrical impulses into the skin which supposedly interfere with the way the affected nerve is firing incorrectly. It doesn't actually take the pain away but it does reduce it, or perhaps the sensation it generates takes my mind off the pain. Who knows. It does do me some good though, and that's all that counts.
22489. SnowOwl - 8/21/2007 3:07:22 AM Judith, that's hellish. I didn't think they used casts for stress fractures. Not that I've ever had one, but both of my girls did when they played soccer, and I think they just had to wear really sturdy, well-fitting shoes.
I really feel for you!! 22490. thoughtful - 8/21/2007 12:57:05 PM J@h, so sorry to hear about needing a cast. They're no fun.
Snow, sorry to hear about your health issues too. Have you tried TM? A lot of work has been done by Jon Kabat Zinn on how meditation and stress reduction can be very useful for dealing with chronic pain that is difficult to treat by other methods. 22491. thoughtful - 8/21/2007 1:00:37 PM Mags, yes that was it. I think sometimes in these puzzes they really reach. I kept thinking it was one of those word puzzles where you go from one word to another in so many steps, changing one letter each time.
HEAD
HEAT
BEAT
BOAT
BOOT
FOOT
22492. judithathome - 8/21/2007 4:58:18 PM Well, I got my cast...boot-style, which is good because I can take it off. It's black and comes up to my knee. I think that's excessive but I guess it's what the doctor ordered. Yeah, a hard nylon and plastic black boot, lined with foam, in Texas August heat. Juuuuust ducky!
I'm finding that it's causing the old break to ache because my leg healed a bit crooked and this damned thing is pressing against the part that is off-kilter and trying to make it straight...ha! 22493. judithathome - 8/21/2007 6:07:20 PM Well, I am bummed beyond belief...the doctor just called and said it ISN'T a stress fracture, it's a friggin' broken foot and I have to wear this damned thing for 6 weeks. AND I CAN'T SWIM. I have to keep this cast on except for showering and sleeping.
22494. thoughtful - 8/21/2007 6:24:13 PM Ugh. No fun.
I had one of those boot things when I broke my ankle. The worst for me was using the crutches aggravated a nerve in my elbow and caused me horrendous pain every time I put weight on my arm. I was so thankful I only had to keep weight off of it for 2 weeks. 22495. judithathome - 8/21/2007 7:37:02 PM My mood is just getting darker and darker...I'm going to have to get cheery here pretty quickly. The thing that scares me is if, after 4 weeks, there is no sign of healing at all. A possibility as my bones heal so damned slowly. 22496. thoughtful - 8/21/2007 7:42:50 PM Don't borrow trouble. 22497. SnowOwl - 8/21/2007 7:58:33 PM Oh, Judith. I'm so sorry. That does explain the cast, but it's not the explanation you wanted to hear!
22498. judithathome - 8/21/2007 8:00:39 PM I know...until the cast people called, I halfway expected the doctor to say the MRI showed that the x-ray was wrong, that I had nothing wrong with my foot. Ha! 22499. SnowOwl - 8/21/2007 8:17:51 PM thoughtful, thanks for the information. I haven't tried TM but we have tried other stress management techniques. The Pain Clinic here is very good in the sense that the doctors are open to trying anything and everything that may have some benefit. It's acknowledged by almost everyone working in the field of chronic pain that a "cure" is unlikely. The most that can be hoped for is a reduction in pain and helping the patient find ways of coping with it.
In fact, I never consider it a health problem at all really, which is probably a bit silly. But it doesn't make me "sick" and it doesn't stop me from doing anything. It's just a thing that's always there and very hard to ignore.
There's a very promising new treatment that's being developed in Australia. Unfortunately, it won't be available for about 8 years which is a bit of a bummer.
22500. judithathome - 8/21/2007 8:35:44 PM I hate that sort of thing...they announce all these new treatments but they are years off due to testing and such. And yet here, they won't even bother to check the food coming into the country from China! So they let us have stuff that could possibly kill us but make us wait on things that could save us... 22501. judithathome - 8/21/2007 8:36:15 PM I know that sounds simplistic but that's how it sometimes seems. 22502. concerned - 8/21/2007 8:42:19 PM Re. 22493 -
JAH -
I heard that there is an electrical stimulation therapy available to cause broken bones to heal more quickly. 22503. jexster - 8/21/2007 8:56:01 PM Jen/Judith
Two more reasons to give the stolen property Tejas back to its rightful owners
Whatever else might be said of Texicans (and believe me we Coon Asses have a lot), never let it be said they had taste 22504. jexster - 8/21/2007 9:00:17 PM Well no wonder Judith's in such a foul mood! Have no fear ...Doctor in the house
Back when I got diagnosed, my doc suggested I sign up with Medscape...he reads it all the time as does Dr. McCutchen who has never stayed in a Holiday Inn Express in his life
Diagnosis and Treatment of Foot and Ankle Fractures CME
Disclosures
Randall E. Marcus, MD
ANd as you can see, I got Continuing Medical Education credit just for linking it 22505. jexster - 8/21/2007 9:09:56 PM Texicans are SO crude
Banana Beignets
Eggs Sardou, Antoine's
Creole Cream Cheese
It's enough for you to have given us the Bushes without giving us indigestion too22506. jexster - 8/21/2007 9:17:18 PM Unlike Concerned and Texicans, I don't make this shit up
Just in my email box...I get a kick ever time I see the subject line
Medscape Family Medicine Dr. McCutchen, don't miss these breaking Family Medicine stories
I'll be sure not to 22507. arkymalarky - 8/21/2007 11:08:17 PM Oh my, Judith! I can't believe that! I hope you're out of it quickly. It's a shame you can't even swim!
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