Pain-Topics.org News/Research UPDATES

This is disturbing to me personally. I may well ha...

2012-05-15T11:31:30.727-05:00

This is disturbing to me personally. I may well have made up part of the "inconsistent" group. My doctor uses Quest, and I know for a fact all my medications were not written on the form. There isn't enough room for one, and the tech taking the sample got tired of listing my meds and sighingly asked, after listing 5 or so of the 16 medications I take, to just list benzodiapines and

Without pain control intervention I, and so many l...

2012-05-15T10:51:55.321-05:00

Without pain control intervention I, and so many like me, would not be alive today. Chronic pain is unrelenting in the world of those who really are in need, making life seem cruel and inconsequential. I have actually been denied the care I need in Washington state, making it necessary to travel to another state for help. With this closure of make me feel like those of us who really suffer are

Thank you for your contribution and communication ...

2012-05-14T10:16:50.243-05:00

Thank you for your contribution and communication on a topic that impacts millions and millions of us on a daily basis. I, as I would assume there are many reading this article, welcome direction for communicating as our own lobbyist on this topic....

Thank you, Michelle, for your comments above. Yes,...

2012-05-09T22:33:56.987-05:00

Thank you, Michelle, for your comments above. Yes, these are, indeed, sad and worrying events. I didn’t mention the ProPublica articles last December or the Senate inquiry announced yesterday because, according to my information sources, those were not major influences on APF’s decision --- granted, the timing of Will Rowe’s departure from APF and, now, this demise of the organization seem

When I read the email from APF last night, I was s...

2012-05-09T21:32:22.187-05:00

When I read the email from APF last night, I was stunned. They have been such an important resource for me as a pain patient over the last several years. And I've been pleased to have them acting on my behalf in Washington during a time when we pain patients have needed them more than ever.

I'm curious -- and concerned -- about what connection APF's abrupt disbanding has

Thanks, Charles, for your comments immediately abo...

2012-05-08T18:22:19.241-05:00

Thanks, Charles, for your comments immediately above. In the past, we have referenced that Noble et al. Cochrane review that you link to, which found an extremely low addiction rate. Some of the newer evidence points to a much higher rate (as high as 30%); however, this is a complex subject, and the research is inconsistent and often of questionable quality or validity. We are currently

In this age when we have access to medications 80 ...

2012-05-08T17:50:13.758-05:00

In this age when we have access to medications 80 times more powerful than morphine, no one should suffer from chronic pain. None of us should suffer severe pain for a moment longer, if only our physicians would provide the long-acting drugs that we need (Fentanyl Transdermal, Oxycontin, Kadian, etc.), plus the short-acting narcotics for breakthrough pain (Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, etc) and the

Thank you, for the above comment. Gluten-free diet...

2012-05-08T15:00:26.395-05:00

Thank you, for the above comment. Gluten-free diets are becoming more popular these days; although, one needs to be careful about not becoming deficient in the vitamins and minerals that are normally added to wheat, rye, and barley products. We would like to hear from other readers who have found that eliminating gluten was beneficial in reducing migraines or other types of headache.

My migraines went away when I stopped eating wheat...

2012-05-08T14:39:09.552-05:00

My migraines went away when I stopped eating wheat -- all wheat. I used to have two a week; I've only had two this entire year, and both were after I went to dinners the night before and ate whatever I wanted to eat. Of course the expensive allergist tested me for every single thing, except wheat. What a relief -- it's worth not having wheat in my life; I also automatically dropped

like people are actually going to admit what they ...

2012-05-05T09:53:23.135-05:00

like people are actually going to admit what they really think. i dont think people veiw me badly, i KNOW they do. many people have expressed the opinion that fibro sufferers are a drain on the economy and lazy weak individuals who dont want to work or live normally. people have said this to my face, even when they know i have fibromyalgia, and other things.

I was very thin prior to the diagnosis with FM but...

2012-05-02T10:51:23.277-05:00

I was very thin prior to the diagnosis with FM but it wasn't until I was put on the Lyrica that I gained a significant amount of weight, 8 - 10 lbs every 2 weeks. Not only did I gain weight, but the Lyrica did not help with the pain (taken with Cymbalta and Savella). My pain mgt. doc would not take me off the Lyrica and now I am 40 lbs heavier and have been off the Lyrica for over 2 years.

I have fibromyalgia, polymyalgia rheumatica and Re...

2012-05-01T18:03:02.009-05:00

I have fibromyalgia, polymyalgia rheumatica and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy now known as Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome. I did not take medication for the fibromyalgia for years as I have a high pain tolerance and I continued to keep an active lifestyle. I was a paramedic working in an ER and on the ambulance. I had back surgery in 2005 and developed polymyalgia rheumatica and RSD. I was

I have not been diagnosed officially but am pretty...

2012-05-01T16:37:30.083-05:00

I have not been diagnosed officially but am pretty sure I have frbromyalgia. I was a pedestrian hit by a truck 12 years ago. I manage my pain without drugs which the docs are not supportive of. I am very sensitive to drugs and just do not want to add the toxicity and side effects to my already challenging life. I am overweight and can't loose weight eventhough I eat a very healthy organic

I was thin and had a BMI of 25 when I was diagnose...

2012-05-01T15:04:37.235-05:00

I was thin and had a BMI of 25 when I was diagnosed with fibro 5years ago. Since then I have gained over 40lbs. I feel due to not being able to work out anymore and taking Lyrica. I tried to stop taking it but the pain was so debilitating that I cold not get out of bed...so I started taking it again. I too am tired of reading articles that blame being overweight for every illness. I myself know

I too was very slender (100 lbs) when I was diagno...

2012-05-01T13:22:37.086-05:00

I too was very slender (100 lbs) when I was diagnosed with FM. With time and different medications, a surgery I gained weight. It is almost impossible to loose weight. It drives me crazy that I can't loose the weight regardless what I try and I have tried a couple diets. The weight does not help with the pain in the winter. The doctor has told me to go on a "no carb-sugar" diet. No

I do my kennel (I run a boarding facility) everyda...

2012-04-30T15:16:56.083-05:00

I do my kennel (I run a boarding facility) everyday but if I am lucky, I get a day off on weekends when my husband is home. I would like to think on that day off that I could catch up on housework or something else needing to be done but usually, I am sleeping off the work i have done during the week. Frustrating!!!!

I do one thing a day whether its cleaning my house...

2012-04-30T11:59:00.834-05:00

I do one thing a day whether its cleaning my house, washing dogs or taking a shower

I took Ibuprofen off and on for 40 years, this las...

2012-04-30T11:45:58.447-05:00

I took Ibuprofen off and on for 40 years, this last year I tore the meniscus cartilage in my knee and was taking large amounts (600 to 800mg)3 to 4 times a day to relieve pain enough to be able to stand on it. After 6 weeks, I ended up in the hospital in near cardiac failure. My hemoglobin was 7. Discovered a slow bleed in my duodenum that was causing me to be chronically anemic. Now I can't

benzo affect is not the real problem by far!

2012-04-25T18:47:05.359-05:00

benzo affect is not the real problem by far!

Thank you for your in-depth analysis of the Sinaki...

2012-04-24T06:55:52.700-05:00

Thank you for your in-depth analysis of the Sinaki Case Report and your comments regarding the strength of evidence are well-taken.
However, you should be aware that Dr. Sinaki's report on the dangers of forward flexion exercises are also based on her well-founded research which has been published beginning in 1984.
Also, the patients in this case report were diagnosed with

Thanks for the information and review of this arti...

2012-04-24T05:17:37.593-05:00

Thanks for the information and review of this article.
It would be interesting to see, if Dhalla suffers from Chronic Pain or one of his family members. It is easy to throw stones and scare people without having conclusive scientific results.
Regards,
Stanley

In the Sate of WA. pain manager's are taking p...

2012-04-23T12:28:01.971-05:00

In the Sate of WA. pain manager's are taking patients off of all pain medications. The new in this state regulation in effect Jan. 1 2012 are creating a class of people untreated fro pain.

Thanks Dr. Leavitt, Just a footnote on Your Com...

2012-04-18T10:23:51.026-05:00

Thanks Dr. Leavitt,

Just a footnote on Your Comment "Best to do without the alcohol or drink small amounts rarely -- if a person absolutely cannot forsake the alcohol, then maybe there’s a problem." Should not be taken out of the context of the report.

As the you state, that "as average daily opioid dose increased to higher levels (eg, 120+ mg/d

I use a mix of pain meds and, perhaps, twice a wee...

2012-04-17T11:37:40.471-05:00

I use a mix of pain meds and, perhaps, twice a week, something to help me sleep, such as zolpidem or alprazalam (sp). My last dose of pain meds is usually between noon and 2pm. Only because I self impose limits of the medication. However, usually after two bad nights in a row, I will take something to help me sleep. In spite of the fatigue of fibro, its pain, along with osteoarthritis in

Over the past 17 years I have tried acupuncture wi...

2012-04-16T21:07:19.675-05:00

Over the past 17 years I have tried acupuncture with several different practitioners. The first person who worked with me was someone affiliated with NIH - the part of the organization focusing on "alternative" forms of medicine. Unfortunately, because of the long waiting list, I went to this practitioner privately and paid out of pocket. The downside - extraordinary cost. The