Has anyone travelled long distance with chronic pain???

[Jmscant]

Hi there. I'm getting married a week this Friday and the whole preparation has been marred by chronic pain issues of my back and abdomen. I've have trialed different drugs and pain killers and at the moment my pain is intense. It is upsetting me greatly as this should be the most exciting time of my life yet I struggle to get through each day with the pain. I am also concerned about my honeymoon, which involves a considerable amount of travelling (going to Bora Bora, French Polynesia) and I hate the thought of being in this much pain whilst stuck on various planes etc. Does anyone have their own stories or any advice to help me?

[Hidden]

Hello, firstly I am sorry to hear that you are in such pain. I base my advice on the fact that I have osteoarthritis in my hips, back and other joints. I am on morphine patches for the pain. I travel abroad and these are some things that work for me. There is a lot of help and support offered by the airlines. If the pain is making it difficult for you to be mobile then make sure you request airline assistance from check in. This means they will help you get to the gate and have someone meet you at the other end. Make sure you have travel insurance that covers you for pre-existing conditions. I have used Holiday Extras in the past. Wear comfortable clothing and take a cushion with you to put in the airline seat, I use a wheelchair memory foam pad and it makes all the difference. Focus on what you can do as opposed to what you cannot. Give yourself a break and rest when you need to, maybe add a stop over to give yourself a break. I hope that you have a wonderful wedding and enjoy your honeymoon.

[Jmscant in reply to Hidden]

Hi there. Thank you so very much for replying and for reassuring me somewhat. It's not walking so much that I have trouble with, it's constant, severe muscular pain in my core abdomen muscles and lower back. It doesn't sound like a huge deal but I can safely say that when the pain is severe it always reduces me to tears. There's no doubt the anticipation of being well for my wedding day is making my pain worse as there's a lot of anxiety and stress built up inside of me and that's amplifying the pain. I'm only on dihydrocodeine 60mg four times a day and they helped at first but no longer cut it. I've been advised both pregabalin and gabapentin but with the wedding 10 days away I'm reluctant to start any new tabs due to unwanted side effects, plus on my big day and honeymoon I want to be able to enjoy some alcohol. Do you have any experience with any of those tabs? Do you drink with your pain relief?

[Hidden in reply to Jmscant]

I don't have experience of the two medications that you mentioned. I was on Solpadol which is 30mg of Codeine and 500mg of paracetamol prior to taking morphine. Personally, I would not advise drinking and taking pain killers. The side effects of the pills are magnified and the risk to health is severe. Have you tried acupuncture? I was scared stiff of needles but was so desperate to deal with the pain that I tried it. It really works for me and treats the whole person. Last week I had seven needles in me, including one in the centre of my forehead! It did wonders for my pain and gave me more energy for a couple of days. There have been several research studies to show there are links between levels of stress and increased pain levels so you are not alone. Have a chat with your GP and / or specialist. They are there to help you.

[Piggysqueak]

Hello I'm so sorry that I never saw your post before . I do hope the wedding and everything went well and the adrenaline dulled the pain for you . My personal opinion is try pregabalin as it has less side effect than gabapetin so I was told and pregabalin is more expensive that's why they try it first . Pregabalin gave me the best 6 months since I got ill however long term is another matter it still helps pain but put on massive amount of weight and it can if you get the incorrect dose make you so v ill so I would suggest go very slowly . You need a pain clinic and I would explore further reason for your pain . Accupuncture did help me but you have to believe it going to help for it to really work at its best . There are so many medicines your GP can try don't give up hope they should be able to offer you a plan of care and treatment and hopefully look at you from both traditional and holistic ways so you can enjoy your married life . I do think pain clinic is a must when you get home best wishes squeak xxxx