Hi. I was diagnosed just over a year ago with fibromyalgia. I have damage to a couple of disks my neck, possibly after banging my head at work. I believe the bang brought on the fibro. Anyway, I've got an appointment soon at the clinic. First one is a group meeting then there's a follow up with a psychologist. I think this will help as my pain always gets worse in the build up to going out anywhere other than work and walking the dog. I've never really liked going out but the anxiety has got worse recently.
Has anybody else here done the clinic stuff and found it helpful?
Anyone have the anxiety too?
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BakerTom
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It's completely understandable what you're sharing, and I want you to know that you're not alone in this. Anxiety and pain management are common challenges for many people with fibromyalgia, and attending a Pain Management Clinic can be a great step towards improving your quality of life.
What to Expect from a Pain Management Clinic
These clinics are designed to address pain management comprehensively, which often includes:
1. Group therapy: An opportunity to share experiences with others who are also dealing with chronic pain. This can help you feel understood and supported.
2. Pain psychology: Working with a psychologist can help you understand the connection between pain and anxiety. Techniques such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) are often effective in reducing the emotional and mental impact of pain.
3. Interdisciplinary approaches: Many clinics involve physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and doctors working together to personalise strategies that suit your needs.
Is Anxiety Common?
Yes, many people with fibromyalgia also experience anxiety. This happens because:
Chronic pain triggers stress responses in the body, increasing feelings of anxiety.
Social or new situations, like leaving the house or attending appointments, can cause additional stress.
What Can You Do to Manage Anxiety?
Here are some practical suggestions that might help you before and after your appointments:
1. Practice deep breathing: Techniques like inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 4 seconds, and exhaling for 4 seconds can calm your nervous system.
2. Plan ahead: Knowing what to expect at the appointment can help you feel more in control. Don’t hesitate to ask the clinic staff any questions beforehand.
3. Keep track of your symptoms: Keeping a diary of your pain and anxiety can be helpful for both you and the professionals. It will assist them in identifying patterns and offering tailored solutions.
4. Bring someone you trust: If you feel comfortable, consider asking a friend or family member to accompany you, even if it's just to wait outside.
5. Try relaxation techniques: Activities like gentle yoga, meditation, or calm walks (such as those you take with your dog) can be useful tools to ease anxiety.
Final Reflection
It’s normal to feel nervous when facing something new, but remember that you’re taking a brave step towards your wellbeing. Many people have found pain management clinics helpful, whether for reducing pain or feeling more understood. While every experience is unique, these clinics are designed to provide you with practical tools and emotional support.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance, feel free to share your concerns here in the group. There will always be someone willing to help. Take care of yourself! 👍🙏💪
Such useful and comprehensive advice. After almost a year of waiting, I hope to get an appt next year (!) With a pain clinic, so your reply is so helpful to me as well.I know myself the knock on effect between physical health and mental health, think its kind of inevitable really.
Baker Tom, do know you arent alone felling this way, you arent alone and its such a positive thing you do for yourself, in seeking help and advice. I wish you well
Hi, I did the pain clinic as a resident for a month and, as anyone, was cautious about telling some of my deepest thoughts to a group of people; but what it brought was a good feeling that I was not alone in my pain. There were tears and laughter as people get the weight off their shoulders. The sessions with the psychologist were quite self reflective but help in those times when you turn yourself into a knot overthinking things.
I found the gentle exercise sessions of great benefit but they don’t push you beyond your capabilities. You are in control of your limits.
The people there will have pain from many different causes and conditions. Someone had tried to commit suicide, one guy had ocd and could not touch a door knob as others had touched it, a chef had stood too long in his career, a police officer had chronic back pain as he was rammed by a driver trying to get away from arrest. Very diverse.
Go in with your eyes wide open, not all of it will be for you but some of it may be and use it to your benefit.
Hi Tom, I am on a 10 week Pain management course. I cannot honestly say that I have benefited yet, but it will be my 4th group session this morning. I have my sessions on Zoom as also suffer from anxiety. I know that the course is not going to be a miracle cure, but it is designed to help you live as much a normal life as possible by managing the pain. I hope it all goes well for you.
Hi , yes ive been assessed by a pain clinic which resulted in me taking oart in a 12 week on line support group led by a psychologist and doctor who talked about strategies to help manage pain .Participants also shared their personal stories and coping mechanisms. Would definitely recommend a referal which will give you the tools to manage your condition and any associated anxiety and depression which can easily develop. Stay positive and keep going,your not alone.
Sorry this is so long, i hurt my back when i was 14 it wasnt diagnosed until i was 44, up until then i was told that it was just backache, i have a tear going 3/4 of the way through a disk which is sealed by the vertebra above and below it touching each other, the disks above and below that are bulging due to the vertebra above and below them pressing down and up respectively.
i was sent to the pain management clinic, i saw a consultant anethesist, he did a lignocaine infusion, he did this on 1 november 2016, it has to be done in hospital with somebody staying with you and taking your blood pressure every 3 - 5 minutes, it is done through a syringe driver, and takes about an hour to complete, at one point the nurse sitting with me ran into the theater where the consultant was doing something to somebody else and they both came running back into me, they stood at the bottom of the bed looking extremely worried, he asked me if i felt ok. clearly something was wrong, it is supposed to last for at least 6 -9 months. it lasted alright, did absolutely nothing for the pain but left me only being able to do about 10 minutes a day of normal daily activity. between christmas and new year i couldnt even sit up let alone do anything. by 2021 i had managed to get this up to on good days 2 1/2 hours a day. then came the covid vaccine, which nocked me back to less than 10 minutes a day, today i am lucky if i have 2 sometimes 1 good days a week and more often than not i dont have any good days at all and have to lie down all the time. i even have a rumatolagy consultants letter to my gp stating this.
after 3 months i had a follow up with the consultant, i asked him when this would wear off, he said he didnt know and told me to go to the pain managment clinic team sesssions as they would know more about it than he did, he was the consultant, the 'team' were psychologists, physio's etc. he was the consultant and they would know more about it than he did!!!!!!!! i went, they wanted people to go every day from 9 -5 for at least 5 days. i couldnt even get through the first taster day, and everything they did i had already tried and didnt work. i left that day in so much pain i was crying.
on another note, you dont say if you have chronic fatigue or just fibro, if you do have chronic fatigue there is something you need to know. when the vaccine was first being released the covid symptoms that were listed by the govenment were exactly the same a chronic fatigue symptoms. i queried this with my gp as i had and never have had covid, and as the symptoms were the same as chronic fatigue should i have the vaccine, he thought this was funny and laughed about it saying that i had the flu jab with no effect i should be fine. so i had it and i was NOT fine, it set me back to worse than i was prior to the lignocaine infusion. following the vaccine i could do less than 10 minutes a day of normal daily activity and that is still the case today. i am lucky if i get one good day a week, that is being able to do 10 minutes of normal activity, more often than not i cant do anything at all.
there is a survey carried out either by the oxford univercity for the NHS or by the NHS, in may 2022, there were at that time over 5500 people in england who had been left with fatigue or chronic fatigue by the vaccine, they keep trying to get me to have the covid vaccine every year, i even had 1 nurse say to me, that, this vaccine doesnt have as many side effects as the one you had, it would only take 1 to leave me totally paralysed unable to do anything at all, but she couldnt see this. if you have chronic fatigue please be aware of this, as this could happen to you
I have not been referred to pain management. But, my sister has. However, she has not done anything with pain management psychology as they said the wait list was at least 8 months long for the pain management course, and also the consultant she saw said she didn't think it was suitable for my sister because she is autistic. So I have no idea if it is helpful or not. I hope it will be helpful for you and that the wait list for it is not as ridiculously long as it is in my area.
I am waiting to go to the pain clinic I was told by my GP 3 months ago that I would not have to wait weeks as she was going to refer me as urgent as the painkillers I am on have stopped working & I need to change my medication & come off some pain killers & to go on to liquid morphine, over the years I have been to many pain clinics & found that they have been very useful & I hope that helps you out.
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