Over coming the pain mindset

[Hessie5]

I was gifted theatre tickets to see Tina. This day sure crept up. Still waiting on biologics to turn up, stayed in all day and nothing.

I had been in intense pain and as time was nearing I couldn't put pressure on my left foot as my ankle and foot were so tender and sore. I started to cry in my bathroom cursing my body and RA. I text my sister and children saying I am not going go make it as the pain was unbearable. But could not help but feel intense guilt too, although my family would understand.

I took stock, looked in the mirror, dried my tears and made up my mind to get there by hook or by crook. I am so glad I made it, it was epic.

Overall, it was my day of sobs. I cried at home, cried when I met my sis, cried throughout Tina as it was so very poignant! Overall, I was really glad I dug deep and despite the intense pain, I made it! Now I didn't climb Everest but it sure felt like an accomplishment for me.

Wishing you all a good weekend, stay strong despite our pain😌

[Simba1992]

Funny thing with pain in RA. Thought about it often. If we think about pain and the function of pain in our body. Normally when we are healthy, if we get pain it tells us that something must be corrected. The body mobilizes its amazingly fine tuned mechanisms to mend the situation and we help by perhaps removing a pysical or dietary cause or by resting giving the body more strength to concentrate on the fixing. This is what it usually takes to correct the situation.

In RA we have an ongoing inflammation sending messages to the brain alerting the organism that there is a situation that needs fixing. Troups are sent to the problem site but the problem cannot be fixed and the fire cannot be extinguished and the alert mode becomes fixed. Pain becomes ongoing. So what do we do? We need to lessen the pain. We take antiinflammatories. The med does lower inflammation but also takes away pain. We also see in RA that these meds just work for a limited period because the cause of the ongoing inflammation is still there and the pain needs to grow to alert the organism that the situation is getting out of hand. Could it be that pain meds in a way feed pain(?)

Looking back on my own history. I started out with antiinflammatories and paracytamol until they stopped working.Then came the period with the worst pain. Did not start with RA meds and tried different alternative ways to lessen inflammation and through this hoping to decrease pain leaving painmeds step by step. At the moment I no longer need pain meds. Yes I do have pain when moving but at a level that doesn't really need pain meds. So coming to the point I'm trying to make. Perhaps the meds taken in RA have disturbed the connection between pain and inflammation and pain has no longer the same function(?). Researchers are infact wondering why pain still goes on even when inflammation has calmed down. Sorry for the long post, pain is such an interesting topic🤓

[Hessie5 in reply to Simba1992]

I love your response so well explained. Particular your point on the pain meds feeding the pain, something which I think happens.

I try to work through pain when possible. I had to succumb to prednisone to get me up and walking yesterday and today. My wish would be a tablet with no side effect kind of like prednisone. Right now I am relaxing and drinking a ginger tea to help with my painful tender joints. My point of frustration is when I am guessing, was it the buckwheat, dried figs or Brazil nuts I ate yesterday.

It’s great that you cope without biologics, I hope to get to that place one day.

Again, thanks for your reply, made for an interesting read. 😌

[Winnie53 in reply to Simba1992]

I agree that there is a lot more to be discovered about this pain malarchy. I attended a pain management course last year which had been recommended by my GP. They discussed chronic pain and what happens within the body and brain. It was really helpful and informative. I'd recommend the course (if there is one in your area) to anyone with chronic pain.

[Simba1992 in reply to Winnie53]

I live on the countryside in France and there is not much help to be found here. I am left to my own research following the reactions of my body and studies being done. At the present I am interested in the connection of pain and chronic use of pain meds. Did you learn anything about this in your course?

[Hessie5 in reply to Simba1992]

I find this chap’s podcasts very good - drjoetatta.com/podcasts. He discusses chronic pain.

[Simba1992 in reply to Hessie5]

Thank you I will listen to it😊👍🏻

[Simba1992 in reply to Hessie5]

Oh my this will keep me occupied for a long time😊🤓

[Hessie5 in reply to Simba1992]

I thought how very apt for you 😌 let me know how you get on. Happy listening 🎧

[Winnie53 in reply to Simba1992]

It was a 6 week course that covered lots of aspects. One aim was to help manage chronic pain with exercise and generally being good to oneself. As many medications only give short term relief it is advocated that this gives high and lows and is counterproductive. Therefore if chronic pain can be self managed we can stay on a more even keel. The ideology is spot on, living it out can be challenging! It takes time to re-learn and stop those nasty pain signals. I'm sorry I can't remember the name of the company who run the course for the NHS but if I do I'll post it on here. All the very best to you.

[Ssmart]

I have 4 concerts to go to this year 😱

Panic at the disco.. next month

olly Murs... in may.....

pink... and Bon jovi... in June

pink and Bon jovi are 9 days apart and all are in London over 130 miles away😂

But I’m determined as two were gifts for me (pink and Bon jovi) and others are for my daughter who is autistic and loves panic... and sons first ever concert as he loves olly...

Hubby driving and seats for 3 of them so should be ok unless I flare badly... 🙄

But pink is standing.... and I think it’s going to kill me 😬 want to see her so badly though! Hubby coming to pink and will be his first concert EVER... he’s panicking more than me 😂 and Bon jovi I saw with my best friend aged 15 and she’s coming too... so I NEED to do this....

You’ve made me feel more confident about managing it and I’m so happy you had a good time, well done for going and I think it’s testament to how strong us RA (and similar conditions ) people can be xxxxx 😁

[Hessie5 in reply to Ssmart]

Thanks for your kind words.

Wow - now that's an agenda - love Pink! Try not overdo it on your days, take your pain meds and have that can do mindset. It's also great to have your family there, you are going to be just fine.

I read a useful article the other day on how top athletes are plagued with injuries and pain, and their ability to compete through pain, Andy Murray is a good example of that. I go into my Olympian mindset.

Please do feedback post events, it would be good to know how you get on. 😌 x

[Ssmart in reply to Hessie5]

Thank you I shall try and do so! X

[Soreknees2016 in reply to Ssmart]

So jealous that you are going to see Pink and Bon Jovi, and I wouldn’t mind a bit of Olly Murs either! I really do hope that you are able to make it too and enjoy all of the shows - seeing your favourite bands playing live is just so exhilarating and good for the soul! Meanwhile I’ve been roped into going to see Westlife in May with my sister - not one of my favourites, but good for a bit of community singing! 😃

[Ssmart in reply to Soreknees2016]

Definitely will try and update nearer the time... 1st one is March 28th!

And I think westlife would be a great night- sure I’d sing along with most of them- enjoy!! X

X

[Caza]

I’m booked in for three theatre trips & hoping to Les Mis (again) later this yr 😀. The first is Tina Turner next week. Unfortunately it’s the same wk as I’m looking after my grandchildren for an evening but that can’t be helped & I’m not worrying about it. Yes it’ll wipe me out but it’ll be so worth it. I can’t take painkillers which in a way isn’t a bad thing.

Good for you for getting there.

[Hessie5 in reply to Caza]

Thanks Caza. You have some nice visits planned that cannot be missed.... You are absolutely right not worth worrying. You are going to have a good time. All the best. 😌

[Hidden]

I love going to musicals and concerts but have had to accept that I can no longer manage to cope with London. So I wait until they come nearer to home, and if they don't, well I just think that I am lucky to see some of the ones I would like to anyway. I have a few booked for the next few months that I am really looking forward to. I am seeing Rod Stewart in June, Les Mis in May, The Band (musical about Take That) next month and Joseph (my fave all-time musical) in April, so a lot there to look forward to. I would love to see Tina but I imagine that is just in London at present.

[Hessie5 in reply to Hidden]

Well you are right about London, the travel is stressful. Packed tubes, people with simply no manners; what’s happened to our ’please’ and ’thank you’

Great that you have the chance to see local.

Enjoy! 😌

[Winnie53]

Yep. Feel the pain and do it anyway! Easier said than done sometimes but wow, that big pat on the back when you've done it, and had a good time, priceless!

[Hessie5 in reply to Winnie53]

What drove me was the ticket was a gift, so felt guilty if I didn't go and didn't want to let my sisters down. Also, I knew I was getting an Uber home. If I had bought the ticket I would have talked myself out of it to be honest. 😌

It was worth it in the end! Thanks and take care.