Hi all I am a 60 year old man living in the UK, about 35 years ago I suffered a sporting injury to the groin area and have been suffering ever since with bouts of chronic pain. I have tried several times to find a solution but with no real success, I have been diagnosed with nerve damage and was referred to the pain clinic where I was recommended to take gabapentin .
I have through the years literally had to crawl up stairs to get to work because the pain has been so debilitating. During the last 30 years I have managed by taking pain killers and limiting what I do during major flare up’s, thankfully I have managed to successfully maintain a career and during the last five years have worked from home because walking up stairs is to painful.
The problem is that every year the symptoms have got a bit worse and following another injury about 3 months ago I am in constant debilitating pain. Having had to endure pain for so long I am used to trying to look on the bright side while waiting for the symptoms to reduce in severity, but now the good periods are few and the waiting is longer therefore I only have what I would call a 25 % life the rest of the time is resting hoping that the next day will bring some relief.
I have resisted taking long term medication i.e gabapentin but now I am at my wits end and cannot endure this for much longer. My doctor prescribed me Naproxen for a month which is an anti inflammatory however there is no real relief. I am therefore after all of this time giving into the idea of long term gabapentin , I need to do something because I feel that I am starting to go under and have been thinking about death and at what point the quality of life that is available is worth carrying on with. I cannot discuss this with my wife because she will just say go back to the doctor and having tried this on more than a few occasions over the last 30 years I know that this will only result in months on a NH waiting list and eventual referral back to the pain clinic.
I would be grateful for the opinion of people on this forum who will understand the debilitating physical and mental damage that long term pain results in as to what is the best thing to do, I have an appointment with my GP in two weeks time when the Naproxen runs out and at the moment I am thinking about agreeing to start the gabapentin .
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Buuldog
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Sorry to hear you have been suffering for so long, but I am not sure why you would resist long term medication.. what is your diagnosis? Pregabalin and nortriptyline helped me with pain.
I think many of us can relate to your physical and mental suffering, it's very tough.
I don,t know if you have ever tried physical therapist? If not it is certainly worth an assessment.
After trying many different drug combinations I settled on tramadol and amytrptline and find this works well for me.
Whatever you try you have to give your body chance to adapt as most drugs have unpleasant side effects for a couple of weeks then you don,t notice them.
I don,t know where you live in the country but Southmead hospital in Bristol have an excellent pain unit, where I was offered an implanted spinal stimulator, if I had not got on top of my pain I would have gone down this route, there are some good stories coming out of the states on these.
Regards lucy
Hi There,Having suffered 12yrs of chronic pain,and my quality of life reduced to practically nil,I can really empathise with you.
There's not much I can say to help,but I do think if the gabapentin works for you,why not take it. Just think you being 60yrs old why not,if you were a youngster I would get your point. Now this is coming from a 75yr old,so I was in practically the same position as you,when my pain began.
Now I know what your thinking about your wife,because my hubby would tell me the same. But just remember they don't know how to help,so yours and my life rubs off on our spouses. I'm not having a go at you,just after all my hubby's been through with me,we tend to forget there lives have come to a stop as well. My hubby and me haven't had a holiday in 15 yrs because of me. So you take the gabapentin,and start to live again.👍 I must just add there,chronic pain means continuing pain,so at least your getting some peace. There's many people on here like myself,have no rest from pain.
I'm like you sometimes I just wish my life could end,but you have that 25% which could be more if you take the gabapentin,and Naproxen far worse for you than that anyway. Don't give up-Don't let it take yours and your wife's way of life away. Please.
Can the nerve be cut in a small surgical procedure? I ask (not because I am expert nor knowledgeable about these matters generally) but I know someone who had a hernia repair op and the surgeon said he'd cut a nerve whilst in there to ensure no more pain)
What investigations (scans etc) have you had?
Are you actually under any Consultants and if not why not?
Do you know your CRP blood test result (inflammation marker). I am assuming that you have had blood tests?
If you haven't already tried it, I'd recommend looking into physical therapy. If you can see a Doctor of physical therapy that specializes in pelvis injuries/issues, you will be golden. Not only will they give you the best tips, but they will know exactly what is going on and why because they're specialized to that exact area. If at all possible, when requesting PT, ask for someone that specializes in Pelvis/pelvic issues, etcetera... I'm hoping you can request that specifically in the UK and get it.
No shame in using long term pain killers or muscle relaxers if that's all that bring relief. You need to live your life--Do what you need to do. Without sharing my whole story--just know I understand your pain and frustration.
I've taken gabapentin for a nerve related groin issue - I was on 1800 mg per day - 600 * 3, which apparently is the therapeutic dose. That was combined with 20 mg amitriptyline taken in the evening. I was/am very resistant to the idea of prescription drugs - but I didn't experience any side effects and I think, at that time, it was helpful
just wondering about reading your post are you cured meaning have you no more symptoms from your pain or is this the medication you still take to manage your condition. would love to know if so i would like to know how you are now, kind regards to all those suffering me to always on the search to find way home back to my body that once was happy silly fun loving advenerous taking each day by moments at a time trying to make special and count.
Hi sadly I still have the same symptoms I am trying physical therapy but so far this has flared me up. This really is an illness that is hard to find a cure for but I will keep trying, seems to be step forward step back.
The medical community does not have anything to offer I have tried that route and reached the bottom of the bucket last year.
Hope that you are finding some answers, please let us know if you do there must be success somewhere. I believe that for the most part this condition is muscular and muscle tightness can impinge on the nerves. There is a programme called DCT that looks at the connective muscles in and around the pelvic that might be worth trying however I have only done light stretching and this flared me so keeping this in the background for now.
You have suffered. I am so sorry. Can you see a Naturopath? All I can recommend are natural pain killers but nothing works for nerve pain like medical THC /CBC oil and Phoenix tears ( or honey oil ). Do you have access to medical marijuana?
Hi - I was sad reading your post - I know those feelings too well, and not a day goes by that I don't think of ending my life. I keep going on, hoping that there will be something that will help. My husband can't stand it when I talk about ending my life so I keep it to myself. I found a good pain specialist who prescribes morphine which has helped to provide relief though I go through bouts of excruciating pain until it kicks in or wears off. It has helped to keep me sane through unbearable pain.
It's good to get input from others but in the end only you can decide when and how much you can withstand. There is the option for surgery but it's a big step and not one to take lightly. I've read where people have worsened and I can't get worse than I am.
I hope that you see a pain doctor to at least get something to cope with the pain. It doesn't take it all away but gives you intermittent relief, which is sometimes the best we can get sometimes.
Good luck and God be with you as you face these challenges. It's a very hard issue to cope with. I think God put medication here to help alleviate our suffering, so there is a time when taking medication is both right and moral. Less than 1% of patients get addicted, but untreated pain is dangerous.
I wouldnt take the naproxen as it really is harsh on the liver and kidneys... i been on it a year and have now been told i have kidney problem coz of it.. gp told me she would never prescribe it if there was something else...
It also makes u severely constipated.
I have same problem.
I had groin pain literally couldnt move for about 8 months.. i had a lap and a colonoscopy as they thought it mayb other problems but eventually got a mri and it showed degenerative hip and two bulging discs.
I started paying for a osteo and he literally sorted it in about 4 months..
I have no pain now... that been over 2 years of severe pain.
So have u tried alternative ways ie osteo or chiro.. physio didnt work for me as they just kept ultrasounding and giving me exercises i couldnt do. Also as alot of people will tell u out here a good anti inflammatory and painkiller is a high dose cbd oil.
About 60-70 quid for good one CBD BROTHERS good one or cbdsense.
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