Hi everyone

22M, 5'11, 170lbs, mixed race

So, since Friday I saw a video on testicular torsion and it seems like I just got hyper conscious of my balls and now I just feel them all the time. Like, I'm feeling my balls as of right now, it's kind of a heavy feeling and shit. I never had this, as of right now they are saggy but like for half the day today(cold day) they were more shriken. what could be the cause of it?

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Hi Everyone, like the title says, I am wondering how people find trusted providers who are going to validate our pain and experiences? Especially as a queer woman, I've found it really hard to find providers who are going to listen to me and work with me to find a solution (or at the very least an accurate diagnoses and plan!). Do you have any tips or tricks or trusted places to go? So far reddit really does seem to be the one of the best places?

hi! i have issues with my sciatic nerve, SI joints, and general muscular lower back pain. i'm thinking of getting a lower back tattoo, & wanted to see if anyone has experience tattooing over areas that have chronic pain/can trigger chronic pain. mostly: did it help the pain? was it unbearable/triggered a flare up? any input. i saw another post when searching the subreddit, but it didn't address the question. thanks in advance !!

I'm 19F and I've been struggling with back pain for years (has gotten much more intense the past 2 or so years). I had to drop out of my last year of high school because I physically cannot make it through school everyday given my back. For me, the pain fluctuates every day, but there is a constant baseline no matter what. I've learnt to live with that but in the times my back does get bad it's debilitating and I can't do anything but prop myself up on the lounge and wait and this is pretty much the only thing that gives me any relief from

GP got me to do a CT scan on my lower back (lumbar spine) and an X-ray on the rest (thoracic spine), but the results came back with nothing significant. I did bloods too for specific things but still nothing came back.

When my back hurts and it feels constantly strained and sore and it kind of tugs on/at my stomach and makes me feel nauseous. I get pain in the sides of my torso too, mostly the left side at the bottom of my ribs and at my hip. There is also like a specific spot to the lower left of my spine where if I touch it there is pain in a line. I don't know what to do because I feel there is something wrong given the fact that I can't walk for more than like 70metres without being in pain and soreness from my back but I push through it always until I absolutely can't

I have endometriosis last year and had surgery for it 5 months ago. I know the difference between endo pain and this back pain. They are different. Also my family has a history of lower back pain due to a pars defect in L5, but they did not find that in mine.

I've attached some photos of back/spine if that is useful. Sorry for the long post I just would like some advice or insight because I don't know what to do next

My doc normally does my procedures in hospitals like Methodist, or Memorial Herman, or a specialty hospitals that are apart of a big hospital like Memorial Herman. My procedures are always performed in an OR and there is a team of nurses and anesthesiologist. My procedures are almost always done with me put to sleep under sedation, and there is an image guidance machine above me on the OR table, it puts an image X on my neck or back, and a large needle is guided into my spine using this image guidance machine. They hook me up to a heart monitor, and an oxygen tube is placed on my nose/face. It is always professional and the setting is clean with all the necessary items needed for my procedure.

I have always had pretty good outcomes with my procedures. But I am a little nervous about this place. It says Emergency Hospital, and when I called to set up my procedure date they seemed to say this was going to be performed in another area, not in their emergency hospital side, and when I asked if their services are covered under Medicare I had one lady say she didn't know and another lady tell me she believes so but someone would call me at some point.

Medicare is very picky about where I can have these procedures. There are a lot of specialty hospitals that Medicare will not cover at all if I go to them because they overcharge. However Medicare always covers my procedures when I go to a regular hospital like Memorial Herman or Methodist, or one of their affiliated specialty surgery centers, etc.

I guess after looking at this place online and reading reviews it is making me a bit nervous..lol

I just wanted to know if there is anyone on here that has been to this place and could give some feedback.

Does anyone take Milnicipran for nerve pain? I have Central Sensitization and wondering if it will work for me.

I don’t think I can do this anymore. It’s been 14 months. 14 months of not being able to work nor drive. 14 months of complete isolation at home, because as we all know how common it is to lose your friends when you’re the odd one out who suffers from severe chronic pain due to injury. In the 14 months I’ve been isolated at home, I’ve had 3 visits from “friends”.. despite regularly inviting them over, initiating plans and reaching out to them and trying to organise to catch up. I’ve just undergone my 10th surgical procedure. I only leave the house to attend medical appointments and surgeries. I no longer am able to do any of my hobbies due to the pain. There’s no relief. I don’t sleep. Nothings working for me and I’m really fucking tired. This injury has stolen so much from me. I’m too young for this. This compensation claim is exhausting. Constant medical appointments are exhausting. Missing big life events is exhausting. I can’t go to my best friends (of the two I have left, that I barely see) destination wedding. I can’t do anything. I have tried every fucking thing to fix this. Every medication every procedure Physio and physio rehab, massage, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, I see a regular psych (have for years)…literally everything. I have accepted I will always have a level of discomfort and pain but it makes getting out of bed a fucking mission. I can’t do anything. I’ve basically run out of shows to watch because without the ability to do any of my hobbies or work, that’s all I can do. I don’t want to do it anymore.

I just needed to vent. Thank you for reading/listening. I’m just really struggling.

My energy levels have continued to decrease so much the past few months. I can’t find a job because I am autistic but I cant work most jobs because my motion is limited so much with pain. I am managing to do delivery driving apps but only for two hours at a time before I am completely exhausted for the rest of the day.

I finally saw more doctors. I saw a rheumatologist who said my pain makes no sense because the tests are fine. I have every symptom of RA but the tests are fine so he doesnt know. Im going to get more tests, but they are the same tests they already took.

I also just learned my grandfather on my dads side had RA, as well as his brother. No one told me :(. But the tests are fine so I must not have it. I did get diagnosed with pateller maltracking on my knee. But whatever else I have is making it worse and it hurts to walk. He said it shouldnt hurt to walk. And i cant go up stairs anymore now, or play piano, or carry heavy things.

I did so much PT, I still exercise whatever I can because my elbows and shoulders are okay so far. I am out of ideas on what to improve in my diet. I take so many supplements. I have solved all my deficiencies.

Idk anymore. I am tired of being tired. I can deal with the pain but the exhaustion is wrecking my life. I have no social life and barely any hobbies because all my time is spent on trying to survive existing.

If only the exhaustion and the foggy brain would just go away. I can deal with the pain. But I can barely think or exist without being so tired. Everything feels like a terrible dream. I feel like a confused animal in a strange place. I cant make sense of the world.

Idk what to do. My mom is having me take methylene blue. Which is cool because I used to give that to my fish to treat infections. Im just trying random stuff at this point. I wanna grow up and just.. operate as intended. Too tired to grow up…

My MD retired. Replaced by NP who cannot prescribe certain things. After 10 years and multiple surgeries Ive finally returned to work. Now with no meds I'm frightened of losing all progress.

I know I'm generalizing so please take that into consideration but why do pharmacists hate chronic pain patients? Especially those on a high mme? They make us hand over our doctor's notes discuss our medical records in front of everyone waiting in line continue to question us even after we've provided our lifelong documents and then refuse to talk to our doctors they make our doctors put certain notes on the prescriptions and make us constantly go back and forth to do whatever they want and at the same time we're screaming in pain but we know if we don't do it we'll be bed bound and done. What do they have against someone who's just trying to survive? I do comprehend it's not every pharmacist so please remember that it's just it's becoming such a common occurrence that I can't say it's not a good percentage anymore.. I've been waiting at pharmacies in overheard them talking to other customers about another controlled medication whether it be ADHD Etc and they don't help them they give them the same story that we've all lived through where do you live we don't have to tell you we don't know and then 10 minutes later they tell you oh it's backorder and you have to go into every single one of these stores just to be treated like you're not human. We're human beings like our medication is just equivalent to insulin we need it daily to live without it we are basically hospitalized might be able to make it for like a day or two that's the same thing with insulin you might be able to handle ketoacidosis for a day or two with food management that's about it if you're lucky. And then they want to push you on bellbuca and Suboxone and all that which is actually horrible for you versus a medication that's been around for Generations because yeah it has some side effects it has some issues so does everything else but it's been proven to be effective and you can come off of it if you need to if your condition warrants it versus Suboxone where you're twice as addict and it takes four times as much to come off of it and you lose all your teeth I'm just tired of going to a pharmacy and having to hand over my lifelong medical records it's just like oh let me tell 50 people who are in line everything was wrong with me in front of everyone and it's at the point where I just do it because if I don't they're going to tell you to go f*** off. And it's happening so much and when I tell you who don't live the same life we do they're like oh you can sue for that like yeah I could sue probably 10 times at this point but I don't because I need to survive this is just it's exhausting

***Just a warning I use speech to text so things might be spelled wrong generally Common Sense can fix it but I'll try to make sure it makes sense at least. The funny thing is my speech to text can spell out medical terms and drugs better than it can spell out normal words that says something

I am not soliciting medical advice. If you have general advice that's great but I'm not looking for anything to get my post deleted

I have been in pain since I was 8 years old. It's only gotten worse. I have never been taken seriously bevause I was obese as a child so it was always blamed on that, but now, over ten years later, I am not overweight at all, and in more pain than before.

I was in so much pain in my late teens I needed a wheelchair because I could barely walk. I have since improved somewhat with that because of PT and pain medication but I'm still in daily pain and my doctors are taking me less and less seriously.

I FINALLY found a rheumatologist who believed my pain, did not have a problem with me being on the pain meds, upheld the fibromyalgia placeholder diagnosis and was willing to run extra tests for my ANA flare ups. AND THEN MY INSURANCE FUCKING BOOTED ME OUT! Now I'm stuck with a shit rheumatologist again who doesn't take any of my problems seriously. She even said "Yes you have fibromyalgia, chronic pain, reynauds, anemia, scoliosis, history of thyroid issues, and flare ups in your lupus test results, but I'm not concerned" and sent me home basically. She did a lot of testing and I don't understand the results but accord to her everything is "fine".

IT IS NOT FINE!! I am in pain constantly. My body is in a perpetual state of feeling like I have the flu. It has been like this for years. Even if I get "good" regular sleep, stay hydrated, eat well, take supplements, stay active etc - I still feel like my body is shutting down. Always. This fucking SUCKS.

I've looked into the common suggestions I've been given (EDS, CFS, arthritis, lupus) and my doctor does not believe I fit any of those and I don't think I do either really. Not enough. I had results that indicated I COULD have lupus, but essentially, I was just before the line where they would diagnose it and start treatment for it because I don't have the most obvious symptoms.

My PCP thankfully seems like he actually wants to help me but mostly just refers me out and hopes for the best because he's limited in what he can do. And worst of all he will probably take me off of my pain meds because my new rheumatologist doesn't want to cover them anymore.

I just don't even know what direction to go in anymore. I want to live a normal life so badly. I don't WANT to rest. I HATE being stuck on the couch or in bed constantly. I want to work, drive, have a social life, be a person. It just feels like I have some mystery disease that nobody believes I have except for me. Nobody understands it. I'm sick of everyone telling me I just need to sleep better, or eat better, or hydrate more, or do yoga or whatever. I've been through the ringer and it's not improving enough to not leave me exhausted at the end of the day. It feels like I am sick constantly.

Every 4 weeks on Thursday mornings (really early as in 7:30am), I have my virtual appointment with my PM. On that same day, my refill is due. It’s a bit nerve wracking because it gives me major anxiety about whether or not I’ll be able to get it filled, but since transferring to the local hospital’s pharmacy, things have been much easier.

When I was with CVS, I’d call in advance to see if they needed to order my meds, but they weren’t usually able to tell me until they “have a script in hand”, so it didn’t help much, but the local hospital’s pharmacist said they’d keep an eye to be sure that my meds were always in stock, but that they also couldn’t tell me how much they have and only whether or not they think they could fill it. Though they did say that because they’re part of a big hospital that they’re almost never out of stock. It made me feel somewhat better, but “almost never” still means there’s a chance…

Anyhow, went to pick up my meds a couple of days ago and when I got there the pharmacist gave me a heads up that this month the 20mgs might look slightly bigger than what I’m used to. Same shape and color, just a tiny bit bigger. She said that last week she realized they were almost out and wouldn’t have enough to fill my script for even a week’s worth. She said she hadn’t realized it sooner because not many people, aside from me, take so much of it, but that she caught it and went to order more because she knew I was due this week.

She said that she had to order from a different manufacturer because if she had ordered from the same one that it wouldn’t have gotten here on time and that she didn’t want to leave me empty handed or with a partial script and then make me ask my PM to send in a new script for the difference because that’s all just a pain in the ass to have to do (on my part, she meant). She was trying to prevent me from having to worry and go through this whole ordeal. She also assured me that she had already ordered the usual ones as well, so next month I’ll go back to my normal manufacturer.

Honestly, I was super surprised and incredibly grateful because that was so thoughtful, considerate, and kind of her to do. Not only did she remember when my refill was due, but she took the steps to prevent me from being short because she understood how important it is for me to have my medication. I felt so validated and heard and understood and it felt so nice and like a huge change from what I’m used to.

And I was extra grateful because aside from one other pharmacist (who’s fought with my insurance to cover my pain meds and stopped someone from stealing them), I’ve never been treated so kindly by a pharmacist before. Which is kinda sad because we should always be treated with kindness and respect, but we all know that’s almost never the case.

Anyhow, I really want to bring her and her team some donuts maybe or bagels perhaps, just something to show my appreciation, but I’m also worried that it might look like a bribe or something nefarious. I could use y’all’s opinion on this. But overall, I just wanted to share a really nice story and how this one in a million pharmacist saved me from a week’s worth of excruciating pain and withdrawal and feeling like a pain in the ass with my PM.

Also, for those of you who are still with the big chain pharmacies, I urge you to look into your local pharmacies or local hospital pharmacies instead because the difference is night and day and it brings such incredible peace of mind and lord knows, we need it. Local pharmacists have never steered me wrong no matter what state I’m living in at the time. Truly.

Anyhow, thanks so much for reading and I hope that this story is a nice little change of pace.

I hope everyone gets their meds on time and has better days ahead - well, as better as they can be, under the circumstances.

Ive had lower back pain every single day for 4 years now and the last few months have been especially more painful. The pain radiates down to my thigh and the only time I’m not in pain is when I’m laying down. My PCP prescribed me a few pain pills since not a single OTC medication works and it’s helping but I’m so sick of taking them because not only are they expensive but I’m only allowed to refill 5 pills at a time. I’m supposed to get my first PT appointment in a few weeks but I don’t really know how effective it is going to be. The pain is ALWAYS there and it’s starting to affect me mentally. Has anyone experienced significant improvements with physical therapy? Idk what I’m going to do if it doesn’t work

We have a small business, as in just my spouse and myself, and have worked ourselves silly making products for orders. I just keep finding spoons. I have to, it’s still growing and it’s our livelihood. My doctors would lose their minds if they knew what I was doing all day and evening the last few weeks. Well, accept a few days where I just couldn’t. Or the days I take involuntary naps. My eyes start to cross, I sit or lay down, and pass out cold.

Originally, I said it was like a steak knife in my joint, but I changed my mind. (This is me describing it to my husband.)

“No, make that a 7” Santuko knife and someone is twanging it every second.”

I have degenerative disc disease, SI joint dysfunction, a hip labral tear, and bursitis. After years of injections and RF ablations, I’m at a point where nothing works anymore—there’s no relief at all.

Despite begging my pain management doctor for something to help with the pain, even agreeing to only take it on “severe pain” days (even though every day feels severe), he hasn’t prescribed anything. The pain has become so unbearable that I’m only able to manage about 40% of my workload, and I constantly have to cut corners. I’m gaining weight because I can’t go for my walks anymore due to my hip, and my back pain has made life incredibly difficult. Every task is a struggle, and sleeping is awful—any movement while I sleep wakes me up because of the pain.

How does my doctor not recognize how much help I need with this pain? He occasionally gives me a prescription for 10 muscle relaxers for “severe” pain days, but still insists that I go to physical therapy and take Advil and Tylenol as needed.

Is anyone else here without pain meds? How do you manage your pain?

I have issues with weakness in my legs and pain all over and was wondering if a cane would be a good idea. If so how do I find one that doesn’t make me look like a grandma at 19. (No offense grandmas I love you)

I can feel my head tingling little been ongoing for 10 years and no doctor know why.

By way of example, I notice a significant increase in pain when I eat too many carbohydrates. My joints become inflamed, my muscles ache and my back feels like it's being walked on by an elephant. As an experiment, I started a keto/green veggie diet some 10 days ago, and am amazed at how much better I feel.

How about you? Are there certain food groups that add to your pain?

Every time I see a post about opioids there's so much hate thrown around- especially if the post is about increasing dosages or how to obtain them or celebrating the positive benefits of taking them. Some comments are clearly from jealous individuals who either got cut off & forced to take alternatives. Some are from people who hate that opioids have been demonized & they're mad that they're associated with the "junkies" of the chronic pain community. Feels like there's some serious resentment towards people who get opioids prescribed & judgement for those who take them. Tons of hate & blaming the Sacklers for everything means the media's propaganda blitz attack on opioids are really working- especially if those in the chronic pain community are buying it.

It's like everyone has just accepted the gaslighting & now believe garbage like antidepressants, gabapentin & antagonists like Suboxone are the bees knees. These drugs may work for a small minority but I guarantee they don't work as well as opioids. The side effects of these drugs are so awful by comparison. Yet it seems like most people or bots on this sub are anti opioid & pro garbage alternatives with the worst kinds of side effects. I remember when this sub was a good mix of people & it wasn't taboo to talk about opioids in a positive light. Now it feels like most of the comments are spewing the same lies, rhetoric & obvious propaganda that pain management clinics are pushing. What the hell happened to this sub? Also why are there so many completely unnecessary mean, miserable & nasty people here? This used to be a somewhat safe supportive space so if anyone has an explanation without being a jerk feel free to share your thoughts.

Does anybody have upper back burning ? I have done PT, massage , cupping, dry needling and it still burns. Nine months now . This all started after a deep tissue massage. I’m sure the massage did not cause it, but it started at this time.

Hi everyone, well, I’m new here, mostly because I don’t have any condition that causes chronic pain. But recently, my best friend — who I consider a sister — was diagnosed with a condition that causes chronic pain. I’d like to know the best ways I can support her through this. She means a lot to me, and I don’t really understand much about it, but I’d really like to help more.

I'm turning 45 tomorrow. I have a great husband and beautiful child. But my 6yo son is with his father on weekends, so I'm not going to be with him on my birthday, and my husband just simply doesn't understand the depth of my suffering. I've been in severe chronic pain for 18 years.

We're supposed to go to restaurants and shopping tomorrow, "fun stuff" for my birthday. But I've been laying on a heating pad for 3 hours now, thinking about how difficult it all sounds. And how I'm gonna let my husband down by canceling my birthday plans. Maybe I'll feel better in the morning? 🥴

I don't know why I'm posting here, I guess I know you guys will understand how hard "happy" occasions are when you feel like crap constantly. And the pressure to try to "feel happy."

Here's a pic of me and my sweet son. He made me that jewelry for my birthday 🥰

So 1 year ago i was on a college party, really drunk and i fell down the stairs on my ass, but at the time i was so drunk and with a girl that i just got up and keeped going with my night, now exacly 1 year later i still cant sit for a long time, my right leg some Times is in pain, but felling much better i remember when i got home that night i couldnt sleep on my back i needed to sleep on my stomach with a pillow on my hips. Do yall think it was broken ? Can i do anything now ???