Fainting with pain... Don't know what to do!
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi I'm Melissa. I'm 34, have had multiple lower limb surgeries and now have constant pain and feel exhausted all the time. I have had surgery for sciatic nerve tethering, subluxing hips, bursectomy and ITB release which developed a huge bleed post op last year they couldn't drain and left ankle reconstruction, all except one was done last year. I have terrible pain around my lower back, pelvis, legs and ankle ALL THE TIME. Walking on my walking at sticks is agony so use a frame for short distances and a wheelchair for longer distances. I can't sit for long though. I have a cardiac loop recorder which monitors my rate and rhythm. I've had a steroid injection into left hip 2 weeks ago for sciatic nerve odema which hadn't done much as I still have constant pelvic/back of thigh pain. My left ankle is swollen and painful so I'm having an injection into it in 2 weeks +\- surgery to clean it out. (Arthrofibrosis)
The problem is I have so much pain I faint. In public, at home etc. It's really embarrassing and I don't know what to do. I have advanced osteoporosis as well so can't afford a fall. I'm on codiene 60-90 mgs/day which isn't enough but I've been on so many pills and potions, my liver function had been very abnormal. Any tips? I'm exhausted all the time. 😒 I take twice daily magnesium as well.
I don't trust pain drs all they do is shove me pills and I'm tired of pills. Psychologist might help but getting there is a massive feat and I can't afford it. I sleep on an automatic air mattress and the only relief I get is after a sleep when I've been lying down. It really gets me down, I cry a lot. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Melissa
1 like, 12 replies
crystal63405 melissa91009
Posted
Hi, Melissa. I can relate to chronic pain. People just don't really understand it unless they have had it before. You say your problem is the fainting....my question is why are you fainting? You say it is because of pain, and you say you are also wearing a recording device to measure cardiac rate and rhythm. Usually an episode of losing temporary consciousness would require the blood pressure to drop. What is your recording device recording during your fainting episodes? If heart rate is plummeting, I would say this is cardiac related either directly or indirectly....meaning are your pain meds, magnesium, or something else contributing to these episodes or do you need a cardiologist. Uncontrolled pain normally has the opposite effect on heart rate and blood pressure...it raises it. As far as controlling pain is concerned...it seems there are limited appealing options....swallow more pills that sometimes do more harm than good, see Drs who want to only control symptoms .....or do a better job controlling it....in your mind. This may sound so unrealistic, but remember the only place the body can feel pain is in the brain....this is a good thing when something has acutely happened to you, but when it goes on and on it is very detrimental. Try to find ways to feed your central nervous system positive things...get a massage, use intermittent heat, relax, hang with positive people.sounds simple and silly I know but it is true (central sensitization)..Also, one thing that helps a lot with pain is an anti-inflammatory diet. Chronic inflammation can cause chronic pain....it did wonders for me....do it for 30 days and you will see what I mean...it is not a fix all but it helps A LOT. You are too young to let this control you. Stay as busy as you reasonably can. Focus on what you can do and not what you can't.
melissa91009 crystal63405
Posted
Hi, thanks for replying. Yes I'm under a cardiologist. My device is saying I'm becoming very tachycardic, 160 bpm. It's showing I am having runs of ventricular ectopic beats but he doesn't want to put me on medication because the side effects. I'll look into the anti-inflammatory diet. Yeah I use hear packs every night 😊. I might try a massage as long as they stir clear of lower back, it's far too sensitive, maybe I can build up to it. It's that everything I do hard. I can't lift my left leg very well, I can't do anything a normal person does. If I try to do things, my muscles just spasm. My hip surgeon said it's all atrophied as I was bed bound for 8 months then had another year of hospital and rehab. I couldn't walk at all, so had to learn it all again which is tiring and I still have issues. I've bought a pup to train as my assistant dog ??. That gives me tasks etc.
melissa91009
Posted
Both my hips were partially dislocating and it took 2.5 yrs to figure out what was wrong and by this stage I was 35kgs (I'm 147cm). My hips were so damaged, now, while they aren't dislocating anymore, they are sitting bone on bone rather than the soft tissue doing it's job. No arthritis but I have no muscle definition at all. No matter what I do, nothing works. I asked my hip surgeon about it, he said I'm as good as I'll get, might get a bit stronger but basically this is it. So yeah, just wondering ppl have any tips long term.
amkoffee melissa91009
Posted
I can't beleive that that's the only pain meds they have you on. Have you seen a Pain Management doctor? One that specializes in pain. Because I understand with your liver problems Perocet would be out of the question but there should be other pain meds that will help with your pain. I have a chronic pain from my back (Lots of stuff wrong with it) and I take morphine ER for the main pain and percocet for the break through pain. Like you, I hate taking pills but pain is pain and I could not live with out them.
melissa91009 amkoffee
Posted
Oh I was on so much over the last 4 yrs since this happened, two A4 sheets of paper worth.They were making me so sick, emotional, the side effects were awful so I weaned my self off it all. Yes I was under pain specialists but all they did was give me pills, more pills. I couldn't eat because I always had gastritis. That's why I'm looking for other ways to deal with all this. I'm not a mindfulness sort of person but I gave it a go when I was really bad. Might try it again.
Peonygirl1 melissa91009
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melissa91009 Peonygirl1
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Lol! Thanks. I want be a bit better though so will see 😊
Peonygirl1 melissa91009
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melissa91009 Peonygirl1
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melissa91009
Posted
My sciatic nerve was demyelinated during surgery so had shocking nerve pain post op. (They didn't block it). Was on 240mgs of morphine a day in hospital due to the pain. I was crying all the time, my leg was huge and always in severe spasm. I ended collapsing (surprise surprise) and ended up in ICU. Then collapsed again at home having taken my prescribed dose and ended up in resus. I thought, no not doing this so I refused this stuff. Went through withdrawals but then had to cope with the nerve pain. That was in 2013. Ended up having transforminal epidural nerve blocks in my spine twice. My nerve pain is back now and it's so tiring but I refuse to go backwards. So hence trying the forum 😊. Think I'll go back to hydrotherapy. It's exhausting, (after only 10 mins) and I have terrible cramping but when I'm in there it helps.
amkoffee melissa91009
Posted
I never tried or heard of hydrotherapy but I'm glad it works for you even if it's just temporary.
melissa91009 amkoffee
Posted
It's a shallow pool (up to about your waist) of very warm water, about 32 degrees celcius and high density so the warmth and type of water relaxes the muscles and you walk with equipment etc against soft pressure. It's very hard work but it's very good for strengthening and recovery. I did it after all my surgeries.