Pain

This isn't a thread on a medical issue, so please read on.

Around most of my body there is some sort of pain; from extreme lower back pain, shoulder blades, neck and knee. But that's not what this is about so ..

What this is about is other peoples reaction to it. It's so irritating when people say that I am a hypochondriac. Just because they don't feel this pain doesn't mean I making it up. And it also makes me feel really cruddy when people say it to me. Extremely so.

Sometimes I wish they could feel what I feel just so they know I'm not making all of it up.

Does anyone get this way?

Beruthiel

Do you have a particular condition?

Beruthiel

Beruthiel wrote:

Do you have a particular condition?

Not that I know of. I've been checked for arthritis and other conditions and they have come back negative.

I wish I could do something to stop it as I don't want to rely on painkillers for relief. I try to take them as little as I can.

Mostly the reason behind this thread is because my back is in an extreme amount of pain and when I mentioned something to my house mate she replied, "there's always something wrong with you".

Beruthiel

Have you been to see a doctor?

Beruthiel

Beruthiel wrote:

Have you been to see a doctor?

I have done.

A phsyio has said that my shoulderblades are extremely weak, a doctor possibly misdiagnosed an inflamation at the base of my spine (I say possibly, as this has been raised by another doctor but nothing has been confirmed), and my knee could have some damage under the kneecap.

Thing is that I really dislike going to the doctors/hospital as I have had to do so many times over the past year. Over this summer I was in hospital up to 5 times with a heart problem (recently diagnosed as arrythmia .. thankfully).

Since people keep saying I am a hypochondriac, I feel really self-concious about going to a doctor as I feel foolish, no matter how big the problem.

.. if any of that makes sense.

miamee

Boney you shouldn't allow other peoples reactions stop you going to the doc when you feel you have a genuine problem. It sounds like your housemate/other people are the ones with a problem, maybe don't share it all with them so much, rely more on your close friends & family for support.

I hope you find out what is giving you so much pain & that it is easily treated. Relying on painkillers from day to day can't be much fun

miamee

miamee wrote:

Boney you shouldn't allow other peoples reactions stop you going to the doc when you feel you have a genuine problem. It sounds like your housemate/other people are the ones with a problem, maybe don't share it all with them so much, rely more on your close friends & family for support.

I hope you find out what is giving you so much pain & that it is easily treated. Relying on painkillers from day to day can't be much fun

Thing is that I hate taking painkillers because I dont want to become reliant on them. Plus I know with my personality I would easily become addicted to them

free2fly

Deleted User wrote:

Since people keep saying I am a hypochondriac, I feel really self-concious about going to a doctor as I feel foolish, no matter how big the problem.

OP don't let what other people say and think stop you from getting help. Who cares what they think?? You know the pain is real and that's all that matters. You certainly don't want to jeopardize your health.

tywy

I'd say go to a physio. You're knee pain could be as a result of your back pain. I injured my back a few years ago and I still suffer from it from time to time. I know sometimes I get sore knees and sore quad muscles and it is normally due to my back as once I start doing the excercises I was given to strengthen my back again the pain goes.

From personal experience, GPs know very little about muscle pain. A Physio is the way to go. Tell them exactly where the pain is, they'll probably give you some excercises or something. You're condition won't improve if you don't do the excercises they give you. It's tough doing them every night but it's worth it in the end.

You said you went to a Physio, how many sessions did you go for?

Faith

Yeah, I get this way too, but I learned to not tell people about it unless it was seriously debilitating. Just keep the pain to yourself unless you feel it's an emergency, and the problem will go away. I have a friend who constantly tells me about all her aches and pains, and while I understand that she's hurting, I can't do anything for her.

I'd say physio is the way to go too. I understand that it can take quite a while before the problem is resolved.

CathyMoran

I was told that if I had my condition I would be dead by now by my GP. If I had given up then I would be living on borrowed time. I went to another consultant who said it was stress and A & E who did nothing. I have cancer of the oesophagus. I had people thinking that I was becoming anorexic while it was a tumor. I finally met a consultant that did the right test and told me within 2 weeks that I had cancer and am undergoiing chemo and will be having my oespahgus removed. I know my case is extreme but it would have been easy to just put up with my symptoms (vomiting) but I knew that something was wrong.

Do not give up trying to find out what is wrong with you, trust your gut instinct, you are in pain, they need to find out what is wrong. You just need to find the correct person to diagnose you, that is the key. Ignore what your friends are saying and find out what is wrong with you.

TerrorFirmer

I cannot exert pressure on my left thigh as I get an excruciating pain, ever since I was younger. I went to the doctor and she cannot definitely say what it is that causes it, as nothing is out of place. Not on the same scale as you, but it does annoy me as my parents imply its some sort of fictional creation since the doctor can't offically diagnose it.

tywy

by exert pressure, do you mean like put it under strain by running a lot on it or do you mean you can't walk on it without pain?

Trinity

Hey boney

I will openly admit i am an anxious person however i my defination of a hypocondriac is someone who thinks they are seriously ill with every fiddles fart. Your instincts however are quite a different matter.

Never dismiss pain. Its your bodies way of telling you something isnt quite right.

I was riddled with pain for years in my wrists and knees which everyone assumed was arthritis but only went about it when my back began to get sore. They couldnt find a definitive diagnosis but after interviews and endless questionnaires about my symptoms and my lifestyle they came up with the diagnosis of fybromyalgia.

I never took the meds but i did do the physio, hydortherapy and changed a few things in my life that were causing me unnecessary stress. I do find when i am extremely stressed i will get the pain in my knees and wrists and in my shoulder blades.

Not saying yours is stress by any means however i might help to keep a very detailed diary of what you are doing and whats going on in your life for the next few weeks. And most importantly to note when you are experiencing the pain at its worst.

You may or may not uncover some patterns.

Again though trust your instinct, dont dismiss pain and ignore the people that call you a hypocondriac.

Black Swan

Have you been to a neurologist? A specialist in the nervous system?

Beruthiel

Deleted User wrote:

A phsyio has said that my shoulderblades are extremely weak, a doctor possibly misdiagnosed an inflamation at the base of my spine (I say possibly, as this has been raised by another doctor but nothing has been confirmed), and my knee could have some damage under the kneecap.

Have you had an MRI scan? it can tell an awful lot.
Doctors are human too, they sometimes get it wrong and a second opinion is a good idea. If your body is in pain, it's telling you something.
As Cathy said, continue to explore the reasons until you get the correct answer. This is your health after all. As for others giving you a hard time, ignore it.

b3t4

Op, are you always on about this to people who really don't need to hear about it?

Anyone's going to get a bit annoyed if you go on and on about something. The only people you need to be talking to about this are doctors and as many of them as you have to go to till they give you a diagnosis. And as Beruthiel says they are only human so it takes a while to get the good ones.

A.

bragan

You sound like me. I have suffered back pain for years. Sometimes the pain continues from my lower back, down my leg and into my ankle. It can be very painful, and very hard to get anything done.

Alternatives that I have found to help me are hot water bottle on back pain, pilates(very good for back problems. Physio recommended it to me, and my pain has definatly improved) and accupunture. I also try to avoid the painkillers.
Hope this helps.