Posted by Catgirl on September 25, 2004, at 10:44:41
In reply to Re: TMJ, posted by TexasChic on September 24, 2004, at 21:12:33
> > TMJ is incredibly painful. I've had it for over 10 years now. I had a bad headache 24-7. By the time I went to see someone, I would have given them every penny I had to make the pain stop. It ended up costing a lot, insurance didn't cover a lot of it. I had my bite adjusted, and it has helped quite a bit but I still have flare-ups. Most of the pain comes with stress and if I eat something too chewy. I clench. I don't do it while I am awake now, just when I'm asleep.
> > I'm glad to talk to someone who can relate, but sorry that you have to deal with it too.>
>
> Back at ya. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. Mine was 24/7 as well, and of course, no one wants to give you narcotics for it! And that's the only thing that works. My surgery did help, but when I'm stressed like I am now, it flares up with a vengence.
>
> I also have chronic pelvic pain which is currently under control with birth control pills. But when I was 15 and had pain so bad it make me throw up for two days every month, it was quite traumatic. I had surgery for that too, as well as Lupron shots, which puts you into a medically induced menopause – not fun, let me tell you. So since my doctor couldn't fix it, and you can't exactly prove pain, it was detemined I must be a drug seeker. Luckily I stumbled upon a BC that miraculously helped (I had tried dozens and dozens before that), and now take them around the clock. No period, no pain.
>
> So with all this along with my anxiety, depression, and OCD, I pretty much feel like a medical freak. Its hard to get anyone to believe I'm not a hypocondriac. Man, no wonder I'm so screwed up!
>
> But yet I still feel like a whiner.With my TMJ, the dentist/specialist I saw wanted me to take three ibuprofen tablets every 3 or 4 hours. And ya know what? It freaked me out! I think it's a little known fact that large doses of ibuprofen can have a mind-altering effect on some people. So I took the minimum amount and suffered through it.
I'm glad that you found something to help with your pelvic pain, but it's ridiculous that you were labeled a drug seeker just because they couldn't help you. Not everyone responds to traditional cures and sometimes the doctors just need to work a little harder!
I can relate to your anxiety and depression. What meds are you on? I was proud of myself last night, I was able to go out to eat at a new place with three other people for my birthday and keep a handle on my anxiety (normally something like that would make me panic). woo hoo!
Oh, and you are not a medial freak, hypocondriac, or whiner. Are you able to surround yourself with people that understand?
poster:Catgirl
thread:393482
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20040923/msgs/394845.html