I am sorry to hear about your condition. What kind of pain are you having to deal with? I don't know if you would catagorize this in the same group as yours, but I live with stress headaches and cluster migraines everyday. Well, the migraines are now down to once every 2 months or so, depending on my environment. I have daily headaches. I am on preventative meds (I use that term loosely) daily, but it does not control all of them. I am unable to take triptans because of a severe sensivity. It is hard working full time and having a splitting headache daily. I can't imagine, though, having pain all over or in certain areas of the body to where I could not be mobile. What area of nursing are you wanting to work? Some areas maybe beter than others for your chronic pain.

Shan, As you know, any pain that continues past 6 months is considered 'Chronic". You fit into This area for sure. I am a frequent visitor of the American Pain Foundations boards, and had a friend who suffered from almost exactly what you describe. She had a Ph.D in Education, and was able to work about three days a week. But there woul be times when her 'preventative pain meds' would just not work, and her headaches sent her to bed. I have pain in my spine, there are Osteophytes that are my main problem, they are and have been effacing the spinal cord, at 5 levels. I have a list of problems that cause my pain, I don't know if I can even get into it all now!! But my area of pain is at the T6 to T-12 levels, with involvement now of the L-spine, 4 herniated discs, extensive scar tissue post-surgical and also from severe osteoarthritis, DDD, the biggie as far as the 'cause' goes back to 1977 and a hazing I was in where the van rolled and I was like a shoe in a dryer. Knee problems too. Looking at my 3rd. Post-2 back surgeries, one was called an "Costotransversectomy", my disc was herniated at T-9 to the left Anterior. They call it "The Big Surgery", with a known post-surgical recovery full of pain. And I was great for one year after that, then WHAM! And here I am. No more surgeries. I've had almost every procedure known to doctor on my back. Even Botox!! The original used for relief of muscle spasms. I now have the back of a 20 year old, no crows feet here! :-) I am mobile, but just as your headaches, or dmazment's CHRONIC plantar fasciitis, there are 'those days', where the pain is a 9 out of 10 and I am lucky to get up the stairs to get to my pain meds. HOW am I going to get out there and work again as a nurse???? I am scared to lose my job because of not being accountable. I want to work in Hospice, that is my love and place in nursing. But driving around Southern CA now is just too much for me. I loved it before, but that was before the pain hit after my last surgery. What else is there for me? I put my 3 out of 4 jobs on my profile, so I have Hospice experiece, Liaison in Hospice/Home Health exp., Doc's office, and SNF. Maybe the pace of a docs office, but the pay is awful. I should post under conundrum!!!
Thanks for the kind words and to both of you, a low or no pain day! :-) Sorry I am editing this instead of just posting a new one. Still learning my ways around here and used to posting on my blog!

I'm getting that book this weekend or even better, order it online!! Thanks for the recommendation!

The hardest part for me with chronic pain is knowing when other pains have gone to far. I let my gout get way out of control cause the pain is a way of life for me. I had a laminectomy in '84 then reinjured all the muscles in low back by going back to work to soon I also have neuropathy due to spinal cord damage from the disc. In a nutshell there is not a day when the pain is not there but I can get some relief with Osteopathic Manipulation. It helps keep me off drugs which don't always work anyway. I have had to make many adjustments to my ADL's and not sit or stand too long sometimes. BUT I am in school and am determined to work at nursing in some capacity. I tried being a legal secretary. NO way as rewarding for me. Here's to many good days and few bad days!!!

margaritka said:

Yeah, I'm kind of in the same boat. I was in a really brutal head-on car collision two years ago and now I have chronic back and neck pain. I find that it really helps to exercise for at least half an hour EVERY DAY (muscle conditioning, my mother-in-law also bought me a book called "Yoga for Back Pain," haven't tried it yet though). Not only is a healthy body good for physical condition, it's good for the mind and for self-esteem. It's also important for me to find at least a half hour a day to relax with an ice pack or some BioFreeze ointment. I also have a really good chiro that I see once or twice a month if it gets really bad.

I do think, though, that being in pain yourself gives you more empathy and compassion for your pateints. You're a very strong person and I'm sure you'll do well.

I heard that your knees and back are the worst part of your body to injure. You are doing the best thing Angel-eyes, by running 7 miles and using the weight machine 2 or 3 times a week. I try to put a little weight on my shoulder, not more that 6 pounds on them. I find, if I stretch alot, and use lifting bars, that lift downward, not upward, helps in strengthening the trapezal musle, because I was diagnose, with bilateral b-trap strain. I try not to use muscle relaxer, I try to use nonpharmocological methods, I am a all natural girl!!!!!

I am glad I saw this post. I have a herniated disc and the pain is horribe. I am in school right now and work as a tech and got hurt on the job. I am about to quit work but I am concerned now because my injury has changed everything. I wanted to work in the ICU as a RN but I know that I more than likely will not be able too. I saw some clinic positions but they want experience. I guess I will have to work part-time doing in house patient care get my year in and then transfer to a clinic area.

Welcome nanaxiu!! A toothache is pain, and pain can make it hard to concentrate. I went through an abscess becoming a fistula then popping in my mouth (ew), and a bunch of drilling later, and when he broke through the tooth, after all these years of nursing, I thought I'd smelled it all. NO! That smell has to be THE worst!!!

I am so sorry to hear of all my sister nurses that deal with chronic pain. Actually, I just returned to school, the California distance learning program of LVN to BSN. I am going to use this need for focus, as a means of taking my mind off the pain. My master plan is to have that BSN so I can do office work, floor supervisor, etc. My dream was to be a surgeon, and I adore surgery. But standing all day is not conducive to my back.

Did ya'll know that Nurses are the #1 professionals that have the highest incidences of back injuries?? Seems almost as if we should plan for it, use only those young gals on the floor and jumping out of helicopters....ouch! My knees are shot also. Right one from my rollover, left due to age, arthritis. Had two surgeries now on my right knee, it is hurting a lot lately, doc said 5 years ago that he'd see me in about 5 years for another "cleanout". This time the posterior area of the knee is also affected. Both anterior and posterior.

As for excercize, I was an hour aerobic girl that then worked out with weights for another hour, religiously, 3 times/week. Now, that is out, and my excercise is very limited. The pain makes it very hard to do anything strenuous, probably more like the actual cause of the pain--the effaced Thoracic cord with osteophytes; so walking is very hard for me after about 5 mintues. I stretch every day, I am extremely limber considering my back in general, but that is all I can do. I remember yoga poses from my old hippie days, but some I cannot do anymore.

To all suffering today, I wish for you a low or no pain day!!

P.S. I write a blog about Chronic Pain @ http://shaunaslifeinpain.blogspot.com