I have Systemic Lupus, RA, and fibromyalgia diagnosed when I was 17, age 40 now. I was being treated properly 20 years ago and my pain taken care of so it helped my cocktail for SLE work easier and I went into remission. I knew I was still young so I took myself off the pain meds so I wouldn’t have a tolerance because I was highly aware my SLE would come out of remission someday and I wanted everything to work. Fast forward 20 years and my pain will not be treated at all, currently, even while my lupus is back with a vengeance! I’ve had 4 surgeries in 6 years, the RA is still here and now I have a carotid artery dissection aneurysm as well! I have severe PTSD from being held at gunpoint for 4 hours and finding my father shot. They have tried me on so many medications that I didn’t need, after taking my Valium away for my panic attacks. Suicidal thoughts have been a problem because I don’t seem to matter to the Doctors like I was cared for in the past. Please help so the doctors can get back to their job and actually stick to their hypocratic oath and DO NO HARM!!! I should be able to enjoy my life with my young kids, with less pain and still be able to take what worked for the PTSD and sleep problems, so I have a chance at remission again; but while in this much pain and anxiety I don’t see that happening!
I would look into ketamine therapy for modifying your relationship to Pain, and also for the PTSD, Depression and Suicide. Ketamine is a dissociative psychedelic therapy that can rewire the brain and nervous system by stimulating nerve growth and altering the mitochondrial membrane potential making it easier to pass electrons thru it; which alters its performance and behavior—in neurological cells, this means it kind of ‘reformats’ the cells, or at least its’ like restarting the router.
In the case of neurons this means the signals are altered, and certain receptors (serotonin and dopamine primarily) are temporarily recalibrated. This is what they call neuroplasticity; but I would say also, the experience itself creates a vital change of perspective (the experience under subanesthetic ketamine hcl drip is called dissociation or “K-hole”). The khole is necessary for the psychological / neurological self-surgery to take place.
You may EDIT: temporarily forget who you are but you won’t forget that you’re part of something bigger, and that itself, not to mention the afterglow and the change of the relationship to pain that you can potentially get, is well worth the trip. I personally did 6 sessions, 45 min 150mg +/- 25mg drip with Dr. Glenn Brooks in NYC ketamine. He’s a wonderful man and I cannot recommend him more highly. I’m sure he’d be glad to have a conversation with you, even if you did ketamine at a different clinic closer to where you live.
Should be 500-1000 per infusion. I did 6 (1 a day for 6 days). Just like with leg surgery, you cannot drive afterwards for 24 hours; and insurance STILL does not pay for it, since treating people with ketamine for suicide, ptsd, bipolar, borderline, treatment-resistant depression are all off-label non FDA approved uses.
I have been a chronic pain patient since 1993. I have also been prescribed a TON of opiates until 2006. I white knuckled it for 12 years off of opiates before I had to have another fusion. To"get off" the opiates from this fusion, I was forced to take suboxone. Last year I had to wean myself off suboxone for yet another surgery. I’m on a very small dose of opiates at this time and it does nothing for my chronic pain. What I’m trying to say, is opiates allowed me to live my life before, but with the current stigma and doctors afraid to prescribe any amount that might increase my quality of life at the age of 70, my hope for the future for anyone in my condition is not very much. Please, let’s get the pain community some help!