[TiffNeedsChange]

I just feel sad and frustrated! I have a foot/ankle condition (posterior tibial tendon dysfunction) which has led to arthritis in my ankle and foot, knee problems (patello femoral syndrome), hip problems (rotated hip that drops when I walk), and back pain. I also have have carpal tunnel and tennis elbow. I just feel like I can never win. I got hurt during a boot camp exercise program and just keep getting worse. I cannot stand or walk without pain and sometimes my foot hurt s no matter what I am doing. I am having a day that I just want to cry. My orthotics (UCBL) hurt my bones in my feet (doesn't help how heavy I am) but if I don't wear them my tendon and other issues hurt worse. Cleaning up before and after the hurricane has my feet screaming in pain, the foot/ankle pain is the worst. I am feeling discouraged in general. My weight loss has plateaud (have not been on plan this past week due to hurricane so probably have gained) and I just feel like I am destined to be in pain forever. I hope that losing weight helps me but I am having a really hard time coping with my limitations. I am in nursing school and I am worried about my ability to work on my feet all day. I try to stay positive but the pain is taking over I am not sure where I was going with this post but thanks for reading.

[jonah]

you may want to try some home remedies that may help you with pain. look up "earth clinic" when if you are ever interested

[alaskanlaughter]

i dont have much that's helpful to say but i understand the chronic pain...i had back issues for years that could flare at any time...((hugs))) and more ((hugs))

[TiffNeedsChange]

Thanks Jonah, I will look into that.

@Alaskanlaughter thanks for the hugs it is so trying, chronic pain is a pain in the butt! Lol I I hope your back is better

[sisypheanme]

I have chronic pain to in my jaw from tmj. Everyday since last December it has hurt. Prior to that it was occasional. Chronic pain is awful. More hugs! I am a Registered Nurse and those hours on your feet can be miserable

[TiffNeedsChange]

@sacredkestrel - thank you for the encouragement. I have been afraid to go to pain management because of nursing school and state board policy. The school made it sound like narcotic use isn't allowed while in school... not sure if that is true. I am glad to know that there are real opportunities as an RN. It is terrible that cabbies would be so inhumane! I hope you've recovered from those injuries. I am in physical therapy, I've found that it helps to a certain extent Thank you again for sharing your experience!

@sisypheanme The TMJ pain sounds miserable! I hope they are doing something for you to alleviate your pain. Did losing all of the weight help with the discomfort of standing all day?

[TiffNeedsChange]

Thanks Sacred, that is good advice. I definitely want to leave those as a last resort A 1 year RN program sounds wild! I have a BS in Psychology but decided not to go the accelerated route for my sanity's sake lol! I have never been to NY so I can only imagine what they must be like!

[kisskiss]

Tiffneedschange:
ahhh I feel you! I've had lower back pain and leg pain for about 7 weeks now! I'm in constant discomfort and sometimes pain. it's terrible, especially because it discourages me so much! It doesn't help that my doctor told me to not exercise (other than light walking). and, i've been losing and gaining the same 5 pounds for about 4 weeks now
I know, I'm not really giving any advice, but I wanted to let you know that there you are not alone!

[SalRogers]

Tiff, hello. I'm new here, but was drawn to your story. I have similar problems to yours and I really empathize with you. I don't think you're whining at all. Situations like these are so frustrating. I feel all I've done the past few years is buy orthotics, change shoes, change physical therapists, avoid this food, avoid that. Some of the pain is from structural problems; other pains are from resulting arthritis. I never know which is which. You grin and bear it, but it really does impede you in terms of trying to move and get exercise and lick the problem. Also, people tend to lump all "arthritis" types of problems into one thing, and act like there's a one-size-fits-all remedy. I wish I could offer you some concrete advice. For me, the most hopeful thing is that the pain and disability is not a linear path. Some days or even periods of time are not as bad as others. Naturally I can't figure out why. I hope that's the case with you. Please take care, and don't feel like you're whining. You're not. You're just stating a fact of life about your life.

[Ms Shapen]

Tiff: I, too, am in pain most of the time. Most of mine is located from the waist down (hips, knees, feet).

I work standing on my feet all day, and it can be torture. I can't imagine being a nurse. It's frustrating when a customer walks up to my counter and asks if I'm having a bad day, when in fact I'm not perky and giddy because I'm in pain.

I don't think of you as whining. I think of you as coming here to get some support, and that's what we are here for.

[Brandis]

Hey- I wanted to let you know I had to laugh a bit at your story. Let me explain. Not AT you, but at myself. Because I hurt myself too at boot camp, and I thought I was the only one. Made me feel like a real wuss- a mortal, wounded, wuss. But I also wanted to let you know that since I have lost these last 30 pounds, my chronic lower leg/foot/hip/back/knee/shin/ankle pain has almost gone away. On days I work, I work about 12 hours, and it used to be murderous. I wanted to cut off my own lower half to end the pain. I had seen podiatrists, and my feet are soooo screwed up, and I did the whole orthotics thing, and it seemed to make the pain worse. The only thing that helped is the weight loss. Now when I am dragging my (huge overstuffed) backpack across campus, I am reminded how much the extra weight affects me. My back starts hurting, my legs and feet ache terribly. It puts it all in perspective, and reminds me how far I have come. I am sorry you are in such pain, and I hope you feel better soon. But also know you are not alone, as many of us have been there. And the weight loss helps so much, so don't give up! I also did some meditation and visualization exercises, too, and it did help some. Your brain undergoes changes when under chronic stress, and those changes can be affected by meditation and visualization. Of course I probably don't have to tell you that. You have a BS in psych, so I'm sure you studied the mind-body connection enough to know. Anyways, feel better soon.

[Riddy]

Oh, Tiff. I can empathize.

I have plantar fasciitis in both feet, ACL repair in 1 knee, chondromalacia in the other, migraines, and low back/neck issues, any of which could flare up at a moment's notice. I have noticed that all of it has improved with losing weight - knees felt better at 25 pounds down, back/neck don't hurt as bad when they do bother me, haven't had a PF flare or a migraine in almost a year.

Have you considered cooking with or supplementing with ginger and/or turmeric? They're both natural anti inflammatories. Ginger especially helps me a lot with my migraines - I eat a few slices of crystallized ginger or make strong ginger herbal tea when I feel one coming on. I think there's a whole anti-inflammatory diet out there, too - might be worth investigating.

I HATED my orthotics, too. I'm now at a point where I can get by with wearing Birkenstocks, Danskos, or my running sneakers. I've learned that arch support is what I really need. Is there a different type of shoe you could wear that would let you ditch the orthotics? Or maybe orthotics made of a different material? Maybe even get fitted for serious sneakers at a running store?

Hang in there - reducing the weight on your joints will help, but never as fast as we want it to.

Keep up the good work!

[mandalinn82]

I can also relate (I broke a vertebra in my neck, and the piece of disc that broke off presses against the nerves that run down my left shoulder/arm, so those nerves fire constantly. The end result is knots in the muscles of my neck, shoulder, and upper arm that never go away and shoot pain down my arm and into my head. I also have arthritis in both knees from a birth defect called a plica which pushed both kneecaps off to the side of where they should be, eventually wearing down all the cartilege).

Some days, I let myself get into "I will be in pain forever" headspace...which, likely, I will, and yes, that sucks. But I can do good things for my body, which will make me feel BETTER, even if I'm never going to be 100% pain free again, right? So I try to use it for motivation, even if it really does get me down sometimes.

[sisypheanme]

Yes, it did help with the standing, bending . moving, and rolling patients. I did peds primarily and they are less weight usually. Plenty of opportunity for you and there are jobs out there with less walking and standing. Good Luck! You can do it!

[Mimiglb]

Originally Posted by alaskanlaughter

i dont have much that's helpful to say but i understand the chronic pain...i had back issues for years that could flare at any time...((hugs))) and more ((hugs))

Good morning Alaskanlaughter,
It has been a few years since you posted the arm pain issue. I am so curious about the outcome because I am experiencing the same symptoms. I don't remember doing anything that would cause this kind of pain and it has been ongoing for a couple of months now. I hope your arm has healed!!