Life without Pain

In September 2012 I had day surgery on my neck to have the nerves burnt off that have been giving me so much pain for the past 15 years after an assualt at work.



Living in constant pain has drained me, restricted my activites and actually prevented me from doing certain things.



I've suffered deliberating headaches and migraines and have been hospitialised on too many occassions when the migraines have mimicked menegitius. Migraines also knocked me out for 3-4 days twice a month. Visual disturbances, vomiting, sensitive to light and touch and the inability to operate above an immediate need.



I'm now in my third month of being pain free, not one migraine, even after a return trip to the UK, spending 12 hours sitting in a confined space, 3 weeks of lugging suitcases, sleeping on sofas and pull out beds.



The operation wasn't easy. I was in theatre under a general anaesthetic, had the most severe head pain imaginable then spent a week in bed unable to lift my head off the pillow.



I still can't use a tin opener or write for any length of time without severe cramps and pain in my wrists and fingers and working above my head is difficult(hanging out the washing) but I can sit in a car for 2 days and drive to Cape Town and back. I can sit in the cinema for 90 minutes to watch a movie without coming out in tears from the pain of sitting still. I can scramble over rocks without the fear of causing more damage if I fell, haul myself up using ropes on a ship.

Over Christmas I've experienced continious pain in my wrists and a niggle in my left shoulder, so I guess I made need to go back sooner rather than later for the next stage. Thanks to medical aid that wouldn't pay for the whole treatment in one go. I'm really not looking forward to going throat again, but compared to how I was for the past 15 years, it's a small price to pay, even if they can't cure the chronic pain, being migraine free is amazing.

From appointment, to assesment, to treatment....6 weeks

15 years ago I suffered an injury at work, I now live with chronic pain in my neck, lower arm and fingers.

It doesn't prevent me from doing anything, it just hurts. I struggle with tin openers and writing and sitting for any length of time, esp driving, but I can manage it, it just hurts.

We moved to South Africa 19 months ago and almost overnight the pain stopped. I'm not working, I'm not doing 100s miles of driving weekly, I can't continue with my studies. The hot weather here also helped.

I was still experiencing pain if I did anything on a loop, but the pain stopped inbetween.

The last few months I've realised the pain is back. I know it sounds silly, but when you live with pain constantly it is possible not to notice it unless it gets worse. My threshold is probably higher than most.

More migraines, the feeling someone is putting pressure on the back of my neck, disturbed sleep and off I went to the Doctors a few months back. I was prescribed Gabapebtin. I refused to take it. In the past I'd suffered side effects. I was irritable, constipated, constantly searching for food and lost my sex drive. I started to exercise more and that helped.

The biggest trigger for my neck pain and migraines is stress. Couple with everyday tasks, writing, hoovering, cooking and baking (I have a guy who does my ironing) So back to the Doctors 5 weeks ago with a variety of issues (inc depression) and today I had my appointment with the pain clinic.

I went armed with a file of treatments and procedures. I accept my pain, I live with my pain, I just want a little help from time to time.

So I was booked in for day surgery, can't remeber what the procedure is called but it involves injection along my spine, from the base of my head to C8. I couldn't make the first appointment in 5 days time as hubby is away so it is rebooked for the following week on the 26th.

I'm so impressed, I know we are paying for it, via the med aid (waiting to find out if med aid will cover the cost) if not we'll have to dig deep. The only issue I had was completing the admissions forms as they wanted to know our car registration numbers...why? and a UK residential address and person to contact in an emergency.