Pain catastrophising seems like a bad thing. So are you saying that trying the reverse is a good thing?
Do you know any strategies that you can recommend?
I was recommended cognitive behaviour therapy because I’ve tried almost all medications. I’m guessing that its something like what you’re talking about.
Yes, decastrophising pain is a good thing based on empirical evidence and my personal experience.
Yes, cognitive behavioural therapy is a type of cognitive therapy. When administered correctly it will help. There are also useful resources on the web. I recommend this strategy. I can provide other strategies depending specifically on your etiology.
In addition, mere insight in the psychological interactions with somatic symptoms like pain gives you an edge in recovery over many chronic pain sufferers. You are a smart man to have asked this question. I was not so smart, and suffered for a long time before having this ideas shoved in my face when attending a university lecture on the topic.
And yes, I used to feel suicidal constantly and made some attempts. Now I very rarely feel suicidal. Pain was a big contributor to my mental illness.
Can you describe what pharmacological therapiies you were prescribed and the nature of your pain, if you don’t mind? If you are concerned about privacy I will respect that since it could be identifying information (feel free to pm me). If you have symptoms in areas I have either formal research expertise and/or personal experience (usually they’re the same areas) then I would love to help. I am not a health care professional, do note, but a researcher. The reason I offer is that given what I can formulate about your case based on what you’ve said (chronic pain, pharmacotherapy treatment resistant, CBT offered afterwards rather than concurrently, and where are rehabilitation exercises?) your treatment team may not be operating in alignment with what I understand as best practice. Now, that may be inavavoidable since I don’t read clinical guidelines, and it may simply be that researchers like me have to do more translational research, or it could be that you have a bad physio/gp/whoever and should get a second opinion so you don’t suffer.
Also, I avoid going into too much depth about my specific research expertise here on LW because it becomes rather identifying information. For those who follow this account, this isn’t Carlos (who’s public about him identity) typing right now (this is a shared account, as you can probably tell from our very different writing styles). So, if I do not respond it just means I haven’t had much time to visit lately or I’d be giving myself away. In such a case, I recommend just cnosulting a different health care provider for a second opinion.
I have chronic migraines. In my case it means a constant headache with a powerful migraine every few days.
In terms of medication, I’ve tried: Triptans & NSAIDs as pain relief; Propanalol, Amitriptyline, Topiramate and an Ocipital Nerve block as preventation. I’ve tried Magnesium as a supplement, which I’d hear helped others.
Then there’s stuff like acupuncture, trigger points and one or two things I can’t remember the name of.
Botox is an option, but one that’s met with resistance in my family.
That’s it I think. I really appreciate the advice.
Oh, I actually have next to no knowledge of migraines! Haha, some of my advice may before may even be irrelevant now, because I assumed it was pain in the sense of musculoskeletal or peripheral neuropathic type pain!
Pain catastrophising seems like a bad thing. So are you saying that trying the reverse is a good thing?
Do you know any strategies that you can recommend?
I was recommended cognitive behaviour therapy because I’ve tried almost all medications. I’m guessing that its something like what you’re talking about.
Yes, decastrophising pain is a good thing based on empirical evidence and my personal experience.
Yes, cognitive behavioural therapy is a type of cognitive therapy. When administered correctly it will help. There are also useful resources on the web. I recommend this strategy. I can provide other strategies depending specifically on your etiology.
In addition, mere insight in the psychological interactions with somatic symptoms like pain gives you an edge in recovery over many chronic pain sufferers. You are a smart man to have asked this question. I was not so smart, and suffered for a long time before having this ideas shoved in my face when attending a university lecture on the topic.
And yes, I used to feel suicidal constantly and made some attempts. Now I very rarely feel suicidal. Pain was a big contributor to my mental illness.
Can you describe what pharmacological therapiies you were prescribed and the nature of your pain, if you don’t mind? If you are concerned about privacy I will respect that since it could be identifying information (feel free to pm me). If you have symptoms in areas I have either formal research expertise and/or personal experience (usually they’re the same areas) then I would love to help. I am not a health care professional, do note, but a researcher. The reason I offer is that given what I can formulate about your case based on what you’ve said (chronic pain, pharmacotherapy treatment resistant, CBT offered afterwards rather than concurrently, and where are rehabilitation exercises?) your treatment team may not be operating in alignment with what I understand as best practice. Now, that may be inavavoidable since I don’t read clinical guidelines, and it may simply be that researchers like me have to do more translational research, or it could be that you have a bad physio/gp/whoever and should get a second opinion so you don’t suffer.
Also, I avoid going into too much depth about my specific research expertise here on LW because it becomes rather identifying information. For those who follow this account, this isn’t Carlos (who’s public about him identity) typing right now (this is a shared account, as you can probably tell from our very different writing styles). So, if I do not respond it just means I haven’t had much time to visit lately or I’d be giving myself away. In such a case, I recommend just cnosulting a different health care provider for a second opinion.
Thanks for the help!
I have chronic migraines. In my case it means a constant headache with a powerful migraine every few days.
In terms of medication, I’ve tried: Triptans & NSAIDs as pain relief; Propanalol, Amitriptyline, Topiramate and an Ocipital Nerve block as preventation. I’ve tried Magnesium as a supplement, which I’d hear helped others.
Then there’s stuff like acupuncture, trigger points and one or two things I can’t remember the name of.
Botox is an option, but one that’s met with resistance in my family.
That’s it I think. I really appreciate the advice.
Oh, I actually have next to no knowledge of migraines! Haha, some of my advice may before may even be irrelevant now, because I assumed it was pain in the sense of musculoskeletal or peripheral neuropathic type pain!