Chronic pain is a terminal disease.

[8leveloquenfrn4evr8]

Does anyone else feel like chronic pain might as well be a terminal disease? At least those with terminal diseases know and everyone around them knows. With chronic pain it drags out for potentially way longer and they don´t really have anything to give you after certain thresholds are crossed. Knowing that there are surgeries available that would remove the pain and make parts of you body work again but that for exclusively financial reasons won´t be available is also a strange, almost surreal experience. But then I think about Mangione and...

 

[CatLvr]

I don't disagree with you one bit. People who have pain that goes away can't even begin to comprehend what our lives are like. I wouldn't wish what I deal off on my worst enemy. It is THAT bad.

Btw, I have had so many surgeries that I was told would "fix" whatever ailed me. Only one actually did what they promised -- but time has caused that the vertebrae on each side if the fusion to start to collapse. He did tell me that would happen -- but it happened a lot quicker than anyone thought it would. All the other surgeries I have had have either not done anything at all or have made things worse.

There really don't seem to be any good answers for those of us who hurt all the time.

 

[WhiteRabbit]

It depends on how severe the pain is. I've been in pain for almost 8 years, and while it sucks and is the reason I'm on this site, I'm still glad I don't have a terminal illness. I don't want to lose my dignity and become a burden.

I do wish the medical system could do more for us, and insurance companies too.