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• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Support groups >> Support groups

Support groups

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• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP07 >> Learnt to manage her pain through a support group and several self-management books that she found extremely helpful.

Back pain since 1981. Failed back surgery syndrome. Diagnosed with Arachnoiditis, 2001. Surgery: laminectomy, correction of laminectomy and spinal fusion. Pain management: Learnt through support group and books. Current medication: distalgesic, co-proxamol, maprotoline, oxycodone (Oxycontin) during recent flare-up.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP04 >> Had been frightened of exercise and even movement but had been told by professionals and support groups that exercise helped.

Multiple tests all negative. Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Treatment: Physiotherapy Pain management: Pain Association Scotland Living with Pain course. Current medication: amitriptyline, quinine sulphate, diclofenac sodium (Arthrotec), co-codamol (Kapake), omeprazole (Losec).

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP04 >> Has tried numerous different complementary therapies, with limited success. Considers that what works for one person does not work for another.

Multiple tests all negative. Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Treatment: Physiotherapy Pain management: Pain Association Scotland Living with Pain course. Current medication: amitriptyline, quinine sulphate, diclofenac sodium (Arthrotec), co-codamol (Kapake), omeprazole (Losec).

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP38 >> Has felt suicidal in the past and recommends picking up the phone and talking to a support group or the Samaritans.

Pain since 1979, Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 1996, Treatment: Hydrotherapy. Pain Clinic advice and medication. Pain management: Expert patient programme. Current medication: tramadol, morphine patches. Past medication: co-proxomal, co-dydramol.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP36 >> Was worried that her children might remember her as "Angry Mummy" or become grumpy themselves.

Back pain since 1989 (in remission at time of interview). Treatment: Physiotherapy, ultrasound, mobilisation. Pain management: Outpatient NHS Pain management programme. Current medication: None. Past medication: ibuprofen, co-proxamol, diazepam.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP07 >> Felt that doctors saw her as a 'heart sink' patient but got involved with a support group and learnt a lot from other people.

Back pain since 1981. Failed back surgery syndrome. Diagnosed with Arachnoiditis, 2001. Surgery: laminectomy, correction of laminectomy and spinal fusion. Pain management: Learnt through support group and books. Current medication: distalgesic, co-proxamol, maprotoline, oxycodone (Oxycontin) during recent flare-up.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP34 >> Finds internet support networks good but stresses that you have to be careful what advice you listen to.

Post-surgical adhesion pain/abdominal pain since 1979. Treatments: Coeliac plexus nerve block. TENS. Counselling. Current Medication: dihydrocodeine, amitriptyline, dipipanone (Diconal) for flare-up.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP03 >> Went along to a support group after hearing about it on the radio. Was relieved to discover other people with pain.

Brachial plexus injury following motorbike accident in 1983. Two failed nerve operations. Treatment: Pain Clinic for TENS and nerve block. Pain management: Pain Association Scotland Living with Pain course. Current medication: co-codomal.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 20-30 >> Interview CP42 >> She mainly accessed support groups on internet for information and did not want to dwell on the bad things.

Spinal pain. Pain started 1997. Pain management: Advice about pain management from complementary therapist. Current medication: co-dydramol. Past medication: co-codamol.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP34 >> Finds internet support networks good but stresses that you have to be careful what advice you listen to.

Post-surgical adhesion pain/abdominal pain since 1979. Treatments: Coeliac plexus nerve block. TENS. Counselling. Current Medication: dihydrocodeine, amitriptyline, dipipanone (Diconal) for flare-up.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP01 >> Talks about how other people in support groups know what you are going through because they also have pain.

Diagnosed with Lupus, 1983. Treatment: Regularly attends rheumatology clinic. Pain management: Pain Association Scotland Living with Pain course. Current medication: co-dydramol, prednisolone - steroid for flare-up. Past medication: dihydrocodeine

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP28 >> Advises people and their partners to join a support group to meet other people with pain.

Neck injury during surgery (hysterectomy), 1993. Surgery: Cervical discectomy followed by microsurgery to release trapped nerves. Pain managment: Out-patient pain management clinic. Medication: morphine, co-codamol (Tylex), diclofenac.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 31-40 >> Interview CP21 >> Says becoming a local representative for the charity Back Care has been a positive thing to come out of her experiences.

Back pain came on after injury at work, 1993. Surgery: Discectomy. Treatments: Pain clinic. Epidural steroid injections. Pain management: NHS outpatient pain management course. Current medication: dihydrocodeine, tramadol (slow release), amitriptyline, gabapentin.