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• 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.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP11 >> Breaks up long car journeys and when his pain is bad drives on smaller roads so he can stop easily.

Back pain since motorbike accident in 1994. Pain management: Out patient NHS pain management programme. Current medication: Occasionally uses anti-inflammatory drugs.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP07 >> Took to carrying a camping mat on long journeys so she could lie down when she needed to.

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 61-80 >> Interview CP30 >> Asks for special assistance and a wheelchair at airports and on ferries ask if he can park near the lifts.

Back pain since 1970s. Surgery: Removal of benign tumor 1983. Treatments: Spinal injections. Pain management: Out-patient NHS patient pain management programme. Current medication: None.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP11 >> Claims mobility allowance and uses this to keep his car on the road which has made a big difference to his life.

Back pain since motorbike accident in 1994. Pain management: Out patient NHS pain management programme. Current medication: Occasionally uses anti-inflammatory drugs.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP45 >> Found it hard to get back into paid work so decided to do voluntary work in chronic pain.

Back and ankle pain following accident, 1990. Surgery: Surgery for back and ankle injuries. Treatment: Intensive rehabilitation, TENS. Pain management: One-to-one counselling psychology. Current medication: Morphine (MST Continus), anti inflammatory drugs.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 61-80 >> Interview CP30 >> Felt a tremendous sense of loss because he gave up a career and has only accepted the loss since he has retired.

Back pain since 1970s. Surgery: Removal of benign tumor 1983. Treatments: Spinal injections. Pain management: Out-patient NHS patient pain management programme. Current medication: None.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 61-80 >> Interview CP09 >> Was able to return to work after attending a pain management course.

Back/neck pain since 1994. Spinal compression and arthritis. Surgery: Disc surgery in neck and surgery on lower back. Treatment: Epidural steroid injections. Pain management: Out-patient NHS pain management programme. Current medication: rofecoxib (Vioxx), amitriptyline, tramadol for flare-up. Past medication: morphine (oral and patches).

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP10 >> Talks about things that she does to make housework and cooking easier.

Neck, back and elbow pain gradual onset since 1981. Surgery: Elbow surgery. Treatments: corticosteroid injections in elbows. Pain management: Out patient NHS pain management programme. Current medication: co-proxamol occasional use, tramadol for flare-up.

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• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Communicating with healthcare professionals >> Communicating with healthcare professionals

Communicating with healthcare professionals

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP11 >> Was advised to take bed rest but found it made the pain worse and that gentle exercise helped.

Back pain since motorbike accident in 1994. Pain management: Out patient NHS pain management programme. Current medication: Occasionally uses anti-inflammatory drugs.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP31 >> Thinks she would have come to terms with pain sooner if she had been told that she had to live with pain.

Low back pain following injury at work, 1991. Current medication: celocoxib (Celebrex) Past medication: other anti-inflammatory.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 20-30 >> Interview CP42 >> Explains that her GP encouraged her to use a wheelchair to help her get on with life.

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 CP14 >> Her doctor was not helpful when she was having problems gripping her walking stick but the nurse was more help.

Back pain following injury at work 1994. Myofascial pain syndrome. Treatments: Hydrotherapy and Biofeedback. Current medication: None.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 61-80 >> Interview CP13 >> Feels that sometimes health professionals only see her as a shoulder problem not a whole person.

Osteoarthritis. Pain in shoulders since 1980s and lower back pain since 2002. Treatment: Hydrotherapy, Cortisone injections in shoulders. Surgery: Planned shoulder replacement in the future. Current medication: Cox 2 inhibitor. Past Medication: Ibrufen.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 20-30 >> Interview CP02 >> Her GP is willing to discuss new treatments and she thinks it is important to keep him informed about complementary approaches she uses.

Multiple tests all negative. Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, 1996. Pain management: In-patient NHS pain management programme. Current medication: tramadol, amitriptyline, sertraline. Past medication: ibuprofen, paracetamol, diazepam

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 61-80 >> Interview CP30 >> Explains that he no longer goes to the doctor about his pain.

Back pain since 1970s. Surgery: Removal of benign tumor 1983. Treatments: Spinal injections. Pain management: Out-patient NHS patient pain management programme. Current medication: None.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP14 >> Advises people to make notes and book a double appointment with their GP if they have a lot to discuss.

Back pain following injury at work 1994. Myofascial pain syndrome. Treatments: Hydrotherapy and Biofeedback. Current medication: None.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP18 >> Used to get upset with her doctor's but now makes an effort to explain how pain is affecting her life.

Back pain since car accident, 1978. Treatments: Facet joint injections, TENS. Current Medication: dihydrocodeine, co-proxomol, buprenorphine (Temgesic) for flare-up, diazepam for muscle spasms. Past medication: Diclofenac.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 61-80 >> Interview CP41 >> Feels that people from her generation are over tolerant and need to learn to ask for help.

Back and shoulder pain following fall at home in 1999. Spinal osteoarthritis. Treatments: Epidural steroid injections. TENS. Physiotherapy. Current medication: oxycodone (Oxycontin) Past medication: gabapentin.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP04 >> Thinks that doctors forget that people might not understand what they are saying and sometimes asks for and explanation in plain language.

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 CP36 >> Saw two different consultants one who said nothing could be done and another with a more holistic approach who referred her to pain management.

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 >> Was referred to a psychiatrist and felt disbelieved but now realises that counselling can help.

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 31-40 >> Interview CP21 >> When she went to a pain management clinic she was a relieved to be told that they believed her pain.

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.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP35 >> Has organised his personal care routine to make it as easy and pain free as possible.

Back pain since 1994. Treatment: Hydrotherapy. Pain management: Outpatient NHS pain management programme. Current medication: ibuprofen, gabapentin.

• Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP14 >> Explains that flare ups can be frightening to the point that you can be worried about being able to get to the toilet.

Back pain following injury at work 1994. Myofascial pain syndrome. Treatments: Hydrotherapy and Biofeedback. Current medication: None.