A Patient's Story with Chronic Pain

I have been a chronic pain patient for 12 years now. I’ve seen many health experts and doctors during this long, complex time; my primary care physician, a rheumatologist, a psychologist, an acupuncturist, a chiropractic specialist, an orthopedic specialist, x-ray technicians, many nurses, a physical therapist, and probably more that I am forgetting. All that I know is that I have a “herniated disc”.

I was told I should get a spinal adjustment, but this seemed to make things worse. After still seeing my chiropractors and doctors, I recently went to my primary care physician and was referred to have an MRI, x-ray, blood testing, and also to see a rheumatologist. Six weeks later, I was told that I had been diagnosed with “ankylosing spondylitis”. Unfortunately, I had been suffering for the past 12 years with a misdiagnosis and little to no help from doctors and other trained experts.

As of now, most of my body is inflamed. I have inflammation in my entire back, hips, neck, pelvis, glutes, and what feels like every single joint in my body. At first, the doctor prescribed me to take anti-inflammatory medications such as naproxen (500mg) which helped a little, and now I’ve just started taking adalimumab for the past month. It isn’t helping yet, but I’m told that sometimes it takes three months to work. I’ve been depressed for the past 12 years, so I’m finally dealing with my depression and anxiety, and they are better now as well. I take escitalopram to tame my anxiety and depression. I hope to feel better one day.

My story is shared, not for others to feel bad for me, that is why I left it anonymous, but because it is important for other patients, physicians, and health experts to understand the journey a person in pain goes through trying to find answers. I am like many other people suffering from chronic pain, I want to find the right treatment and get relief. It is exciting for me to hear that you company is working on a solution that can help me manage my pain and depression. I look forward to using and telling my friends about PainScale when it is available.

- Anonymous, 55 years old, Ohio

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