Were all in pain and it shows in these threads. Yet there only five posts about pain management and four of them were started by me within the last three or four weeks.

The main reason why I use MMJ is for pain management. I'm young, and I'm not as bad off as a lot of you (nor have I suffered as long), but pain has been my biggest struggle in the last two years. Up until recently, emotionally and cognitively I didn't handled the pain well at all. I focused on the pain, and I let it ruin my life.

But that was all before, now I choose not to focus on the pain, but a to focus on the recovery, my comfort, and the abilities I still have. I found certain things that have aided the healing process. I would like to share them with you now.

Meditation

hands-down I feel meditation is the best thing that's happened to me, In regards to my recovery, and I would highly recommend it for anyone else because there's so many different varieties that can be found for free online.

The four I use daily are from the meditation podcast, #3, 4, 5, & 8. Respectively: positive thoughts, healing series part one and two, transformational breathing. The Meditation Podcast - Free Download to your computer or iPod - Subscribe at iTunes, download music!

The transformational breathing one is very intense and brings up a lot of pain each time I do it. But remarkably less pain than when I first did.

But honestly, any meditation you do will be good for the pain because all of them Start with breathing and relaxing the body. Find what works best for you.

10 minutes of meditation, a day have been proven beneficial for all people, for many reasons. In my humble opinion, if you're not meditating daily, You're doing yourself a disservice.

Laughter yoga

laughter truly is the best medicine for healing and living a happy life. Watching funny movies, joking with friends, our humoring yourself online, by laughing out loud are all great forms of spontaneous healing. However, with the pain I found myself doing these things less often.

I've been going to laughter yoga weekly for several months and I notice the benefits each time. Laughter yoga mixes laughter and breathing exercises. I find the breathing is good for my lungs and overall oxygenation and the laughter releases important pain managing hormones, serotonin, endorphins, and dopamine.

Besides going there stoned is so fun.

Swimming

Again, the oxygen factor which the book the Einstein factor addresses. Swimming underwater is supposed to be very good for your brain/genius abilities. I also found it makes me feel good, similar to the euphoric feeling of being high.

It Also seems to be the only cardiovascular exercise I can do without agitating might back and arm condition. I can get in the water and kick my fee as much as I want without agitating my condition further. I also like floating and swimming on my back. I figure people that have leg problems could get in and just use their arms and upper body.

Besides It's just feels great be in the water, especially in this heat.

Drink plenty of water

Not soda, not coffee, not carbonated water. Just drink water, and lots of it. It helps your body to what it's meant to do in the healing process.

MMJ

Again, there's not a whole lot I have to say here.

Please contribute your own ideas here. May you all live in comfort, joy, in love.

Peace and balance,
DQ

Great post.


I really find swimming, actually free diving, to be very therapeutic to me. I have heard that when you are in the breaking surf the air is very ionized which makes you feel good. I know I feel much better mentally when I am in the ocean.

Originally Posted by soundman

Great post.


I really find swimming, actually free diving, to be very therapeutic to me. I have heard that when you are in the breaking surf the air is very ionized which makes you feel good. I know I feel much better mentally when I am in the ocean.

Dude...::High five::...I feel at peace in the ocean (but not venice beach...hahahaha...can you say nasty?) But other than that....I love the ocean.

When I bought the medicated tea, the girl who made it told me The left-over tea bags could be used and a bath with alcohol to medicate the muscles.

Is anyone at all interested in discussing these things?

i actually had wanted to know if anyone was into "regular" yoga.....and how it has helped them....and especially if anyone has done yoga while pregnant, and how it helped.......i like this thread DQ.......

Originally Posted by lil_missy74

i actually had wanted to know if anyone was into "regular" yoga.....and how it has helped them....and especially if anyone has done yoga while pregnant, and how it helped.......i like this thread DQ.......

Chance to dance, in the Santa Monica Mall, offers yoga classes for people with limitations. That might be a good place to start.

Originally Posted by dismalqueen

Chance to dance, in the Santa Monica Mall, offers yoga classes for people with limitations. That might be a good place to start.

might be too far for me...i'm in the SFV.......but i'll do a google search...you're a sweety

[CHICHIWALKER]

Dear DQ;

I have been searching for the answer to my pain forever. All the above that you have mentioned have helped me tremendously, I ran to the fridge for more water. Recently I had to stop using my anxiety/antidepressant meds. Also, a car accident has left me with pain. Swimming has helped since I can't exercise with Denise in the mornings - And I love the edibles.

Thanks for all the info -

Originally Posted by CHICHIWALKER

Dear DQ;

I have been searching for the answer to my pain forever. All the above that you have mentioned have helped me tremendously, I ran to the fridge for more water. Recently I had to stop using my anxiety/antidepressant meds. Also, a car accident has left me with pain. Swimming has helped since I can't exercise with Denise in the mornings - And I love the edibles.

Thanks for all the info -

You have no idea how much this means to me...I'm glad you enjoyed the info...I'm going to post more suggestions soon. Take care, DQ

[Yogi]

Originally Posted by lil_missy74

i actually had wanted to know if anyone was into "regular" yoga.....and how it has helped them....and especially if anyone has done yoga while pregnant, and how it helped.......i like this thread DQ.......

Lil_Missy- sorry I don't know the Valley well. Looked up YogaWorks (because I'm familiar with their Santa Monica and Orange County operations), but Westlake Village appears to be their only spot out there.
http://www.yogaworks.com/losangeles/...scriptions.asp

From what I've seen MANY yoga instruction outlets offer pre and post natal specialty classes, and imho yoga gently practiced is ideal for pregnant, injured or otherwise compromised patients. Once you learn the postures and techniques, it's easy to practice them at home...or to an extent...while you're out and about. For most people, though, it's a lot better to start out with classes, and learn from an instructor rather than only books, tapes or tv shows. It's a lot easier to "get" the meditative aspect of yoga practice when you don't need to fiddle with a book, when you can just close your eyes and follow instructions.

Back to the pain management topic, I'll also tout swimming over other gentle cardiovascular exercises...but a lot of folks just don't swim well enough to really "get" it...so walking, hiking or biking can obtain many of the same results. The "runner's high" of seratonin is available to anyone who gets a long slow sweat on. Swimming adds all over body flexibility and carefully controlled breathing...the crawl stroke is almost like a type of moving yoga.

Luckily I'm not usually in physical pain (nothing, compared to many of you), but I've gotten a lot better over the years of perceiving my own level of pain and learning what influences it (a lot of people mask, ignore or dope down their own bodies' sincere messages...pain, in the beginning at least, has a purpose). With me, inflammation seems to be a key factor (mainly musculoskelatal issues), and one greatly influenced by my diet. Booze of any sort is antagonistic, as are high fat or sugar foods, to my joint pains. The Fat Flush Diet is a good source for anti-inflammatory diet ideas.

For many of us, doing whatever it takes to (gently) reduce our weight will greatly benefit us. I'm 35 lbs lighter than when I started using MMJ in April...and my ankles, hips and knees REALLY feel the difference now when I finish a two hour hike in the foothills. With any kind of exercise there's a subtle "trick," which is that you need to temporarily give up a little comfort, in order to gain a greater amount of comfort later. Once you get in the groove, there's no sacrifice. But in the beginning, you really must find a way to ignore the "boo birds" who constantly suggest reasons to stop, lol.

[endlesssky]

i have been haveing so many problems since they cut my fenynal off, all at once, last month. now they put me on oxycontin er and methadone 90 mg a day, and the fenynal was 125 micrograms every three days and worked well, now i have not slept in almost a month . i am just getting over a staff infection in my leg's and thrush in my mouth, i am on prednizone for Addisons decease. which everyone wants to dispute and claim it's all in my head, tell me how i can make my bloodsugar dropp with my brain, and it won;t come back up!!! and i go into a coma... i;m not that nuts sorry !!. i also have hepc hep b, hemaphllia b and factor 11 missing from my blood, thiers one more but after thaat i said the hell with i don't care anymore !!!. everyones upset all the dr cause thay have been at this with me for 7 years and no one want to oun this shit, 5 dr missed and an endocronaligist, saw three times [he should of cought it] but he took no blood off me, as a matter of fact he not one examine on me and that;s it!!, that why thay are all looking at me like it my fault, i have never asked for an incresce in 4 to 5 years!! so what; the problem, i cut my oun use back with my mmj and i am off ther fenynal but alot of my symtoms have come back like my cappual tunnel, all the tinging and pain is back, and my neck and my back i can;t walk accross the room at all the fatuge is so bad, and the pain is the worst i have ever encountered, this far, back spasams, just cleaching and uncleaching of my back, lower and upper, and tighness that goes all the way around and pressses over my chest and back cunsumming my lower back past my buttocks then i just collapes. it really hurts, well i have to go i go to see the dr today if i can muster up the courage and stand up to him. i hate takeing him on. i;m so tired and off kilter see Endlesssky

[Yogi]

Originally Posted by endlesssky

i;m so tired and off kilter see Endlesssky

Wow, I read a list of medical issues like yours and hear about your problems with multiple non-accountable doctors, and I'm embarrassed to talk about my trifling stuff. Or to make any suggestions, I'm not worthy.

But have you ever responded well to massage or body work?
For most folks it can be a soothing and pain relieving process, but it also shortcuts the healing process. You can get the benefits of stretching and exercise, even if you don't have enough energy to hold your head up! I've been on a massage table thinking "nobody on this planet feels better than me right now."

We're not professional athletes, but if we had the "luxury" of massage, trainers, custom orthotics and personally designed training / rehab routines. None of us would break Hank Aaron's home run record (with our bodies) even if we DID get all that plush physical treatment...but we'd do better and feel MUCH better. Many of us will still need drugs, chemicals, over the counter and homegrown, but we can reduce the amounts of stuff we ingest- by applying direct physical therapy.

The idea is that there ARE spa lifestyle, therapeutic techniques that we can easily and cheaply incorporate. Don't want to sound silly, but so help me, hot baths are powerful. And just a little "gourmet bathing" indulgence goes a long way to making me feel good. Folks with significant mobility problems (many elderly patients) need help, or extra care with bathing. It's worth it.

Endlesssky- wishing you strength to deal with your doctors and medical issues. Hell no I won't say it's in your head. But part of everyone's cure IS in their head, so you must stay focused and optimistic, even if all the doctors act nonchalant. Easy for me, the guy NOT stuck in the quicksand to glibly suggest "just relax and float, you can actually swim on top of that mud" when you're the one feeling sucked down and gasping for air. (but it's true)

Don't let anything discourage you from remaining in charge of your own health care. Not the collective apathy of some doctors, not your symptoms, not even that grudging acceptance of your limitations. Yes, we must accept what we cannot change...but that doesn't mean we should stop trying to change them. Every pair of pants makes my ass look fat, but not wearing pants isn't an option. (pull up your pants :D )

[squatter420]

MMJ got me off some nasty pharmaceuticals with bad side effects. I find that movement hurts but feels better than when I first began once I have stopped. The only thing I have found that "helps" is to just block out the pain and ignore it. If I focus on it I'm screwed. Sex helps, heat helps, massage helps, but ignoring it allows me to function.

Originally Posted by squatter420

MMJ got me off some nasty pharmaceuticals with bad side effects. I find that movement hurts but feels better than when I first began once I have stopped. The only thing I have found that "helps" is to just block out the pain and ignore it. If I focus on it I'm screwed. Sex helps, heat helps, massage helps, but ignoring it allows me to function.

ignoring the pain doesn't work for me. Am going to guess it's the reason my injury got so bad, and why the recoveries taking so long. Now I'm trying to listen to my body more and interpret the pain.sort of like Yogi said

[CHICHIWALKER]

Originally Posted by dismalqueen

You have no idea how much this means to me...I'm glad you enjoyed the info...I'm going to post more suggestions soon. Take care, DQ

How are you today, DQ! Thanks so much for your reply. This way of communicating is way new to me, so Mahalo!

Aloha

[CHICHIWALKER]

Originally Posted by Yogi

Wow, I read a list of medical issues like yours and hear about your problems with multiple non-accountable doctors, and I'm embarrassed to talk about my trifling stuff. Or to make any suggestions, I'm not worthy.

But have you ever responded well to massage or body work?
For most folks it can be a soothing and pain relieving process, but it also shortcuts the healing process. You can get the benefits of stretching and exercise, even if you don't have enough energy to hold your head up! I've been on a massage table thinking "nobody on this planet feels better than me right now."

We're not professional athletes, but if we had the "luxury" of massage, trainers, custom orthotics and personally designed training / rehab routines. None of us would break Hank Aaron's home run record (with our bodies) even if we DID get all that plush physical treatment...but we'd do better and feel MUCH better. Many of us will still need drugs, chemicals, over the counter and homegrown, but we can reduce the amounts of stuff we ingest- by applying direct physical therapy.

The idea is that there ARE spa lifestyle, therapeutic techniques that we can easily and cheaply incorporate. Don't want to sound silly, but so help me, hot baths are powerful. And just a little "gourmet bathing" indulgence goes a long way to making me feel good. Folks with significant mobility problems (many elderly patients) need help, or extra care with bathing. It's worth it.

Endlesssky- wishing you strength to deal with your doctors and medical issues. Hell no I won't say it's in your head. But part of everyone's cure IS in their head, so you must stay focused and optimistic, even if all the doctors act nonchalant. Easy for me, the guy NOT stuck in the quicksand to glibly suggest "just relax and float, you can actually swim on top of that mud" when you're the one feeling sucked down and gasping for air. (but it's true)

Don't let anything discourage you from remaining in charge of your own health care. Not the collective apathy of some doctors, not your symptoms, not even that grudging acceptance of your limitations. Yes, we must accept what we cannot change...but that doesn't mean we should stop trying to change them. Every pair of pants makes my ass look fat, but not wearing pants isn't an option. (pull up your pants :D )

Mahalo,
It has taken me 44 years to finally feel "good" about myself. All that has been said by Dismal Queen and yourself is all simple, easy things that we can do for ourselves. Whether through Doctors, etc....or like you said Spa Like at your own home. I have had a pool since 1994 and only now have I truly enjoyed it. We just have to stop, be still and be selfish. We must take time for ourselves. All good will come from just being still and listening. I wish you all much Aloha.

[CHICHIWALKER]

Dear Endlesssky,
You are truly being tested and I do admire you for your strength and courage. Have you read Tao de Ching? I have found a great sense of hope and peace from the readings.
All is well!

[Absynthe]

The human body was not meant to be in unrelenting Chronic Pain, without pain relief!

The issue with most doctors, is they only comprehend ACUTE pain, which normally can last up to 6 months. After they treat that condition, they scratch their heads, and say, "Why is my patient still hurting?" Because the Neural Pathways CHANGED permanently, that's why!!

Muscles also not healing properly, there's a myriad of reasons.

[tokermom]

I miss wters dq- dismal if your out there reading this, sending you much love & many good wishes. You helped me so much with your uplifting posts! Wonder where you went to & hope you are well!

Originally Posted by dismalqueen

Were all in pain and it shows in these threads. Yet there only five posts about pain management and four of them were started by me within the last three or four weeks.

The main reason why I use MMJ is for pain management. I'm young, and I'm not as bad off as a lot of you (nor have I suffered as long), but pain has been my biggest struggle in the last two years. Up until recently, emotionally and cognitively I didn't handled the pain well at all. I focused on the pain, and I let it ruin my life.

But that was all before, now I choose not to focus on the pain, but a to focus on the recovery, my comfort, and the abilities I still have. I found certain things that have aided the healing process. I would like to share them with you now.

Meditation

hands-down I feel meditation is the best thing that's happened to me, In regards to my recovery, and I would highly recommend it for anyone else because there's so many different varieties that can be found for free online.

The four I use daily are from the meditation podcast, #3, 4, 5, & 8. Respectively: positive thoughts, healing series part one and two, transformational breathing. The Meditation Podcast - Free Download to your computer or iPod - Subscribe at iTunes, download music!

The transformational breathing one is very intense and brings up a lot of pain each time I do it. But remarkably less pain than when I first did.

But honestly, any meditation you do will be good for the pain because all of them Start with breathing and relaxing the body. Find what works best for you.

10 minutes of meditation, a day have been proven beneficial for all people, for many reasons. In my humble opinion, if you're not meditating daily, You're doing yourself a disservice.

Laughter yoga

laughter truly is the best medicine for healing and living a happy life. Watching funny movies, joking with friends, our humoring yourself online, by laughing out loud are all great forms of spontaneous healing. However, with the pain I found myself doing these things less often.

I've been going to laughter yoga weekly for several months and I notice the benefits each time. Laughter yoga mixes laughter and breathing exercises. I find the breathing is good for my lungs and overall oxygenation and the laughter releases important pain managing hormones, serotonin, endorphins, and dopamine.

Besides going there stoned is so fun.

Swimming

Again, the oxygen factor which the book the Einstein factor addresses. Swimming underwater is supposed to be very good for your brain/genius abilities. I also found it makes me feel good, similar to the euphoric feeling of being high.

It Also seems to be the only cardiovascular exercise I can do without agitating might back and arm condition. I can get in the water and kick my fee as much as I want without agitating my condition further. I also like floating and swimming on my back. I figure people that have leg problems could get in and just use their arms and upper body.

Besides It's just feels great be in the water, especially in this heat.

Drink plenty of water

Not soda, not coffee, not carbonated water. Just drink water, and lots of it. It helps your body to what it's meant to do in the healing process.

MMJ

Again, there's not a whole lot I have to say here.

Please contribute your own ideas here. May you all live in comfort, joy, in love.

Peace and balance,
DQ

Originally Posted by tokermom

I miss wters dq- dismal if your out there reading this, sending you much love & many good wishes. You helped me so much with your uplifting posts! Wonder where you went to & hope you are well!

Not to worry, she is around.

[Absynthe]

My poor Fibro friend Depression went Manic, so she now has Bipolar disorder. So, I made her laugh her head off after how her second Psychiatrist treated her today...and convinced her to take her Depakote trial. Laughter with Fibro is good, as long as it isn't a belly laugh, I am hoping she feels better tomorrow. Poor thing has suffered with Fibromyalgia for 16+ years now, and suddenly her drugs flipped the Mania like a switch. A Chronic Pain condition with Bipolar is downright one of the most cruel situations! MMJ isn't legal in her state yet, but hopefully will be soon. She's down to 96 lbs. at 5'7" tall, and she simply needs to hold her food! I've got her eating bits of dark chocolate all day, and an hour before she eats. That helps me, too, so I do it.

[tloctwisted]

Originally Posted by Absynthe

The human body was not meant to be in unrelenting Chronic Pain, without pain relief!

The issue with most doctors, is they only comprehend ACUTE pain, which normally can last up to 6 months. After they treat that condition, they scratch their heads, and say, "Why is my patient still hurting?" Because the Neural Pathways CHANGED permanently, that's why!!

Muscles also not healing properly, there's a myriad of reasons.

or they try to find other reasons that you have pain..... or the best is they want to put you on methadone and fentenal patches or oxicotin and then tell you see you in a month....they say that pain meds should give you quality of life and that you should be able to function...... but the side effects are so bad with someof these meds that I do not see the true benefit to taking them with MMJ i do not have to be afraid that I will OD or that it will not go well with a new med that the doc gave me,,,,, it's a vicious cycle that is hard to get over and most of the time physical therapy is last resort for doctors to send you too,,, i don't know sometimes i get frustrated because the long term effects of pain meds really haven't been studied and they tell me that methadone is not addictive/....hmm any comments on that one/.....
take care
trish

[tanja]

i KNOW methadone is addictive as are fentaynl and a host of others. I hope the person that started this tread is OK. I am more than willing to discuss this topic with anyone who wants to. I have only been off the harder meds for a little more than a month and I can tell you that it takes some time to learn what helps you when. I find edibles along with medicating help alot. Also I have stayed on some of the lesser drugs, to help me over the rough spots, ibuprophen,darvocet and the l;ike, but MMJ has been there for me on more than one sleepless night. You take care and I will keep an eye out for you Tanja:smile2:

[tloctwisted]

Originally Posted by tanja

i KNOW methadone is addictive as are fentaynl and a host of others. I hope the person that started this tread is OK. I am more than willing to discuss this topic with anyone who wants to. I have only been off the harder meds for a little more than a month and I can tell you that it takes some time to learn what helps you when. I find edibles along with medicating help alot. Also I have stayed on some of the lesser drugs, to help me over the rough spots, ibuprophen,darvocet and the l;ike, but MMJ has been there for me on more than one sleepless night. You take care and I will keep an eye out for you Tanja:smile2:

They took my lesser drugs away and put me straight on methedone... I do not like it even on the less does. MMJ is the better alternative for me but now whenI get migraines which are chronic I have nothing other then methadone and that is not cool in my opinion...any suggestions???
Trish

[Absynthe]

Yes, I have a suggestion: Topamax. I am on it for life, and by taking it daily, it prevents the majority of my migraines from forming! I use Zomig for breakthroughs.

Also, when the migraine first hits, I usually find the nape of my neck puffy; putting an icepack on that section, with dim lights and laying down can often interrupt a migraine. Then, I simply feel like i have a hangover, heh.