Level 2: The minor pain has increased to dull aches in some parts of your body. You don't have to take medication and you still can work as usual but you don't want people 'in your face'!
Level 3: Your minor pain is strong enough to get your attention. You resort to Over the Counter medications. You are getting grouchy now.
Level 4: Now you can only ignore the pain if you are involved in activities at work or home. You are taking more Over the Counter medications but they don't last long. You begin to cut back on your activities in favor of just sitting down.
Level 5: You can't ignore this pain for more than an hour, even with Over the Counter Medications. You cut back of all activities except the most important ones. Work is possible, just barely.
Level 6: You simply can not. Ignore your pain for even a few minutes. But with prescription pain medications you have limited functioning abilities.
Level 7: This level of pain is the kind that keeps you awake at night, makes it hard to think and act. Your prescription medication only dulls the pain for a short time,. You limit your activities in order of importance. You really can't work well.
Level 8: This is serious pain. You don't want to do anything or be bothered by anyone. You have taken so much pain medication you are unable to fully concentrate on anything, Work is out of the question.
Level 9: Very serious pain here. You can not concentrate on anything but pain. You should not do business transactions or make any important decisions because of your limited mental state. You might want to give some one Power of Attorney. You can not go to work and you shouldn't drive a car. At this point you begin withdrawing from the world around you.
Level 10: Pain has made you totally unable to function. You don't want to deal with or talk to anyone. Even with narcotic pain medications you are still in horrible pain. You go to bed or go to the emergency room for any help you can get.
I don't remember the last time I was below a level 4. I have tried every over the counter pain medication but it doesn't seem to make a difference. Mostly it makes my stomach hurt, which isn't worth it.
Today I'm at a level 8 and trying with all my might to get something done. I'm supposed to be chaperoning my 4th grader on a choir trip to sing the national anthem tonight. I have a few pain pills, but if I take one I will not be able to drive, so I cannot take one. She has been looking forward to this for over a month and I will not let her down! The fibromyalgia pain seems to be also irritating my IC pain. Or perhaps it's the anxiety from the pain that's kicking my bladder into major pain. Whatever, I cannot move any way.
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia back in October of last year (4 months ago). I was started on Savella and it helped. At first it took probably the top 20% of pain off, and I was grateful. I talked to my doctor and he increased my dose to the max allowed dosage (doubled). At that point it cut my pain by 70%. It was wonderful. Not pain free, but manageable. For some reason the pain has been ratcheting up lately. I don't understand why, and I'm very frustrated.
I have been pushing myself to put on a "healthy face". I don't want to sound like a whiner either. I am frustrated that when I apparently look or sound "good" people assume I also feel good. That's not true! I have tried to not shove my pain in other people's faces, but then I get frustrated when they don't take it into account. I realize that is illogical. And I don't want it to be my defining feature, so I should be grateful they are able to forget about it. But what can I say, I'm full of contradictions.
This certainly isn't well written. It is not well thought through. This is simply what is on my mind today while I'm in such pain. I need somewhere to vent these thoughts and feelings without adding the guilt of whining. Balance is my goal, but it's hard to get there.
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