My Story - New Here - TMJ Disorder -TemporoMandibular Joint Message Board

Dilaudid_Hell · 01-23-2004, 09:43 AM

I hope my story below does not offend anyone. It is reality for me and maybe it will help someone out. Having had TMJ since 1986, I have great sympathy for my fellow sufferers....

In 1991, I had surgery to remove a perforated meniscus (disc/cartalidge) in my jaw joint. The surgery helped greatly in releaving the piercing pain in my jaw and face.

In 2002, I had open joint surgery on the same side to aleviate chronic aching pain in the joint. The joint turned out to be fused to the capsule - the condyle was shaved down and smoothed during the surgery and afterwards I found relief - for a while....

About 6 months or so after the surgery, I started to get pain back in the joint and surrounding tissue. I tried to remain stoic about the pain, but was frustrated in who it affected my ability to be a good husband and father (We had a beautiful daughter in 2002).

One day, I came home after searing pain in my face and scouted in the pain cabinet for something to allevaite the pain. I took a Vicoden ES and magic, the pain went away. I think I decided at that point that maybe I could handle the meds, taking them at night on an as needed basis.

Long story short, I gradually moved up to more and more Vicoden and then, this last year or so, swtiched to Dilaudid 4 mg (hydromorphone). The Dilaudid really helped and I started out taking one in the morning and one at night. Pretty soon I needed them at a greater frequency. Soon after that I needed more of them. At the end I was taking about 15 per day.

Two weeks ago, I could not get a refill on my prescription because it was 'too soon'. I came home and threw myself and my wife. "Take my pills and help me" . That night with raging withdrawl, I ended up in the Emergency Room going into Active Detox. Embarrased, afraid and writhing with anxiety and sickness, I felt more alone then at any point in my life. How did my life come to this?

The next day, I put myself, with the help and support of my wife, in a detox center. The first few days were awful. I was here after having legitimate pain and my roomies were both Herion addicts. Slowly the realization of what I had become had taken effect. After those first few days it has been 'one day at a time' getting a litter better each day. Two weeks later, I am weak but happy that I am all in one piece and getting better each day.

I still have the pain that got me to this low point, but I am exploring all avenues of pain relief minus opiates. I just got in injection yesterday that seemed to really help. I am trying chiropractic for some relief also. I am going to start exercising and get back to where I was.

I know pain relief is legitimate, but I wanted to share in case it has become a cruch and you need someone to illuminate this.

I can say that before the pain meds I was happy and yet in pain. After the pain meds, I was numb and miserable. I'm 35 and there is so much more life left for me.

Dave

GJA · 01-23-2004, 01:01 PM

Thanks for your story. Everybody reacts differently to medication--what is helpfull
to some may be a disaster for others.

I am 38, my wife and i had our first child (girl) in 2003. My problems(started in 8/2001) have been neck tension from clenching and posture which has caused headaches, vertigo, foggyness and dis-equilibrium ( also had bouts of ear fullness-popping-minor clicking).

I have gone to an MD,ENT,chiroprator,osteopath,physical therapist,massage therapist, many dentists, tried 3 different splints..etc etc.

Unfortunately, the thing that helps the most is .5mg Klonopin taken before bedtime.

I rarely take it--usually once or twice a week. I am much better than i was 8 months ago, but not close to normal.

I think the web is an excellent source of information--forums like this one for example--there is always hope, and if one massage therapist/dentist/doctor doesnt
help you--try another.

-gja

saaraah · 01-23-2004, 02:30 PM

dave - thank you for the story about your problems. i wish that you didnt have to go thru such a horrible experience.

because im young [22], doctors have been very hesitant to prescribe me narcotics and strong pain pills over the years, which i suppose is the result of good intentions and the fear of getting me dependent on drugs. however, when someone genuinely needs pills, it becomes a strange ethical dilemna... is it better to suffer in agony or take the chance of becoming dependent..

what are you doing now for pain relief? what type of treatment are you undergoing for your TMJD?

anyway, take care.

- saaraah.

PINKYPRISCILLA · 01-23-2004, 02:56 PM

Burt Reynolds went thru a similar experience with tmj.
The doctors didn't know what was wrong with him. Until
he had extensive dental work on his teeth.

TiffanyAnn · 01-23-2004, 09:27 PM

Hi Dave and welcome:

Thank you for sharing your story here. Pain management is a difficult one for all chronic pain sufferers and TMJ is definately chronic pain. I have personally had my struggles with pain meds but I always felt I had enough problems without getting addicted to pain meds so I was careful to monitor them myself and not take more than allowed. At times that made things harder but I felt in the long run I'd probably be glad I did.

It was a brave thing to do to check in for detox, but I imagine it was the smartest thing you could have done. You're right, we get so far down when suffering with chronic pain then we have to work our way back up. It's very hard but extremely worthwhile. It sounds like you are on the right track now and I congratulate you. The work is hard but all of us are worth it.
Tiffany