Advice on doctors and alternative pain killers, please.........

[Raineyrocks]

What kind of pain is it?  Is it muscular cramps, arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel, nerve damage, etc.?  For my arthritis I supplement my NSAID with Glucosamine & Condroitin.  I also take flax, borage, and fish oils.  The Glucosamine & Condroitin seem to work pretty well for arthritis, when combined with a NSAID.  On my bad days, I sometimes take Vicodin, but at fairly low doses (no warm and fuzzy feeling).  Unfortunately I haven't found any legal homeopathic pain killers that work well for my other pains.  I've heard that there are some herbal remedies that work pretty good, but are illegal in the US.

The pain is different depending on what I've done with my hand that day.  If I write alot or run the vacuum it hurts between my thumb and first finger, grinding, throbbing pain.  After I was shoveling snow my entire hand felt like it was being wrung out like a wet towel, twisting, sharp constant pain for days.  The doctors haven't been able to diagnose me with any particular thing, I refused to go in for the nerve conduction study because I couldn't afford it and I'm terrified of shocks.
When we were hit in the car accident I braced myself with my right hand on the dashboard and after that I've had trouble with my hand, elbow and shoulder.  Also for 2 months after the accident I had severe pain in my right cheek (face), like someone was constantly pinching and twisting it, then for 2 nights in a row it felt like my jaw bones were being torn out and turned and the cheek pain went away after those 2 nights of extreme pain, even oxycodone didn't take the pain away.
That's a shame that those herbal remedies aren't legal in the US, it's probraly because they really work that they're illegal.

[Recumbent ReCycler]

Sounds like you probably have nerve damage.  I have nerve damage in both arms.  I had those tests done where they stick needles into your arm and shock you, and they told me that I had impinged ulnar nerves and some other damage.  It was uncomfortable, but not unbearable.  When I hit triple strand concertina wire while riding my bike down a hill, my hands were shredded.  I was lucky that the young lady who sewed me up was good with a needle and thread.  If you find something that works well for you, let me know. 

[Vote Tyler Stearns]

Rainey:  Let me know how the doc appointment goes.  RE nerve damage...Tyler had suprascapular nerve entrapment due to carrying a heavy backpack.  Had the nerve test (wasn't cheap) and it was painful but bearable.  He ended up having surgery last December (remember you saw him in a sling), which was very successful.  But, the orthopedist said that younger nerves heal better/quicker, and it's important that nerve injuries be dealt with ASAP in an effort to get the best result from surgery. Even with insurance, our bills are outrageous (he had to have 2 or 3 MRIs, x-rays, arthrograms, physical therapy, surgery, multiple doctor appts...you get the point), but it's worth the debt in hopes that he'll have an arm that works in the future and that is pain free. 

[Raineyrocks]

Sounds like you probably have nerve damage.  I have nerve damage in both arms.  I had those tests done where they stick needles into your arm and shock you, and they told me that I had impinged ulnar nerves and some other damage.  It was uncomfortable, but not unbearable.  When I hit triple strand concertina wire while riding my bike down a hill, my hands were shredded.  I was lucky that the young lady who sewed me up was good with a needle and thread.  If you find something that works well for you, let me know. 

That's what I think I have too, but am too chicken to have the nerve conduction test.  My mother has a real high pain threshold and had the test done and screamed bloody murder so I know I couldn't do it.  I also am terrified of shocks, (I have the kids open doors for me in the winter), I'm not being mean they don't mind the shocks. What's a triple strand concertina wire?  That sounds very painful and if I ever find something I promise I'll let you know.

[error]

What's a triple strand concertina wire?

Something not too dissimilar to this.

[Raineyrocks]

Malevil, I am so glad you told me it was on top of Citizens Bank or I wouldn't have found it and it was cold today!  I'm glad the surgery helped Tyler, it's sad the way kids have to carry those heavy backpacks, it's a shame you couldn't get the school to pay the doctor bills.  
My sister got celulitis, at first they thought it was the flesh eating bacteria thing on her left arm but anyways she suffered nerve damage from that too.
Okay visit update:  The NP I saw said pain pills are the biggest drug problem in New Hampshire and patients have to sign a controlled substance contract with Mid-State before they can be prescribed controlled substances and they have to take random pee tests also.  She told me someone threatened to kill her kids if she didn't write them a prescription, could you imagine?  How disgusting!  I asked her for any other options besides narcotics and she said there really aren't any from how I was describing the pain, unfortunately I haven't been able to find any either.  So she prescribed a very small amount of pain pills for me because I don't really like taking them unless the pain is unbearable.
I do think I'm going to look into accupuncture like Kat suggested.  Years ago I went to an accupuncturist for other health issues and it really helped.  You'd think having all of these tiny needles in you would hurt but I never felt a thing, I even had several in my back and neck and I could feel the energy flow pinging at the tip of some of the needles.  I always felt very relaxed and good after a session.  I have to see who does it up here and how much it's going to cost.  You have to be so careful because if you get someone that doesn't know what they're doing they can really damage you, I've even read cases where people got paralyzed from it.  But if you compare the cases to mainstream doctor care mishaps it's real low.
I still don't know how much the visit cost, they're going to mail me a bill.  Thanks for asking and do you want to plan a get together?

[Raineyrocks]

What's a triple strand concertina wire?

Something not too dissimilar to this.

Holy Toledo!

[error]

Holy Toledo!

I've been to Toledo; there's nothing holy about it.