Hi Tim, you have my sympathy because, like you, I am a whole-body pain sufferer too and have NO diagnosis on which any of the Consultants (or other health professionals) are able to agree.
Mine was caused by, or perhaps triggered by, a work accident. I slipped on a water leak as I exited the toilets and came very, very close to doing the splits. The pain was instant and all consuming and left me unable to work, on the first occasion for almost 6 months, and on the second for about 4 months.
The initial diagnosis was musculo-skeletal, focused on my hip joints. Treatment was doses of strong analgesics which to begin with did nothing whatever to diminish the level of pain. By the time my GP had escalated my medication to include Naproxen, Tramadol, Pre-Gabalin and Ibuprofen it did just trim it back just a little, but only when the pain-killers were at their most active in my system. Even then I had what I later discovered was called breakthrough pain, as the effects diminished.
In the early stages I was recommended to try a TENS machine. I bought one and with the help of physiotherapists tried to make it work. Despite their best efforts to locate the optimum positions for the pads and settings all it succeeded in doing was making me annoyed!
The pain consultant/s to whom I was referred some 3 or 4 years in dabbled with my dosages, and latterly put me onto a pain-management-course which was interesting. However, even though I persisted with their recommended action plan, nothing helped.
I have since been told that if pain persists for more than 6 months (or 3 depending on who is telling you), then you are unlikely to ever be pain-free. Really optimistic and helpful!
Given that my accident happened in 2006, I guess that they were right as I’m still in pain. That said, I have voluntarily stopped taking some of the medication/s which were originally prescribed, and suffered a commensurate overall increase in pain. In addition, I have several areas of breakthrough pain which I had not identified before.
Would I like to be pain-free? Of course I would. I understand that discussions are ongoing in the medical world about whether pain-killers actually do any good, and if perhaps efforts should be made to wean patients off them (all?).
I know that, at present, I could not cope without at least my present armoury of drugs, though were I to be offered a proven alternative method I’d try it tomorrow!
All the best in trying to find a solution for your condition/s.
