Giddy On Pain?

[LastUnicornLady]

Anybody else been in so much pain that they were literally high? I've been experiencing this today- most notably this evening. For the past four or five hours (though to some extent, the entire day!) I have been in pretty extreme pain, and probably some of the most difficult pain I have ever had. It seems like it's all over, and it can't decide what actually wants to hurt. First it's my shoulder, then my hand, then my entire arm, and my head and neck are in pain, and suddenly me foot hurts... And every single spot hurts at about a 9 on the pain scale. Ugh. It's like I'm in so much pain that my brain is completely overwhelmed and has shut down all kind of rational behavior. I am laughing at everything and nothing. I go from laughing to crying in two seconds. I feel "on top of the world" mentally speaking, in spite of feeling like crud physically. (It's like being hormonal... only not.)

So... my question is this- have you ever been high on pain? Am I the only one this happens to?

[sue1234]

I never have had this happen. Maybe it's a good weird thing???

[Becia]

Yes, for me its like an out of body experience. It hurts so much, that my body just flips out. And I am not normally a "pain is pleasure" kind of person, but after awhile, my body is just like in overdrive.

[lewis]

I get this only when I have eaten or taken something to drive it.

[Katybug]

I've been there. I feel like I have to burn off energy sometimes when I'm in a pain flare. I assume it is a combination of adrenaline, cortisol, and endorphins trying to fight the pain.

When in college, I did a term paper on stereotypies (not stereotypes, stereotypies) in farm animals. Stereotypies are repetitive, compulsive behaviors some animals perform in response to stress of whatever sort they are experiencing. For example, bar biting in pigs, cribbing, stall walking or weaving in horses. Most species of farm animals have some form of these behaviors although most animals do not perform these behaviors. Studies show that performing these behaviors lowers the levels of stress hormones and releases endorphins in each of these scenarios. It is conjectured that the animals that perform the stereotypies are otherwise unable to lower these stress hormone levels. (Sounds vaguely like a hyperandrenergic state, right?)

[LastUnicornLady]

I would just like to remind everyone that there were no illegal (or even legal!) substances involved- this was entirely my body's reaction to the extreme pain. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only who has experienced this.

Katybug- that's very interesting. I had never known that... There's got to be a connection there.

[Becia]

I know when I don't feel good, pain or triggers, or sometimes just needing to sleep, I rock. A friend of mine saw me doing that and thought I was having a seizure until he realized I was awake.

[Foggy01]

Were you diagnosed with a sensory small fibre neuropathy or something? What is causing this pain do you think?

[LastUnicornLady]

Foggy01- I am going to the doctor tomorrow, and we will be discussing the possibility of EDS. I suspect that my shoulder was slightly out of socket (my sister has also had that happen), which would explain the shoulder and arm pain. As for everything else... I honestly don't know. SO far, it has been a one time thing. (Fingers crossed!) I'm also going to bring up the possibility of cervical instability due to some neurological symptoms I've developed, as well as head/neck pain. That might help explain the weird pain episode, or it might not. I guess we'll see.