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BPD and a Chronic pain problem


Cheesecake

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I have recently been told I have BPD.  I am a 31 year old male in the UK.  I also have a chronic pain problem.

I recently switched painkillers to something which works better on the pain but it seems to have increased my mental health symptoms exponentially.

Does anyone else suffer with pain on top of their BPD?   Are there many men here with a diagnosis of BPD?  I feel very alone.  All the stories I read about on websites and charity websites are about women with the condition.  I am aware men are under-diagnosed because of their propensity to fall into the category of substance abusers and therefore not get the right help... and the desire not to admit having a thin emotional skin...   

I feel bad.   Lost my girlfriend, money, job, house and car... in that order, last year.  Had a good job and relatively few symptoms apart from pain and depression/anxiety...   I was abusing alcohol increasingly which lead the breakup with the girlfriend and then sh*t hit the fan...

I'd never tried to kill myself before but after this started I was in and out of hospital dozens of times...  arrested by police...  This is still happening today, a year later and I'm not getting any help from the NHS apart from being put on a waiting list.  Worried about worsening this winter.

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Hi Cheesecake,

Sorry I'm also not male and therefore can't respond.to all your questions. Where is this pain that you are suffering?

I have BPD and at the moment no pain but I have had pain. Pain in my joints especially my knees and ankles, migraine headaches. Sometimes all over in my legs. So this is why I ask you where.

I hope you are at this moment feeling slightly better? Although I understand it will take time for your situation to really improve.

Have you anyone nearby with whom you can talk to? 

Take care

Elizabeth

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I don't have anyone nearby.  I have a friend who I text regularly but she's up north and has her own problems at the moment.

The pain is neuralgia in my face.  I damaged a nerve when I was a teenager when I was mugged.  I had my cheek fractured and jaw broken in 2 places.  I am feeling slightly better.  I tried Tramadol for 1 week but it appeared to be too much when combined with the Citalopram I take already.  It appears to amplify the serotonergic effects and gives me a tingling head and lots of energy.  Unable to sleep and emotionally labile.

I have been totally knocked off my feet by the diagnosis of Personality Disorder...  At first It was like being handed a death sentence.  I spent weeks almost comatose and not seeing anyone.  I nearly drank myself to death many times.  Thankfully, I've never been physically dependent of the booze - I've never exceeded 3-5 days in a row of heavy inebriation.

It's been a revelation though.  I can make sense of many life events now.  All my previous relationships make sense.  It's really eye opening.  I'm on a waiting list for treatment with the Personality Disorder clinic but have been waiting for 6 months already and just received a letter saying it's another 6 months wait!  I'd be ok with this if they'd at least give me some medication to help manage some of the symptoms such as impulsivity.  A mood stabiliser or anti-psychotic would be lovely... I am going to see my GP to ask if he can liaise with the PD people to get the green-light to prescribe me something to keep me going until I get seen.  My GP won't prescribe me anything more exotic than Citalopram without a specialist prescriber.  He has previously been very good and was the one who referred me to the PD clinic after we exhausted every other avenue.

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Hi Cheesecake,

Well it sounds like you have a good GP. Yes it may get you through the wait by taking meds.

It is hard having to fight your way through the health system to get help. Maybe you could post this as a extra topic. There are lots of people on here who I believe have had similar struggles. I live in Germany and only waited a few months before being admitted to a day clinic. Now I see a psychologist once a week. But I do have to drive one hour to get there and one hour back.

I am sorry to hear about you being mugged as a teenager. This must have been very traumatic and possibly still is. Pain anywhere in the face is unbearable.

Yes I can follow that parts of your life make sense now knowing your diagnosis. It was similar for me too. 

I hope it works out with your GP and that you get the help that you need.

Take care

Elizabeth

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

I have bdp and fibromyalgia chronic panic disorder.  I am a woman 27 so similar age.  U can talk to me if u have any questions on happy to help if I can. Take care

Pain not panic sorry

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Hi there 

I'm female and have bpd as well as an autoimmune disease. I'm on immunosuppressants for it but I also suffer with chronic pain in my stomach for years now. 2weeks ago I was admitted to hospital for the pain and was seen by the pain management team who put me on a low dose of amitriptiline, since then I've barely had pain as apparently it works on the nervous system. Perhaps you could ask your gp about this in regard to your pain or ask to be referred to a pain management clinic? I've also heard acupuncture can work wonders for pain too. 

Take care 

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Hi there 

I'm female and have bpd as well as an autoimmune disease. I'm on immunosuppressants for it but I also suffer with chronic pain in my stomach for years now. 2weeks ago I was admitted to hospital for the pain and was seen by the pain management team who put me on a low dose of amitriptiline, since then I've barely had pain as apparently it works on the nervous system. Perhaps you could ask your gp about this in regard to your pain or ask to be referred to a pain management clinic? I've also heard acupuncture can work wonders for pain too. 

Take care 

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I'm afraid I'm female too (and I know this post is really old) but I do have chronic pain. I take co-codamol and have regular massages. The massages are expensive but they do help. I have also started using PowerPlast Gel Plasters. You can only wear them for 20 mins at a time but they do make a difference when I'm wearing them.

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