Chronic pain symbol?

[Boxerlover]

Does anyone know if chronic pain has a symbol or color like the pink ribbons for breast cancer? If there isn't one, it'd be cool to get one, or a symbol to represent it. Just a thought.

Melissa

[Kandra]

Does anyone know if chronic pain has a symbol or color like the pink ribbons for breast cancer? If there isn't one, it'd be cool to get one, or a symbol to represent it. Just a thought.

I haven't seen any, Melissa...I think it'd be cool to have a symbol for those who'd want to wear or have one. Some don't want to let people know they
have chronic pain issues but hey, there's many who'd love to have something I'm sure :)

[Lavandula Canadensis]

Hi Melissa,

you peeked my curiosity... as i also suffer from chronic pain... among a long list of dx... thank you for posting this question :)

i just found a ribbon and a website... i'm not a member of this organization and i'm not promoting their merchandise... i don't know them at all... at least, we have a ribbon ! (i believe it would also be to make our own to show our colors ?)

http://chronicpainsupport.org/services.html

Chronic Pain Awareness Ribbons
The Chronic Pain Support Group developed and designed the Chronic Pain Awareness Ribbon so that the silent thousands who suffer in silence can begin to have a voice. Approximately 86 million people around the world are affected by chronic pain. It's time to be silent no more!


2558 2559 2560 2561

[Peter B]

Hey ladies,
I hope you guys are feeling as well as you can expect to feel. With regard to wearing a ribbon or anything else, I think it's just an advertisement that you take opiates. Just a thought.

Pain free days,
Pete

[welsh]

Pete It doesnt nesseccarily advertise that those who suffer from chronic pain are on opiates now does it???? After all NOT everyone who suffers from chronic pain ARE on opiates are they eh???
Pete a few sayings come to mind:- Dont tar us all with the same brush, and never judge a book by it`s cover.
It`s also bit "stereotypical" to think that all chronic pain sufferers are on opiates,dont you think??
Im not having a go or anything of the sort,Im simply giving my opinion. Demi

[Lavandula Canadensis]

i don't know about others... i can only speak for myself... i can confirm here that i'm NOT on any pharmaceutical medication at all, and there are none in my home, not even an aspirin or a tylenol... i deal with acute and chronic pain, trigeminal neuralgia, epilepsy, and many other daily health challenges with only natural and alternative medicines & approaches... however, i'm not judging the ones that are taking pharm. meds... to each their own... i respect people and their own decisions...

i'm not really planning to wear a ribbon myself, but i'm a curious monkey... and when somebody is looking for something, i find it is fun to do a little search, when i can, like i did very early this morning... hoping it will be useful...

from what i read on different websites, the fact of wearing an awareness ribbon/bracelet/or an other object may indicate that one has one of the multiple medical condition associated to its color, or that she/he is supporting someone or the cause itself... they are gentle "awareness" messengers... i believe they're a good thing... they give a voice to those who don't have one anymore...

i hope you all have a good day!

[Kira]

Interesting that Lavandula found a green/yellow ribbon for chronic pain, because the ribbon for Mitochondrial Disorders and Muscular Dystrophy is green. They get away with having both be green because Mitochondrial Myopathy is a Muscular Dystrophy Association-covered disease (MDA-covered diseases are ones that qualify for services at MDA clinics, can loan MDA durable medical equipment, etc). The United Mitochondrial Disorders Foundation also has green silicone Mito bracelets that say "Energy for Life" and "UMDF," similar to the yellow "Livestrong" Lance Armstrong bracelets. You can buy them on the UMDF website for a couple of dollars, as well as all sorts of Mito gear like sweatshirts and jackets and blankets and stuff...

I guess I am supposed to wear green ribbons/bracelets regardless of if I am supporting my Mito or my pain :)

[Boxerlover]

Lavandula, thanks for the site with the ribbon, I really was just curious. I love symbols and jewlry and things like that and was thinking how interesting it would be to have a designated symbol that designates CP and then can get it as like a charm to put on a necklace or bracelet.

Kandra, I'm not really thinking of something specific but more abstract that no one else would know what it was except for those of us who suffer and those that we would choose to tell. Like AOL has the triangle and AT&T had the blue globe, something like that. My auto-immune disease uses a snowflake as it's symbol(I have one on my charm bracelet but unfortunately the edges keep catching on my clothes and I'm probably going to have to take it off).

Pete, I can appreciate your concerns which is why I was thinking of something abstract, although I doubt many would know what the green and yellow ribbon meant again unless we told them and as other have said, it certainly doesn't mean everyone is on narcs.

Just a thought.
Melissa

[Kandra]

Kandra, I'm not really thinking of something specific but more abstract that no one else would know what it was except for those of us who suffer and those that we would choose to tell. Like AOL has the triangle and AT&T had the blue globe, something like that. My auto-immune disease uses a snowflake as it's symbol(I have one on my charm bracelet but unfortunately the edges keep catching on my clothes and I'm probably going to have to take it off).

My particular pain issues don't have any symbols as it's not "common". I don't really want one either, but of course that's just my opinion for myself only...heh. I would guess mine would fall under vascular disorders and also some orthopedic ones. Hard to say, never tried to really categorize mine.

I understand what you mean, Melissa...I also think that unless it's somewhat "advertised" via the various chronic pain forums and websites that others wouldn't have a clue as to what it meant...just us here using this one...smile.
I'd certainly "go" for one that showed me as a member of this site :) However I don't think they'd let us do that if it involved initials of some type. Sorry...I'm rambling a bit, have been awake for 24+ hours.

Pete, I can appreciate your concerns which is why I was thinking of something abstract, although I doubt many would know what the green and yellow ribbon meant again unless we told them and as other have said, it certainly doesn't mean everyone is on narcs.

I know there are many who don't take opiates for their pain...but many do. I know when my neighbor found out I have chronic pain the very first thing she asked me is what "drugs" I'm on, and she didn't mean aspirin. Naturally I looked shock at the very idea I'd be using the drugs she meant:eek:. Of course I don't want anyone to know I use Opana etc. as I'm sure most of us don't tell others what opiates they take, if any.

It's a fun thing to discuss, Melissa :) If you come up with a design please let us know! :) I didn't really like the colors etc. the other site came up with. It would need to be something abstract, as you suggested...at least IMHO.

[Mark N]

Ladies, I don't think Pete meant that all use opiates but that the assumption would be people wearing the ribbon would be using them. We all know how uniformed many people are about our condition the way it is. We often can't even get our own families to understand the pain we suffer from. I am not saying it is a bad idea having a ribbon or symbol. Part of the reason I use a walking stick is to let people be aware of my unsteady walk when near me.

Like Pete, I hope all of us are doing the best we can. I know I have just been awaken by muscle spasms telling me it is time for my med dose. It is a battle to let others know what we are suffering with. All people deal with pain now and then often thinking they know the pain we deal with.

Melissa, this is an interesting idea but I wonder if there is a way to do this without advertising that many of take medication that are already abused by none CPers. Maybe with all the great minds on this site we can come up with an idea.

[Kathi49]

I agree Mark. I don't think Pete meant it in a bad way either. I like Melissa's idea as long as it is in "support of" people with chronic pain but not as a label so to speak; more as in awareness. Okay, so I am going to mix it up a bit and yep, I just woke up LOL! I remember going to security briefings many times after 9/11. Now, most of us used to wear our red, white and blue outfits in support of our troops on Fridays. Oh, boy, we had a briefing one day and it basically covered what to do if traveling by air and if approached. One of the things was to NEVER wear anything patriotic. Oops! We all looked around the room and everyone including myself, stuck out like a sore thumb! :eek: The other thing was...NEVER to carry our Federal ID cards in our purses or wallets; put them in our luggage when checking it in instead. Anyway, the whole deal was...do NOT draw any attention to yourself. I know, I know, I am mixing apples and oranges a bit. But the same concept applies...sort of.

As for the meds we take, personally it doesn't bother me when someone asks. But in all honesty, there are not many folks that have asked. My family and friends know what I take and also know what I have taken in the past. And of course the docs and pharmacist. I can also say that during that 3 year period of he@@ when I was trying everything, I almost cried in front of the pharmacist one day...just so embarassed that I was again trying something different. I was apologizing all over the place; told him he must think I am crazy. But he was very, very understanding...told me he knew it was rough. And that he understood the doc(s) were trying to find something that worked.

Okay, enough of my rambling. Right now I really have no great ideas but I am sure someone can come up with one. :) All I am really saying is that I can see both sides of the topic.

[Boxerlover]

I know Pete didn't mean it in a negative way and I agree the last thing any of us need to do is broadcast we do or may get narcotics. I'm thinking more the lines of a symbol, for example as I was researching it last night and came across chinese symbols. There is one for pain as well as healing, hope, etc. I do have a necklace with a chinese symbol on it that my grandmother got me and it means good health(guess it didn't work:D).No one knows what it means unless they ask me. But what I was thinking along the lines of a symbol representing all the things we go through wrapped up into one symbol. Not a symbol already out there, but a new one that would represent our journey.

Any graphic artists out there?

I've always used jewelry to express myself, I have a cross, a boxer head, I have many Florida related charms on my bracelet and I was just thinking that as this has become such a force in my life that I'd like to express it in the right way.

Thanks for all the opinions and if anybody has any thoughts or ideas. My husbands sister is a graphic artist, but she doesn't have CP and to capture the meaning of it I'd think they would have to.

Melissa

[Nana4&cntn]

Melissa, what a good idea to bring awareness to our pain and of others. I was thinking along the lines of a tear drop with the words, pain, misunderstood, tired, and the list goes on. Maybe we need people who are interested throw out ideas for different words that immediately come to mind. Mine are above.:D

[Mark N]

Melissa, it would be a good thing to create a symbol to make people more aware of our condition. It wouldn't be an "advertisement" about our meds if others joined in support in an effort to find a cure for our pain.

I can't think of a symbol yet but I hope that someone can come up with one that would work. Too bad the charm for good health didn't work in your case:(.

[Kathi49]

Melissa,

I can't think of a symbol yet either. But what I was saying originally is what Mark brought up again...something "in support of". And even though I worked in IT, I was NO graphic artist LOL! Your speaking of jewelry and "journey" made me think of something. Two years ago my husband gave me a "Journey" necklace for Christmas. I love it and told him it looked like a spine and it does! So, when I go for my spinal appointments, I wear it. :D Needless to say the staff have made comments on it; they liked it. And I know, it does NOT represent everyone nor could a man wear it. ;) I just thought I would mention it since the word "journey" caught my eye. In the meantime....I will be thinking. :)

[Boxerlover]

Nana,I love the idea of the tear drop!! I've emailed my husband's sister to see what kind of ideas she can come up with and when I get them I'll post it to see what you guys think. I'm so excited, I just love that Nana!!!!!!!!!

Mark, thanks for the support! Yeah, I guess since many people wear many different symbols for things I was thinking about something different.

Kathi, you are so right! It does look like a spine. Years ago my husband bought me a 3 stone necklace but it was when things were bad between us and it wasn't meant as a peace offering or anything. So when the journey ones came out I asked him to change my 3 stone to the journey since we had worked through everything and it was basically our journey through rough times! As I had other jewelry that had the stones to add to the 3 so he would only have to pay for the setting. I'm still waiting but that's OK, I do still love the 3 stone even though it has bad memories. But you are so right as it looks exactly like a spine!! I love it!

Melissa

[Peter B]

Demi,
I certainly didn't mean anything negative about it. I wouldn't mind if there was a ribbon dedicated to chronic pain. It might bring awareness to how wide spread chronic pain is. I just think that if there is a symbol that indicates that the person wearing it is a pain sufferer, a drug addict's interest is bound to be peeked.

I apologize if I offended you, Demi.

Pete