By Barby Ingle, PNN Columnist

Do you ever feel like your time, energy and hope are running out due to chronic pain or illness? That you aren’t living life to the fullest and may never be able to?

Many people who live with painful disabling conditions have that kind of fear and self-doubt. If you are struggling with similar thoughts, read along while I dive into the five most meaningful lessons I’ve learned about chronic pain.

I wish I had known these things when my journey through the American healthcare system began. I strive to be healthier and wonder if my wellness would be further along if I had known better from the start.

The good news is that changing today can affect your tomorrow. It is never too late to make improvements in your life. Whether you are a longtime chronic pain patient or just starting on your pain journey, these five insights may help save you some heartache and frustration. 

1.  Keep good medical records 

I have long been a proponent of keeping and updating your medical records.  Use technology to your advantage. Advances in health information technology make it easy to store and retrieve data, and facilitates the rapid exchange of patient information. This can help you file insurance appeals and when seeking prior authorizations.

When a provider closes down unexpectedly, having medical records from your patient portal either printed or downloaded in PDF form can also help you find a new provider. This is something I faced this year when my ketamine provider abruptly shut down.  

2.  Not all providers are equal 

Learn everything you can about your illness and keep learning. It is also essential to seek specialists who know about your complex medical condition.

People often look up to their doctors and put total faith in them. However, most doctors are educated and trained in only one specialty in the practice of medicine. Just because a doctor is a neurologist doesn’t mean they can treat diabetic neuropathy, multiple sclerosis or Lyme disease. 

Providers may have expertise in treating one or two conditions, and know only a little about others. With thousands of diseases, conditions and treatments, no provider can know them all in-depth. Learn about your provider's experience and limitations, and encourage them to seek additional knowledge from their peers to help you. Communication is the key to improving trust and faith in your treating doctors.

3.  Your diagnosis does not define you 

In medicine, a diagnosis refers to a specific disease or illness, but not the characteristics of each patient. A condition may present itself and progress differently, depending on the patient’s genetics, lifestyle and environment.

I was once given a diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) when I was exhausted, over-treated, and scared. It turned out that was an incorrect diagnosis and that the TOS-like symptoms I was having were secondary to the real cause: Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD).  

We need to be careful not to jump to easy conclusions. I also realized I had to stop comparing my symptoms and outcomes to others with the same condition. I turned my focus on creating the best me I could be. 

4.  If something is too challenging, break it into smaller pieces 

Do the more manageable actions first, and then see what is left to conquer.

Tackling one problem – like organizing medical records from a single provider -- can give you the positive momentum to take on the more challenging ones. If you find yourself having difficulty -- stop, take a break and work on something else. Get that feeling of success (and the endorphins that come with it), and return to the challenge when you are ready for it. 

5.  Share your journey 

Each of our journeys are unique, but hearing someone else’s experience can offer us hope, options, and ideas that we can use to improve our own lives.

For example, I’ve found that hydration is super essential for coping with RSD. My primary care doctor said I should drink water regularly to help regulate my body temperature, keep my joints lubricated, prevent infections, replace nutrients in my cells, and to keep my organs functioning correctly.

He was right. I learned that when I consistently drink 60-70 oz. of water daily, take my medications on time, and do light stretching, my sleep, cognition and mood also improve.

Continue to share and cultivate habits that support your long-term health and happiness. The more we know, the better our decisions will be. I’ve dedicated my life to helping people with chronic conditions have happier and more meaningful lives. The key is to believe in yourself while building the life that you want. After helping thousands of people worldwide and reading countless success stories, I am confident that you can do that.

Barby Ingle is a reality TV personality living with multiple rare and chronic diseases. She is a chronic pain educator, patient advocate, motivational speaker, and best-selling author on pain topics. Barby has received over 25 awards for her advocacy efforts. You can follow her at www.barbyingle.com.