Lots of excruciating pain

[NB Adult]

49 minutes ago, Jani said:

You might try taking an Acetaminophen tablet a half hour or so prior to your appointment and also forego coffee as the caffeine exacerbates the pain.  Both of these strategies has helped me.  Unfortunately I don't believe anything makes the upper lip area any easier.

 

 

Th upper lip and close to the ears can be painful. I was told by a former pharmacist that two Ibuprofin and one Acetaminophen gel caps working together will dull the pain significantly. I used to order a topical pain reliever from a Canadian pharmacy, can't recall the name of it though.

[ShawnaLeigh]

12 hours ago, NB Adult said:

I often wonder why some men even want to look like a walrus with facial hair. All the genetic females I've cozied up to say they appreciate a smoothe face.

This is my opinion too.  I am not "allowed" to grow any facial hair according to my wife. She hates it as did a lot of other women in my life. Though secretly all these years I didn't want to.  So it was all good. 

I admit to hating having to shave everyday.  I am gong to try electrolysis as soon as I can get it covered.

 

[Dana Michelle]

Lately I've been having a very strange feeling during electrolysis in addition to the pain. It is hard to describe, but it triggers a lot of anxiety. It's sort of like a feeling of a full bladder over a large area in my body. I've also been getting little sleep lately so I'm wondering if sleep deprivation is causing these strange feelings. Does anyone have any idea?

My previous and next electrolysis visit are a week apart so I've been staying awake all night and going to bed a little later each day to try to adjust my sleep schedule. Going to bed earlier doesn't work for me and I end up laying in bed unable to sleep. I've been drinking caffeinated soda to help keep myself awake, but I will not drink it the day of my next appointment. As someone pointed out, caffeine increases the pain of electrolysis.

On 11/24/2019 at 5:26 PM, NB Adult (Inactive) said:

Th upper lip and close to the ears can be painful. I was told by a former pharmacist that two Ibuprofin and one Acetaminophen gel caps working together will dull the pain significantly. I used to order a topical pain reliever from a Canadian pharmacy, can't recall the name of it though.

I thought it wasn't safe to take more than one pain medication at once.

[Jani]

Dana when I was having areas worked on where there were nerve endings particularly close the pain was horrible and it seemed to resonate through my whole body.  I felt this way particularly when she started on my neck area but  thankfully I did get used to it to the point it was bearable.  There were specific areas on my lips like this too.  

 

Caffeine will definitely increase sensitivity to pain.  Also as we age our sensitivity to things changes.  I used to be able to drink coffee all day and sleep well into the night.  That is all passed now.  I have one cup in the morning and that's it.  Even a little chocolate after dinner proved to be too much.  So now I take all the caffeinated items before noon.  

 

I used to take acetaminophen alone (about 30 minutes prior) and it helped quite a bit.  I'm not sure I would mix two different types of pain reliever.   As to anxiety, is it about the electrolysis and pain?  If so focus on the end results and removal of beard and beard shadow, forever.  A smooth face is so nice.  Think positive thoughts. 

Jani

[KathyLauren]

10 hours ago, Dana Michelle said:

I thought it wasn't safe to take more than one pain medication at once.

 

My doctor recommended that I take a Tylenol and an Advil.  (I am not going to "recommend" it, because you'll have to consult your own doctor for an appropriate recommendation.)  Her reasoning was that they reduce pain by different methods, so they do not interfere with each other.

 

My pain management starts with no caffeine (coffee, tea or chocolate) for 24 hours.  I use Emla (lidocaine/prilocaine blend) applied an hour before the session.  I cover it with a layer of gauze wrapped in plastic wrap.  The gauze retains warmth, which increases the effectiveness of the Emla, and the plaxtic, of course prevents it from drying out.  The gauze also gives you some deniability if you are caught in public: it looks like you are being treated for a horrible burn, not preparing for electrolysis.

 

Very important for me is that I take music and headphones.  The music gives me somewhere to escape to.

 

Over three years (about 150 hours) of electro, I have gotten better at handling the pain.  I suspect that my pain tolerance has improved.  (Urban legend has it that women have a higher pain tolerance than men: maybe that is the HRT kicking in.)  Also, my mindfulness has improved, so when I escape into the music, I actually blank out most of what she is doing to my face.  Today, she ran out of areas that I had treated with Emla, and was able to continue for another half hour on untreated parts of my face.  I felt it of course, but the music was good and I didn't really mind.  That's a far cry from back when we started!