I have Lupus/Sjogrens and my illness shifts over the years. Now it is back where it was 15 years ago, with pain. And stiffness now as a new fancy thing. Had this new variant a few years now. I do my physio/yoga almost daily and it does help, but some days not enough.

I want to go out walking but after a while I just hurt so bad. It takes the fun out of walking. I hate that I can't walk as much as I want to.

I can if I take pain meds but I'm not allowed anything that really helps. I've never been accused of abusing drugs or anything like that, it is just that docs think I exaggerate my pain because I walk sort of normally even with pain. I more cry on the inside.

As a bit older I was taught as a child to ignore pain so I don't have a good way of showing pain. I guess docs don't understand words?

I'm thinking of buying pain meds illegally. Not saying I'm gonna, but I feel so trapped and I have a lot of physical labor to fix this fall and I can't see how I can manage without pain relief. My doc thinks Tylenol works for everything.