(Excerpt from Neos Kosmos feature story, Chronic pain: the treacherous disease that steals the lives of thousands, MAΡΙΑ ΚΑΜΠΥΛH 25 September 2019) Η συγκλονιστική συνέντευξη – κατάθεση ψυχής της ομογενούς Σούλας Μανταλβάνου, που διαφωτίζει και δίνει ελπίδα σε όσους υποφέρουν από [...]
(Article from the RACGP website) Neelima Choahan 26/07/2018 11:36:34 AM Chronic pain affects one in five Australians. newsGP spoke with a patient and a GP about some of the best ways to tackle the situation. Soula Mantalvanos, who has lived with chronic pain [...]
I’m an event in the spotlight. GP’s, I hope to see you there! (Article from RACGP June newsletter) Events in the spotlight GPADD18 Conference: Saturday and Sunday 4–5 August 2018 The RACGP Victoria Drug and Alcohol Committee invite you to attend [...]
(Just quickly, I'd like to take this opportunity to say PainTrain – My Health Summary, Theo and I are so proud to have contributed to this year's Ride for Pain and the #painrevolution. I would personally like to thank everyone who contributed [...]
(Cut to the chase, I want to support the Pain Revolution 2018. Image: Lorimer and Soula at the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia Melbourne launch) I’ve got a soft spot for Professor Lorimer Moseley. In Feb 2011 I had just [...]
I can't recommend Dr Susie highly enough. I wish I had online physical therapy advice when I felt lost, unable to commute and in need of someone who could understand my pain experience. Dr Susie really gets pelvic health issues [...]
The Alcohol & Drug Foundation (ADF) has been working to enhance awareness about the way Australians consume pain killers. My understanding of the campaign is that the ADF in no way suggests pain killers are not necessary - many Australians require their [...]
Soula became dependent. "I shrunk as a person. The medication fogged my mind. I couldn't cross the road. I had to activate spell check on my phone. I didn't have the ability to think properly any more," she said.
APS: How important are support groups for both you and your close family/community? Soula: I can’t say I feel there is much support for my husband and family/community. It’s difficult with invisible pain, it’s a similar scenario with depression, we still don’t get it. Society seems to have been given an immense right to provide their opinion (e.g. with social media platforms) and this has opened up some kind of authority to encourage opinions and much judgment. Not many tread carefully or really think from someone else’s perspective. Although we have more information accessible to us, we seem to be learning less.
I must sound like a broken record by now, but once again, I am left bewildered by my chronic pain journey and the contrasting experiences that go from excruciating pain to exhilaration. Above all, I feel incredibly privileged at the opportunities presented to me and so happy to be able to help others by communicating my story. I could not have done this without Theo, my family and of course Peter Lamont and Jacinta Cashen.
