Now the 53-year-old will form part of a new Wimmera group aimed at giving others in this situation non-judgmental support.

Mrs Moore was diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome after an operation to shorten a bone in her right forearm in 2016. Symptoms include burning pain, spasms and stiffness.

"I've always worked in hospitality, and the jobs I was doing wore out the bone, so they had to shorten it so the bones wouldn't rub," she said.

"I have pain in my wrist, 24 hours a day. It's just constant - you can't sleep, driving agitates it, and every chore I do, if I do too much, I'm useless for the next few days."

Mrs Moore said the pain wasn't the end of her troubles. She had to deal with stigma from the community who didn't understand how incapacitating her condition was.

"If your arm is chopped off, people recognise you're injured; but because it's just pain, people look at you and go, "What's wrong with you?'," she said.

"You end up secluding yourself because you feel like you're being judged all the time. I hate socialising, and (the stigma) has caused problems for my family."

Mrs Moore said she had steroid injections and was on heavy medication which, along with the isolation, affected her mental health.

"There is a whole list of medication I have been on and, nothing against doctors, but I've gone to doctors and they've said, "We'll try something else, what else haven't you tried?" - because nothing works," she said.

Related: Wimmera medical professionals call for more pain management services in the wake of SafeScript success

Things started improving for Mrs Moore after she contacted a Horsham clinical psychologist, Dr Catherine Vaus. She had previously been going to see a pain specialist in Ballarat, and sometimes still needs to travel into Horsham three times a week for physiotherapy, psychology and pain management sessions.

Dr Vaus then put her in touch with Melbourne GP Dr Andrew Horwood, who visits Horsham one week a month to run a four-day persistent pain program at Wimmera Health Care Group.

Mrs Moore will now share her story with members of a new group Dr Vaus and Horsham physiotherapist Shannyn McGrice is setting up - called the Living With Persistent Pain Support Group.

Dr Vaus said it was aimed at giving people ongoing support after they completed the persistent pain program.

"They give lots of education about pain management strategies and how to challenge thinking," she said.

"But then the idea we had is that if there was a chance to reinforce that, and a month later review what worked, what didn't and tweak what's happening and hear what other people's experiences have been - that would help."

Dr Vaus said she hoped Mrs Moore's story would act as an icebreaker at the free-to-attend meetings - the first of which is on Tuesday, July 10 from 6.30pm at Equip Physiotherapy on McLachlan Street.

Pain Australia, a national advocacy body, estimates one-in-five Australians live with chronic pain.

Mrs Moore said she hoped the group would convince people who hadn't sought help, because of the lack of awareness, to reach out.

"It's a hard one because if I wasn't going through what I am now, I wouldn't understand pain either," she said.

"I want to be able to help people in the same situation. Just for us to get together and support each other is important."

Mrs McGrice said people could register their interest by calling 5382 0276.

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