Please give Me Hope

[kimbeea]

I have  had 7 back and nack surgiers in the last 10yrs. so I have goe to a pain docs. in for the las 8 yrs.Sh is retired nowso I am going to a new one.This made me go from 4op40mg.,12ox.30mg.and 6 diludas to 6 op.40mg.and 4 ox.30mg. a day.I am in soooo much pain and the new doctor won't help any more. my life is like living in HELL now.What can I do.

[marycarmel]

You also may want to post on the Pain Management forum.  There is a big difference between dependence and addiction, though the physical part is no different. Treating chronic pain with narcotics can cause increased pain.  I had 9 surgeries and was on a plethora of narcotics, neurontin, Cymbalta, Advil and more.  Narcotics don't treat all types of pain.  I had read over and over about people who had less pain once they were off narcotics for a while. I found it hard to believe but it happens often.  I came off narcotics for many reasons.  (Among them is I see the writing on the wall; doctors are becoming more fearful to prescribe narcotics and the DEA is making things more difficult for chronic pain patients due to abuse of narcotics.)  When you first come off them, or taper, pain does increase.  Eventually your pain will return to it's "real" level and you may be able to treat it without narcotics.

Personally, medications, in general, cause me many side effects.  Pain management doesn't mean pain free, either.  There are days I wonder if I made the right decision to come off narcotics as my pain can be really bad, but putting together a bunch of things (ibuprofen, lidoderm patches, topical gels, exercise, etc.) can usually get me to a point where it's tolerable.

[KleanSober]

well maybe your new doctor recognizes that you have a problem.not to rude but  maybe you should seek help, for an addiction? if you have abused your pain meds  your tolerance will be low and you're likely to be in more pain you should normaly be.  :/  no one likes to hear it but you cant sugar coat  the issue anymore.

[quitinoxys]

Have you tried going to a chronic pain management doctor? They have many procedures that don't include the use of opiate pain meds. I myself know how you feel as I have had multiple surgeries. Some of these PM doctors also use such procedures as Acupuncture, Bio-Feedback, Nerve Blocks etc; Its worth a shot to check it out.

[kyle505]

Weaver's post is excellent. I'm an ex-employee of a major HMO. I learned in my years working in the health care industry that if you don't like your doc, you can change. That's a general statement, and a lot depends on your provider. But look in to it.

[weaver71]

The only person I know who had so many surgeries and took OC ended up getting his script dropped and went to the streets. He was in constant pain and spun out of control taking more and more over 10 years. Street prices made him lose everything and he went into a coma. Anyway, he told me, "It always ends." Your doc retires or moves or something happen eventually where you can't get enough. I found that to be true for me. He awoke from his two week coma four years ago on suboxone. He swears it kills the pain, but his head is clear. Many doctors will say it is not for pain even though that is what it was invented for. Doctors discovered later its benefit as narcotic treatment drug. My friend is back to work and feeling sober 4 years now. I don't know if that helps,