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Avatar universal

VERY upset with PMP, Need advice Please!

Hello everyone, I am brand new to this site and have been reading so many post to hopefully help me out and try and get rid of some of my frustrations, so here is my dilemma and would love some feedback from anyone with suggestions.

Well, I have been on hydrocodone(off and on for 16 years) due to a car accident.  It is due to DDD, and that I could tolerate the pain with the meds when that was my only ailment. Well, about seven years ago, after 8 months of daily, horrific pain, I was finally diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitus, and I have a very severe case, with daily pain even with meds.  I also have also been diagnosed with Fibro, Sciatica, and Anxiety and i think that is all.  I started with my PMP almost seven years ago with the back and IC problems and we went on a journey, which he did great at first doing everything needed to manage it.  I have had blocks, burning of the nerves, and so many diff procedures from him and urologists for the IC.  Well, the last year my pain has increased and I am on 5 mg Methadone, Hydros 7.5, Zanaflex 4mg and Neurontin.  My tolerance is so built up that i can not keep my pain under control when it flrares up, like it is now.  I can not get relief with the meds I have and I called the doc last friday, and they FINALLY returned my call yesterday and we went back and forth because my back is so bad that I can not stand up straight and I literally need a walker which I plan on finding one tomorrow.  Well, I call about getting another injection in my lower back to help ease the pain, and the will not do it because 1. They are leaving friday for 2 weeks and can not fit me in until Aug. 15th, and 2. I could not come up with $360 today to go in(I live an hour away from the doc) and do it today.  We live on a month to month paycheck and you all would die if I told you what we live on.  So, I called the nurse back and asked what I could do and so he is calling me in a steroid to try and help with the pain.  I called back and asked for something stronger to help get me through this and they refused.  I could not believe it and I am furious.  I have been telling my doctor that the meds are not working like they used to(built up tolerance to meds) and they do not care one bit.  They said what will i use when I get worse, and I am worse, RIGHT NOW.  I just don't understand, they use to call me in 30 to 40 Hydro 10's without any problem(never anything stronger than that and I really can't believe that) and now he keeps telling me, because we have discussed it many times, he is not going to change my medication.  He has not changed the meds I take at all in 7 years.  I used to at least get 10mg Methadone, but of course he changed that back to 5mg.  I am at my wits end.  He told me I have an addictive personality and I could not believe it.  I did not ask for all these horrible things and he is treating me like a drug addict.  I have always done exactly what he has told me, but I am so upset with him and his staff, all they care about is what I am paying or not paying on my account.  I seriously need some advice from anyone that will chat with me about this.  What would you do, I have to have a Pain Mgmt doctor because of all of these problems, but I feel so hopeless about everything right now, it really has sent me into a depressive state.  I can not even get out of bed most days, and then has been going on for 2 weeks.  I have 4 children, and one is 3, and my family needs me, and I can not function or accomplish anything right now.  I really could use any help from anyone willing to read all this and reply.

Sorry this is so long and if you don't understand anything, please ask.

Thanks if you are still reading and hope to hear from you!
4 Responses
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547368 tn?1440541785
Hi Alwaysinpain,

Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am glad you found us and took the time to share with us your issues in detail. I hear your frustration and pain. My heart goes out to you. No one should have to endure uncontrolled chronic pain.

The answers seems obvious to those of us that are on the outside looking in... change PM Clinics. Find a concerned and caring PMP that will listen. There are some great ones out there and I encourage you to search for one.

After seven years, yes you may have some tolerance issues... but more then likely your condition has deteriorated ... and of course the current medications or regimen is not addressing your pain as they should be.

I can not imagine why you are not on a long acting opiate.... one that will avoid the peaks and valleys that some from short acting opiates. If fiances is an issue you may be limited as to what long acting opiate you can afford but there are options.

In all honesty  and of course in my opinion, 7.5mg of Hydrocodone is not much for ppl in severe pain, neither is 5mg of Methadone. So again I encourage you to consult another PMP. There is no good reason to suffer with severe chronic pain, it's fruitless.

As suggested try contacting your PCP and have a long discussion with him/her. If you have a good relationship with him there should be some understanding and better4 suggestions. If not you may be on your own in this search. Remember physicians are service providers, yes educated ones but still service providers. If you are not satisfied with the service that you are paying dearly for.... find one that will need your needs.

We're here for you. Our community is filled with Chronic Pain sufferers that do get it. We gladly off you our support so please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing. I will look forward to your updates.

Take Care,
~Tuck
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi always_in_pain,

First, I want to welcome you to the PM (Pain Management) Forum and let you know that we are glad you found this Forum. We are all CP (Chronic Pain) Patients that help each other with our own expertise and experiences that we have developed through our own CP Issues.

My Dear, I'm so sorry that you are having to endure this problem with your PM Doctor.  I notice that you are form TX (I'm originally from OK) and I know that they are cracking down on the "Pill Mills" that are abundant in Texas right now.  This could be part of what is causing your Doctor to be reluctant to help you with additional medication.  

However, that being said, I'd go back to your PCP (or which ever Doctor sent your to this PM Doctor) and let him/her know what is going on and have him/her recommend a different Doctor that can give you the help that you so greatly deserve.  

Your Doctor leaving you when you still have more questions is not appropriate at all!!  These days so many Doctor's just care about how many patients they can see in one day as it's about the money for them and that's all that some of them care about!!  I'm so very sorry to hear that this has happened to you!  You definitely need to get some sleep as your body needs this as does your mind.  

When you have been on the same meds for 7 years you build up a tolerance to them, as you know, and that's exactly what has happened to you.  I know because when I went to my PM doctor in January, 2010, I had been on Hydreocodone 7.5"s for 7 years and they were doing nothing for me.  He explained to me that I'd become tolerant to them and we switched me to a "Long-acting" med and to Percocet 10325's for BT (Breakthrough) Pain.  I would imagine that you need a new Long-acting med and something new for your BT Pain also!!

I wish you the very best of luck and hope that you will continue to keep us updated on how you are doing. I tend to worry about the members here on MH!!  :) We're here for you, whether you need our advice or you just need to vent.  We're here!!

Good Luck and I'll be looking for your updates.........Sherry  :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I agree with everything you are saying, but there are so many medications out there, why not try something different.  That is what I don't understand.
Yes, I have a great doc that gives me Xanax for all the anxiety which is  pretty bad I guess, because I get so wound up easily.  I cry every time i talk to the doctor because he just dismisses me and I had to make him stop twice in one visit to not leave the room because I still had questions.  Do you think that is appropriate?
I am not getting good sleep right now at all, i got about 2 hours last night and still feel awful.  I would love to find a new doc, but I guess I have been procrastinating for about a year to look for one, because he used to be great, but did a 180 on me, so I am just wondering what happened.
Thank you for your reply, can you think of anything else I might do?
Helpful - 0
1731970 tn?1328087070
Hi, I understand your frustration. Maybe you should see another pain management team. Pain medication is very addictive but perhaps your dr should have thought of this. It is natural for you body to build up a resisitance. To treat you like a drug addict is not the answer. Perhaps if he addressed your pain then worried about the addictive part later you could be easier to talk to. No-one wants to deal with large amounts of pain. I realise this sounds like a very simplistic answer. Are any of the medication to relieve anxiety. Are you getting enough sleep? Lack of sleep also heightens pain. Hope you get some more answers let me know. Cheers Melipops
Helpful - 0
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