Had another doctor appointment Friday.

[DammitJanet]

This was the pain doctor. They changed my medications around again. Took me off the morphine and put me on the long acting, time released oxycodine aka Oxycontin. 30 mgs, 2 times a day. I dont know how I feel about this.

I talk to my doctor there from my heart. I told him that I can tell its about 2/3 weeks before its time for me to get back to my ortho doctor to get my steroid shots into my knees and my back because they have started to hurt me again. The steroid shots have helped me but I can only get them every three months. I dont know how long they will continue to do that either.

Well the doctor told me I was on such a low dose of morphine that while it sounded high to me, and it would be if I was getting it IM or IV, it was so low swallowed that I was probably only getting 3 or 4 mgs actually in my blood stream and that wasnt doing me a bit of good. We needed to increase my medications so that I more medications in my blood stream in a steadier dose and something much stronger. Sigh. I told him I was so very worried about that because I was worried about me only be 50 now and with my family history of longevity, I was afraid I might live to be in my 70s or later and be really in pain and not have medications available to go to. The doctor said he wished he had more people who thought like me but honestly I didnt have anything to worry about, that I could never reach max doses on anything from now till then and I had plenty of other drugs to try that were stronger that we had never even tried. I was still in the light drugs. Hah...lol. Seem strong to me!

I am also still getting the 90 breakthrough pain medications a month. I should be a zombie. There is a new medication coming out on the market soon that is straight hydrocodone and there will be none of the tylenol in it at all. Just straight narcotic and nothing else. It should be the bomb. I was a bit worried about the issues of people getting a hold of it and abusing it but the doctor said there will be the same stuff in it that morphine and the new oxycontin has in it so people cant crush it or snort is. This will also be a long acting form which will be good. Tylenol is such a horrible medication which I think should be sold behind the counter. As much medication as I have been on, its a damned wonder my liver isnt dead.

So now I have to get used to this new OxyContin which feels much stronger to me...along with the fact that they just increased my xanaxXR this past week. I increased that on Tuesday and then started the Oxy on friday night. Let me tell you, I was one loopy person today. I dont think I am going to be driving until I start feeling a bit better. I imagine it wont take long before it stables out but until then I am going to take it easy.

The doctor had a good point. We need to get my pain level to a point to a point that I have a quality of life that isnt just laying in bed and not even being able to stand up to wash dishes or cook dinner. Or walk around a grocery store without feeling like I am dying. I have a feeling its going to take me a bit to get there though. Tony thinks I should be just fine after one pill though...sigh.

 

[Hound dog]

doctor is right. Quality of life should be much higher at this stage and with proper pain management that is possible. I watched poor mother in law suffer unnecessarily for years before I finally got her convinced about pain medications. Once she started on them, that was it, there was no turning back for her. The relief on her face was priceless. Her fear was becoming addicted. Seriously? She was 90 something (80 something when I really started talking to her about it) who the heck cares if she did get addicted. omg lol It wasn't like her condition was going to suddenly improve.

Wait to drive a few days and let your body get used to the new medication. I hope it works better for you. If not, be sure to let the doctor know.

((hugs))

 

[hearts and roses]

Well it sounds like your pain dr has common sense, something I find lacking in many doctors these days. I hope the medication mix works well and as Lisa said, wait till your body adjusts before driving or anything big on your own.

I don't know what to say about Tony, he's been such a disappointment lately. Sending lots of hugs to you and wisdom to Tony. xo

 

[Lothlorien]

I'm glad you have a doctor that you can trust and you feel good with. It's so hard to find really good docs.

 

[buddy]

Janet, I took Oxycontin before it was in the news all the time. Once at a dose that worked (20 in am 30 in pm) I NEVER had to go up and you know, I thought that was weird because your body does get used to it but it worked great for me. I was on it for years. Once I didn't have to work out of the home I asked to stop it and try something else because I could lie down once in a while to relieve pain and I had more flexibility to stretch etc. Running out is miserable, dont let it happen, but that was probably true for your other medication too. When I decided to go off she asked if I wanted to do it fast or slow. I said slow, I had no desire to be sick. So, went down little by little over I think six weeks and for me it was easy. I threw the rest away.

Over the years I was on it they did discover (according to our pain clinic which is a well known large hospital clinic, not one of those we see on tv now...they work on the cause of pain but think like your doctor, you have to function to be able to do that) it can re-set your pain receptors or something like that. So, in other words it can take a while after you are off to be able to tolerate milder levels of pain. But it does reset they told me....for most of us.

I now use tramadol and it works pretty well. When it doesn't I lie down.

Really anti-inflammatory medications would work best for me but my auto-immune condition has ruined my esophagus so I can't take them. That really stinks. I have been able to exercise and lose weight which of course makes pain much better.


I can feel my back is getting worse...what I will do about that I dont know. But at least it is controllable.

I dont think I have near the pain level you have but wanted you to know that when used right, oxycontin can really be a good thing. My sister is an oncology nurse and she always told me not to worry if it needed to be increased.... the whole habituation thing...no biggie as long as monitored and you are not abusing it. I never ran out...actually usually went past my rx due date. So, while it is scary because if it goes bad it seems it is awful for people, for those of us that it works for it is a miracle. It allowed me to work for many many years that I was not able to. There is no surgery for my back stuff (three car accidents...all rear enders when I was fully stopped at red lights in a line of cars...but someone behind me didn't look each and every time... Not that I suddenly stopped, just sitting there minding my own business waiting for a green light--one on a highway and she never slowed down....55 mph smash because she was watching police on the other side, they saw the whole thing and even though MN is no fault, her insurance paid everything including my rental till my car was like new....but I was left with---- ugg)

I hope it helps you like it helped me. Now we hear all the scary stories, so I can understand your fear. Dont talk about it with anyone but here... you will be fine. Do not tell your dumb brother in law about it of course.... make sure Tony knows it is no one's business.

My sister dated an addict and he stole my and my son's medications. There is a place in you know what for him because no one gives you extra when you run out.. and I really suffered withdrawl.... Luckily he did not find my percocet for break thru medications (I dont take those either now) and it saved me. He only got a few of Q's and it was time to refill... how mean can one get?

 

[DDD]

I can't tell you how happy I am to read that you doctor is attuned to your needs and willing to explain any issues you are concerned about. Fingers crossed that you will be feeling better soon. Hugs. DDD

 

[DammitJanet]

Buddy....I went through a period when I had to lock everything I owned up in a safe because a neighbor got Cory into stealing my medications to give to her to sell. He was about 14 at the time and prior to that he had no clue that anything I took had any value but she saw me at the pharmacy one day and overheard the pharmacist giving me my medications. Within a week she had called him over and asked him to get her some of my "patches"...just a few. At that time I was on the Duragesic patches. He had never touched them before so I had been leaving them on my computer desk in my office under my calender so I could mark off the dates. One day I went in and I was missing patches. I knew exactly what happened. But then it became impossible to stop. I ended up having to buy a combo safe that we bolted to my bathroom counter top and I kept all medications in there. I had tried toolboxes with padlocks on them but he got through those easily. Thankfully he has completely stopped that behavior. In fact, he hates that I am on all these medications.

 

[buddy]

Yikes, glad he is a grown up now, 8o)

but now we have to make sure brother in law does not get to your home or give you heck that way, you said he is pretty new to recovery right? Christian or not, he is pretty fresh to all of this.

 

[susiestar]

Janet, I am so thankful that your pain doctor is so awesome. He is TOTALLY right about the tiny levels of medications you were on. The next week or three you will sleep and feel very fuzzy. Then it will be gone and you will feel much more "normal" and won't feel that out of it feeling. You will just have relief from the pain. I KNOW you hate that fuzzy/high feeling, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE push through until it is gone. I can promise that your body WILL adjust and it will go away. I know because I am in my early 40s and on a LOT stronger medications than you are. And they WORK for me.

There is NO max dosage of opiates. NONE. That is why people can take huge handfuls of the tablets when they are addicts and survive. They are far more likely to die from the tylenol unless they suddenly jumped to a huge dose rather than increasing gradually. I don't know what you have been told about hydrocodone but I took it for years with-o tylenol in it. It wasn't long acting but it was available easily. It could have been taken off the market recently, but I know it used to exist.

Is Billy capable of understanding how much pain you are in and how disabled you are? If so, please have him help run interference with Buck so that Buck cannot get your medications. Make sure that TONY doesn't get talked into giving them to his bro because bro is in such "bad" shape. in my opinion that is a HUGE reason Buck wanted to live wtih you - easy access to someone who legally gets highly valued medications with a huge street value. Otherwise it makes NO sense to move somewhere with-o the free clinics he needs so much. Buck could use and sell your medications and live pretty well for a homeless guy as I am SURE he doesn't care if you go into withdrawals.

If you have questions, just PM me. These medications are really helpful if you will give them a month for your body to adjust.

Buddy, did you know they now make a gel form of voltaren? It is a strong NSAID and you rub it on the sore joint/area and it works amazingly well with NO stomach/esophagus irritation/damage. It is new and super expensive, but that just means there is an assistance program where the maker will give it to you cheap or free if your doctor will help with some forms. I also think that lidoderm patches (lidocaine in a 4"x6" patch) might help if you haven't tried them. They are also expensive but you can contact the maker to see if they will help on the cost. I discovered these a few years back and WOW are they AMAZING. You can wear up to 3 of them for 12 hrs on and 12 off and they can be cut into shape to fit different areas. I put ace bandages or vet wrap around them on knees, etc.... and it works super well. Plus it isn't narcotic, so that is a bg benefit. I have found only a few poeple who couldn't tolerate them. As a patch, the medication doesn't irritate your throat/stomach/etc.... and it is pretty easy on the skin, unlike some other patches. It would be worth asking the doctor about them unless you cannot tolerate lidocaine.

 

[buddy]

thanks I will ask though I dont know how I would get it on ...it is in that spot on my back that my hands can't reach... you know like right above the bra strap area??? I doubt Q would be much help, LOL

 

[DammitJanet]

Oh that voltaren gel is the bomb! I get 5 tubes of it a month and apply it liberally...lmao. I also use ketoprofen too but rubbing in that gel really helps with the knees, hands, feet, shoulders and even my lower back.

 

[susiestar]

Buddy, do you have a theracane? It is a hook shaped thing that you can use to massage ANY part of your body, even the middle of your back. This may sound really strange, but have been known to put a clean pantyliner on the end of it that you use for your back, put lotion/cream/medicine/muscle rub on that and apply it to my back when no one is around to help. Not a "normal" use of a pantyliner, but they are clean, the wrapped ones are sterile, and it works. They come off easily and you get what you want where you can't reach to put it. My mom told me to use physical solutions to physical problems - a stepstool to reach stuff on high shelves, and this is a cheap and workable solution to getting muscle rub, etc.... where it is needed. To see what a theracane is: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...-keywords=theracane&sprefix=theracane,aps,280

 

[buddy]

I DO! I have had it for years. It hurts too much on my spine though...but for the muscles that get affected on the sides of the injury it does help. I never thought of hooking anything to it, LOL! Great idea.

 

[1905]

I'm so glad you found a good doctor for your pain! It's a good feeling to know that you're being properly cared for, now and in the future. As for Tony,.....I can just imagine him, I have his twin here at my house.

 

[SearchingForRainbows]

I really like your doctor. I agree that your quality of life should be much better than it is now. Keeping you in my thoughts and hoping you feel much, much better soon... Hugs... SFR

 

[TerryJ2]

I'm so glad you can talk about this at length and openly with-your dr.
There is a new medication coming out on the market soon that is straight hydrocodone and there will be none of the tylenol in it at all. Wow! Interesting. I always wonder why medications are mixed with-Tylenol, anyway.

 

[susiestar]

Terry, pain medications are mixed with Tylenol because they have a synergistic effect on each other. If you took either the rx medication or the tylenol you would get a certain amount of relief. Taking them together gives more than the amount of relief from the rx medication added to the amt of relief of the Tylenol - the amounts of relief are multiplied. This is also the reason that caffeine is added to some pain medications like Excedrin.