Aa
When a doctor first sees a patient or when pain is expected to be of short duration I think we need to do what it takes to get some relief.
It’s different if it becomes clear there is a need for long term chronic pain control. Personally, I’d try to explore as many alternative possibilities as I could before starting regular dosing with any of the big gun narcotic pain pills. I've been there too. I didn’t know I had MS at the time and I didn't think my pain was bad enough to need a pain management specialist. The narcotic my PCP gave me was a pretty low dose and it worked well enough - or so I thought.
The thing is, when NARCOTICS are taken LONG TERM they can INCREASE SENSITIVITY TO PAIN EVEN AS THEY RELIEVE IT. (Sorry to use all those caps but there is no other way to emphasize here). That's what was happening to me. When a new doc came into the PCP office she sent me to a pain specialist. Within a couple of months he got me off the narcotic and I was nearly pain free with only occasional use of a mild Rx pain pill. That lasted one glorious year. I need a combo-drug now that gets fine tuned as needed but I'm still narcotic free. That's been important to me, especially since I may need to use them more urgently somewhere down the line.
Pain management doctors sometimes (but not always!) have the best success at finding individual drug combos or therapies for pain control. They also have technologies and "special tricks" that can help since they are usually anesthesia specialists.
There’s a member of the forum who was taking high doses of multiple pain medications just to get through each day. Still she never really experienced adequate pain relief. It was frustrating for us and intolerable for her when there seemed to be no answers. Then, after a long battle with herself and several cancellations, she signed up to take a sleep study.
She found out she has two or three sleep disorders. Even ‘simple’ insomnia can increase our pain or distort our perception of it. Imagine what two types of sleep apnea aggravated by multiple drug interactions can do! At last report, after being treated for the sleep disorders this member is feeling better on fewer pain medications. I can actually ‘hear’ the calm steadiness that is inside her now when I read her posts.
Almost nothing returns to perfect once MS enters our life. Chronic pain is -- chronic -- and will always demand some degree of our attention. We should expect our doctors will help us find a way to achieve a safe and reasonable quality of life. I've learned I have to share my life with pain but I don't intend to allow it to take over. My goal is less pain and better function with the fewest possible side effects.
For me, narcotics weren't the best choice. I don’t know what the best answer is for you. I don't know how often and how long your doc expects you to need the kadian. I hope it isn’t too long. Whatever happens, please keep in mind that if you decide to stop taking this drug you need to stop gradually.
I didn’t intend to get out my soapbox. I just want you (and others who come this way) to be aware that sometimes there are more choices available than we're originally told. I hope you find the balance in living with your MS soon.
Mary
It’s different if it becomes clear there is a need for long term chronic pain control. Personally, I’d try to explore as many alternative possibilities as I could before starting regular dosing with any of the big gun narcotic pain pills. I've been there too. I didn’t know I had MS at the time and I didn't think my pain was bad enough to need a pain management specialist. The narcotic my PCP gave me was a pretty low dose and it worked well enough - or so I thought.
The thing is, when NARCOTICS are taken LONG TERM they can INCREASE SENSITIVITY TO PAIN EVEN AS THEY RELIEVE IT. (Sorry to use all those caps but there is no other way to emphasize here). That's what was happening to me. When a new doc came into the PCP office she sent me to a pain specialist. Within a couple of months he got me off the narcotic and I was nearly pain free with only occasional use of a mild Rx pain pill. That lasted one glorious year. I need a combo-drug now that gets fine tuned as needed but I'm still narcotic free. That's been important to me, especially since I may need to use them more urgently somewhere down the line.
Pain management doctors sometimes (but not always!) have the best success at finding individual drug combos or therapies for pain control. They also have technologies and "special tricks" that can help since they are usually anesthesia specialists.
There’s a member of the forum who was taking high doses of multiple pain medications just to get through each day. Still she never really experienced adequate pain relief. It was frustrating for us and intolerable for her when there seemed to be no answers. Then, after a long battle with herself and several cancellations, she signed up to take a sleep study.
She found out she has two or three sleep disorders. Even ‘simple’ insomnia can increase our pain or distort our perception of it. Imagine what two types of sleep apnea aggravated by multiple drug interactions can do! At last report, after being treated for the sleep disorders this member is feeling better on fewer pain medications. I can actually ‘hear’ the calm steadiness that is inside her now when I read her posts.
Almost nothing returns to perfect once MS enters our life. Chronic pain is -- chronic -- and will always demand some degree of our attention. We should expect our doctors will help us find a way to achieve a safe and reasonable quality of life. I've learned I have to share my life with pain but I don't intend to allow it to take over. My goal is less pain and better function with the fewest possible side effects.
For me, narcotics weren't the best choice. I don’t know what the best answer is for you. I don't know how often and how long your doc expects you to need the kadian. I hope it isn’t too long. Whatever happens, please keep in mind that if you decide to stop taking this drug you need to stop gradually.
I didn’t intend to get out my soapbox. I just want you (and others who come this way) to be aware that sometimes there are more choices available than we're originally told. I hope you find the balance in living with your MS soon.
Mary
Oops! I just went and checked and see I have already reached out to you with a welcome. There are so many folks coming and going these days it's hard to keep track. That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!
Hi Betty and welcome to the forum - I don't think we have met, yet. I don't see you mention if you are being treated by a pain doctor or if this is from your neuro or PCP.
Regardless, I hope the docs find a way to control your pain. Sometimes MS folks have an intrathecal pump implanted that can give controlled doses of morphine. The drug goes directly to your central nervous system and is gentler on the rest of your body. You might do the search and see if that would be a possibility.
best, Lulu
Regardless, I hope the docs find a way to control your pain. Sometimes MS folks have an intrathecal pump implanted that can give controlled doses of morphine. The drug goes directly to your central nervous system and is gentler on the rest of your body. You might do the search and see if that would be a possibility.
best, Lulu
I understand that and that is what it is doing right now. I all so have something if it gets really bad. But it has to be very bad for me to take it.
so are you on a DMD too.
Betty
so are you on a DMD too.
Betty
I use a low dose narcotic four times per day to help control pain. I have been on it about a year and a half. I still have no need for a higher amount. I think people with chronic pain have to understand that the narcotic is only going to take the edge off pain....not completely take it away.
I just started copaxone on Monday but I started haveing an episode last week. I had an appointment on Wed. they saw how hard it was for me to even walk and how much pain I was in. so he started me on kadian. I have tried gabapentin and baclofen did not work to well. I am all so on Noratryptline, zonisamide (tremors) tizanidine for muscle and headaches and diazepam so I can sleep through the night. It helps but I still wake up with night sweets but at least not from muscle pain. I started the kadian yesterday and I could move around a little better less pain. I like that I don"t feel drugged up.
This time I had to use the walls just to get around my house and it hurt so bad. if I was standing to long or sitting to long. My daughter saw me crying cause I was having a hard time. It ***** feeling like this. Oh yea I all so have endometriosis so right before all this I had my period and it was bad this month.
Betty
This time I had to use the walls just to get around my house and it hurt so bad. if I was standing to long or sitting to long. My daughter saw me crying cause I was having a hard time. It ***** feeling like this. Oh yea I all so have endometriosis so right before all this I had my period and it was bad this month.
Betty
Kadian is a long acting form of morphine. Most of the pain associated with MS doesn't respond well to narcotic pain relievers. Doctors are also very hesitant to prescribe it because a tolerance builds quickly and then a higher and higher dose is required. MS is often diagnosed in younger people who can expect to live many more years. Doctors much prefer to use other options first.
Many people here take a combination of drugs like gabapentin, Lyrcia, baclofen, and Lyrcia. (There are many more that are similar.)
If you want to tell us more about your pain we might be able to give you some ideas.
Mary
Many people here take a combination of drugs like gabapentin, Lyrcia, baclofen, and Lyrcia. (There are many more that are similar.)
If you want to tell us more about your pain we might be able to give you some ideas.
Mary
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