Pain management changes

I have been in pain management for 7 years with chronic pain due to herniated disc in my neck, broken L3, the discs between L4-L5 and L5-S1 have been surgically removed. I also have spinal degenerative disease and there is no fix for my problems so medications are my only option and the only way that I can still perform my job period. My doctor has me on MSContin ER 100mg 2 X a day with 30mg Roxicodone as needed for breakthrough pain recently dropped back to 4 a day from 5. Also as a sleep assistant I was receiving 2 1mg Xanax a day which I found to be too much and asked to be dropped back to 1mg a day at bed time. That too recently was discontinued and I had to choose another drug to replace them because I was told that it had something to do with the government control of Xanax. Well, not knowing what else to switch to I elected to go to 1mg of Klonopin which does not work very well at all for me. I was also told that due to government intervention that the quantity of Roxicodone may decrease again or even need to be substituted with a different drug. Have you heard any of this to be the case or true or is something else possibly going on? My Dr drug tests all patients every time they see him and I have never had a problem with those test. I am confused and don't know what to switch to if the Roxis are dicontinued. Everything was working at least enough for me to have a functional life and knock the edge off of the extreme pain that I endure daily but now I am scared that my world is about to be turned upside down. What are your thoughts of any of this?

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
Usually if you are testing negative for drug overdose and tolerance, do not have any serious or potentially serious side effects and are responding well to the pain medication, your healthcare provider lets you continue with the medication if he feels that you need that strength and dose for pain control. I am not conversant with the laws in your country but you could ask your doctor about your treatment options. It is unlikely to come to a stage where you will be put off all the main pain medications. Today, pain management therapy is also focusing on yoga, hydrotherapy and physiotherapy as an adjunct to pain medication. You could also try this after talking to your doctor. Take care!

The medical advice given should not be considered a substitute for medical care provided by a doctor who can examine you. The advice may not be completely correct for you as the doctor cannot examine you and does not know your complete medical history. Hence this reply to your post should only be considered as a guiding line and you must consult your doctor at the earliest for your medical problem.

[BillNigh]

Doctor=afraid of DEA, not govt regs. Oxycodone is in the DEA crosshairs at the moment, tomorrow it will be something else. Your doc doesn't want the wrong attention, bet anything this is what it boils down to.