Aa
please help
hello, Im nate. I am 18 years old and have a good job, go to college (online because of pain) a fiancee, and a baby boy on the way. I am suffering from chronic pain in my back. I have three herniated disks in my back, chronic disk degenerative disease, sheurmans disease (curvature of the spine) and chronic pain. I have been suffering this for almost a year now due to a weight lifting incident. I have been to just about every doctor. I have recieved multiple steroid injections and oral doses. I am currently on percocet 10/650, and soma 350 mg. I was just in the hospital two nights ago because my feet and hands went completely numb and was in umberable pain. I am at a pain specialist and I just dont know what to do. I have an appointment on wednesday 2/16/2011 and I want to tell him that the pain medicine is not working for my pain. I also dont want to seem like a drug seeker (although since im in pain management i do not think they will think that) The pain was so bad that they gave me three mg injection of dilaudid (sorry about the spelling) and it barley took the edge off. My question is, what do I say to my doctor? Im so tired of being in pain at my age and I hate being addicted to pain medicine but i know its the only thing that will help me. I dont want to come out and say "hey doc, bump up my meds" but thats exactly how i feel because IM IN PAIN!
Dear Nate,
Sorry it took me so long to respond to your post. I agree that you should contact your PM and let them know you took a xanax. GCMS can tell them how much was in your system and if you are honest, it's usually not a problem. I can tell you that my office does not prescribe xanax but we do need to know when you are on it becuse if we give you something, it could cause respitory distress. Please let me know what your cervical MRI said. I wish you all the best.
Sorry it took me so long to respond to your post. I agree that you should contact your PM and let them know you took a xanax. GCMS can tell them how much was in your system and if you are honest, it's usually not a problem. I can tell you that my office does not prescribe xanax but we do need to know when you are on it becuse if we give you something, it could cause respitory distress. Please let me know what your cervical MRI said. I wish you all the best.
I'm sorry I'm late to this thread and also very sorry that you have to endure such severe chronic pain at such a young age. Chronic pain is horrible at any age, but being so young and suffering has got to be especially difficult. I commend you for everything you've accomplished and are accomplishing.
I'm glad that your PM doc listened to you about the dilaudid working - hope it continues to do so in the pill form AND after your round of steroids is done.
I will say I do DISAGREE with one thing that you said in your last comment above about the xanax. Rather than a "wait and see" approach to see if it is going to show up in your drug screen, I think you're much better off calling your doc's office IMMEDIATELY and telling them the entire situation - that you had been prescribed the xanax by your PCP (primary care physician) a few years ago to be taken prior to your shots and MRI's because you are claustrophobic, and because of that, you took a small dose prior to your recent MRI. I believe 100% that honesty is the best policy and I also believe that telling them in advance would be a much better idea than waiting to see if they call you to say something was found on your screening. Explain to them the same thing you had in your comment above - that you had even forgotten that you had taken a dose and that was why you didn't mention it when they gave you the cup for the drug screen.
If you were prescribed only 10 xanax a YEAR ago, and still have some left, they can very clearly see that you do not take this med all the time.
While telling them first about taking the xanax is still not a guarantee that you couldn't/wouldn't be dismissed from your PM for taking something that was not prescribed by them, I still feel that it would be your best bet to do so - shows them that you are NOT trying to hide anything from them (not that you would, but surely don't want it to appear that way).
I wish you the best of luck and please let us know what happens and also how the new meds continue to work for you.
I'm glad that your PM doc listened to you about the dilaudid working - hope it continues to do so in the pill form AND after your round of steroids is done.
I will say I do DISAGREE with one thing that you said in your last comment above about the xanax. Rather than a "wait and see" approach to see if it is going to show up in your drug screen, I think you're much better off calling your doc's office IMMEDIATELY and telling them the entire situation - that you had been prescribed the xanax by your PCP (primary care physician) a few years ago to be taken prior to your shots and MRI's because you are claustrophobic, and because of that, you took a small dose prior to your recent MRI. I believe 100% that honesty is the best policy and I also believe that telling them in advance would be a much better idea than waiting to see if they call you to say something was found on your screening. Explain to them the same thing you had in your comment above - that you had even forgotten that you had taken a dose and that was why you didn't mention it when they gave you the cup for the drug screen.
If you were prescribed only 10 xanax a YEAR ago, and still have some left, they can very clearly see that you do not take this med all the time.
While telling them first about taking the xanax is still not a guarantee that you couldn't/wouldn't be dismissed from your PM for taking something that was not prescribed by them, I still feel that it would be your best bet to do so - shows them that you are NOT trying to hide anything from them (not that you would, but surely don't want it to appear that way).
I wish you the best of luck and please let us know what happens and also how the new meds continue to work for you.
I also had to get another MRI today because they think somthing is wrong with my neck. I have an appointment next wednesday to go over the MRI readings. I am also going to talk to him about trying physical therapy again. (what do i got to loose right?) I am just extremely worried. I went to go pick up my script for dialudid today and they gave me a random drug screen. (In my contract they said they would do this ocassionaly) They think I am taking Dialudid and soma. I got perscribed ten xanax last year for my shots and mri's because I am claustrophobic and start having panic attacks in the MRI machine. I would NEVER take medicine to get "high". I read about people that do and it disgusts me because it effects us who actully are in pain. I took one .5 xanax before my mri this morning and that was it. It did nothing to me but make me feel calm and relaxed. I am just affraid they are going to come back and say I didnt follow the contract and release me. If this happens I do not know what I would do. I did not get the xanax from my pain management doctor i got it from my family physican. I forgot to mention it to them because i was in such a rush to get home and I forgot I even took it until I thought about it later. If they come back and say somthing I am just going to tell them exactly what happened. I will NOT get offended by ANYTHING you have to say. I just really need personal input on what you think about this situation. I might be making a big deal of nothing and them not even say anything but it just worries me because they see an eighteen year old getting pain medicine. If I were them I would be cautious too. I have had so many people beg for my medicine. They dont understand I NEED THIS MEDICINE TO GET OUT OF BED AND FUNCTION EVERYDAY! I just wish they would understand that I get panic attacks when I get mri's and epideral injections and thats the ONLY time that I use this medicine. I read about xanax and it scared the crap out of me of how addictive it is so I HATE taking it but I know if I dont I will start freaking out and hyperventalating. (sorry for the spelling in this post) SLCPMOM, what do you think I should do? again, I will not be offended by ANYTHING you have to say. I am an open person and If someone will call me a drug seeking adict, it will upset me and I would strongly disagree but I will listen to anyone. Thanks for your time! your a huge help in my healing process!
no no no! you didnt offend me at all! I had no where to turn to about my pain condition and having someone like YOU actully type back and listen to me let me know im not alone. You did NOT offend me at all! I want to thank you for helping me through this! Thank you very much :)
Nate,
I'm glad your pain doc listened to you. I am very sorry if I wrote anything to offend you. I didn't want you to walk in there and have the doc think you were drug seeking. You are very young with a chronic pain condition. Again, I am sorry if I upset you.
I'm glad your pain doc listened to you. I am very sorry if I wrote anything to offend you. I didn't want you to walk in there and have the doc think you were drug seeking. You are very young with a chronic pain condition. Again, I am sorry if I upset you.
sorry i had a typo... when i said they gave me dilaudid i ment they gave me morphine... thats what didnt give any relief... sorry!
so i had my doctors appointment today. I told him while at the hospital that I was given diliuadid (hydromorphone) and worked fantastically. First time in a year I had absolutely no pain. He gave me this in pill form (4mg) and also oral steroids. So far it is working great. Have very little pain in my back. Im finally in a relief from my pain!
Hi Nate,
First I want to welcome you to the Pain Management Forum and let you know that we are glad you found this Forum. I want to let you know that there are NO Doctors on this Forum only CP {Chronic Pain} Patients that help each other with our OWN expertise and experiences that we have developed through our OWN CP Issues.
I want you to know how VERY sad it makes me. as a Grandmother, to hear of a fine young man as yourself, being in SO much pain at this stage of your life!! Bless your heart.
I'm sorry to disagree with SLCPMOM, BUT you really should be VERY honest with you PM Doctor and TELL him EXACTLY what's happening with your pain and how your current regimen of Pain Medications ISN'T working for you. THEN let HIM TELL YOU what he thinks will work best for you!! IF he doesn't know that this ISN'T working for you, HOW will he ever find out that it's NOT working for you.
ALSO, there are MANY PM Doctors that DO prescribe short acting meds to there patients. We have MANY members on here that ONLY take Hydrocodone OR Percocets that DON'T have ANY long acting meds. UNFORTUNATELY, their Doctor's REFUSE to give them ANYTHING that is long acting and it's EXTREMELY unfair as the Long Acting would REALLY be beneficial to them.
UNFORTUNATELY, you may run into a REAL problem because you ARE so young. MOST PM Doctors refuse to give Long Acting meds to young people and I feel that is TERRIBLY unfair as you are suffering just as much as we older people are! :{
ALWAYS be honest with your Doctor's as you will be in PM {Pain Management} for a VERY long time from the sound of it. You must try the different things that are offered to you, as you have been, with the shots, etc.
BECAUSE you have tried all of those things in the past it DOES give me HOPE that this PM Doctor might give you some LT {Long Term} pain medication. IF he does then they will USUALLY, but not ALWAYS, give you something for BT {Break Through} pain also.
I wish you the VERY best. I HOPE you will post on here again and let us know how your PM Doctors appointment goes and what he gives you for your pain, tomorrow!!
I'll be looking for your update tomorrow after your appointment.
I wish you the VERY best and can't wait to hear from you again.........Sherry
First I want to welcome you to the Pain Management Forum and let you know that we are glad you found this Forum. I want to let you know that there are NO Doctors on this Forum only CP {Chronic Pain} Patients that help each other with our OWN expertise and experiences that we have developed through our OWN CP Issues.
I want you to know how VERY sad it makes me. as a Grandmother, to hear of a fine young man as yourself, being in SO much pain at this stage of your life!! Bless your heart.
I'm sorry to disagree with SLCPMOM, BUT you really should be VERY honest with you PM Doctor and TELL him EXACTLY what's happening with your pain and how your current regimen of Pain Medications ISN'T working for you. THEN let HIM TELL YOU what he thinks will work best for you!! IF he doesn't know that this ISN'T working for you, HOW will he ever find out that it's NOT working for you.
ALSO, there are MANY PM Doctors that DO prescribe short acting meds to there patients. We have MANY members on here that ONLY take Hydrocodone OR Percocets that DON'T have ANY long acting meds. UNFORTUNATELY, their Doctor's REFUSE to give them ANYTHING that is long acting and it's EXTREMELY unfair as the Long Acting would REALLY be beneficial to them.
UNFORTUNATELY, you may run into a REAL problem because you ARE so young. MOST PM Doctors refuse to give Long Acting meds to young people and I feel that is TERRIBLY unfair as you are suffering just as much as we older people are! :{
ALWAYS be honest with your Doctor's as you will be in PM {Pain Management} for a VERY long time from the sound of it. You must try the different things that are offered to you, as you have been, with the shots, etc.
BECAUSE you have tried all of those things in the past it DOES give me HOPE that this PM Doctor might give you some LT {Long Term} pain medication. IF he does then they will USUALLY, but not ALWAYS, give you something for BT {Break Through} pain also.
I wish you the VERY best. I HOPE you will post on here again and let us know how your PM Doctors appointment goes and what he gives you for your pain, tomorrow!!
I'll be looking for your update tomorrow after your appointment.
I wish you the VERY best and can't wait to hear from you again.........Sherry
Dear Nate,
I will be completely honest with you. Pain doctors know what to ask to see if a patient is drug seeking. I have to disagree with SunWhorshiper when she tells you to tell your pain doctor what you wrote in your post. First off you stated that you were in ubearable pain pain. I have no doubt that is true however, you also stated that you know that pain medication is the only thing that will help you. If that is true, you should not have been in unbearable pain. That is a obvious sign that your meds are not working. Most legitimate pain doctors will not perscribe short acting opiods for a chronic pain (over 3 months). It is obvious you need something stronger and longer lasting. Let your Doc know that you have poor pain control with what your currently on and do know request meds by name. I wish you the best of luck.
I will be completely honest with you. Pain doctors know what to ask to see if a patient is drug seeking. I have to disagree with SunWhorshiper when she tells you to tell your pain doctor what you wrote in your post. First off you stated that you were in ubearable pain pain. I have no doubt that is true however, you also stated that you know that pain medication is the only thing that will help you. If that is true, you should not have been in unbearable pain. That is a obvious sign that your meds are not working. Most legitimate pain doctors will not perscribe short acting opiods for a chronic pain (over 3 months). It is obvious you need something stronger and longer lasting. Let your Doc know that you have poor pain control with what your currently on and do know request meds by name. I wish you the best of luck.
Hi Nate. I am in a similar situation I also lose feeling and numb tingling in hands and feet, curvature of spine and severe back pain. I have ankylosing spondylitis which causes my spine pain. I also go to school online because of the pain and I just gave birth to a little girl. I think you should tell the dr exactly what you wrote in this post. I wish you the best of luck
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