How do u ask for a stronger pain med (w/out sounding like a pill seeker)?

[jennifer567]

Hi everyone! My question is how do I ask for something stronger without sounding like a "pill seeker" or drug abuser? My Lortab 10mg is like regualr tylenol to my pain. They already have me on Cymbalta, Lyrica, Lortab10mg, Soma, Xanax and Ambien BUT I AM IN SUCH PAIN! It is unreal!

I know it's not a good idea to double up or whatever but I have in desparation- it does not help! My legs give me the worst trouble. I take magnesium, calcium and a few other natural things. I do swim exercise religiosly now BUT the pain is beyond any pain I've ever been through including natural childbirth!!!

How do I ask a doctor to put me on something like Percocet or Oxycodone? Or just anything that will be wotrth taking?? This Lortab is USELESS!! But I've been told if you ask for something specific they think you are just there to get pills for the wrong reason. HAS ANYONE ASKED THEIR DOCTOR FOR SOMETHING STRONGER, AND HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT IT????

By the way thanks in advance for any ideas, thoughts, suggestions or sharing.
Jennifer

[PlateletGal]

A supplement.. well actually it is a type of sugar, has been shown in research studies that it can improve pain and quality of life in many CFS & fibro patients.  It is called "D-Ribose"... you may want to check it out.  Here is a link to the article;

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/37399.php


(((HUGS)))

PlateletGal

[feelingempty]

HERE'S INFO ABOUT ME THAT'S ON MY PROFILE SHOWING ALL.... MY MANY AILMENTS.  I'M POSTING THIS 2 SHARE MY STORY & MAYBE U'LL UNDERSTAND WHY I TAKE (HAVE TAKEN) SO MANY DRUGS ETC.!!  

MANY, many health problems!!
*L4-5 FUSION 11/2006 **but be4 that i had a botched "clean up" & obtained an infection of pus & fluid in my spine 9/2005. Had 2 have a pic line put in for IV antibiotics & weekly nurse visits for 8 + wks.
*C5-6 FUSION 3/01
*STILL have 2 hern disc's in lumbar, 2 in thorasic, 1 in neck
*Scoliosis
*Degenerative Disc Disease
*Arn. Chiari DAILY headache/migraines for 13 yrs. now
*Fibromyalgia
*Rhem. Arthritis
*DAILY chronic pain

I take 11 perscriptions for my ailments: Some include;  lyrica, cymbalta, etolac, percocet, ms contin, zanaflex!  They HAD me on MAJOR strong stuff  3-5 yrs. ago including: Dilata's, Methadone, Soma & Clonopin.  Couldn't handle ALL the side effects & was house bound & became severely depressed & OVERSLEPT constantly.  

============================================================

In the PAST my dr. has tried EVERYTHING........... w/ my chronic pain:  tramadol, darvocet, vicodin, loratab, celexa, bextra, MANY diff. anti-depressants ETC.  

~~ I go 2 the dr. EVERY month for pain management. I LOVE my dr.!  I've been seeing her for quite a few yrs.!  And she's VERY conservative about giving pain meds.  SEE................................ the thing is MOST dr's WON'T give pain meds for fibro. INCLUDING my dr.!!  She prescribes my pain meds for my torn up spine, neck & head.  The herniated disc i have ARE pinching nerves etc.! So, she is compassionate that i HAVE 2 have SOME quality of life. She's SEEN me NOT be able to hardly walk & or stand up straight.  I'm DEFINITELY not a pill seeker.  Since i've refused pain meds MANY times.  JUST because one is on a lot of scripts doesn't make them one.  

**I've TRIED ALL kinds of natural herbs & alternate relief. Phy. Therapy/Chiro (made it WAY worse) biofeedback, injections, hypnosis, weekly massages, acupuncture, low impact aerobics. YOU name it i've tried it. And SOME of these made my pain MUCH worse.

AS far as ASKING 4 something stronger............. if u have a good relationship w/ u'r dr. they should be willing to try something stronger on you if what u'r taking ISN"T working.  If they give u the run around FIND a dr. that's compassionate & maybe even SPECIALIZES in u'r ailments.  

Meditation/Yoga, positive thinking is THE BEST DRUG there is. BUT w/ out my reg. meds I'd be in bed........ praying for god to take me & end my pain!! I've been there be4 & it's NO place for our minds to go.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL
PEACE, LOVE & HAPPINESS TO YOU ALL =)

[missouriangel]

I'm new on here, and I understand I'm in alot of pain too. They are not sure if I have Fibromyalgia or neuropathy but I take Darvocet now and was on Percocet. They do nothing for the nerve and body pain. I only take them for the Migraines, and that pain doesn't compare to the pain in my legs. As far as meditation I've studied Martial Arts for 17 years, and as it is helpful - I am still having trouble copeing.

[feelingempty]

Has u'r regular dr. ordered any specific labs; like SED RATE, Growth Hormone etc.?? If they did & then sent u 2 a fibro clinic u could find out EXACTLY what's going on w/ ya.

I'm sorry u'r having a hard time coping. :( I feel for ya sista.  We all have bad days & some good.  Hopefully, today is a good day for u.  I TRY to FOCUS on the fact that @ least i'm NOT wheelchair bound. Or that i could be legless or have 1 arm or something. I guess i'm just trying to say.... "i have to say in my head.......IT COULD always BE WORSE"!  It might sound kinda silly. But, it works for me.  Try 2 find something that works for you. Remind u'rself of that & focus on u'r blessings. ;)

Bless you

[droopy56]

Like most of the others here, the meds don't do much for my pain. I've found that how I feel on any given day depends on the quality of sleep I got the night before. I sleep on an air bed (Wal-Mart, $10.00) on my floor.
I keep a chair close to help me get up in the morning. You have no idea how much difference that little change made! Any inner-spring mattress feels like I'm sleeping on a sack full of doorknobs. I also take .5 mg Clonazepam at bedtime. I hope this helps

[littledixie]

I have had all kinds of physical therapy and all kinds of drugs. I have found nothing to relieve the pain. As well I have been on many meds and am allergic to most pain meds and come monday I have no choice but to go back on morphine. Last time I was on morphine it almost caused a divorce. My new husband said it made me very mean and it was him or the morphine. Well my doctor at my last appt. told me that no matter what I had to get back on the morphine for my sanity and for the pain. It is all I can do now to get out of bed. I have had 3 false heart attacks in 2 weeks time. Because of over doing on my good days. The muscles around my heart were the weakest in my body so that is were the fibromyligia attacked. May God Bless you and ask your doctor for something that is going to work because you feel like you are going in saine with the pain you are in. I have had firbomyligia for 11 years now and was just diagnosed 5 years ago. I have been stuck in bed for more than 6 mth and confined to a wheelchair for over a year. I am now back up slowly and gingerly and can't make a full day of things but I am atleast out of the house. Believe in yourself enough to not let this disease take you over. No matter how bad it hurts at least step outside and check the mail or walk down your side walk.