Fentanyl Patch and still in pain, what to do...

[lett123]

You know, I've been on the Fentanyl 100 mcg patch for a week now and I it has controlled the numbness and tingleling on my leg. Oh, and I don't wake up in the middle of the night crying, BUT, I still have a lot of the pinching pain on the buttock and lower back. My doctor does not want to give me anything else so I don't know what to do. Any suggestions...

[boboman]

i've been taking 60mg per day methadone for 12 years then a friend asked me if i had ever tried taking thc gel caps to reduce the methadone intake and also reduce the 24hr pain i had lived with for so long .ii told him i was'nt into getting all stoned out on weed and he explained to me that you don't have to get wasted on pot to use thc to reduce pain and the amount of methadone your feeding you'r poor body so i tried the oil and it helped my back pain  and i am almost completely off the methadone without having the withdrawls and i am living my life not wasted on weed like i once thaught it would be like but i'm a believer now it needs to be respected like any other medication but to this day not one single life has ever been lost from the intake or consumption of medical marijuana  it's worth giving a try if you'r having to take all the prescription pain pills like i was doing at one time...it works good luck....kj from medford oregon

[namnam46]

MUA right back to you...:)

We're so glad that you found this site too!!! I'm so glad that your appointment went so well for you. I don't know of anyone on here that wouldn't agree with you about what a Lifesaver this site is for ALL of us also.

I have never tried the Accupuncture. I'm sure that someone on here has and will post and let you know how they liked it. Unfortunately, before all of this came about I would bet that the people from long ago suffered and were invalids. That's also why they died at such young ages as they  didn't have the medical treatments that we are fortunate enough to have.

All of us would love a world without having to be on Pain Meds however most of us have accepted the fact that we are going to be on them for the rest of our lives.

I'm just so glad that you've got the meds that will give you the relief that you so greatly deserve so that you can play with your beautiful family. (((HUGS!!)))...Sherry

[lett123]

Hi guys!!!
I want to start by thanking you for all of your words of encouragement. I'm sorry I was unable to take the time to write back any sooner but as you know that I'm alone raising my two beautiful girls and have to work crazy hours.
So I went to see my PMP and I spoke to him about getting something for break through pain and he did prescribe Percocet 10mg. It does work better and for some reason the effect of the percocet last longer so I only take three a day. I also told him about this great site I joined and how much better I feel about not only accepting myself with this pain, but also how I've learned to cope with it. All of you really have made me feel so much better about all this, it's good to find others that can relate and understand you as well. I get exited just talking about it.
You know, all this was depressing me and I would just cry out to my doctor because at times I would feel frustrated that no one really knew how I felt, until I started reading all these different stories on this forum.
Now I do have another concern, I don't have health insurance and all of you know how expensive all this could be, with the medicine and the  epidurals.... so someone mentioned accupuncture. How do you guys feel about it... have any of you tried it, and if so, did it work...
You see, I want to get off the meds but my doctor says that the pain is always there. I've had surgery and it did not work... I'm just afraid of always being on pain medicine because I think of the tolerence, will it keep going up... I've also read that once you stop the meds, for some, the pain stops as well. Or is it a case that like my doctor says, because it's cronic pain I just have to learn to live with it and that's o.k too, but sometimes I think that there has to be something else that can help other than narcotics. Like what did they do in the past, you know...
I am 36 and have been taking pain killers for about three years. I also do the injections, Lidoderm patches, anti inflamatories, muscle relaxers (at times), I get scared of what all this can do to my stomach and not to mention that I had an eating disorder for over ten years, stopped when I found my husband and got pregnant with the three yr old.
I'm just a hot mess.( My husband and I are not seperated BTW)
But for the time being, I am glad I found something that has worked, it's not perfect, but like Tuck said, it's learning to live with it, to be manageable, and that's o.k with me too.
I guess I just have to take it one day at a time and not think about tomorrow.
Whatever it is, I just am sooooooo thankful for you guys, to help me get through this all
MUA!

[JadedSweetheart]

I am your neighbor about 45 minutes to the north.  As Tuck rightly said, it is usually Pain Management that we have to see, by law, for long-term prescription pain meds.  One of the biggest problems in our area of Florida is the drug seekers and pill mills.  It's very difficult to find a good doctor who understands pain, as pain is a complex issue.  There tends to be a divide between doctors who won't prescribe any narcotic, and doctors who will prescribe anything for a price.  Finding someone in the middle can be a challenge. When I was first prescribed the patch it was by my PCP.  I wasn't given anything for BT pain either.  I found it worked great for me for the first day, but on day 3 I was hurting badly. (I've currently switched meds many times to find the right one) You should be able to talk to your PM about BT meds, but not all of them are open to increasing meds in younger people like you and I.  I've been going through CP for about 2.5 years and had epidurals, PT, etc.  It can take a while to find the right med, BT med and doctor.  
I hope that you are able to get a good medicine for BT pain and I'm glad you're not in utter agony anymore.  I think most of us here know the feeling and wouldn't wish it on anyone.  

[Tuckamore]

Hello Lett,

Welcome to the Pain Mangement Forum. I am so glad that you found us and took the time to post. I apologize for my tardy response.

I am so sorry to learn about your significant pain issues. My heart goes out to you as you struggle through this journey called chronic pain. A well know actress of days gone by, Betty Davis, use to say, "Old age is not for sissies." I think one can say with as much meaning, "Chronic Pain is not for sissies."

I was a few years younger than you when my chronic pain (cp) began. I understand your concerns with the opiates at your age. You need not add all your information to this site. It is available to anyone that would like to read it on your profile page. I see that you have visited the SA Forum which can be frightening to CP suffers. Please remember that less that 4% of chronic pain suffers ever become addicts. There is a huge differance between addiction and dependancy. If you would like more information is the subject please send me a PM.

The Fentanyl Patch is an excellent way to control CP. However as Sherry said most physicians also add a narcotic for break-through pain. I am surprised that your has not done so. You may want to discuss this with him. When my physician RX the Patch for me she said to continue on my current oral opiate for b/t pain. I was surprised at her suggestion but she was correct. I still required something for b/t pain. Unfortunately I developed a severe allergy to the adhesive and cannot use the Patch. I had to go off it after several weeks. I did not experience any w/d symptoms. I assume that was because I was on it such a short amount of time and was still on a narcotic.

As I understand it the goal of pain management is to make the pain tolerable, not take it away 100%. My physician states that most of her CP patients do not understand that. They expect to be pain free. For most of us that is a dream and just will not happen. Unfortunately this is our life. The best we can hope for are livable pain levels. However that does not mean that you should not have something for b/t pain.  

I am delighted to hear that you are sleeping better and that some of your pain has reduced. What level is your pain now? What is your diagnosis?

Again don't be afraid to request something for b/t pain from your physician. That is just normal practice. Are you seeing a PMP or a PCP? It's my understand that in FL it is normally a PMP that prescribe for chronic pain patients. Is that true in your case?

Our community is supportive, caring and informative. I am happy that you have joined us. I hope you will be active on our PM Forum. Please feel free to ask additional questions and respond to posts. I will look forward to hearing from you again.

Take Care,
~Tuck

[namnam46]

Hi lett,

First we want to welcome you to the Pain Management Forum and tell you that we are very happy that you have found this Forum. I'm so sorry for ALL of the pain that you are having to endure and I hope that we can be of help to you.

I, too, am on the Fentanyl Patch and I love it, however, I have Percocet for the BT (Break Thru) Pain. I've never known of anyone having that Patch without something for the BT Pain. As a matter of fact most people with ANY type of Long-Lasting Meds ALSO have a med for the BT Pain.

I've read your other Posts on here and I hope that you will come back on this one and add all of the Information that is on the other posts of what you are going thru. I guarantee you that there are MANY people on here that are facing the VERY same things with there Families and Friends that you are.

Do you mind telling us your age? Sometimes the Dr.'s don't want to give out extra meds to people that are young. I'm wondering if that is what your Dr. is doing?

I'll be looking forward to you updating this post with the other Information form your other posts and I think there will be a lot of people that will be able to give you a lot of Information as to how to cope with some of these things that are going on.

Hoping to here from you later. Take Care...Sherry

[Sarajmt]

If your doctor doesn't want to give you anything for the break through pain, would he give you a muscle relaxer?  Have you ever tried a Lidoderm patch?  It may very well not be appropriate for you and is prescription.  But it works wonders on my neck.  It numbs the skin. It was developed for the pain left from shingles.  The numbing medication in it does seem to go fairly deep.  It may help you but of course I'm not a doctor.  You would have to consult with and get your prescription from your doctor.

I am really sorry that you're left in pain.  I hope you find relief soon.

Sara

[jamlws]

I am glad your not waking up crying at night that is a big help. Are you sleeping better then? If your still dealing with alot of pain something more has to be done for it. I really don't know the key words to ask your dr about it, it sounds like he don't want to give you anything else. I know alot of people on here that are on fentanyl patch also have meds for break thru pain and that sounds like what you would need also. I know Sherry will have some input on this and maybe she can help you more then I have or anyone else on here that are on the patch. Sorry I couldn't help more.
Best of luck to you,
Jamie