Aa
What do you consider good pain control?
I'm just wondering what the general consensus is as to what is good pain control? When I first started on this CP journey, I had hoped to get totally better and have zero pain. Then I realized that wasn't realistic and there's a reason it's called pain management.
I've been on a roller coaster since I started this. On a scale of 1 to 10, what do you consider to be tolerable? Right now, I get about 2 hours of good pain relief, a 4 out of 10. It still hurts but I can function in my life at a 4. I can be distracted and if I'm busy with other things, the pain is sort of in the background. It's when it starts getting to a 6 up to an 8 that I have a hard time. The nausea sets in, I'm slower doing things.
Even when I was on a long-acting med plus the breakthrough meds, I really didn't get much better than a 4, though it was a consistent 4. At times, usually depending on the weather, activity, etc., I would get more pain, but overall, it wasn't too bad.
I've been on a roller coaster since I started this. On a scale of 1 to 10, what do you consider to be tolerable? Right now, I get about 2 hours of good pain relief, a 4 out of 10. It still hurts but I can function in my life at a 4. I can be distracted and if I'm busy with other things, the pain is sort of in the background. It's when it starts getting to a 6 up to an 8 that I have a hard time. The nausea sets in, I'm slower doing things.
Even when I was on a long-acting med plus the breakthrough meds, I really didn't get much better than a 4, though it was a consistent 4. At times, usually depending on the weather, activity, etc., I would get more pain, but overall, it wasn't too bad.
Good to know that. It goes away with ibuprofen but I'm having some stomach issues so I'm trying to not use too much of that. Maybe it will go away.
I noticed in your last post that you said you were switched to Morphine which gives you a headache. I had headaches when I first started Morphine but now I don't get them anymore. For me, it was an unwelcome side effect that eventually went away in about 2 months. I hope the same happens to you. :)
Before medical marijuana and before pain, I had experimented with marijuana in college and I must say MMJ is so much better as there are so many different types to choose from that are tailored to your specific needs versus just what the drug dealer had! lol
femmy
Before medical marijuana and before pain, I had experimented with marijuana in college and I must say MMJ is so much better as there are so many different types to choose from that are tailored to your specific needs versus just what the drug dealer had! lol
femmy
I look at the pain scale like this... Every individual has his own pain scale... What may be a 10 to you may be a 5 to me... The thing about it is once you and your doctor determine how you relate with the pain scale it's a lot easier for them to treat you... I've also heard people say my pain was at a 10 last night... I want to say and your still alive, or your not in the hospital... If mine was at a 10 I would definetely be in the hospital...Once you and your doctor get it figured out it's really a pretty good indicator to your pain...
My doctor knows that when I tell him my pain is a 7 or an 8 he knows it's time to make a change with my meds... If we can keep it at a 3 1/2 or below then we are both happy... So don't ever judge others when they tell you what they are on the scale because it could be a completely different # for you with the same pain... I just wanted to throw this in there because so many are talking about how they hate the pain scale... When you do it right it can really be a very beneficial thing to have between you and your doctor...
Just my thoughts... Peace and love to all,
Carol
My doctor knows that when I tell him my pain is a 7 or an 8 he knows it's time to make a change with my meds... If we can keep it at a 3 1/2 or below then we are both happy... So don't ever judge others when they tell you what they are on the scale because it could be a completely different # for you with the same pain... I just wanted to throw this in there because so many are talking about how they hate the pain scale... When you do it right it can really be a very beneficial thing to have between you and your doctor...
Just my thoughts... Peace and love to all,
Carol
@atonicat, I've had whole body lidocaine infusions to see what it helps. So far I've had two and got great but short-lived relief. I'll ask about the RFA.
@JayBay, when my pain is making me nauseas is when it's really bad. And lately, with all my stomach trouble, I'm feeling like that all the time. And the oxycodone is making it worse. Just switched me to morphine (which I get a headache from but it's better than the nausea.)
I have something else going on with my blood ... my primary care is looking into a few things. I haven't been feeling well in a long time, in addition to the pain.
@femmy, I have a friend who is a NP and she works with pain patients and she thinks I'm a perfect candidate for marijuana. Maybe the medicinal kind would be different but I just didn't care for it when I was a kid. Though it would be nice to get pain relief from something non-narcotic!!!!
And JayBay, you're right. Pain is relative. I've had a lot from herniated discs, fibromyalgia, severe osteoarthritis and then the hand disaster. And I had four babies. So I'm not a wuss. When I can stay somewhat distracted and not to crabby, then I'm content. It's when it's all-consuming and I'm short with everyone (especially my kids) over something trivial, that's when it gets to me.
What a long path this is.
@JayBay, when my pain is making me nauseas is when it's really bad. And lately, with all my stomach trouble, I'm feeling like that all the time. And the oxycodone is making it worse. Just switched me to morphine (which I get a headache from but it's better than the nausea.)
I have something else going on with my blood ... my primary care is looking into a few things. I haven't been feeling well in a long time, in addition to the pain.
@femmy, I have a friend who is a NP and she works with pain patients and she thinks I'm a perfect candidate for marijuana. Maybe the medicinal kind would be different but I just didn't care for it when I was a kid. Though it would be nice to get pain relief from something non-narcotic!!!!
And JayBay, you're right. Pain is relative. I've had a lot from herniated discs, fibromyalgia, severe osteoarthritis and then the hand disaster. And I had four babies. So I'm not a wuss. When I can stay somewhat distracted and not to crabby, then I'm content. It's when it's all-consuming and I'm short with everyone (especially my kids) over something trivial, that's when it gets to me.
What a long path this is.
You should look into RFA. I'm not sure of all the places that they can do it. I suppose they could technically do it anywhere there is a nerve. Have you ever had lidocane injections in your hands? If they helped than you may be a candidate for RFA. It has honestly changed my life. I haven't touched Norco since February. I only take Celebrex now if I get an arthritis flare. RFA can last a few years if the nerves are slow growers. And the good thing about it is you can get it as many times as you need. It's not like the steroid injections where you're limited to the amount you can get in a certain time frame. As long as insurance approves it, you can get it.
Hi Mellie,
Yes MMJ is medical marijuana and there are tons of dispensaries in Colorado that offer a variety of different products. My dispensary just started selling the Canna Caps. They are MMJ pills made by an upcoming MMJ pharmaceutical company called Delta 9 Tekhnologe in Denver. They have various different kinds of Canna Caps. I get the ones called "Pain Away". They have Coconut, MCT, and hemp oil. Some of the other caps have valerian root and kava kava. They are great for pain because they contain a biproduct of MMJ called CBD. CBD is not psychoactive (doesn't produce the "high" feeling) and it is a great pain reliever. There is also 20 mg of THC per pill. Their website is www.D9Tek.com. The pills come professionally packaged with all the info on the packaging so I thought I would let you know as much as I can about them. The pain relief lasts 4 to 6 hours!
I don't like feeling "high" either, so I don't use too much. Usually a puff every 3 to 4 hours works well and it provides a good amount of relaxation without feeling like you have been beamed to another planet! lol The canna caps I buy have the lowest amount of THC and they are still pretty potent. It is best to use the pills at bedtime.
They also have 2 different strains and hybrids that are mix of the two strains, indica and sativa. Sativa is a very motivational and energetic strain while indica is a mellow/relaxation type of MMJ. I prefer the indicas but if you have gotten sleepy before it is possible you tried an indica type of plant, and sativa would work better for you. Hybrids give you a little bit of both strain characteristics.
They have hard candies that are very mild and they relax you and provide some pain relief. There are also sodas, salsa, chocolate, of course brownies ("lol"), cupcakes, cookies, and many other neat products. With the edibles, I usually have to cut the brownies in fourths or eighths as eating a whole one would put me to the ground. A little goes a long way!
More states are reforming MMJ laws. I know most recently is Maryland. I think MMJ would help so many people just like us with chronic pain. Especially those that have had no luck finding a doctor that is willing to prescribe opiates or those that have doctors that are undertreating pain. More physicians are starting to be more open to MMJ use as an alternative medicine for chronic pain.
I found an interesting article about the push for MMJ law reform in Mass. :
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/06/20/curious-about-push-to-allow-medical-marijuana-in-massachusetts/
femmy
Yes MMJ is medical marijuana and there are tons of dispensaries in Colorado that offer a variety of different products. My dispensary just started selling the Canna Caps. They are MMJ pills made by an upcoming MMJ pharmaceutical company called Delta 9 Tekhnologe in Denver. They have various different kinds of Canna Caps. I get the ones called "Pain Away". They have Coconut, MCT, and hemp oil. Some of the other caps have valerian root and kava kava. They are great for pain because they contain a biproduct of MMJ called CBD. CBD is not psychoactive (doesn't produce the "high" feeling) and it is a great pain reliever. There is also 20 mg of THC per pill. Their website is www.D9Tek.com. The pills come professionally packaged with all the info on the packaging so I thought I would let you know as much as I can about them. The pain relief lasts 4 to 6 hours!
I don't like feeling "high" either, so I don't use too much. Usually a puff every 3 to 4 hours works well and it provides a good amount of relaxation without feeling like you have been beamed to another planet! lol The canna caps I buy have the lowest amount of THC and they are still pretty potent. It is best to use the pills at bedtime.
They also have 2 different strains and hybrids that are mix of the two strains, indica and sativa. Sativa is a very motivational and energetic strain while indica is a mellow/relaxation type of MMJ. I prefer the indicas but if you have gotten sleepy before it is possible you tried an indica type of plant, and sativa would work better for you. Hybrids give you a little bit of both strain characteristics.
They have hard candies that are very mild and they relax you and provide some pain relief. There are also sodas, salsa, chocolate, of course brownies ("lol"), cupcakes, cookies, and many other neat products. With the edibles, I usually have to cut the brownies in fourths or eighths as eating a whole one would put me to the ground. A little goes a long way!
More states are reforming MMJ laws. I know most recently is Maryland. I think MMJ would help so many people just like us with chronic pain. Especially those that have had no luck finding a doctor that is willing to prescribe opiates or those that have doctors that are undertreating pain. More physicians are starting to be more open to MMJ use as an alternative medicine for chronic pain.
I found an interesting article about the push for MMJ law reform in Mass. :
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/06/20/curious-about-push-to-allow-medical-marijuana-in-massachusetts/
femmy
I really hate that 1 - 10 pain scale because pain is so subjective. A person who's never experienced more than hangnail pain may rate any other injury very high on that scale. Without a basis of comparison, how can anyone possibly communicate their pain other than, "It hurts bad!"
The longer I live with pain, the more I find I can live with it. It's weird. You get kind of numb to it. It's always there in the background. I consider my CP well managed as long as it stays in the background most of the time. Distraction plays a big part in that and it's just one more thing I've had to learn in order to keep my sanity and not let pain take over my entire life.
One thing I wish there was a scale for is nausea. By now, I can deal with pain even if I just have to wait a few days for a spike to pass. I know it will eventually get better. But nausea? OMG! That slams me to the couch every time.
The longer I live with pain, the more I find I can live with it. It's weird. You get kind of numb to it. It's always there in the background. I consider my CP well managed as long as it stays in the background most of the time. Distraction plays a big part in that and it's just one more thing I've had to learn in order to keep my sanity and not let pain take over my entire life.
One thing I wish there was a scale for is nausea. By now, I can deal with pain even if I just have to wait a few days for a spike to pass. I know it will eventually get better. But nausea? OMG! That slams me to the couch every time.
Yeah, I've found the sex drive to not be the same. Is MMJ medical marijuana? And what's CannaCap?
Good for me is a 4. Really good would be a 2 but that's rare. Four is my normal. But around 7 or 8, I start directing from the bed (4 kids) and don't get a lot done and I'm irritable.
I was just trying to get a feel for what people think is reasonable. I thought 4 was reasonable but then I thought maybe it's not; maybe I'm asking for too much. I don't think we have medical marijuana here in Mass. But I only did it about twice as a kid and I wasn't a fan ... made me eat and then go to sleep!
Good for me is a 4. Really good would be a 2 but that's rare. Four is my normal. But around 7 or 8, I start directing from the bed (4 kids) and don't get a lot done and I'm irritable.
I was just trying to get a feel for what people think is reasonable. I thought 4 was reasonable but then I thought maybe it's not; maybe I'm asking for too much. I don't think we have medical marijuana here in Mass. But I only did it about twice as a kid and I wasn't a fan ... made me eat and then go to sleep!
Good pain control to me means that the pain has settled into the background and that usually means my pain is a 1 or 2 on the 10 point scale. Without pain meds, my max pain score has been an 8, and during those times I spent most of my time in bed withering.
I live in Colorado and I have my MMJ license. I have found that the MMJ helps boost the pain relieving properties of the long acting morphine and short acting oxycodone I take. And it only requires 3 to 4 puffs a day. On really bad days, I will take one CannaCap pill and they are really potent pills that help me get back to doing the things I enjoy.
Before MMJ, the opioids took my sex drive completely away. The MMJ actually counters those effects so that I can have a sexual relationship with my husband and that helps with my pain as well.
femmy
I live in Colorado and I have my MMJ license. I have found that the MMJ helps boost the pain relieving properties of the long acting morphine and short acting oxycodone I take. And it only requires 3 to 4 puffs a day. On really bad days, I will take one CannaCap pill and they are really potent pills that help me get back to doing the things I enjoy.
Before MMJ, the opioids took my sex drive completely away. The MMJ actually counters those effects so that I can have a sexual relationship with my husband and that helps with my pain as well.
femmy
I definitely have a love/hate relationship with my medications and unfortunately, I've let other people, who know nothing about chronic pain, to influence me and make me doubt myself.
I'm no longer letting myself be swayed by those kinds of people and am not sharing that information any more. So, now it's trying to get back on track and finding the right things. I never had great pain control but I'm willing to be more open-minded.
I've never heard of Topamax. I'll have to ask about it. There was some talk of trying a lidocaine pill but I don't have a good EKG so I think they shelved that idea. I had had a lidocaine infusion done twice and did get some relief, though short-lived.
I'm no longer letting myself be swayed by those kinds of people and am not sharing that information any more. So, now it's trying to get back on track and finding the right things. I never had great pain control but I'm willing to be more open-minded.
I've never heard of Topamax. I'll have to ask about it. There was some talk of trying a lidocaine pill but I don't have a good EKG so I think they shelved that idea. I had had a lidocaine infusion done twice and did get some relief, though short-lived.
Topamax is one of my meds and this med, in combo with the long acting and short acting opiates seems to be the magic combo for me. It is the combo of all three together. It has taken my doc several years of trial and error of meds and dosages to get to this point. I just wonder if you are shying away from "combos" that might work because of your desire to lower your medication usage? It is just a thought.
I wonder if that would work for me. I'll have to look into it. I have a lot of nerve pain (along with RSD) from 9 hand surgeries. I don't find the narcotics to be all that great on nerve pain.
I hate the pain scale! It frustrates me to no end. I think most people on this forum have a good grasp on the scale. But when I see a post from someone saying they have 10+ pain, I want to scream. I've had 10 pain and I didn't even think about posting about it on the internet. I was too busy curled up in a ball wishing to die.
I think having a better understanding of the full range of the pain scale, I try to be as accurate as possible. Even on my bad days, I wouldn't say it was more than a 5. I've had a few times where it's been bad enough that I've had to leave work and have someone drive me home because in between vomiting I was afraid I'd black out. Even that was only a 7 maybe 8.
I'm currently on a pain free 0 stretch that's going on 6 months thanks to RFA. I guess because I'm young, I've always expected to get back to 0. When I was on meds I would be at a 1 or 2. Now that I'm back at 0, I see that it's possible for me to get complete pain relief. Hopefully when the RFA wears off and I have another one, I'll have the same results. If not than my opinion on the pain scale and pain control may change.
I think having a better understanding of the full range of the pain scale, I try to be as accurate as possible. Even on my bad days, I wouldn't say it was more than a 5. I've had a few times where it's been bad enough that I've had to leave work and have someone drive me home because in between vomiting I was afraid I'd black out. Even that was only a 7 maybe 8.
I'm currently on a pain free 0 stretch that's going on 6 months thanks to RFA. I guess because I'm young, I've always expected to get back to 0. When I was on meds I would be at a 1 or 2. Now that I'm back at 0, I see that it's possible for me to get complete pain relief. Hopefully when the RFA wears off and I have another one, I'll have the same results. If not than my opinion on the pain scale and pain control may change.
My pain tends to be~ 5-6 without meds. It is moderately bad. Sometimes it does spike to a higher level 8-10 but not nearly as often as it used to. Now that I am on my current regimen, I spike 2-3 times a month vs 2-3 times a week.
With meds my pain is halved to a 2-3 level and/or I am pain free about 30% of the time.
So, my meds are making a big difference for me.
Horselip
With meds my pain is halved to a 2-3 level and/or I am pain free about 30% of the time.
So, my meds are making a big difference for me.
Horselip
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Pain Management Community
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
Could it be something you ate? Lack of sleep? Here are 11 migraine triggers to look out for.
Find out if PRP therapy right for you.
Tips for preventing one of the most common types of knee injury.
Here are 10 ways to stop headaches before they start.
Tips and moves to ease backaches
