Opioids How to speak to my doctor?

[FutureReference]

So today was my Pain Management appointment and here in the US they are very anti-opioid. Now you have to wait 30 days for a script to be filled, no more 28. Frustrating I won't have any reserves but oh well.

I get 10MG Oxycodone IR 4x a day and it just isn't helping. Does anybody have advice to get my doctor to raise the dose? There is 0 recreational benefit for me but I don't know what to do anymore. I scheduled to have injections in my neck and shoulder next appointment but they never have helped. I overdid stretching a few days ago and feel beyond useless right now. My sleep is nonexistent and I don't know how to ask for a raise without him thinking I am drug seeking. Just so frustrating living here I can't take all this

 

[yourgothgirlfriend]

have you tried lyrica in combination with the oxy? lyrica is a wonder drug for chronic pain. in combination with the oxy it really could help. if you have, you could try a higher dose?

i would just be upfront with your doctor. tell them that you’re concerned with your dosage, you feel as though it isn’t working any longer for you and you’re concerned your body has gotten used to it. in the meantime, try to split up your doses differently and experiment so you have a good idea of how much you might need (and could suggest). stick to the 4 total day but try taking 1 1/2 or 2 at a time for example, just try to split it differently to see what dose you need to go up to so you can finally get some relief. if the doctor wants to be difficult or you can tell they’re suspecting something that isn’t there, express your interest in possibly trying out another med in combination with the oxy so they don’t think you’re only trying to get oxy.

i hope you get some relief. if you need someone to talk to, you can always PM me. i suffer from fibromyalgia, scoliosis, and have a slipped disc so i know how horrible it can feel to not have your chronic pain managed. it sucks the worth out of life. my heart goes out to you and your situation and i hope you update us on if you get a dose that works better for you.

 

[Zonxx]

the lyrica reccomendation is solid ^ and exactly as above said, simply be honest, explain that your pain levels are rising, which are giving you issues at night sleeping, he might not up your dose though, if you're lucky he will but mine gave me muscle relaxers when i brought up this issue, which kick my ass to say the least

your doctor might also suggest switching to a different opiate, like time release morphine but i dont personally find time release to be all that great. but i can state for the record, morphine for pain is absolutely king of the hill when it comes to getting pain relief, not to mention it lasts almost twice as long as any other of my opiates.

stay safe
~zonxx

 

[ScoobySnax30]

So today was my Pain Management appointment and here in the US they are very anti-opioid. Now you have to wait 30 days for a script to be filled, no more 28. Frustrating I won't have any reserves but oh well.

I get 10MG Oxycodone IR 4x a day and it just isn't helping. Does anybody have advice to get my doctor to raise the dose? There is 0 recreational benefit for me but I don't know what to do anymore. I scheduled to have injections in my neck and shoulder next appointment but they never have helped. I overdid stretching a few days ago and feel beyond useless right now. My sleep is nonexistent and I don't know how to ask for a raise without him thinking I am drug seeking. Just so frustrating living here I can't take all this

Is this a law nation wide or only in your state? I haven’t heard anything about it where I live.

 

[Oxyleo25]

So today was my Pain Management appointment and here in the US they are very anti-opioid. Now you have to wait 30 days for a script to be filled, no more 28. Frustrating I won't have any reserves but oh well.

I get 10MG Oxycodone IR 4x a day and it just isn't helping. Does anybody have advice to get my doctor to raise the dose? There is 0 recreational benefit for me but I don't know what to do anymore. I scheduled to have injections in my neck and shoulder next appointment but they never have helped. I overdid stretching a few days ago and feel beyond useless right now. My sleep is nonexistent and I don't know how to ask for a raise without him thinking I am drug seeking. Just so frustrating living here I can't take all this

Hi Future, I’ve have chronic pain in my neck and shoulders. Some of its muscular and some is nerve pain and I’m on a combination of 45mg oxycodone, 60mg Duloxetine (cymbalta), 3600mg Gabapentin, 40mg Amitriptyline. I’ve being made to lower my dosage from 60mg to 40mg and I

So today was my Pain Management appointment and here in the US they are very anti-opioid. Now you have to wait 30 days for a script to be filled, no more 28. Frustrating I won't have any reserves but oh well.

I get 10MG Oxycodone IR 4x a day and it just isn't helping. Does anybody have advice to get my doctor to raise the dose? There is 0 recreational benefit for me but I don't know what to do anymore. I scheduled to have injections in my neck and shoulder next appointment but they never have helped. I overdid stretching a few days ago and feel beyond useless right now. My sleep is nonexistent and I don't know how to ask for a raise without him thinking I am drug seeking. Just so frustrating living here I can't take all this

Hi Future, i have chronic pain in my neck and shoulder and I’m on a combination of oxycodone, Gabapentin, Duloxetine and amitriptyline. Is it just muscular pain or nerve pain too? I have trigger point injections to help with the tightness and knots but apart from that they don’t really help.

ive been experiencing problems with pain management wanting me to lower the oxy dose. I have lowered it somewhat but its hard. I’m on maximum dose for Gabapentin and they’re are experimenting with increasing my amitriptyline/Duloxetine to help with the pain as im not able to sleep. They may not be willing to raise the oxycodone dose but other options might be available.

I have been on this combo for the last 6 years and I’ve def built up a tolerance.

 

[Zonxx]

Hi Future, I’ve have chronic pain in my neck and shoulders. Some of its muscular and some is nerve pain and I’m on a combination of 45mg oxycodone, 60mg Duloxetine (cymbalta), 3600mg Gabapentin, 40mg Amitriptyline. I’ve being made to lower my dosage from 60mg to 40mg and I

Hi Future, i have chronic pain in my neck and shoulder and I’m on a combination of oxycodone, Gabapentin, Duloxetine and amitriptyline. Is it just muscular pain or nerve pain too? I have trigger point injections to help with the tightness and knots but apart from that they don’t really help.

ive been experiencing problems with pain management wanting me to lower the oxy dose. I have lowered it somewhat but its hard. I’m on maximum dose for Gabapentin and they’re are experimenting with increasing my amitriptyline/Duloxetine to help with the pain as im not able to sleep. They may not be willing to raise the oxycodone dose but other options might be available.

I have been on this combo for the last 6 years and I’ve def built up a tolerance.

i use stimulants be it amphetamine or coke and loads of gabapentinoids, and go somtimes 12-14 hours without a dose, it makes a huge difference, ever give it a go? i haven't ever gone more than 16 hours without a dose though, come 12 the acute wd sets in and the irritability starts followed by general anxiety with everything at 13 and come 14 i'm ready to throw my head out the window from the pain with everything else but a dose at 14 feels like an angel kissed me

 

[MomaDance]

Go dark.

 

[nuttynutskin]

I don't have any advice but you got my sympathy. What happened to the doctor's job of helping the patient I don't know. They need to stand up to the DEA. Although I suppose that's easier to say if it's not you job on the line. Fucked up situation.

 

[TargetX]

So today was my Pain Management appointment and here in the US they are very anti-opioid. Now you have to wait 30 days for a script to be filled, no more 28. Frustrating I won't have any reserves but oh well.

I get 10MG Oxycodone IR 4x a day and it just isn't helping. Does anybody have advice to get my doctor to raise the dose? There is 0 recreational benefit for me but I don't know what to do anymore. I scheduled to have injections in my neck and shoulder next appointment but they never have helped. I overdid stretching a few days ago and feel beyond useless right now. My sleep is nonexistent and I don't know how to ask for a raise without him thinking I am drug seeking. Just so frustrating living here I can't take all this

Is it a 30 day script or 28?

You could ask to switch to an extended release formulation instead, which might help control it somewhat better, as you blood levels aren't shooting up and down all day. You could also potentially ask for PRN IR meds for breakthrough pain, if you find the ER formulations don't cut it all the time.

Tell your Dr what the problem is and ask what options they have for treating it is probably the safest option, asking for a raise right off the bat can come across as drug seeking, depending on your Dr and how lontg you've been with them for. Telling them the problem and asking for a solution puts the ball in their court. They may choose to do nothing this time, but if you're persistant in what you report, chances are they will help to reduce your pain one way or another, just maybe not with more opioids at first. Have you been put on any other analgesics, NSAIDs or the like, along side the oxy? The combination can be surprisingly effective. What sort of pain do you have? Neuropathic pain can be treated effectively by pregabalin more effectively than opioids, for example.

Bear in mind that outside of pain caused by cancer or a terminal disease, you should expect to be in a certain amount of pain some of the time and painkillers shouldn't be the only treatment you are receiving, you should try, (if possible) to seek out a solution to the illness, disease or injury that is responsible for your pain. Opioids should not be used for extended periods of time for (most) non terminal diseases, they lose their effectiveness, require escalating doses and can lead to opioid induced hyperalgesia, not to mention the litany of problems that comes from being dependent on them.

 

[BeachBum4u]

I don't have any advice but you got my sympathy. What happened to the doctor's job of helping the patient I don't know. They need to stand up to the DEA. Although I suppose that's easier to say if it's not you job on the line. Fucked up situation.

Yep, you're right on that account, the government/DEA holds all the cards and yes, it's a cryin' fucking shame!

 

[Painful One]

Hey Future,

I am sorry to hear you are hurting so bad. The change in the weather always escalates my pain level.
4:30 a.m here and I am wide awake. Hurting too much for sleep.
(I’m going to go insane if I don’t get a solid nights sleep soon)
I know it is freaking ridiculous for patients like you and I to not have what we need to have some kind of quality of life.
What a time to be a chronic pain patient in this world!

I would be very careful about asking your doctor for an increase in pain medication. I tried that last year and I almost got cut off completely and put on Suboxone. Lol!
Plus he made me come in every 30 days instead of every 60 days for months. I just barely got back to where I was before trying to just get a few instant relief meds thrown in. I only requested like 12 instant relief meds a month to help with the massive “flare ups”.
It was a big no no.

Zonxx is right about morphine being the King of the opiates when it comes to actual pain relief. I use the extended release morphine and it really works pretty good. I was comfortable for ten years on that. I would still be comfortable if they would allow for a little increase after ten years but that is not happening in this current opiate war situation.
It might be worth a try to switch from the oxy to MS Contin. I don’t know if they would react the same way to that request.

I just wanted to add my experience here as it really stressed me out thinking I could be without any pain medication and I was thinking I would have to kill myself. I thought my doctor would be cool with it too. I was way wrong.

Hang in there. Try some ibuprofen with the Oxy. Heat pad. Meditation.

 

[Keif' Richards]

This is partially my fault because I have been in the hospital and not been around to do my duty, but we absolutely frown on this sort of thing. Whether the pain is legitimate, licit or whatever, we don't help people make doctors for prescriptions. It really makes the entire community look bad when the first thread in BDD is about how to gain trust from a doc. That is totally your quest man and we cannot help you with it.

We will help you in any way we can, but we have never and will never do this sort of thing. At the very least, there is no Harm Reduction value in discussing the ins and outs of talking to pain doctors. Nobody is upset, but we really can't have this sort of thing.