Harm Reduction The Pain Management Mega Thread - for all your questions on dealing with chronic pain

[i8hooked]

I didnt accuse him of drug seeking if you really want to go through and read what i posted . i simply said that he could have gone about telling the doctor in a different way that if he was really there for narcotics then he could call a friend for cheaper . the point i was trying to make is that kind of attitude doesnt fly with doctors , atleast around here anyway.

I knew where you were comming from LT.
And I understand your frustration. the fact that there are drug seekers that go to doctors just to get drugs is what has screwed it up for the people that really do need the meds.
Personally, I believe that doctors should not discriminate lest they make a mistake and send someone away untreated that really really needs drugs and therapy.
The truth is that I AM A DRUG ADDICT!! but the doctor is not my source.
I say addict for lack of better words. I dont withdrawl from opiates...one of the lucky ones I guess.

 

[i8hooked]

I found out yesterday I possibly have two compound fractures and arthritis in my lower spine. Doctor put me on 50mg tramadol and 200mg sulindac. I'm hoping it'll help. He sent my xrays off to the radiologist I hope it's not as bad as it sounds.

I see a few verterbrae being fused together in your future...
Jeez I bet that hurts.
Tramadol, "Ultram" mild opiate...compound fractures and authritis would call for stronger meds....High doses of tramadol can cause seizures so monitor your doses.

 

[rath]

I take 4 50mg a day-200mg. I was hoping for atlease hydrocodone it really helped me when I could get my hands on some.

 

[i8hooked]

works for me

Id like to add to this thread by mentioning that when I was in need of pain meds in the past, what worked best for me was simply 7.5mg lrct + Naproxen.
The main ing. in Naproxen can be purchased OTC as Advil but the Nap. is a larger dose and works quite well by itself.
As the pain subsided I had switched from lorcet down to Ultram.
I would simply take a half dose of Tylonol PM for sleeping.
I want to emphasize the payoff I got from the Naproxen, I find this med to work very well when an anti inflam. is called for. Along with a mild analgesic is a great combo.

 

[michael]

advil is ibuprofen. aleve is brand name naproxen.

 

[Desdenova]

I tried a number of things before finally getting with a PM clinic

Tylenol, Tramadol, Aleve(really fucked up my stomach), Ibuprofen, Celebrex, Paxil, Cymbalta, even Klonopin

Anyways,

I've definitely noticed my sex drive isn't what it should be. But then again, it wasn't before I was on opiates (pain/stress I think)

I'm starting to realize, I really need to get laid

 

[i8hooked]

I tried a number of things before finally getting with a PM clinic

Tylenol, Tramadol, Aleve(really fucked up my stomach), Ibuprofen, Celebrex, Paxil, Cymbalta, even Klonopin

Anyways,

I've definitely noticed my sex drive isn't what it should be. But then again, it wasn't before I was on opiates (pain/stress I think)

I'm starting to realize, I really need to get laid

Sounds like it to me bra.
I still have sex drive taking opiates, everything works just fine but I cant get a nut.
The ladies dont seem to complain but its a pain in the ass for me.

 

[i8hooked]

advil is ibuprofen. aleve is brand name naproxen.

Brilliant!!

 

[kratom luver]

If you have pain on the surface of your skin and put pepper spray on it with a local anaesthetic and leave it for a while, after which you clean it off, would it desensitize the area and reduce pain in that area?

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^ why fuck around with pepper spray? Just get some capsaicin. It is readily available in a number of formulations and I think they even make patches so you don't have to wear gloves and shit like you're supposed to.

If you have chronic pain (especially nerve pain) then capsaicin can be useful but be warned, it will probably make the pain worse at first... probably the first FEW times you use it. You have to power through those times to get the positive effects and even then, there's no guarantee.

If you are talking about relieving acute pain, then capsaicin (or pepper spray) really isn't efficacious and will most likely make it worse. If you have decent local anesthetics and acute pain, try using those but ignore the pepper spray.

What kind of pain are you talking about? Sun burn or another burn? Allodynia? hyperesthesia? or what?

 

[Cane2theLeft]

I was reading a little more and saw that health care professionals sometimes numb the area of an injury like a sprain or strain and apply capsaicin and it can help relieve pain... I wouldn't try this (especially with pepper spray) unless you knew what you were doing. You would need a sufficiently strong local anesthetic otherwise the capsaicin/pepper spray is going to burn and make the pain worse.

 

[LightTrailz]

If you have pain on the surface of your skin and put pepper spray on it with a local anaesthetic and leave it for a while, after which you clean it off, would it desensitize the area and reduce pain in that area?

Why ... you realise you can by xylocaine in a viscous cream right ? and patches OTC ... pepper spray is just gross .. plus have fun even breathing the smallest amount of that stuff in .

 

[Ungoliath]

I bolded and italicized the important points because I realize its very long, the other type is just backstory and other meds i've tried

Background about injury and med's

Okay, I got robbed a while back, thrown to the ground, stomped (4 broken ribs and alot of shoulder damage), then upper left hand corner of my chest was smashed with a cinderblock(3 ribs broken in multiple placess, lung damage, collar bone poking through skin) 2 surgerys
(Thank god for free healthcare in Canada)

I started off on 2x24mg 1x12 hydromorphone a day [am 1x24, 3-4pm 1x12, 1x24mg before bed]

(I had a high tolerance and was a bad person and on alot of opiates before, but i was honest with family doctor and gained his trust, he's a great man, I volunteered to do pillcounts and pick up my perscription weekly instead of monthly, but he knows im in too rough shape to sell and i'd kill myself if i ran out early, thats how bad the sick is) t

Then switched to Fentanyl (125mcg/H 1x16.8mg patch 1x3.8mg patch)
(the mg dosages are total, its a weird brand my pharmacy carries, the 100mcg/h patches contain 6.8mg more then the duragesic, weird eh?)

Now, I had problems where i would wake up sick, in pain (but the sickness i've always found worse then the pain)

5 or 6 months ago I switched to 2x80mg oxy and 1x40mg [1x80mg AM, 1x40mg3-4pm 1x80pm]

Total time on these painkillers about 2-3 years

Now,My pain has been always controlled, (If im not on my meds my left arm gets too sore to move sometimes even when im on its to sore to raise above my head, but its very livable)

The real problem im having is these two things (I figured this would be a good place to ask)

Questions

First; the severe constipation, I take laxatives and stool softeners to no effect, but i regularly get stomach pain from it (When im very constipated It bulges out my stomach and I can feel it under my abs, I get very embarrassed and think everyone can tell, I bleed every time (like drip dirp till the toilet water is pretty dark red) I use the washroom in that manner and honestly, I dread going to the washroom (I have to use enema's once or twice a week and only go about every two days)

I can be very doped up, even on triple my average dose (buy from friend not doublin my own script) and its still amazingly painful.

As depressing as it sounds i've even had to result to the dreaded handballing when I can to is bleed (When i have to handball its like im peeing blood out my ass). I can't even go to public restrooms or at work (Holding it in is no problem) because it takes so long and im embarassed someone will see the blood ring i leave on the toilet.

I wanted to ask this long ago but I was far to embarassed but its getting worse and worse, I honestly lose about 4-5 diabetic syringes full of blood each time.

CAN ANYONE SUGGEST SOMETHING I CAN DO?

Second Question
Even taking my oxy right before bed, i'll always wake up sick , i've mentioned this to my doctor and he told me to research some drugs (he's a great man, he knows im not an idiot and would rather have me obtain drugs safely then through the black market, I routinely donate money to his office anonymously [not as a bribe or anything but because I don't pay him because we're in canada]

He doesn't have the license to prescribe methadone or bupe so i'm looking for suggestions for a drug thats both a strong painkiller (I get pain with every breath I take without painkillers basically, and no one knows if I ever won't) and has a long half-life (I don't like fent even though you wear it for 3 days, 1 had a bad experience when a weeks worth of my patches were stolen by a now ex girlfriend and the withdrawal, coupled with the pain, have me in such fear of it, i can w/d from pain and oxys standing on my head, the worst day of 200mg of oxy a day is better then the first 6 hours without 125mcg/h of fent)

Long story short; I need a strong pain killer that last a long time, cause currently I always feel just a little sick before the next dose every day. Bupe and Methadone are not options as my doctor does not have a license, but anything else is on the table, wouldnt hurt if it gave me a little buzz to boot

(I keep on the schedule of am, 3-4pm then bedtime because if i take it as soon as i feel bad, i'd have to take an extra pill a day, so i just feel a tiny bit sick inbetween doses instead of ALOT sick if i ran out early, and if I don't take right before bed, i have these godawful dreams where im robbing pharmacys, people, anything for drugs and right when im about to shoot or sniff it I wake up feeling horrible.)

Can anyone reccomend a strong painkiller that i'll have to only take once or twice a day (probably twice is easier, don't ask) that will last a very long time so I don't feel even a touch of sickness between doses. Something perfect would last 12-14 hours , be a strong pain killer and taken when I wake up, and taken again around supper time, does such a drug exist?

(again if you skimmed, he cannot perscribe bupe or methadone and it is VERY VERY HARD to find another family doctor where I live, i'd be put on a 3 year wiating list just to try for bupe or done, so im looking for a more attainable option)

(currently I always feel a bit sick but no pain inbetween doses of oxy, seriously swallowing them hole or snorting or even shooting doesnt seem to make a difference in terms of length, infact swallowing an 80 makes it feel like it last even shorter cause I can hardly feel it and feel sick again in 4-5 hours, where shooting or sniffing is 7-8)

 

[johanneschimpo]

^ (1) Lots of fiber, and (2) morphine, oxymorphone, or oxycodone in controlled release form or methadone ---> taken as intended for your pain, not abused it in any way.
Methadone is your best bet. It's strong, doctors are more eager to give it for pain than the others I listed, and it lasts a hell of a long time. You definitely won't be sick in between doses, I promise you that. Methadone dosed twice a day will keep you pain free all day.
(sorry if I missed anything, I only read the two parts in bold/italics)

 

[LightTrailz]

We unfortunatley dont have oxymorphone in Canada , or else i would definatly be on that than the oxycontin .. for 1 it doesnt last a full 12 hours which is a real pain in the ass considering i dont want to up my dose as i want to keep my total daily dosage below 120mg and its just too fucking expensive .. my 20mg pills for 116 is 188.80 , and in an attempt to save some money i switched to 40's for 56 its 157.00 , which has taken away some leway with my ability to adjust my dosage based on my pain level and or cases when i cant afford to be too drowsy.

 

[RainingDownOxy]

^you should see if you can get the 30mg's.I got switched to them and I love um.they seem just a little bit differant tasteing when snorted but it could be just me

 

[LightTrailz]

I would have opted to do that too but unfortunatly not even those have been released up here for some reason . i keep checking the available drugs database to see if its ever released but i have yet to see them come up . we only have the 5's , 10's , 20's , 40's and 80's .

i wish they would though because even after all this time my tolerance for the morning dose has not changed . and 40mg makes me way too drowsy , and what makes it even worse is that im lucky if i get to bed before 1 am both because of pain and over sleeping when i have days off .

 

[rath]

Anyone know what could I get for my back? Tramadol isn't helping much and I'm still young (17). I know doctors don't like giving opiates out to kids but I really need something stronger. I'm not looking to get drugs I'm just asking the options.

 

[TheMatador]

^^^^^^
why dont they have Opana in Canada? thats really a shame because it works great, it doesn't have "true 12 hour dosing" like they say, but it comes pretty damn close, unlike Oxycontin where i'm lucky to get 8 hours out of it....plus Opana doesn't make me as drowsy as Oxycontin but its analgesic effects are just as good if not better ime

 

[RJW]

I bolded and italicized the important points because I realize its very long, the other type is just backstory and other meds i've tried

Background about injury and med's

Okay, I got robbed a while back, thrown to the ground, stomped (4 broken ribs and alot of shoulder damage), then upper left hand corner of my chest was smashed with a cinderblock(3 ribs broken in multiple placess, lung damage, collar bone poking through skin) 2 surgerys
(Thank god for free healthcare in Canada)

I started off on 2x24mg 1x12 hydromorphone a day [am 1x24, 3-4pm 1x12, 1x24mg before bed]

(I had a high tolerance and was a bad person and on alot of opiates before, but i was honest with family doctor and gained his trust, he's a great man, I volunteered to do pillcounts and pick up my perscription weekly instead of monthly, but he knows im in too rough shape to sell and i'd kill myself if i ran out early, thats how bad the sick is) t

Then switched to Fentanyl (125mcg/H 1x16.8mg patch 1x3.8mg patch)
(the mg dosages are total, its a weird brand my pharmacy carries, the 100mcg/h patches contain 6.8mg more then the duragesic, weird eh?)

Now, I had problems where i would wake up sick, in pain (but the sickness i've always found worse then the pain)

5 or 6 months ago I switched to 2x80mg oxy and 1x40mg [1x80mg AM, 1x40mg3-4pm 1x80pm]

Total time on these painkillers about 2-3 years

Now,My pain has been always controlled, (If im not on my meds my left arm gets too sore to move sometimes even when im on its to sore to raise above my head, but its very livable)

The real problem im having is these two things (I figured this would be a good place to ask)

Questions

First; the severe constipation, I take laxatives and stool softeners to no effect, but i regularly get stomach pain from it (When im very constipated It bulges out my stomach and I can feel it under my abs, I get very embarrassed and think everyone can tell, I bleed every time (like drip dirp till the toilet water is pretty dark red) I use the washroom in that manner and honestly, I dread going to the washroom (I have to use enema's once or twice a week and only go about every two days)

I can be very doped up, even on triple my average dose (buy from friend not doublin my own script) and its still amazingly painful.

As depressing as it sounds i've even had to result to the dreaded handballing when I can to is bleed (When i have to handball its like im peeing blood out my ass). I can't even go to public restrooms or at work (Holding it in is no problem) because it takes so long and im embarassed someone will see the blood ring i leave on the toilet.

I wanted to ask this long ago but I was far to embarassed but its getting worse and worse, I honestly lose about 4-5 diabetic syringes full of blood each time.

CAN ANYONE SUGGEST SOMETHING I CAN DO?

Second Question
Even taking my oxy right before bed, i'll always wake up sick , i've mentioned this to my doctor and he told me to research some drugs (he's a great man, he knows im not an idiot and would rather have me obtain drugs safely then through the black market, I routinely donate money to his office anonymously [not as a bribe or anything but because I don't pay him because we're in canada]

He doesn't have the license to prescribe methadone or bupe so i'm looking for suggestions for a drug thats both a strong painkiller (I get pain with every breath I take without painkillers basically, and no one knows if I ever won't) and has a long half-life (I don't like fent even though you wear it for 3 days, 1 had a bad experience when a weeks worth of my patches were stolen by a now ex girlfriend and the withdrawal, coupled with the pain, have me in such fear of it, i can w/d from pain and oxys standing on my head, the worst day of 200mg of oxy a day is better then the first 6 hours without 125mcg/h of fent)

Long story short; I need a strong pain killer that last a long time, cause currently I always feel just a little sick before the next dose every day. Bupe and Methadone are not options as my doctor does not have a license, but anything else is on the table, wouldnt hurt if it gave me a little buzz to boot

(I keep on the schedule of am, 3-4pm then bedtime because if i take it as soon as i feel bad, i'd have to take an extra pill a day, so i just feel a tiny bit sick inbetween doses instead of ALOT sick if i ran out early, and if I don't take right before bed, i have these godawful dreams where im robbing pharmacys, people, anything for drugs and right when im about to shoot or sniff it I wake up feeling horrible.)

Can anyone reccomend a strong painkiller that i'll have to only take once or twice a day (probably twice is easier, don't ask) that will last a very long time so I don't feel even a touch of sickness between doses. Something perfect would last 12-14 hours , be a strong pain killer and taken when I wake up, and taken again around supper time, does such a drug exist?

(again if you skimmed, he cannot perscribe bupe or methadone and it is VERY VERY HARD to find another family doctor where I live, i'd be put on a 3 year wiating list just to try for bupe or done, so im looking for a more attainable option)

(currently I always feel a bit sick but no pain inbetween doses of oxy, seriously swallowing them hole or snorting or even shooting doesnt seem to make a difference in terms of length, infact swallowing an 80 makes it feel like it last even shorter cause I can hardly feel it and feel sick again in 4-5 hours, where shooting or sniffing is 7-8)

I know we all react differently but for 200 mgs of OC a day your constipation seems pretty extreme. A couple of suggustions:
1. Up your water intake as high as you can, try and get to a gallon over the whole day.
2. Look over your diet and up the fiber intake as best as you can. stay away from foods that are naturally constipating.
3. you need to be taking senecot 2-3 times a day, maybe 2 at a time. There are some prescription laxatives that are liquid, look into them.
4. Try and cut back on your opiate intake.
5. I would see a specalist about your bowels. Maybe there is a medical issue?

You say your pain level is "liveable" so get that daily opiate intake lower.