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

[expollr12]

pain

Hello

i have had so and much trouble with pain ..ihad 2 surgrys on my left shoulder and neeed 1 on the right side shoulder

i had 5 surgrys on my right elbo and 1 on my for arm for a picnched nerve

now the same for arm the picnched nerve is back.i have been on alot of meds...as for the methadone im on 10 mg 3 times aday.

It seems like it is helping but im still in pain and do not want to tell the dr ..because i do not want to increase the mg...

Now i am going to pian manigement..they only offer 2 diffrent things
methadone and neurostimulation therapy that is a wire they put along your spine hooked up to a tens unit.

I dont think putting in a wire along my spine will help and maybe cause more problems..no one under stands the pain im in..

Any suggestions?

 

[SeaDoc]

Are you on any kind of break through meds? Hopefully methadone will work most of the time, but there are going to be times you might need a fast, short acting pain med to get you through the times when the pain flares up more than the methadone can handle.

As far as implants go, that is a very personal, highly subjective decision that only you can answer. But, try not to refuse to try some of the other options the pain doc suggests. Focusing only on opioid pain meds is a red flag for potential medication abuse.

SeaDoc

 

[revned04]

Suboxone + Lyrica (pregabalin) +Tramadol

These topics have been touched on in the big sub thread, but not too clearly. I see my doc soon and was thinking of getting one or both of these to help with my pain. First, I haven't been able to find whether pregebalin will work THAT much on subs, so I would like to know that once and for all. I was a fan of tramadol before I started using other opiates so I want to experience that with suboxone. I am currently prescribed a small amount of xanax by my sub doc (15mg a month) so that helps with the pain a little when I do take it, but I don't like taking that too often. I have tried Gabapentin and it synergizes nicely with suboxone, but its more of a relaxing than what I gues I'm looking for.
Thanks for all the help to all the bupe people on this site, it is awesome and I always see something new and amazing about the greatest drug ever .

 

[jamesBrown]

I really am not sure if there was a question asked here.

Maybe your asking if Lyrica or Tramadol work with suboxone?

....if so, my answer would be that everyone is different so its hard to say, but I have heard some great things about Tramadol with suboxone. I dont know much about Lyrica though.

If I were you, I would be worried about if my doctor would even prescribe me these painkillers at the same time im getting treatment for opiate addiction.

** My BEST avice to you would be to lower your suboxoen dose to less than 1mg so you could can get the euphorical/analgesic(painkilling)/anti-depressant/etc....properties of the suboxone. This only happens at these tiny doses, as im sure you have allready read....it should take care of your pain no problem.

 

[homeydontplaythat]

dude you have a huge overlap of meds. why would you be on tramadol with suboxone? also, why would you be on lyrica with xanax?

 

[Bupe]

you will be fine but yeah not necessary. at least definitely not lyrica AND xanax I say ditch the Xanax Kyrica is a ten fold better med with 20x rec potential.

 

[SomeOneInFl]

Just a thought to anyone with serious pain issues. Im up to taking 4 8mg Dilaudid / Hydromorphone and that kept the pain at bay enough to keep me lying in bed all day.
Then after a little research I find that one of my old party favors is also used for pain relief. Its Ketamine. I talked to my pain doc about it and she sent me to a compound pharmacist who now makes me 10% nasal ketamine solution. My quality of life sky rocketed, ////the best part is, I can carry it in my pocket and if need be dash into a bathroom take a couple sniffs and in less then 2 minutes it is working.
Downside is no insurance will cover it, but for what it has done for my quality of life its worth every cent.

 

[shadyMyster]

Anyone know what happened to that kid who said he was 'honest with the doctor over the phone' telling them he takes ___ amount of drugs illegally and they said they would help him out, and subsequently set up an appointment? I looked through the past 3 pages and couldn't find his posts. He ended up taking about all of his avinza that they switched him to. I am very curious how his excursion played out.

 

[bankz]

I really am not sure if there was a question asked here.

Maybe your asking if Lyrica or Tramadol work with suboxone?

....if so, my answer would be that everyone is different so its hard to say, but I have heard some great things about Tramadol with suboxone. I dont know much about Lyrica though.

If I were you, I would be worried about if my doctor would even prescribe me these painkillers at the same time im getting treatment for opiate addiction.

** My BEST avice to you would be to lower your suboxoen dose to less than 1mg so you could can get the euphorical/analgesic(painkilling)/anti-depressant/etc....properties of the suboxone. This only happens at these tiny doses, as im sure you have allready read....it should take care of your pain no problem.

How long would you need to space out the 1mg doses for pain? and would 2mg be too much?.. I know once it builds up in your receptors it no longer helps with pain as much. Thanks.

 

[Jabberwocky]

dude you have a huge overlap of meds. why would you be on tramadol with suboxone? also, why would you be on lyrica with xanax?

bupe and tramadol worked brilliantly together for myself when i was using them together for PM which was just over a year. i've always used tramadol with another opiate, which seems to fill the gap that a single opiate or breakthrough dose doesn't; it works wonders for some people and i'm one.

anyway, i'll mover this into our Pain Management thread which you should give a read over.

 

[revned04]

I guess that I read mixed results about lyrica and suboxone and wasn't sure if they would both work well together since I'm on bmt. Also would Lyrica be a better alternative to manage my occasional anxiety than xanax?

 

[veggielover]

My mother has chronic pain that has her in tears almost everyday. She takes Tramadol and it doesn't help. She gets some shot every couple of months and it doesn't help. She's now been prescribed Lyrica and generic Vicodine and they don't much help. I'm quite annoyed with her doctor b/c it kills me to see my mom in that kind of pain. Her doc deals with pain management but after her latest appt. she suggested my mom going to someone who specializes in working with people who have chronic pain. I hope she goes. It's disheartening to read the posts of other people who are on such strong meds and they still are in pain. Her pain all started with when she was pregnant with me. I was laying on 2 of her discs. She had those removed years later and then a couple months ago she had another back surgery. Neither surgery did anything to alleviate her pain either. Sometimes I wonder if these people know wtf they're talking about. I feel like they are guessing at what to do for her and just hope something works eventually.

 

[Pegasus]

bump

 

[Cane2theLeft]

Us OD staff are working on a new CP mega thread, this time with a FAQ and more information about chronic pain and addiction. We plan to set up the first few threads with information similar to how the suboxone mega thread and some other MT's are set up.

If anyone has suggestions of what they'd like to see in this please send a PM my way. Essentially what we're looking at now is a basic guide to pain management options with an emphasis on the medicine used as well as special considerations for people with drug abuse history.

 

[JOEY624267]

I have been there done that,after 4 pain management doc's finally found one thats pretty good and thats a hard task to here in thesouth jersey area.I'm on fent. patch 100 mcgs 48 hrs.and nucyta 100 mgs. x 2 a day and I get the pain down to a 4 on good day,has anybody out there tried this comb.

 

[macbrown21]

Being Hurt and having to see all these doctors SUCKS

Pain management has been so tough for me. The first doc I went to was a physiatrist (sp?) who treated some chronic pain. It sucked though because everytime I went it had to be paid up front and I'd always get 50 percocet 10/325s. That script cost $<snip> for generic plus the cost of the visit I'm almost spending $<snip> for 2 weeks of relief if I'm lucky. With no real medical treatment besides the pills I quit going and just bought pills elsewhere. Money-wise it's worth it. Because of what happened I haven't been working and I'm pretty much bankrupt.

This week I was out of pills and totally sick so I actually went in to see family type practice doc. He ending up writing me a script, but said he could only do it this once because he doesn't treat chronic pain. Since I was sick and still in obvious pain he wrote me for about a week of oxys and referred me to a new pm. This was after a huge discussion and perusing through my records, I hadn't had a legit script filled since july so it looked bad. After I talked to him about he whole money thing and said I was getting scripts from an online consultation place to save money. He was somewhat understanding and told me a lot of patients he knows have gone bankrupt from medical bills. I told him I was taking a Roxy 30s 2-3 times a day which is true. Since my last legit script was for oxy 10s that was what he was willing to write.

Well I got that script filled for 40 oxys and I take usually 6 a day to just take the edge off. If I wanted real relief I'd have to take around 10 a day (100mg). I ended up slamming 3 of them today outta curiosity. Definitely knocked the pain out right away which was good. Crazy before I got hurt I woulda never even considered using IV drugs. Been a really frustrating 8 months or so for me.

I did get a referall to a new pm/spine doctor and I'm scheduled to go in early this week. I don't know if I'll be able to keep the appt because its <snip> bucks up front. I can't get insured because of my condition. Or it's at least an 18 month waiting period. With what I have it would be reasonable for me to choose to get a spinal fusion and insurance knows they will have to pay $30,000 for it if I choose to get it. So they don't want me on their insurance. And I really don't want a spinal fusion, because I'm young and don't wanna end up having to get the disc above fused and so on.

So shitty situation. If I don't go to the new pm I'm definitely gonna be miserable and sick, I could take the money and just buy pills but would like to get some more doctors opinions. Hopefully they'll take care of me management wise until we can figure out a better solution. I did talk to the last doctor about suboxone, just because I'm pretty sick of always worrying about the pills and whatnot. After telling him how I feel mentally and physically he didn't think it was a good idea and I'd probably have to continue with opiates to have any sort mobility. Ahh that was a mouthful.

 

[Sentience]

I am in absolute agony. There might be a surgical treatment for my pain, but its not going to happen fast because we have to rule out another condition first. If we treat the wrong one, my pain could be worse forever. Gallbladder/Pancreas/Bile-duct are all affected.

My pain is being under treated. I cannot cope with this level of pain. If I dont get some assistance soon I will be forced to self medicate.

I am considering supplementing my regimen with pods, ground up and capsuled, and drank down with hot tea. This is tricky because this is in ADDITION to Morphine and small amounts of Roxicodone. Morphine by itself does very little for my pain.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Abuserwithcause]

I got chronic pain in my neck and nerve system. Got bone wear(?) and the "Pillows between sections in my spine" that I dont know the name off in English is leaking what ever in them into my nerve system. The doctors dont want to replace the "Pillows" with iron/plastic replacement in doing so they will lock the movement on my neck . They want to try hold off all operations as much as possible seeing Im only 19. So fare I have tryed since late May.

Modifinax (Some shit)
Tramadol
Tragetic retard
Neurotin
Rivotril
Xanor( Xanax )
Sarotex ( anti depresant)
Cipralex ( anti depresant)
Lyrica ( Currently on not much for pain but weird )



Any suggestions/input on what I can expect all I get from doctors is the standard "This will last your whole life and all we/you can do is slow it down, you have to expect your life will involve operations and daily dose of painkillers/tablets "

 

[muvolution]

Abuserwithcause, all of those are relatively mild analgesics, I would imagine that you are in a similar situation to me, where you are young (I'm 24) and the PM doctor is reluctant to get you on a strong or even mid strength opiate.
Lyrica doesn't work particularly well for my type of pain, but some people with more nerve-related pain find that it works well.
I would look into a new PM doctor. I would imagine that you are NOT in the U.S. or Canada since it doesn't sound like English is your first language (although damn good), you may have either more or less options for pain management available to you.

If you are in the E.U. I would ask about bupe as there is a transdermal formulation available and it is considered less susceptible to abuse, diversion, or addiction.
If you are in South America, Africa, or Asia, you may be severely restricted in your choices and have to jump to something like Morphine to get any relief, since newer/ better PM formulations are not typically available there.

 

[LayedBack]

To people who turn to self medication especially with something like poppy pods or methadone, please be careful.

I understand unbearable pain, I'm 20 and have been in pain for a little over a year now. Obviously all of my doctors have been very reluctant to prescribe any opioids, but I've tried many other drugs and nothing really helped. It doesn't help that they have absolutely no clue why I have pain in my neck, arms and hands.

So 3 months in to it I said fuck it I'm tired of wishing I was dead, I ordered my first box of arizona ornamental poppies. RELIEF! Relief at last! I was dependent within 1 damn month. The feeling it gave me, it was too good to be true. Not only did it kill my physical pain, but also my emotional pain as well.

Here I am now, hopelessly addicted to pods. Taken them every day for 12 months now, I've tried tapering down a few times, I even went cold turkey for 14 days once before a relapse.

And this would be all fine and dandy except that what I'm doing is illegal. I'm unemployed due to the chronic pain and can hardly afford them any more.

And the biggest issue - I CAN'T GO TO A PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINIC! Because my system is dirty with cannabis and morphine.

It was a big mistake guys. I would highly recommend instead of getting trapped with self medication, go to numerous pain management clinics. You will eventually find one that will help you with whatever you need.

Good luck guys, take it easy and stay out of pain!