So ive been having serious pain for about 4 years now. After 2 years of doctors blowing me off as a young person who thinks her pain is worse than it actually was, I was diagnosed with Degenerate Disc Disease, spinal stenosis and osteoarthritis in my lower back.I attempted surgery but was still having pain. I started pain management and my doc put me on 30 Mg 5xday oxycodone. This was working grreat but I was having a hard time sleeping so I asked for an extended release med for overnight and was denied. After 6 months I started looking for a doc that would listen to my complaint of no sleep. This past month I saw this new doc for the first time. She cut me down to 15mg oxycodone 3xday and 15 Mg oxycontin er 2xday. This dose is not working for me ive been in terrible pain but the NPR who saw me said my meds aren't up for discussion. What should I do? Ive been told by a couple of people to try and get switched over to Opana IR and I might not even need the extended stuff. How do I bring this up w/o looking like a drug seeker?
I have the exact diagnoses as you and have lived in agony for 8 years now. I lost my career and live off of government scraps. I have been able to cope through proper medication and get things done that I used to sit in bed or the tub thinking "how the hell am I going to get that done?" I was young as well and I think that you may be experiencing the pain of pain management.
This country has growing malignant tumor that is full of vectors that infiltrate the right minded people that are trying to ease our pain while making it impossible to adequately treat chronic pain. I am afraid to tell people what I take for my pain because they will certainly think I am an addict, junkie, lost cause, etc. et fing cetera. I am actually taking less than I used to.
I am having a problem with navigating this site so I will go from memory, forgive me if I am wrong. You are worried that you are young? Unfortunately that is a very common feeling. Sounds like you have only been in PM for a couple of years? I started out in horrific pain that left me bedridden for weeks. I will tell you what the PM doc said to me 7 years ago when I was one year into PM. "I know you are in pain but realistically, there is only so much I can do AT THIS POINT".
I couldn't get surgery because the only spine surgeon in the area is a buffoon. Back to my doc. He was honest with me so I will be honest with you since our diagnoses are similar. Ignore me if you wish. My doc said, " you are probably going to be in debilitating pain for the remainder of your life unless there is some miracle breakthrough. I do not want to put you on hard meds like dilaudid(hydromorphone), oxycontin, opana, or a surgical morphine pump because your tolerance is going to shoot up so quickly that you will be on massive amounts of narcotics by the time you reach 50.
That scared the shit out of me. Perhaps your doctors feel the same way although it seems ridiculous that they cannot give something to help with sleep. My back is killing me at the moment, I can usually make it for an hour or so sitting but I had to volunteer today and I am spent. I just felt that since our problems are nearly the same and you are young as I was when I got the diagnoses that I might be able to help you understand how PM works.
The most important thing about PM is your doctor. You have to have a good, experienced doctor. I am sorry if I am offending the younger audience but the docs coming out of med school are completely anti-narcotic. The FDA has a lot to do with that as do the increasing OD's from opiates. Your doctor might put you through the ringer with urinalysis, pill counts, and whatever MR. DEA commands. It is sad. It is necessary.
Just know there are others, many others, out here that feel your pain and frustration. I have to lie down. One thing I can tell you as far as the pain goes, make sure you keep your core muscles( from the front of the gut to the back) Swim if you can. As for the sleep, I could probably count the amount of 8+ hours of deep sleep on my fingers and toes during the last year. Take what you can get and do not mix sleep meds with the pain meds. Oxy knocks me out so I feel for you.
he loved it! And I love spoiling him so really, it's a treat for me 
