Misc The Pain Management Mega Thread version 3.0

[Coraline]

Oh that made me lol. I wish doctors didnt discriminate Im sick of self medicating...drinking too much at the moment but just until I get my very last wisdom tooth out...

Well it shouldn't. I know it happens but it shouldn't.

I rarely have tooth pain. I remember the last time and it was pure agony.

 

[macd610]

Something Tentram said reminded me of something I've wondered about since the first time I had pain that was unrelated to my chronic pain condition. I'm having one of those days where I am having difficulty putting my thoughts into words, so thanks in advance for your patience.
OK, so I'm gonna use a semi hypothetical situation in order to simplify this...
Let's say someone's been taking transdermal fentanyl along with breakthrough meds for endometriosis for a year. They fall down the stairs and break an arm. Why on earth would the person find the strong meds thery're already taking incapable of relieving pain from a new injury?
I'm sure there is a simple explanation for this, but I can't figure it out. I'd appreciate any ideas

 

[Doomed2pain]

When you are in pain your body uses up endorphines and dopamine, the body's natural pain killers. Opiates replace the depleted hormones so because you are already in pain, you are using up all those pain killing chemicals so there are none spare for the extra pain. I can't really explain it very well but basically that is how it works. Hope this helps.

 

[macd610]

When you are in pain your body uses up endorphines and dopamine, the body's natural pain killers. Opiates replace the depleted hormones so because you are already in pain, you are using up all those pain killing chemicals so there are none spare for the extra pain. I can't really explain it very well but basically that is how it works. Hope this helps.

It helps me in terms of understanding, but Good God! !-What do CPP's do for pain if they have surgery or something, you know?? Scary.
D2P, I REALLY HOPE YOU'RE FEELING BETTER IN EVERY WAYXOXO

 

[Beachcat]

^^^mac, this is one of the reasons I felt compelled to taper of some of my meds. I was terrified that something big would happen and I would not be able to get adequate pain relief.

I had hand surgery last summer, and my surgeon would not even prescribe me any painkillers for after the surgery, because what I already had was so strong...that sucked big time....I ended up having to sneak my own pain meds in the recovery room. What they did give me did not even begin to touch the surgical pain because my tolerance was so high. Scary stuff!

 

[BiggDirty01]

Hey guys, I've tapered my methadone dosing from 20mg every 8hrs to 20mg every 12hrs and I feel good about that decision because it still is enough for my nerve pain in my feet. So by dropping myself by a third I hope that it demonstrates a good attitude towards my PM doc when it comes to considering dropping my IR meds which are far more effective for back then the methadone.

Well, tonight, I happened to notice that the safe with all my families controlled substances (including mine...i get my meds per day) was left open and I ended up grabbing some amps of Demerol, some Vicodin ES, and some .5mg Xanax. I only took stuff that isn't used and I took only small quantities but I still feel bad. I guess that's the rough part of being a former Opiate addict before I hurt my back and started having spinal fusion surgeries. I've really been good the last 2 years with only taking what I am prescribed (since I only get a days worth at a time) and I have even quit cigarettes and only smoke medical cannibis a few times a month since I am subject to random UA from my PM Doc. And he is the best PM doc I've ever had (out of 6 in 3 years).

So I could use some support from this community, especially since I truly feel like I only took the extra stuff so I would feel less pain. Yes, I am high as I write this, but I am also at a 4 or 5 on the pain scale which I haven't been at in 9 months before my 2nd and 3rd fusion revisions.

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend with as little pain as possible. You guys here keep me going and fighting the good fight, and I feel so blessed to have this tight-knit community!

 

[macd610]

^^^mac, this is one of the reasons I felt compelled to taper of some of my meds. I was terrified that something big would happen and I would not be able to get adequate pain relief.

I had hand surgery last summer, and my surgeon would not even prescribe me any painkillers for after the surgery, because what I already had was so strong...that sucked big time....I ended up having to sneak my own pain meds in the recovery room. What they did give me did not even begin to touch the surgical pain because my tolerance was so high. Scary stuff!

For sure! the same thing happened to me when I was in the hospital due to a tick-born illness last summer. I was on 50 mcg fentanyl at the time along with morphine for pain (before hospital ). They were only giving me 2mg iv Hydromorphone and on top of that they took my patch off and replaced it with one of the matrix ones (which isn't my preference).
I had someone bring my morphine and patches in lol...It sucked, you'd think they'd understand the deal with CPP's and medicate us accordingly.

 

[milagro]

When you are in pain your body uses up endorphines and dopamine, the body's natural pain killers. Opiates replace the depleted hormones so because you are already in pain, you are using up all those pain killing chemicals so there are none spare for the extra pain. I can't really explain it very well but basically that is how it works. Hope this helps.

That it in a nutshell and in clinical terms it is called "opioid induced hyperalgesia" and involves tolerance as well. It isn't very simple to explain. All I know is when I dislocated my shoulder and I was on ~100mg/day of Oxy ER/IR, the 2mg of iv dilaudid they gave me did absolutely nothing for my pain.

 

[DiverDave]

It just takes withdrawal to understand. If you go through it and come out on the other side alright, you're not an addict.

I have stopped and stayed off for months then started again, and I still have W/D symptoms when I run out.
I feel a STRONG pull from them when I am taking them.
When I'm not, I never think of them, unless the pain is really bad.
It screws with my head, thats for sure...

 

[ErgicMergic]

That it in a nutshell and in clinical terms it is called "opioid induced hyperalgesia" and involves tolerance as well. It isn't very simple to explain. All I know is when I dislocated my shoulder and I was on ~100mg/day of Oxy ER/IR, the 2mg of iv dilaudid they gave me did absolutely nothing for my pain.

+1

My pain levels are actually lower when clean from opiates than dependent on them... at first, the opiates work magnificently, but then tolerance always sets in around month 2-4 and makes them almost useless. This is with sticking to prescribed dosages, never chasing the opiate high, using NMDA antagonists like DXM, Zn, and Mg to try to prevent tolerance increases, and dosing only once a day (usually... it's twice a day these days due to serious pain flareup).

I seriously hope nothing is seriously wrong in my ankle, the knee I can handle, since it is a simpler joint to operate on, but Jesus, ankle OATS and other surgeries sounds terrifying. I don't want to be immobile again. I just want to live my life like a normal 22 year old already...

 

[macd610]

+1

My pain levels are actually lower when clean from opiates than dependent on them... at first, the opiates work magnificently, but then tolerance always sets in around month 2-4 and makes them almost useless. This is with sticking to prescribed dosages, never chasing the opiate high, using NMDA antagonists like DXM, Zn, and Mg to try to prevent tolerance increases, and dosing only once a day (usually... it's twice a day these days due to serious pain flareup).

I seriously hope nothing is seriously wrong in my ankle, the knee I can handle, since it is a simpler joint to operate on, but Jesus, ankle OATS and other surgeries sounds terrifying. I don't want to be immobile again. I just want to live my life like a normal 22 year old already...

Either surgery sounds awful to me
Do you think it'll be difficult to obtain adequate pain relief, both in the hospital & when recovering at home?
That's one of my biggest fears - needing surgery and finding it impossible to get relief.
I hope things go well for you.
Cat

 

[rkiimball123]

Will zoloft or wellbutrin diminish the effect of dilaudid? please don't guess. Tell me if you know.

 

[norcophile]

sorry about not stopping in much guys, got a lot of bullshit going on and honestly considering going to a sub doctor so i don't have to deal with all of this worry over scripts and doctors every month

 

[Jktm]

Been out of the BHC for about a week now...sorry for the delay...hadn't had a chance to get on the PC...

I'm working with a 7 atm, but I've got 3 trams left, so I'll be good for today...dunno what I'm gonna do about tomorrow...Took an at home drug test and had a faint line on the drug section of THC, so that's a bit of a relief...supposed to go to pain management wednesday, but thinking of picking up another FirstCheck to be sure...

also...got a tattoo saturday and am very pleased...it would have run me $100 but thankfully I'm friends with the artist, so he took 4 packs of smokes from me...

It was my first tattoo and I was extremely surprised at how little it hurt and how soothing the process was...albeit it was a shoulder piece...

NSFW:

 

[Doomed2pain]

Im getting my shoulder/arm piece finished soon. I love being tattooed it doesn't hurt one bit.

 

[Jktm]

One of the few advantages of being a CPP lol...

Other than that, all I can think of is the ability to ingest large amounts of narcotics if needed when getting pulled over lol...

I'm wanting to get the lsd molecule on my other shoulder, the keywork (coheed and cambria symbol) as a very large centerpiece on my back in black with (a) dragonfly(ies)...

NSFW:

 

[Jktm]

Also, found 2 lidoderm patches left over from my sisters RSD (which has been in remission for years)...thinking about using them lol...do they work at all for radiating nerve pain going down the legs? Would me placing one just below my waist at the very right side of my right buttocks work at all for the pain I'm having? Wanting to place the other one center from l-5 region to t-11 region...these would help with disc pain right?

 

[norcophile]

in the past they have helped for my disc pain, and the nerve issues associated with the disc problems.

also i am getting to bluelighter status easier than i thought

 

[phenethylo J]

My pain has been bothering me bad today but it is not as bad as the other week but mentally I am way worse. My insanely bad insomnia is just multiplying my already shitty mental state. The only reason I have been sleeping a tiny bit better the past few days is because I'm so drained due to how fucking bad I slept last week. Three days last week I got zero hours of sleep. Weed is a miracle drug for sleep for me but my pain clinic randomly drug tests me so I only smoke for a week and then stop for three weeks. I refuse to take anti depressants for sleep and don't want to go on bezos again; I hate them. Benzos only helped my sleep for a very short time so I didn't really care when my doc told me she wasn't gonna give me them anymore.


I am really considering talking to somebody about my depression and anxiety because it just keeps on getting worse and worse and I don't want to do something stupid. I only talked to a psychologist once when my rheumatologistmade me get an evaluation to make sure I wasn't a drug addict when I failed a drug test for weed. Things went well there and I am just wondering how shit will work with confidenuality and other docs. I would like mention I still use weed since I feel it is important for him to get the whole picture but am scared some how my pain doc would find out. While I still go to that doc that made me go to him she does not give me opiates anymore because of the new laws in Florida requiring me to go to a pain clinic. He was very easy to talk to and didn't really get on my ass about me smoking weed much. Is he aloud to give that information to my pain doctor. If my doctor find and I get cut off from my opiates which I need to function I will most likely kill my self. I finally found a doctor who is realistic with my pain medication and doesn't underperscribe me; if I lose this doctor my life is over. My aunt asked her friend who is a psychologist and she said they can't but do policies vary from state to state? I would think that it would violate confidentiality but I get paranoid in these types of situations. Does anyone else haveexperience is with this situation.

 

[Mikebangsblaqchics]

Phenethylo J, weed is a miracle drug. Don't feel like a drug addict for using it, a lot of people smoke everyday for no reason. As far as your pain I don't know what your issue is but sounds like Opiod WD in which case I would personally get on suboxone or methadone. You said you don't like benzos to help you sleep, have you tried explaining to your doctor why it doesnt help? If you talk to them they can perscribe different kinds of benzos, up the dose, or possibly give you longer lasting ones I'm no doctor. And as far as your worries for the doctor-patient confidentiality you shouldn't have anything to worry about. Doctors will not break that confidentiallity unless it may endanger your life. I dont see a reason for him to talk to a different kind of doctor about you so you shouldn't worry, doctors have a lot of patients and don't usually go to other doctors just to tell that you've been bad, unless it endangers your life which really weed doesn't. Maybe get recommendation from a doctor for medical marijuana, this is just my two-cents hope I helped