Turned down the fent patch... chronic pain expensive meds and family...

[Violenza666]

Apparantly I have oseoarthritis.. just add that too the fucking list.. Had another xray done... last one was a few months ago and now my lower spine is now completely "zig zagged"... I have scholiosis and oseoarthritis degenerative disc disease herniated discs bulging discs, disc dessication.. the fucking works.. The level of degeneration since then is quite severe.

My pain mgt dr was pretty nonchalant about it. I asked for a long acting pain medication and the dr scripted me Avinza which is extended release Morphine, and my Roxis for breakthrough pain. She said that was fine because over the last few months my lower back pain has been murder.

The Avinza is pretty expensive, there are no generics. There are other extended release versions of morphine... She also offered me fent patches... I turned down the fent patch mainly because of some personal fear about it, it's probably expensive too. Due to being on Benzos, I am not all that comfortable being on fent.

I called the insurance company for the price, and they told me Opana ER or Oxycontin would be way cheaper. Opana would only cost me 5 bucks for a year. My pain mgt dr said those were too "addictive"... however Roxicodone is easier to abuse than oxycontin so I am not following the logic there. Also fent is pretty goddamn addictive and so is morphine. Frankly all of it is addictive.

So I call my mom in hopes to get some kind of advice of what to do and she fucking yells at me. Telling me I am way to young to have these problems ect ect ect... So should I seek a second opinion from a different dr about my conditions? If so what kind of dr? A orthopedic dr? A Rheumatologist?

My dr is pretty cool and I really like her but I dont understand why she is scripting me expensive medication that is somehow less addictive than cheaper alternatives. I don't give a fuck about getting high, I just don't want to be in pain. So what do you guys think. Opinions are definatly wanted. Thanks in advance.

 

[edgewise1]

Sorry to hear about added diagnosis V. I guess you told her the price difference between the two extended release meds? Outside of pleading the expense, I have nothing else. If you are getting the roxi, and any other meds you need, and in sufficient quanity's, I don't think I would go to another dr as it might jepordize what you already have.

 

[Violenza666]

I don't want to go to another dr for medication. My reasoning for a second opinion is because what is going on inside me is degenerative and I am only 30. Perhaps surgery or something might help reverse some damage. Time is on my side right now. I just keep thinking I am too young for this.

I was told the joints and bones are "loose"... and my back is all degenerated and it has gotten worse in just months. I guess what I am saying is perhaps more can be done than just injections that don't work anyways. I know this will be a lifelong struggle for me, but I don't want to be fucked up in a wheelchair at 50. I am freaking out here. Yea, I am getting the medication I need but there has to be more than just medication to treat this issue. I got an epidural nerve block today that was supposed to provide pain relief for 24 hours.. it lasted 30 fucking minutes. I am just not too pleased and the fact that my dr thinks its no big kind of put me off I guess.

I don't know anything about Avenza.. I hope it helps. I know it's once a day morphine but that's about it. I am getting it filled tommorow so we shall see. It's just a bit expensive and right now every penny counts.

My knee's are starting to hurt and that scares me to fucking death. I need to get them MRI'd as well. Jesus fuck what next?

My insurance company told me the price differences and told me those medications were basically similiar but cheaper.

Thanks

 

[hellocatastrophe]

hey there lady-
i'm sorry to hear about the ever-growing list of shit you have to deal with

you asked if surgery was an option in your above post. i work in the OR and have had many times the pleasure of scrubbing on orthopedic (specifically spinal/back) cases. most of the patients i see are at LEAST 60 though. it's just insane to me that here you are at the age of only 30 dealing with multiple times the amount of issues i see every day in geriatric patients. you would think they would have this shit figured out by now. even if they can't figure out how to completely reverse or halt it, they should have a way of slowing the degeneration down a bit, if you ask me.

anyway, i'm not exactly sure what these doctors tell their patients- i know they can't lie, but there are ways of getting around the truth- about the success rates (in terms of relief) for spinal procedures, but i can tell you they are a very extreme minimum. the surgeons i work with have no problem blurting it out to me after the patients are asleep. the only thing surgical intervention would truly help is the herniated/bulging discs, and in my opinion- those are the least of your worries in terms of pain. it would definitely provide relief, however, i can pretty much assure you that the pain you would still experience from the other problems would severely outshine that relief. not to mention that a procedure for any of these issues is just a trip to your average tool shed, just sterilized and with fancier names. i just figured i would let you know, as only a fly on the wall would know what the hell any doctor would be telling you.

as far as your medication goes, i would search the pharmacological make-ups for the medication your doctor is prescribing you as well as the cheaper alternatives. i'm thinking in terms of what they are synthesized from and what they break down to. more than likely, it's all the same shit. chances are your doctor has a contracted pharmaceutical rep working with/for her office and it's her end of the deal to push their meds. honestly, an opiate is an opiate. they all have basically the same effects and abuse potential. there's got to be something behind that. there's a few individuals floating around bluelight who could most likely shed some insight on this matter, i just have to remember which users they are (i'm too tired to think on it right now!). i hear ya on the 'every penny counts' statement. there's simply no reason that your doctor shouldn't script you the more affordable medications when they are essentially the same as what she's writing you.

anyway, sorry to be a debbie-downer on the surgical aspect of all this. like i said though, i don't know what the hell these docs are telling patient's to get them scheduled for surgery, especially when they are on the brink of death as it is, but it's not a simple fix for these kinds of issues. i just wanted to throw that out there in case they are trying to dick you in to anything. i would demand results statistics.

as for those bluelighters with the pharm knowledge- i'll get back to you on that and i will also see what i can dig up on the net, and i will also see what the pharmacologists at the hospitals have to say on the matter.

 

[hellocatastrophe]

oh, and as for a second opinion, i would suggest an orthopedic doc or even a neurologist. i'm leaning toward the neuro guys since it's your back.

 

[Kurrupt]

MS Contin (ER morphine) is pretty cheap I believe, look into that... and alot of doctors are scared to prescribe OxyContin now-a-days because all the abuse and media hype, sucks for legit pain patients because it is a very good med for chronic pain IME/IMO.

 

[Violenza666]

MS Contin (ER morphine) is pretty cheap I believe, look into that... and alot of doctors are scared to prescribe OxyContin now-a-days because all the abuse and media hype, sucks for legit pain patients because it is a very good med for chronic pain IME/IMO.

Yea, I am going to call tommorow and ask about MS Contin. It's funny too because my dr gives me 150 roxicodone a month which is just as abusable as oxycontin.. infact i'd venture to say it's easier to abuse.

 

[Kurrupt]

^ It's true but do you hear about Roxicodone on the news? Nah, OxyContin? Hell yeah, every other day there is a robbery for some, OD blamed on it, this story, that story, it's the hot topic so physicians are weary to prescribe it sadly.

 

[Violenza666]

^Yea, that's true.. and I completely understand that. It's cool, I am going to give the Morphine a try... hey it can't get worse right? I am hoping the roxi morphine combo brings things down to a manageable level.

 

[BabyGurl3171]

Hey V, sorry to hear about your added problems

 

[Kurrupt]

Morphine is great for pain, just not so great for getting high. Should suit your needs perfectly . Good luck tomorrow with the doctor.

 

[Nikolai]

Wow, Opana is very expensive, thats a nice insurance you got. I would have turned down the fent patch as well, not for the reason you did but because they are a pain in the ass and IMO they suck. I took morphine years ago for a couple months and wasnt too thrilled with it. Hydromorphone is another one you could talk to your doctolr about.

 

[Violenza666]

Wow, Opana is very expensive, thats a nice insurance you got. I would have turned down the fent patch as well, not for the reason you did but because they are a pain in the ass and IMO they suck. I took morphine years ago for a couple months and wasnt too thrilled with it. Hydromorphone is another one you could talk to your doctolr about.

They have these opana discount cards where it makes it five bucks for a year.. Anything i suggest to my dr is "too addictive" yet she writes roxi scripts like it's nothing. I called today and I am getting a second opinion. She won't discuss my diagnosis with me and that makes me feel weird.

 

[Tommyboy]

Morphine is great for pain, just not so great for getting high. Should suit your needs perfectly . Good luck tomorrow with the doctor.

+1
Exactly what I was gonna post.

Now in terms of slowing down the worsening of your back, I would just say to take it easy. It is common for people to over-do things since they don't feel any pain due to the pain killers working, which may lead to further problems. I know that I am often in pain the day after taking pain killers because I will clean too much, or lift too much and not realize it due to the pain being blocked.

So keep that in mind, know your limits and take care of yourself.

 

[Slothrop]

Oral Morphine Sucks for pain!!! Trust me, morphine IV is great for pain but the bio-availability of oral morphine straight sucks dont do it!

If you dont mind the monkey, and really dont care about getting high, get on methadone. It is cheap, docs like rxing it, and it does wonders for pain. It has been a miracle dug for my chronic pain. I tried oxycontin, fent, morphine, evrything but opana, and methadone and roxu for breakthrough work very well for me

 

[Nikolai]

They have these opana discount cards where it makes it five bucks for a year.. Anything i suggest to my dr is "too addictive" yet she writes roxi scripts like it's nothing. I called today and I am getting a second opinion. She won't discuss my diagnosis with me and that makes me feel weird.

If this is the doctor Violenza that allows you to get scripts as early as you want she may be worth staying with IMO, that is a big deal IMO unless the scripts are small and meant to only last a few weeks.

 

[Violenza666]

If this is the doctor Violenza that allows you to get scripts as early as you want she may be worth staying with IMO, that is a big deal IMO unless the scripts are small and meant to only last a few weeks.

She doesn't care but the pharmacist is a cunt. Why I am annoyed with my dr is a different story.. anything I suggest about my treatment is basically wrong. She won't even speak to me about my diagnosis.. Sure I get "decent" meds.. but my pain is still over a 5 daily. The script for my roxi is for 150. 1 every 4 hours. There are more effective medications and treatments out there this dr just isn't interested so that's why I am getting a second opinion.

 

[Tommyboy]

Have you received any cortisol injections? I know you said that you got the epidural which did not work, so I was wondering about the cortisol. My brother gets them for his herniated disks in his back, and they seem to help him.

I really don't know anything about them, but figured I would mention it if it can potentially help you.

 

[Violenza666]

Have you received any cortisol injections? I know you said that you got the epidural which did not work, so I was wondering about the cortisol. My brother gets them for his herniated disks in his back, and they seem to help him.

I really don't know anything about them, but figured I would mention it if it can potentially help you.

Yea I have gotten quite a few... they're painful and they're not working. Basically they suck. I am glad they are working for your brother though They just leave me feeling like I got punched in the back.

 

[chiefmojorising]

True

Morphine is great for pain, just not so great for getting high. Should suit your needs perfectly . Good luck tomorrow with the doctor.

Yeah Morhpine does suck ass for geting high especialy morphine sulfate I have never felt ANYTHING from taking ms contin or morhpine sulfate even in very high doses