Advice on Finding a Doctor/Switching Meds/Stereotyping Gone Wrong & More (Just Read!)
Okay BL'ers....I have a (actually several) somewhat complex questions. Please, PLEASE help me out!! Here it goes:
So, a little bit about myself: First off, I am a college student at a prestigious university in the Bay Area. I'm currently seeing a suboxone doctor and am being prescribed ~16mg per day and am SLOWLY being tapered off. My doc is cool and understanding. But here's the thing...I REALLY DO have an issue with pain. I played baseball all throughout my life and blew out my back around age 18. Ever since then, I had been seeing doctors for my back pain and they would prescribe me vicodin, percocet, etc. off and on but never consistently for a long period of time. Then, last summer ('10) I had an accident and broke my foot. I was put on pain meds for the next 4-5 months because I had to go through surgery, physical therapy, etc. Basically, it was a long process. My doc eventually told me that he could no longer write me prescriptions for pain medication. I felt as though I was being stereotyped just because I happen to be a 21 year old, with stud earrings, a nose piercing, and I wear jack purcells, designer jeans, have a faux-hawk etc. Anyways, hopefully you catch my drift. At that point, I had become fairly dependent on the painkillers, but the worse problem was the fact that I ACTUALLY do have CONSTANT back pain. My foot eventually healed and has now become a non-factor.
So, now, my back is killing me day in and day out and I also have ridiculously bad neck pain and stiffness. I am still prescribed suboxone but it does absolutely NOTHING to help me with my pain. As I mentioned, I am a college student. I am pre-law, have a 3.8 overall GPA and will be a lawyer in 4 years or so. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I am a stand-up young man, not some drug-seeking high school dropout. But, like I said, I feel I am stereotyped by every doctor that I see when I complain of my ailments.
I also have a very high tolerance to pain meds. I am about 6'4 210. It takes quite a bit of meds to relieve my pain. Recently, the pain has gotten worse and its terrible when I'm sitting in class. Obviously, this is a huge problem. My concentration just isn't where it should be when I'm in class.
Basically, my problem is that I absolutely need to find a doctor in my area that will sympathize with me and hopefully prescribe me some kind of extended release medication (at a pretty high dosage) and preferably a break-through pain medication as well.
If there is anyone at all out there that could help me out or give me some advice, you would be my HERO (and that's NOT an overstatement). If anyone happens to be in the Bay Area and knows of a doctor that would fit my needs, send me a PM or something. Thanks guys, I understand most of you will look at the length of this post and say, "forget it," but please don't! I feel hopeless right now and the last thing I need is for my grades to drop and to see my dreams of law school go crashing away because of this horrific pain.
Again, thank you SO much for reading. Have a wonderful Sunday evening to you all!
EDIT: I've also done hours and hours of research.....I think what I need (what would probably help the most) would be ER Opana and then some kind of breakthrough medication like some form of oxycodone? Obviously, I don't really consider myself an expert, but I never really felt much relief from hydrocodone and low doses of oxycodone. I'm not an expert, and I don't know EVERY single painkiller out there. But, at least from what I've read, it seems that Opana would be my top choice (at least to try out first). I don't really know what kind of breakthrough med would be the best....but I guess that's one of the reason's that I have come here
Also, just wanted to mention that I have been prescribed muscle relaxers and plenty of physical therapy in the past as well -- did NOT help whatsoever. I am convinced that I need some kind of painkiller. God, I certainly hope I can get this taken care of so I can focus on my studies and keep my scholarships/make my way to a prestigious law school and eventually get my career started!
Okay BL'ers....I have a (actually several) somewhat complex questions. Please, PLEASE help me out!! Here it goes:
So, a little bit about myself: First off, I am a college student at a prestigious university in the Bay Area. I'm currently seeing a suboxone doctor and am being prescribed ~16mg per day and am SLOWLY being tapered off. My doc is cool and understanding. But here's the thing...I REALLY DO have an issue with pain. I played baseball all throughout my life and blew out my back around age 18. Ever since then, I had been seeing doctors for my back pain and they would prescribe me vicodin, percocet, etc. off and on but never consistently for a long period of time. Then, last summer ('10) I had an accident and broke my foot. I was put on pain meds for the next 4-5 months because I had to go through surgery, physical therapy, etc. Basically, it was a long process. My doc eventually told me that he could no longer write me prescriptions for pain medication. I felt as though I was being stereotyped just because I happen to be a 21 year old, with stud earrings, a nose piercing, and I wear jack purcells, designer jeans, have a faux-hawk etc. Anyways, hopefully you catch my drift. At that point, I had become fairly dependent on the painkillers, but the worse problem was the fact that I ACTUALLY do have CONSTANT back pain. My foot eventually healed and has now become a non-factor.
So, now, my back is killing me day in and day out and I also have ridiculously bad neck pain and stiffness. I am still prescribed suboxone but it does absolutely NOTHING to help me with my pain. As I mentioned, I am a college student. I am pre-law, have a 3.8 overall GPA and will be a lawyer in 4 years or so. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I am a stand-up young man, not some drug-seeking high school dropout. But, like I said, I feel I am stereotyped by every doctor that I see when I complain of my ailments.
I also have a very high tolerance to pain meds. I am about 6'4 210. It takes quite a bit of meds to relieve my pain. Recently, the pain has gotten worse and its terrible when I'm sitting in class. Obviously, this is a huge problem. My concentration just isn't where it should be when I'm in class.
Basically, my problem is that I absolutely need to find a doctor in my area that will sympathize with me and hopefully prescribe me some kind of extended release medication (at a pretty high dosage) and preferably a break-through pain medication as well.
If there is anyone at all out there that could help me out or give me some advice, you would be my HERO (and that's NOT an overstatement). If anyone happens to be in the Bay Area and knows of a doctor that would fit my needs, send me a PM or something. Thanks guys, I understand most of you will look at the length of this post and say, "forget it," but please don't! I feel hopeless right now and the last thing I need is for my grades to drop and to see my dreams of law school go crashing away because of this horrific pain.
Again, thank you SO much for reading. Have a wonderful Sunday evening to you all!
EDIT: I've also done hours and hours of research.....I think what I need (what would probably help the most) would be ER Opana and then some kind of breakthrough medication like some form of oxycodone? Obviously, I don't really consider myself an expert, but I never really felt much relief from hydrocodone and low doses of oxycodone. I'm not an expert, and I don't know EVERY single painkiller out there. But, at least from what I've read, it seems that Opana would be my top choice (at least to try out first). I don't really know what kind of breakthrough med would be the best....but I guess that's one of the reason's that I have come here
Also, just wanted to mention that I have been prescribed muscle relaxers and plenty of physical therapy in the past as well -- did NOT help whatsoever. I am convinced that I need some kind of painkiller. God, I certainly hope I can get this taken care of so I can focus on my studies and keep my scholarships/make my way to a prestigious law school and eventually get my career started!
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