• Select Your Topic Then Scroll Down
    Alcohol Bupe Benzos
    Cocaine Heroin Opioids
    RCs Stimulants Misc
    Harm Reduction All Topics Gabapentinoids
    Tired of your habit? Struggling to cope?
    Want to regain control or get sober?
    Visit our Recovery Support Forums

Harm Reduction The Pain Management Megathread (Chronic and Acute Pain Discussion) v6

Status
Not open for further replies.
Miss T, that sounds terrible. That had to be exruciating. Please keep us updated on his orogress. I think the Dr, like has been mentioned, will go up to next opiate which usually hydrocodobe. But as i put in my last post, those will work great for a time then hell be hurting again then up to oxy and so on. But he has a reason to take it. I mean, in tapering my meds and its still a lot and this is 6th day of bad back and they dont touch the pain. I almost went to ER this morning earky but it actualke feels a bit better. I stood up a lot quicker and was able to stretch out as much as i can tolerate. Feels ok but still hurts. I thought it figured i decide to get off opiates and my back goes iut! Murphys Law!!! I did a lot of, for me, heavy ifting last 2 weeks so idk if i hurt it then or the chair i sleep in. I rearranged the chairs blankets and pilliws and its better. I git one of those massaging mats for chairs and that things great cause it has heat. Maybe i need to ice it. Idk. Should go to dr but with no car its hard. Tried to set it up this morning but my ride never got back ti me. Frustrating. I still need meds and stuff and so i hope my ride gets back to me. Stress is at top of lust that aggravate pain. Thats the trap im in. I need to get stuff done and dr and hands are tied and i stress and seens like pain everywhere gets worse. The Dr who i saw this month is a pain specialist and shink and taught me how anxuety effects chronic pain. I have meds for stress so im ok but still get stressed. This back pain is teaching me to live in pain so its actually training me to get iff the opiates. Trying to be optimistic. Ive been lucky and never had back problems. Its hurt and been sore since i had to start sleeping sitting up cause my ostomy bag. I realky hope this back pain is jyst that and nit serious. You know it hurt if i go to ER cause that is last resort. I have complez cause ive been there many times but a coupe if times i walk in there in pain and had to have emergency surgery so im scared what they would do to my back like spunal tap ir something. Sounds paranoud but you never know there. I saw so many Drs last symmer i go only when i have to now. Thats why i was depressed tribg to make call for ride to ER this morning. So far so good. Hot shower water feels goid on it. I mean, if its nithing serioys, what can they do? Refer me places. Id love a shit of Toradol in my back. That stuff always helps me. Anyway, yall wish me luck with the stupid back and Miss Tecal, please you and yoyr husband hang in there. Things will get better. Its hard to say that on a thread where people have had massive chronic pain and its never gotten better. I hate when people say hang in there so i wont do it but just think hard about which direction yall wanna go and you have all of us for support and advice. Take care.

Dixi: move is done. Still have some to do at old house. Never ends. At the mercy of my buddy who helped me move. Hopefully Sat so i can get my other busdy over to help cause i cant do much with my back. But if it keeps feelung better who knows. The new place is a challenge. The lady and her son are very nice people but people always over here and omg the dogs. Every morning at 6 they go nuts to go out i think. Wakes me right uo. If rarely theres somethibg on tv i wanna watch ill tyrn uo my sureoynd sound but usually have my headphones on all day. I put Enya in my Pandora to sleep to. It worked like a champ. That lasy yelling at those dogs and them barking. It happens when im on phone and people are like, what the hell? Its just a lift with a smalll half barh up here so i have no where to hang my clothes or put my foid away. I inly eat peanut butter sand and ice cream cause my ostomy but still. Everything is in bags on floir. Theres a little bedroim thats where all my boxes are. I dint wear nice clithes cause of the istomy but i do have some nice stuff i wanna hang. What happened is i had pressure from landlord to find place and everything in my price range was in the ghetto and this wasnt and was deperate. I dudnt like the dogs but walked up here and didnt really look around and took it now im livibg like im 20 again. There are some dressers but basicalky i gotta dig thru a bag fir clithes. Its just tempirary and survival at this point. Its nit my time yet but in a year it will be my time. Get back to wirk and being a dad. Thats gonna be my life, pain or no pain. Im not letting shut stop me. Anyway, coulda PM you. Didnt mean to type so much. Hope youre feeling ok. PM me and let me know how you are. Have a goid day
 
Miss T...I'm truly sorry for the pain that both you and your husband endure with your spinal issues. I relate, believe me. I was airlifted from a near fatal car crash (with my mom and sister) when I was a junior in HS. We were broken to pieces like porcelain dolls and remained hospitalized for weeks into months. Thank God we survived, and my sister's unborn child was delivered healthy. However, that was 1977 and all 3 of us have residual neck, back, pelvic and hip pain that rears its ugly head.

It's horrific that your broken back was missed. I would ask "How the fuck does that happen?". Sadly, I can answer that question based on my own missed diagnoses of disease by numerous GYNs/UROs. IME, the negligence and apathy of today's "doctors" is only getting worse.

That's why I say that the smaller dose you can cope with the pain, the better. Tramadol had potential to help me, but because of GI issues with constipation, I had to stop. The Tramadol affects the serotonin, so it seems to give a mood lift. That was helpful for my depression. Day to day, grinding unrelenting pain takes us to a dark place. We have to find ways to battle those demons. We have to take the time from our demanding careers to decompress and allow our bodies to rejuvenate.

I wish I had answers, too. But I don't. I kept my distance from opiates for decades until 2013. I had reached 52 and could no longer white knuckle my way through crippling pain. I sought out 8 or 9 specialists across 3 states, begging each to HELP ME. I wanted the problems fixed, not the Band-Aid of meds. They wouldn't touch me, either from the standpoint of "don't care" or "fear of lawsuit" due to my complex disease. I hit the wall when they ALL told me to seek PM and learn to "deal with it". Gee, thanks.

I've spent the last 2 years in PM, or I should say "Pain not Managed" with opiates. I have endured trials of MS Contin, Oxycodone, Fent patches and back to Oxycodone. I can honestly say that 3 out of 4 weren't tolerated. The Oxycodone, for me, only masks the pain for a second it seems. Then I'm left with rebound pain that is even worse. I take small doses w/Neurontin as an adjunct. I do all of the things I suggested in my earlier post, because a body must stay in motion to ward off MORE PAIN.

Now, if only I could get my bowels in motion...I can't win for losing. :!

Thanks for the update, closeau. I'm sorry about the noisy new place. That barking and screaming alone can make me crazy(er). Your attitude is great. This is not permanent. It's a bridge you're crossing to get to the other side. You are making the best of a bad situation. Your safety is paramount, until you can regroup and make your move to Colorado. Keep those spirits up, my brotha. I admire your goals, so keep your eye on the PRIZE...
 
Hey guys & gals, I've had a week if no sensation in my right hand!

See my neurologist Monday late arvo so hope he can shed some light!

Went to a GP today as I've burnt & cut myself recently. He says I've no strength in my hand and that neuro is best. Very hard as it's my main hand.

Rtp
 
Hey RTP...Glad to hear you've scheduled a Neuro. Your GP's on point, as it sounds like possible nerve compression. I hope that's not the case, but better to be safe than sorry. Sending positive vibes your way...

For my peeps in the Northeast...Bur-r-r-r!!! Stock up on essentials. Try to stay safe and warm! My husband's hoping for a Norman Rockwell type snowfall here. It's not gonna happen this far South. It's storming (thunder/lightening/rain) outside today with a few flurries possible tomorrow. It sounds like further North will get hammered with blizzards. Take a minute to check on your senior peeps, as most are too proud to ask for help!
 
Hey everyone hope all is bit better?! Something we wish for hey? Well I just wanted to post a quick hello and say that I found li not at all effective for my pancreatic pain .. But hey being hith was quite enjoyable, always smoked one an then watch Drugs Inc. Man I love that show! Where the hell do they find those people?
Anyway I've quit since will smoke on occasion shure but that's it.

Was doing better for a while after I went for a nerve block in November but seems like the pain is up there again and I'm thinking of asking my pm clinic if they'll put me back on the fentanyl patches coz their more effective. Yes I agree that fent raised my tolerance considerably but what to do at the end of the day hey?
Rtp hope your arms ok. Did you nodd out on it or something?
 
Hey all-
I purchased a far-infrared mat.
It really has been working well for me. I can finally sleep more than 3 hours at a time, and it really does wonders for my back pain...Even better though, it helps w/ the pain from my inguinal neuroma. I just have not been able to get relief from that pain (except heavy opioids). I mean, some nice folks will rub your back, but get a little antsy if asked to message my groin...The pain is like mid-evil torture; like sitting on the chair w/ the giant spike that stabs you right in the taint, and impales you...difficult area to apply tiger balm and whatnot also.

So, this mat, the far-infrared heat/light can penetrate 3-6in. in to the body. Plus, it has a really mellow, sleep inducing vibe. Mine is amethyst crystal on 1 side; jade and black tourmaline on the other.

This is actually healing me, as I have noticed improvement in pain and balance after use too.
Nothing like the way a heating pad works...Oh, it also has an EMF blocker, so no radiation like traditional heating pads or blankets.
They're pricey, but I'll pay anything to kill this pain for a few hours...
Thought I'ld let yall know about it.
 
That heating pad sounds Devine suicidalnod. I've got tense back muscles sometimes and can see how one can benefit from one of those! Especially if it helps with pain even tho it's pricey I believe if it helps even slightly it's worth it for shure. On another note have any of you ever used buprenorphine or subutex for pain (not just for withdrawals)

I ran out of my script early got my hands on some subutex and must say I'm surprised at the efficacy it has had on my pain? Realy surprised and was wondering why its not used for pain more tHan withdrawals? Or is it and I'm just not aware of the fact, as I don't know of lots of people using it specifically for pain. Just like methadone I guess there's a negative connotation attached to it like it's a "addicts only" kinda medicine
Personaly I'd use it for pain if it wasn't so darn expensive over here. But if I do ever have the cash I'd certainly give it another look foreshore.
 
^Lol no, not from nodding out & having a good snooze on my arm.

Ever since I was hit by a vehicle around five months ago now,- most mornings I wake with pins & needles/numbness in both hands which generally goes away after a few minutes of wriggling my fingers around to get the blood circulating again.

Except for, getting on to three weeks now with my right hand. I saw the neurologist who I've seen once before, & he's ordered me a nerve conduction test. My PM thought both hands being numb in mornings meant it was coming from my neck. This professer thinks it's either carpal tunnel or radial something.

Either way it's a pest having zero feeling except for my little finger. Even holding a pen to sign my name! Thank god it's not often painful as well!!

For me, pain wise, the switch to subs has been a miracle in disguise. Better relief, admittedly at higher than norm doses than oxy gave me in the last few yrs.

Though I'm wondering what part the naloxone plays in that....

Rtp
 
Stef - bupe is definitely used for treating pain, usually in the microgram range of course. Norspan (sp?) sell a 7 day patch with a total of 5mg in the patch (ones I've actually seen) released over a 7 day period, for whatever reason patients I've known to have the bupe patches are all elderly.

RTP - I've still got numb middle and ring finger on my right hand, the left hand numbness went away after a day or so but I've got a numb patch of skin on my forehead that's been there a week now...fuck knows what it's about but I've started what will probably be months of blood tests. Yay.
 
^perhaps u nodded out & smacked your head on the table at dinner ;) *jk-,reference to Stef's comment about my hand going dead.

My neuro said if the numbness was in the outer fingers only it would've meant the Ulner nerve was compressed.

Do u have pain in the wrist or fingers? I was told it was a bad sign that I feel no pain in my hand, only the inside of my elbow radiating to (or from) my shoulder, as whichever nerves are involved are severely affected.

Re: Buprenorphine patches, back when I was on full agonists my PM said they don't come in high enough doses to be equianalgesic to what I was used to.

There was someone on BL that used to refer to them as non-addictive morphine patches.

Low dose naltrexone is used in Europe I believe, maybe even in the states for chronic pain. It's not approved here yet, but when I had my 5-htp made up at a compounding pharmacy I later noticed on the bag they can make it with a script. Not quite sure how that works :/ guess anything can be made in a lab that doesn't need govt details such as medicare cards etc. For a price.

Rtp
 
^No I have no pain only numbness - when I used to get high on opiates my head would ever so slowly bow down until it would gently rest on a table - but the pain in my back would have me shoot upright after a short nod and then rinse and repeat lol ridiculous human.

Yeah any of us that have been on full ags for any appreciable amount of time would get nothing from bupe pain patches....I'd just as well use them to tape a poster to a wall.
 
/\I get the same spasm issue SKR. When I start to even get close to a nod my lower back shoots pain and causes me to have a full body jerk.... I've thrown my Xbox controller across the room and do much worse because of it. It's so annoying it's like whenever I get close to relaxing my body says no and tightens around my injured back leading to the spasm. I just don't understand it.../\


I don't know if anyone's mentioned this, but for those who don't get relief from acupuncture/pressure I recommend looking into acutonics and finding someone local who practices it. I found it to be the most useful acute pressure point treatment while it is also non invasive. The kits to do it can be bought by anyone so it is also something one can learn oneself and apply to the reachable areas, but the best results are when someone can hit every point.

Just a suggestion for someone who suffers chronic pain and only finds relief without stomach issues destroying any appetite (tylonal or any NSAID) or creates some cognative issue like mood swings (methadone), extreme irritability and memory disconnect (tramadol), or even just an inability to think literally leaving me unable to build sentences without taking three to five seconds in between every word (gabapentin esp. and baclofen)

Take care y'all
 
......and I'll add to that by being nowhere near the first person to say I absolutely fucking hate the taste of suboxone strips....fuck me the taste alone is a fair enough reason to switch to IV'ing the horrible shit.

Whatever you do kids, don't do chronic pain.
 
I like the eights, not the twos tho. Subutex is better again. My pharm let's me leave with a mouthful of tablets, half of which I put in a pill box for later. Especially with a cig chaser..

So, SKR, you're not getting any pain relief from subs? Have u stabilised on a dose yet?

Xanax- does that help or just help you not think of the pain?

Rtp
 
I just did my back today moving a patient at work (I'm a registered nurse) and i am in a world of pain. 400mg of ibuprofen, 20mg of IR oxycodone have done nothing for the pain. I am about to have another 10mg of oxycodone to see if that knocks it on the head. I clearly need some ER Oxycontin as well as the IR 10mg oxycodone but i will have to wait till Monday to see my GP now as its Friday afternoon. This is going to be a shit weekend. Pain sucks. I just hope i dont have to rely on these tablets too long as i am all to aware of the pitfalls but what do you do when your in agony?
 
Consumer that is the golden question! The catch 22 we are all or atleast most of us on here are in. What else can you do for the pain except take some opies for the massive amounts of pain your in. . And so it starts.. Before long you can't realy get relief anymore. So my advice: keep use to a minimum. The lowest effective dose possible.
I always had an image of overdose in my mind, going into a nod druling all over yourself eyes drooping bliss then turning blue and dying. Turns out the definition of overdose is taking or using more than the prescribed or recommended dose. man I've been od-ing my entire life... Hahaha
S
 
@consumer, are you allowed to take opiates (or that bad, bad, word- 'narcotics') while nursing?

I know when I completed my psych degree, the main public health system in my area would not allow anyone requiring opiates to even apply for positions.

Luckily I found a solid position outside of these boundaries, just wondering if it's a blanket policy nation or worldwide. Oh, & sorry for your back!

@taco, my PM told me yrs ago that I was "so far past acupuncture", I'm literally nauseous every single day which I believe is due to NSAIDs.

Rtp
 
@consumer, are you allowed to take opiates (or that bad, bad, word- 'narcotics') while nursing?

I know when I completed my psych degree, the main public health system in my area would not allow anyone requiring opiates to even apply for positions.

Luckily I found a solid position outside of these boundaries, just wondering if it's a blanket policy nation or worldwide. Oh, & sorry for your back!

@taco, my PM told me yrs ago that I was "so far past acupuncture", I'm literally nauseous every single day which I believe is due to NSAIDs.

Rtp
Absolutely I am allowed to take opiates while i am off work with an injury. Its a different story taking them at work which i would never do as i need to be 100% on the ball. But being prescribed them for pain management is no problem as far as work goes. My boss took me down to see one of the doctors in ED and even remarked that they would get some Endone (oxycodone 5mg tablets) in me straight away. Its not an issue.

I have had to take 30mg at a time to control the pain so far today. I will go and see my doc on monday and get some ER oxycontin prescribed so i can just use the IR 10mg capsules for breakthrough pain. Hopefully this settles down soon and i can take some less potent meds. I have no desire to abuse them and i know the slippery slope they present. At the moment i have no choice though. I am in a world of pain.
One problem i am going to have is sleeping as i find oxy quite stimulating. I have valium for the muscle spasms but i dont think they are going to knock me out and i am wary of going over 10mg of diazepam while i am taking so much oxy. What a shithouse day this turned out to be.
 
I see it's been a couple years SP, so I send this with hope & blessings for your Mom. For your situation & anyone with the bs legal red letter of opiate use pre-pain condition this should in no way cause issues with obtaining proper pain meds considering serious medical disorder, from the treating team. That you haven't been assured (assuming) at the time by her Dr's seems rather crass (lest I misunderstood), so I hope this was/has more than been straightened out, & that the Bupe was dropped & she was looked after.

No-one should have to wonder around such an emo mine field & if one finds themselves there, speak up, for humanity's sake it should well have been covered in the treatment planning & history of patient reviews. Again, blessings to all with pain issues & the issues that jump on the ride...Peace
 
Rtp I really hope they find what's wrong with yer arm it must be really uncomfortable when your arm is like that. I've slept my arms numb a couple of times in my life and it took hours after I woke up to go back to normal and that was irritating as fuck to me. That numb tingly "sparkly" feeling is quite crap. Let us know as soon as they find out what's going on. I'll say a little prayer for you.
But...
Just be honest you nodded out on that arm didn't you!? Hahaha! Only kidding . All of the best.
How long have you been on the buprenorphine for your pain? And how many mg do you use? I used an 8mg and was surprised at the painkilling effects. Only used the subutex for 3 days to tide me over till I got my script. They put me back on the fentanyl patches 75ug by my request and am feeling much better pain relief than the morphine I was on. I really think that I was "underdosed as I got 40mg slow release 2x daily and then 10mg ir x4 dly but I was using 50ug fentanyl patches before they put me on the morphine?? That doesn't sound right to me? (the morphine dosage equal to fentanyl) or am I wrong? What do you think rtp ?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top