Opioids My doctor won't prescribe a medication I LEGITIMATELY need

[lifeood431]

I have had chronic severe tension headaches for several years. My doctor has run a CT scan and run blood work and everything has come up normal. He has put me on numerous medications (Fioricet, Imitrex, Sumatrapin, Propanolol, and another triptan I can't remember the name exactly. The fioricet helped with my milder headaches, all the other have provide NO RELIEF if not causing my headaches to become worse!

Recently I was prescribed Norco for a back injury and I noticed that it also SIGNIFICANTLY reduced or eliminated my tension headaches with NO REBOUND headaches. He also recently prescribed me a bottle of Tussionex which also killed my headaches everytime I took it! I usually would be headache free for 2-3 days after taking it, when I normally have a headache 5-6 days a week. I asked my doctor if I could have a prescription for Norco, I explained how much they help. He said no because of the risk of rebound headaches and he prescribed me ANOTHER triptan which cost a fortune AND did nothing.

I have a check up next week and I don't know what to do or say. I feel defeated. I feel like I've found a medication that helps. I only want to use it when I have some of my worst headaches, and again I did not have any rebound headache symptoms but I feel if I bring it up again I will look like some druggie or something. I'm honestly just tired of trying medication after medication which really doesn't help, when there is one out there that helps. Does anyone have experience with this or advice? Very frustrating. Note this is not a thread on how to deceive my doctor, I just don't know how to go about discussing this AGAIN with him without setting off a red flag in his head.


Thank you!

 

[roxi2873]

Hate to say it but opioids aren't really a good fix for this, they may mask the pain a few times but the risk of becoming dependant on them and then having to take more for a chronic headache problem is pretty big. Soon, they won't even work. I'm not saying he's right by not prescribing them, but I have a feeling most doctors would do the same thing unless you find a pushover. Maybe a good NSAID like voltaren and fioricet would help. I know it's not what you want to hear, but the doctor could be steering you away from a lifetime of abuse and absolute hell. If you find you like the way it feels, do yourself a favor and go another route. I wish I had.

 

[AnythingEverything]

Im sorry to hear you are struggling with headaches, I do also as well as migraines and they are debilitating . I would probably be going down the path of more investigations as to why you are getting them, there has to be a reason that's not been discovered through the Tests you have had so far. I do agree with the poster above that you're better steering clear of heavier opiates and your dr is probably trying to do the right thing. Opiates are not easy to get off (im on a stack of suboxone now so can't take anything decent for the headaches but am trying to find out the cause - the SUBOXONE was making them worse until I started spitting it out instead of swallowing which helped a lot.

If they are tension headaches there are other, natural ways to relieve them, maybe see a naturopath and or Chiro. I know ita not what you want to hear and i know how desperate the need for relief is, but it wouldn't be normal for a dr to prescribe heavier opiates for tension headaches.

I do hope you get to the bottom of it.

 

[roxi2873]

I've had 2 actual migraines in my life. The second time, I was legitimately thinking of blowing my brains out I was in so much pain. I started going half blind and was actually crying it hurt so bad. I went to the hospital. They automatically thought I was a drug seeker. I am an addict, yes but I have never gone to the ER trying to get a script. After giving me like 4 shots...1 in each ass cheek and one in each hip I was seriously in any more pain just because I was now sore from all the shots. I don't know what they gave me, but it was nothing good. After laying in agony for a half hour or so the doctor came in and asked if it was any better. I said no, that it's actually worse. Then he just looked at me and said "it's against hospital policy to give opiates for migraines". I just looked at him in a way he knew I was angry. I hadn't even asked for an opiate. I said look, I have abused drugs before but loom at my records, I have NEVER done something so pathetic as to come into a hospital faking a migraine hoping to get IV dilaudid or something. If I want drugs, I can go buy them myself and honest to God if this doesn't stop soon I don't know how much longer I can take it because I'd rather be dead. He said hold on let me go check something. 2 minutes later a nurse came in and gave me an IV push of phenorgan and 2mg dilaudid. I was in so much pain, I couldn't even enjoy the buzz. But I went home 2 hours later. He offered to write me a script for fioricet, and I said no thanks because at this time I had been clean for 6 months and didn't want any narcotic prescription. He looked at me surprised and I just said " told you I'm not a drug seeker".

 

[AnythingEverything]

Oh migraines are debilitating and scary ?. Good on you for saying no. I would find it hard. Even though I have been a drug seeker and have had prescription drug addictions, there have been times (2 x bouts of severe pneumonia requiring hospitalisation and a cricket ball sized lump removed from under my arm) that I have really needed something stronger, but se soon as I tell them im on suboxone and valium they treat me like a junkie. Obviously they won't give you anhthing whilst taking suboxone but i would have been willing to go off it to get some relief in those times. Have never, ever been game to ask for anything more than panadol though, and on one occasion, tramadol, which I hate. It can be hard.

 

[Sam4u99]

Ask for a script for a muscle relaxer, they are the best for tension headaches (I take Zanaflex, it works well. Flexeril also works well). My other suggestion is Midrin.

Midrin
This combination medication is used to relieve tension and migraine headaches. Headache pain can sometimes be caused by widened blood vessels in the head. Isometheptene works by narrowing these widened blood vessels. Acetaminophen relieves mild to moderate pain from various causes, including headache. Dichloralphenazone has a calming effect to help you relax.

Also, if you are having them that frequently, you need a maintenance drug. Topamax is a great one.

 

[Krat1712]

You can try kratom. It will probabily work just as good as norcos but developing a dependency with it is a definite possibility unless you only use it a few times a week.

 

[watermellon]

Check out some of the research done with magic mushrooms on cluster headache's. Most of the patients that participated in the trial had said the shrooms almost completely eliminated the headache's. One guy said all he needed was about 1.0-1.5g every 30 to 45days and his headaches were pretty much gone. Deff something to look into and on another note the same guy also said his quality and outlook on life got better after his experiences with mush.

From someone on sub maintenance, you don't want to go down the road of opiates. Chances are more than likely one day opiates will come to bite you in the ass. One class of drugs I wish I never touched were opiates. I can shoot some meth/coke every couple of weeks without getting out of control but doing a bag or 2 will have me being a on big run again.

 

[Rockerbaby35]

Dear lifeood431. I am very very sorry that you are suffering! I too get headaches. I get very severe migraines! I suffer every single day. I am currently in the same boat as you. I had a fantastic doctor who prescribed all my medications. One of them was vicoprofen. He recently closed his practice and finding a new one has been a nightmare!
Most of the doctors I have seen either have a "God complex" (it's all in your mind, you don't need anything.) or are, what I call, medical journal doctors. Those doctors are the ones who have no interest listening to their patients and only believe whatever medical journals tell them (i.e. "Most medications including narcotics don't help migraines, they cause rebound headaches.")
While some medications do cause rebound for some patients, most studies on the subject were done on less than 2,000 patients who were taking 6-8 pills every day for 5 weeks. I AM NOT a study! I am an individual and this is what works for me! I have never had a rebound headache. I only take my vicoprofen when I hit a 6 or higher on the pain scale.

I wish I knew how to help you! It's making me crazy. The American Academy of Pain has a great article. It's about how women are more discriminated against when it comes to pain. They are usually told it's not real. Denied the meds they need or ignored all together! Btw, don't believe the myths that the media want you to believe. MOST people who take narcotics pain meds, take it exactly as directed and DO NOT get addicted. It's less than 1% that do. WebMD has an article called "prescription painkiller addiction: 7 Myths. It's an informative read! There are other articles you can find on the subject from legitimate health sources. A lot of sources like Mayo clinic, believe the "all patients get rebound headache" but it's just not true!! You know what has worked for you! I really hope you find a doctor that listens. It took me and my doctor almost a year to find a combo of rescue meds that worked. Fiorcet, Imatrex shots, vicoprofen, and naproxen. It really knocks out my pain! If it's ok. I would like to know how you are doing. Again, I wish I knew what to do for you. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you!

 

[UpInFlames]

Unfortunately, speaking as a migraneur who also suffers from severe muscle tension headaches, Midrin is no longer available in the States.

 

[tacodude]

As others said it isn't rebound headaches your doctor wants to avoid, but an opiate dependency, which trust me can be much worse. If it's a lifelong pain I don't recommend becoming dependant on opiates/opioids. Only if it's a pain that can get better short term.... Really there's supposed recommended regulations to script opiates for pain for six months at most and many doctors fear scripting them as they are risking their licence to do so. It may not be fair or right, but it is what it is.

 

[tightlywound]

my doctors won't prescribe me 2-3 medications I legitimately need for 4 conditions that totally fuck up my quality of life. 2 of the medications (the ones I REALLY can't get by w/o) are not even drugs I've ever had a problem w/ or even a recreational interest in and I have no desire or intention whatsoever to take them any way other than as medically intended.
wish I had just kept my addiction under wraps. it fucked up my life in more ways than D.A.R.E ever warned me about.

 

[sekio]

I'm sorry, but we don't allow threads asking how to get prescribed certain medication, narcotics on the scheduled drugs list especially.