My Pain, My Doc, and the Meds
Charlayne_Elizabeth posted:
I am lucky that I have a very wonderful relationship with my Primary Care doc. I have Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofacsial Pain Syndrome. I've had to have both knees scoped and they are now bone-on-bone. Yes, I'm over-weight but that is due to the fact I really cannot get around much anymore. Exercise? What's that? Between my knees, my muscles, and everything, I barely eat and I do a lot of veggies and such. I'm very careful with my food. I can't lose weight. I'm 55 years old.
My doc is very good with my meds. I know what I'm on and the dosage. I can take a prescription of Flexoril and a narcotic. I started with the light stuff years ago, Naproxsin prescription. Then added codine to it (I'm allergic to Tylenol). Then we went harder. I can use a prescription probably for two years, max. I get one and make it last about 6 months at 60-100 tabs. I only take it when I need it, I don't take it daily. I know there's an addiction factor to this stuff. I won't take it until it's just to the point of unbearable pain. My doc doesn't have a problem with writing the scripts because of my fear of addiction. I am past Oxycodone now, I'm taking Nucynta ER 50mg. He's talked to me about going to a pain management team but I'm afraid of going to a different doctor who may poo-poo my pain levels or tell me I need to lose weight and not do anything else. I've had this for over 35 years, it's not going to go away magically, even by losing weight, I had it when I was skinny too.
Charlayne
My doc is very good with my meds. I know what I'm on and the dosage. I can take a prescription of Flexoril and a narcotic. I started with the light stuff years ago, Naproxsin prescription. Then added codine to it (I'm allergic to Tylenol). Then we went harder. I can use a prescription probably for two years, max. I get one and make it last about 6 months at 60-100 tabs. I only take it when I need it, I don't take it daily. I know there's an addiction factor to this stuff. I won't take it until it's just to the point of unbearable pain. My doc doesn't have a problem with writing the scripts because of my fear of addiction. I am past Oxycodone now, I'm taking Nucynta ER 50mg. He's talked to me about going to a pain management team but I'm afraid of going to a different doctor who may poo-poo my pain levels or tell me I need to lose weight and not do anything else. I've had this for over 35 years, it's not going to go away magically, even by losing weight, I had it when I was skinny too.
Charlayne
1 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:My Pain, My Doc, and the MedsI am lucky that I have a very wonderful relationship with my Primary Care doc. I have Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofacsial Pain Syndrome. I've had to have both knees scoped and they are now bone-on-bone. Yes, I'm over-weight but that is due to the fact I really cannot get around much anymore. Exercise? What's that? Between my knees, my muscles, and everything, I barely eat and I do a lot of veggies and such. I'm very careful with my food. I can't lose weight. I'm 55 years old. <br /><br />My doc is very good with my meds. I know what I'm on and the dosage. I can take a prescription of Flexoril and a narcotic. I started with the light stuff years ago, Naproxsin prescription. Then added codine to it (I'm allergic to Tylenol). Then we went harder. I can use a prescription probably for two years, max. I get one and make it last about 6 months at 60-100 tabs. I only take it when I need it, I don't take it daily. I know there's an addiction factor to this stuff. I won't take it until it's just to the point of unbearable pain. My doc doesn't have a problem with writing the scripts because of my fear of addiction. I am past Oxycodone now, I'm taking Nucynta ER 50mg. He's talked to me about going to a pain management team but I'm afraid of going to a different doctor who may poo-poo my pain levels or tell me I need to lose weight and not do anything else. I've had this for over 35 years, it's not going to go away magically, even by losing weight, I had it when I was skinny too.<br /><br />Charlayne
annette030 responded:
Weight does not matter as far as FMS goes. I have lost the same 50 pounds of weight twice since I have had it, it is gone again, and it did not make a bit of difference in my pain. I only have FMS though. It does make a huge difference in how I feel globally, not with the pain though.
However, it does matter for your knees. Every extra pound of weight puts 4 pounds of pressure on each knee. Every time you stand up it does matter.
You CAN lose weight. Find a form of exercise that you enjoy doing. For me it was belly dancing, lol. I am 62 and dance in the TV room where NO ONE can see me. I dance along with DVDs on the TV set, every day. I do an hour a day, every day. I have done it for 2-3 years now. I don't diet, but I probably should. I lose a very small amount of weight each time I see my doctor. A couple of pounds every three months.
You can exercise in a chair if you want to. There are DVDs and stuff on You Tube for everything nowadays. You don't need to lose a lot of weight to make it worth your while.
You can do what you like, but change the attitude you have about losing weight. Do a simple calories in and calories out thing. Write down everything that you put in your mouth for awhile. See a dietician for portion control and exercise advise if you need it, I learned a lot, and I am already an RN. I only saw her twice.
I would discuss your fears about seeing a PM doctor with your pcp, then screen them on the phone, there are a bunch of strict interventionists out there that you do not want to see. There may be something out there that you have not tried that could help you, besides losing weight. It is not an either/or thing, try both....
Keep in touch.
Take care, Annette
However, it does matter for your knees. Every extra pound of weight puts 4 pounds of pressure on each knee. Every time you stand up it does matter.
You CAN lose weight. Find a form of exercise that you enjoy doing. For me it was belly dancing, lol. I am 62 and dance in the TV room where NO ONE can see me. I dance along with DVDs on the TV set, every day. I do an hour a day, every day. I have done it for 2-3 years now. I don't diet, but I probably should. I lose a very small amount of weight each time I see my doctor. A couple of pounds every three months.
You can exercise in a chair if you want to. There are DVDs and stuff on You Tube for everything nowadays. You don't need to lose a lot of weight to make it worth your while.
You can do what you like, but change the attitude you have about losing weight. Do a simple calories in and calories out thing. Write down everything that you put in your mouth for awhile. See a dietician for portion control and exercise advise if you need it, I learned a lot, and I am already an RN. I only saw her twice.
I would discuss your fears about seeing a PM doctor with your pcp, then screen them on the phone, there are a bunch of strict interventionists out there that you do not want to see. There may be something out there that you have not tried that could help you, besides losing weight. It is not an either/or thing, try both....
Keep in touch.
Take care, Annette
Report This| Share this:My Pain, My Doc, and the MedsWeight does not matter as far as FMS goes. I have lost the same 50 pounds of weight twice since I have had it, it is gone again, and it did not make a bit of difference in my pain. I only have FMS though. It does make a huge difference in how I feel globally, not with the pain though.<br /><br />However, it does matter for your knees. Every extra pound of weight puts 4 pounds of pressure on each knee. Every time you stand up it does matter. <br /><br />You CAN lose weight. Find a form of exercise that you enjoy doing. For me it was belly dancing, lol. I am 62 and dance in the TV room where NO ONE can see me. I dance along with DVDs on the TV set, every day. I do an hour a day, every day. I have done it for 2-3 years now. I don't diet, but I probably should. I lose a very small amount of weight each time I see my doctor. A couple of pounds every three months.<br /><br />You can exercise in a chair if you want to. There are DVDs and stuff on You Tube for everything nowadays. You don't need to lose a lot of weight to make it worth your while.<br /><br />You can do what you like, but change the attitude you have about losing weight. Do a simple calories in and calories out thing. Write down everything that you put in your mouth for awhile. See a dietician for portion control and exercise advise if you need it, I learned a lot, and I am already an RN. I only saw her twice.<br /><br />I would discuss your fears about seeing a PM doctor with your pcp, then screen them on the phone, there are a bunch of strict interventionists out there that you do not want to see. There may be something out there that you have not tried that could help you, besides losing weight. It is not an either/or thing, try both....<br /><br />Keep in touch.<br /><br />Take care, Annette
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