Pain Management Community

You have the choice of increasing your oxy (contin or codone?, it matters).

If you're not getting pain management from your current dose, one option is to increase the dose to get better pain management.

If you think that you're a "drugy" and don't want to increase your meds, then don't. No one is going to make you take meds that you don't want.

What is ,"cancer n hart dec."?

Pain management MDs are not treating your disease or disorder that causes pain; they are only treating the pain.

Your MD that sees you for your "cancer n hart dec" is treating your disorder or disease process.

No one here knows how the rest of your life will be. That is kind-of up to you.

We all wish that we could be "fixed", but that isn't always possible. Certainly you must know this.Do you know if the 60 mg oxy is Oxycontin or Oxycodone?

Is the dose 60 mg per day, or 60 mg more-than one dose per day?

I am having a very difficult time understanding what you're trying to say.

Why are you concerned that you're experiencing pain and that your MD wants to increase your pain med to treat your pain.

Sadly, we can't have it both ways.

Good luck with that.

Hi willow1964,
First of al I am soory to hear that you are suffering so badly with so much pain!Did you say you have Cancer??
I suffer from Chronic pain too and I know how hard it is ,especially if its been a long time!!!
My meds don't work that much anymore either and I have already gone up to higher doses,so I want you know that I do understand!!!!
If you are really hurting that bad and your Dr. wnts to try something to help,why not???I really hope that you hang in there and don't give up!Remember that there is alot of us here and you can contact me anytime!!!!We all support eachother and it really helps me!!
I gotta go for now but I will be waiting for a reply,
you will be in my prayers too!
Blessings77grace

Hello,
We dont know what your diagnosis is and we are not doctors. However I do have a suggestions since I am a chronic pain person for the past 12 years. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, Spondylosis Arthritis, and I was in a bad accident back in 2001 that damaged every bone and joint in my body.

My suggestions is to accept a change in your pain meds AND at the same time-get to the root of the problem causing all of this pain. We absolutely have to be our own best ambassadors when it comes to our health. No one else will do it for us. Dont wait for Dr. offices to call you back with results. Write questions down to ask your Dr.'s Push push push for results and answers. My own Dr. once told me that the Squeaky Wheel gets results-he has been 100% correct so far. And you have to be nice about it but consistent at all times. I hope these suggestions have been helpful. Good luck and God Bless.

Willow> I have been were you are (minus the cancer) the pain I have comes from RA, CMS, Fibromyalgia, chronic pain, degenerative disc disease, patella-femoral disorder, tension headaches, TMJ, a torn muscle/tendon in my left rotator cuff, OA, bursitis in my shoulders, edema, nerve damage, sciatica pain, and so on. When I moved to be with loved ones in NJ, I was taking 160mgs of hydromorphone, 12 tablets of Oxycodone 30mgs per day(for break thru pain.) and stuff for anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-spasmodic meds, and so on.
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A new pain doctor here had more than enough files on me from PCP"s, other pain doctors, orthopedics, Physical therapists, neurologists and so on starting in 2000 all the way to present. He chose to take me off the long-term pain med, trying me with something called Opana ER, but it didn't work. New nerve blocks also were worthless. So he tried me on a smaller (24mg) of Exalgo ER. He had to pump it up overtime till I was taking 4, 16mg pills of it. And that was the magic number. It helps most of the time. I usually only take 4 of the Oxycodone pills versus the 12 a day before. I take Amrix ER 15x2 a day for the spasms. The shoulder still hurts every day and worse when raining. OA of knees also an issue as I need someone to replace them. Migraines and tension headaches, TMJ, fibromyalgia, & RA still destroying me because I'm not taking preventatives because I have had bad reactions to many if not all of them. So they get worse. But atleast most of the pain is not so bad. I did have a new MRI this past month of my lumbar spine in an open MRI and it shows compression fractures, herniated and bulging discs, all but S1 is bulging & herniated. T11- T12 have such a bad herniation, that my spine thinks I have a "mass" in the canal. Now the doctor wants me to have a MRI of my thoracic and cervical films done as well. Surgery might be in my future, a scary thought.

I am 57. I say if the pain is that bad, go with the oxy. There is no reason to stay in pain if you don't have to.

Pain management is tricky, especially when using a narcotic. Its very addictive. However, if used properly, it can help you live a close-to-normal life without becoming a "drugy."

I have spinal stenosis (inoperable) and I am on a pain management program. If it weren't for narcotic pain relievers, I'd be done for. My life wouldn't be worth spit. With 3 kids, now two are 21, the other 16. I need to be here for them.

I also try to stay as active as possible, don't drink alcohol, and stick to my prescribed treatment of pain meds. I take care of myself as best I can, daily vitamins and eat the right foods. Diet is very important also.

There is nothing wrong with anyone taking narcotic pain medication as long as it is under a doctor's supervision and you stick to your prescribed dose. If you need them because you are in that much pain, go with it, and start enjoying your life as best you can. Work with your doctor on this.

Willow, I know the pain. 24/7 in pain. Don't worry what people say, They have no idea what we go threw, and would be at the doctor every day crying from it, if they had it. I'm on oxycodone and dosage goes by how i feel. 20mg on good days, 30mg on soso days, 50mg on bad days and fentanyl patch on real bad days. and that dotage is every 4-6 hours. They can't fix us, cuz they don't know how yet. I'm also 49 going on 90. And I'l be dang if I let people compare me with a druggy. We are not druggies. We do what we have to, to servive. We all get tired of the pain, but we still have to live our lives. I see my doctor monthly, except when some thing else comes up, like a different pain. Then he tells me come in. Do what you think is best for you, and don't worry about what anyone else thinks. If some one calls you a druggy. Picture them with our pain, on the floor and crying, cuz they have no idea what we go threw. God bless and hope that helps. Theresa

I just found this site and am so grateful. I too have severe back pain and have a spinal cord implant but it doesn't really make much of a difference. I have to take pain meds and felt like the pharmacist thought I was a drug addict because I kept bringing in scripts with higher and higher doses. I finally realized, to heck with them and I now follow what my pain doc suggests and have about 80 % relief when the arthritis isn't acting up. I am so grateful for finding this site. Thank you for reading this, your responses make me feel like a human again. I don't feel so alone in my pain. Thank you.

Willow, I am so there with you. I have just moved to the Florida Keys on the Gulf of Mexico and I am starting all over again to try and get help for this horrible pain all over my body. Your lucky if your pain doctor is willing to work with you to try and medically control your pain. My pain doctor in New York cut my meds in half when I developed COPD and then would not help me to look for other solutions. He just said, and I quote "Live with it!!!" I do have hopes here with the doctors in Sarasota. Right now, my favorite place is the hot water jetted tub in my apartment. It is so hard to accomplish anything at all when I am in pain 24/7 from a combination of everything. Much like everyone else here. Hello to everyone. I look forward to being a part of this group. Marsha 2006 failed spine surgery left me with nerve damage, pain all over, fibromyalgia, arthritis and a lot more spine damage

I feel your pain and I am sorry that you feel trapped and controlled by the medication. I do too. I hate it.
I wish I knew what could help

Are you following the doctor's prescriptions? Using a fentanyl patch only on "bad days" and then using it "every 4-6 hours" is not the proper way to use this drug and its delivery system.

Take care, Annette

hi willow1964.i'm a 53 yr man who has pain similar to yours.I have been taking vicodine 7.5/750 and tramadol 50mg 4 times aday for 15 years.the last three yrs. with a "pain management" doc.which all he does for me push pills and steriods,but all he really does is cost me more money.your right all they are are legal drug pushers.I have yet to find anyone who really understands pain...I now need back surgery due to too much steriod injections(they can cause bone deterioring)I hear somking marijana helps,I wont smoke anything,I know sleep helps,but how much can you sleep?,thats no life,sex helps for about ten minutes,it's the chemicals your brain makes when you orgasam,if they can figure out how to reproduse that without drugs we would all want it.money,money thats all the docs,the pharm co.and our gov. care about.I hope you good luck and find some happiness.

Hi willow1964: I know how you feel. After taking pain meds for a while your body gets used to them. I would suggest tryin g a different pain medicine to see if that would help. I will pray for you every night it does help. I am tired of chronic pain too and all I take is aleve,aspirin, and neorontin. I had 8 specialist; even went to Duke Hospital in NC. Doctors tell you all your problems but cant fix them. On my job of 18yrs(was very loyal and dedicated) when I could no longer do my job the company and all the doctors took me off my job. i think people should get rid of doctors the same way. I spent over 450,000 dollars in 2yrs time. every doctor kept saying it was my job causing pains: IVE BEEN DISABLED SINCE 2006 N STILL HAVE SAME PROBLEMS AND CHRONIC PAIN AND NOW NO JOB!!!!!!!! I HOPE AND PRAY YOU GET BETTER. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST 2 DIFFERENT OPINIONS FROM DIFFERENT DOCTORS. YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED OF RESULTS.
I USE THIS EVERYDAY::::
GOD GRANT ME THE SERENITY TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE; COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN AND WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERANCE.

MY OPINION: THE MEDICAL PROFESSION HAS CHANGED. DOCTORS AND NURSES USED TO CHOOSE THIS WORK BECAUSE THEY CARED ABOUT PEOPLE IN THEIR HEART,SOUL AND MIND. NOW MONEY IS MOSTLY
WHY. THEY RUSH YOU IN AND OUT ALOT TIMES CAN'T REMEMBER YOU AT ALL.
SOUNDS LIKE YOU NEED TO DO WHAT IM TRYING TO DO IS FIND ONE THAT CARES ABOUT THEIR PATIENTS AND NOT JUST MONEY. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW SOME PEOPLE IN THE WORLD STILL CARE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE AND PRAY FOR ALL. I WLL KEEP YOU IN MY PRAYERS AND I PRAY YOU FEEL BETTER. I AM THINKING ABOUT GOING TO SEE A HEALER EVEN. THE MIND IS THE STRONGEST,MOST IMPORTANT, AND GREATEST ORGAN OF THE BODY. CHRONIC PAIN KEEPS OUR MINDS OCCUPIED AND CONFUSSED I THINK. GRANDMA ALWAYS SAID BUSY HANDS BUSY MIND BUT WITH ME MY ARMS AND NECK HURT SO BAD THAT DOESNT WORK AT ALL. BUT: THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE WHO IS WORSE OFF THAN ME OR YOU,.,. GOD BLESS AND HELP YOU THRU THIS. AND IN HEAVEN: THERE WILL BE NO MONEY,PAIN,SORROW,EVIL, AND WE GET TO LEAVE THIS BODY OF OURS ON EARTH. THAT WILL BE A GREAT DAY AND TIME. I DONT KNOW HOW MUCH MORE PAIN I CAN TAKE AND CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT YOURS IS LIKE. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW YOU THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN THE DEALING WITH CHRONIC PAIN. IT ALSO CAUSES ANXIETY AND WHEN I THINK IM AT MY END= I OPEN MY BIBLE AND READ AND PRAY. VITAMINS B6 AND B12 HELP WITH JOINT AND NERVE PAIN I HAVE FOUND OUT IT HELPS ME SOME. WITH ALL THE MONEY HUMANS SPEND ON THINGS YOU WOULD THINK THEY COULD MAKE EVERYONES PAIN GO AWAY BY NOW SOMEHOW(WITHOUT MEDS) . IM SURE THE REAL RICH NEVER SUFFER FROM PAIN OR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR BODYS. I MAY BE WRONG AND I KNOW IM NOT SUPPOSED TO JUDGE BUT PAIN DOES CRAZY THINGS AND CHANGES A PERSON AND PERSONALITY. MONEY IS STILL ROOT OF ALL EVIL AND IF THEY FIXED YOU THEY WOULDNT MAKE MONEY ANYMORE. THATS WHAT I THINK. ALWAYS THERAPY FIRST ALL ABOUT MONEY I THINK. AGAIN I HOPE AND PRAY YOU GET BETTER AND ILL PRAY FOR YOU. BUT DO GET MORE OPINIONS ABOUT YOUR CONDITION BECAUSE DOCS MAKE MISTAKES AS DO ALL HUMANS. BEST DOCS I EVER KNEW ARE DEAD. GROWING UP DOCS AND NURSES REALLY CARED I THINK WELL I KNOW THEY DID BACK THEN. EXPERIENCE WAS THE KEY NOT ALL THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY.

WHATEVER YOU DO DONT LET ANYONE JUDGE YOU. ONLY GOD IS OUR JUDGE. NOONE KNOWS HOW YOU FEEL OR WHAT YOURE GOING THRU UNLESS THEY HAVE WALKED IN YOUR SHOES. I PRAY YOU GET FEELING BETTER AND GOD BLESS AND BE WITH YOU IN YOUR HARD TIMES.
IF YOU CAN FIND A DOC THATS WITH THE LORD YOU MIGHT GET DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND RESULTS. ILL PRAY FOR YOU AND KEEP ME IN YOUR PRAYERS PLEASE. I HAVE CHRONIC PAIN 24-7 AND MY FAITH KEEPS ME FROM LOOSING MY MIND.