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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 25 of 28. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by kerria on August 10, 2005, at 16:49:13
Hi Everyone,
Having a very difficult time wanting to wake up in the morning and do another day.
Problems:
severe chronic pain with no dr to help- just a temporary dr that tortured me in a procedure on Mon. and is threatening to take medicine away that controls my pain marginally.It's impossible to live with the pain- it's overwhelming terribly bad. i can't be threatened to live in torture on a constant basis- no capacity for that.
i need a dr that can understand and help with the pain and there is no one i have found. We're in bad shape. Drs have not found a cause - a dx - because the pain comes from nerve damage from a fungicide spill at work- it's impossible to prove, so they don't want to prescribe anything that works.
Pain is making my PTSD and DID sx worse- losing time- forgetting so much of the day at work that it's almost like going into a black hole.
Feel hopeless about ever being able to find help.
T's on vacation.
Seeing psychiatrist tomorrow. He would never help with pain meds and only half believes me that my pain isn't psychosomatic.Is there any medicine to help with going on in this mess when it's impossible to live this way?
i'm not asking about a lethal dose of anything but is there some med that i can ask Dr for tomorrow to help function - not care that i'm being abused and threatened/disbelieved by my pain management dr and not care about living in constant pain. What is the scope of what the psychDr can do for me as far as medicine goes? i already have diazapam and it just makes me tired.
Cymbalta and antidepressants give me headaches.Anything helpful?
Thank you for any response,
kerria
Posted by ed_uk on August 10, 2005, at 17:12:30
In reply to in trouble, posted by kerria on August 10, 2005, at 16:49:13
Hello,
Apart from opioids, which meds have you tried so far for the pain? How have they affected you?
~Ed
Posted by kerria on August 10, 2005, at 23:22:28
In reply to Re: in trouble » kerria, posted by ed_uk on August 10, 2005, at 17:12:30
Hi.
All of the usual things like Advil, naproxen, Lodine and had allergy from it, neurontin, elivil.
None of them works for pain like i have. It just doesn't work.
besides not i'm taking all this kadian, 200mg a day and breakthrough i need twice a day or so.So depressed , nothing can get any better. no one understands. it's torture to live. i'm so tired and so embarrassed to go to one more dr to explain pelvic pain and have him say it's psychosomatic. i hate my life. it's so impossible.
had a lifetime supply of pain , dr tomorrow won't help. i'm too depressed to go- i'm afraid he will commit me and then i'll never have pain treated at all. Probably be made to go through withdrawal immediately.
so much for caring hospitals.
i hate my life so much.
what medicine could make a difference?kerria
Posted by lizabent on August 11, 2005, at 2:37:14
In reply to Re: in trouble » ed_uk, posted by kerria on August 10, 2005, at 23:22:28
Kerria,
So sorry to hear of your pain! I want to recommend that you try acupuncture for your pain. That is a Chinese medicine system where a doctor of Acupuncture puts small needles in your skin, to help your body overcome its own pain. It really has helped me SO MUCH with chronic back and uterus pain. Check around to see if there are local acupuncture schools in your area, as they often will see patients for low cost. Don't give up!!lizabent
Posted by Squiggles on August 11, 2005, at 9:26:35
In reply to in trouble, posted by kerria on August 10, 2005, at 16:49:13
This sounds bad. Have you gone to a GP
instead of a psychiatrist? Even if it
is psychosomatic, if you get some powerful
painkillers and they work, then it doesn't
matter does it? It's a question of which
doctor will give you painkillers.Sorry.
Squiggles
Posted by ed_uk on August 11, 2005, at 15:28:19
In reply to Re: in trouble » ed_uk, posted by kerria on August 10, 2005, at 23:22:28
Hi Kerria,
>....what medicine could make a difference?
I know the morphine is making you very drowsy, but is it treating the pain as well as OxyContin did?
~ed
Posted by Declan on August 11, 2005, at 17:09:31
In reply to Re: in trouble » ed_uk, posted by kerria on August 10, 2005, at 23:22:28
Hey Kerria, I'm not clear on your morphine dose but if you are taking 400mg/d and you are still in pain, and especially if you have been taking this for a while you clearly need it, at least for now. Biologically.
You probably need to see the sort of doctor who has the authority to Rx it, either a psychdr, addiction specialist, pain specialist or failing all that a methadone clinic (don't know what they call them where you are). None of those other (non-narcotic) things is going to touch the sides.
Declan
Posted by kerria on August 12, 2005, at 0:09:10
In reply to Re: in trouble, posted by Declan on August 11, 2005, at 17:09:31
Thank you everyone that responded.
Ed, yes the morphine is working or pain mostly. Towards the end of the 12 hrs it becomes burning pain until i take breakthough IR 15mg morphine but will run out soon.
dr keeps threatening to take me off- the procedure without sedation was horrific and not working yet. he said 4-7 days. i wish i had a dr that i could trust.
Lizbend, i'll think about acupunture but its too much of and emergency to wait to find someone and have it.
Declan, it's 200mg morphine a day and 60 mg IR breakthough a day. i don't know what to do- i have to depend on the mercy of this dr. i'm way too afraid to go to a methadone clinic. It's so terrible, i'm in pain, i can't withdraw from meds - biologically and even slowly because i'm in too much pain. It's a mess. i don't know what will happen.
Squiggles, my psychiatrist today said kind of the same thing you said, i'm a little upset at the way he put it though- he said that both physical and psychological pain can be made better by pain medicine because of endorpins in the brain. So meds can work for psych. pain also. i didn't know that but i still don't think pain is psychological. Dr said he'd call pain management dr anyways.
so tired of worrying- i woke up crying in my sleep. Everything is too hard for me. i can't do anything . It's too much pressure - i can't handle the negativity in that dr's office and how he treated me at the surgery on Monday.
thank you so much for listening,
kerria
Posted by Declan on August 12, 2005, at 3:25:16
In reply to Re: in trouble, posted by kerria on August 12, 2005, at 0:09:10
That's more than 8 X 30mg tablets.
Really, as you say, it's frightening to be in your situation.
All the best
Declan
Posted by ed_uk on August 12, 2005, at 13:46:03
In reply to Re: in trouble, posted by kerria on August 12, 2005, at 0:09:10
Hi K,
You can get 200mg morphine capsules in the UK. They're called MXL and they last for up to 24 hours.
~ed
Posted by kerria on August 13, 2005, at 11:15:37
In reply to Re: in trouble » kerria, posted by ed_uk on August 12, 2005, at 13:46:03
Hi Ed, Declan and Everyone,
Is it possible to stop the morphine myself with diazapam?
The pain is getting better since the surgery - steroid injection on Monday. It was a horrific experience with that pain managemt dr- he triggered me so much and all the negativity and accusations- i never want to call him back or see him again. At least not until my psychiatrist talks to him.Since the pain has let up - i guess the steroid injection is finally working- i've tried to not take medicine- spread it to 18 hrs apart- but can't sleep , feel bad, mostly depressed. i have diazapam to take and enough morphine through Tuesday.
I've been on oxycontin and morphine since severe pain started in Dec 2003- it's been one-and-a-half years, about a year at the high dose (now 200mg a day- capsules of 100mg. i have six 100mg capsules left and about ten 15mg IR breakthrough.Can i do this myself with diazapam so i don't have to go anywhere-like a treatment center- or deal with that horrible dr again?
i can ask my psychDr for more diazapam because i just saw him- and what else would help- Klonopin?i'm way too afraid to go to a hospital /treatment place- they won't understand my parts- and i'll be totally out of control of my treatment.
How much diazapam should i take and is it good to just wait longer and longer between morphine doses. Can i do this at home - in a safer place?
Thanks so much,
kerria
Posted by kerria on August 13, 2005, at 14:39:54
In reply to Re: in trouble- Possible to stop morphine myself?, posted by kerria on August 13, 2005, at 11:15:37
Hi again- i was mistaken- i have 8 - 100 mg Kadian (morphine) caps left- not six. It would be 4 days amount. i'm trying to take it farther and farther apart until i don't need it and hope it will work. also that i don't have a big scary withdrawal and that the pain doesn't return- the nerve block keeps working.
i'd give anything not to depend upon that dr who threatened me again and again.
Posted by ed_uk on August 13, 2005, at 18:03:30
In reply to Re: in trouble- Possible to stop morphine myself?, posted by kerria on August 13, 2005, at 11:15:37
Hi Kerria!
>spread it to 18 hrs apart....
Don't spread the doses out - keep taking the morphine at the prescribed times.
>100mg
The 100mg caps are not useful for tapering. You need to get some low-dose caps so you can reduce the dose gradually.
Are you taking 100mg every 12 hours? If so, you could start by reducing the dose to 90mg every 12 hours.
>Can i do this at home - in a safer place?
Yes :-)
Kind regards
~ed
Posted by ed_uk on August 13, 2005, at 18:05:59
In reply to Re: in trouble- Possible to stop morphine myself?, posted by kerria on August 13, 2005, at 14:39:54
Hi K,
If you tell your doc that you want to reduce your morphine dose, I'm sure he'll be supportive. After all, he doesn't seem to like prescribing the morphine. You need to get some low-dose caps so you can reduce the dose gradually. Spreading the doses out will make you feel ill.
~Ed
Posted by Declan on August 13, 2005, at 20:19:00
In reply to Re: in trouble- Possible to stop morphine myself?, posted by kerria on August 13, 2005, at 11:15:37
Hi Kerria
So you've been on oxycodone or morphine for 18 months. I sympathise with you about the demeaning treatment that seems reserved for users of narcotics. It was this that decided me to get off methadone. That's taken me years, which should not discourage you unduly because methadone is harder to get off, I think, than other opiates. But even so it will be exraordinarily difficult.
I think what Ed said is right. If you want to reduce, tell your doctor and work together on lowering the dosage. He should be cooperative there. And if you find it easy enough you can do it quickly. But Valium won't help a lot. It is certainly useful though. But if you are addicted to that as well, you reduce one habit as you push the other through the roof. There is nothing that will ease withdrawal as effectively as some of what you are addicted to. Other things, naturally enough, are not so efficient.
IMO it is best to slowly reduce the morphine and hold the Valium more or less where it is, and practise what healthy habits you can, I dunno what they are...exercise, good food, accupuncture maybe, but nothing makes a big difference quickly.
Declan
Posted by Declan on August 13, 2005, at 20:46:59
In reply to Re: in trouble- Possible to stop morphine myself? » kerria, posted by Declan on August 13, 2005, at 20:19:00
They talk about clonidine too. I've heard contadictory reports about it. It certainly isn't magic. Buprenorphine is certainly easier to get off than methadone, which isn't saying much, but it might be an option when you have reduced the morphine, I dunno how much.
Declan
Posted by kerria on August 14, 2005, at 12:42:50
In reply to Re: in trouble- Possible to stop morphine myself?, posted by Declan on August 13, 2005, at 20:46:59
:( the pain is coming back:(
The nerve injection that was done last Monday started working on Thursday and worked until Sat. and i was in bad pain again this morning- still taking the regular morphine now AND needing breakthrough. AND not only that- my right calf and foot- that back part of my right leg is almost numb- tingly/uncomfortable cold- like the circulation isn't working even when i exercise. i'm so afraid that my nerves were damaged.
The pain is back. it's so discouraging- no one will believe me.
i hate my life. It's so so frustrating. Now back to this horrible dr with his horrific treatments that hurt me more than help. and leave me in pain and now numbness while accusing me of lying about my pain. i hope i can still hike if i ever get better or do anything.we're so sad.
i have no options.
PsyDr hasn't been able to contact him either.Why can't i ever find a good dr?
Because i have a mental health disorder.
i hate my life,
kerria
Why couldn't he just believe me and treat me with the pain medicine that was working so i could live my life?
Posted by ed_uk on August 14, 2005, at 16:29:03
In reply to Re: in trouble-Bad reaction to nerve block, posted by kerria on August 14, 2005, at 12:42:50
Dear K,
>Why couldn't he just believe me and treat me with the pain medicine that was working so i could live my life?
There's a doctor somewhere who will. Perhaps your doc would prescribe OxyContin once weekly, he might be afraid that you'll overdose or misuse it (I know you won't).
Ed x
Posted by reefer on August 14, 2005, at 18:37:11
In reply to Re: in trouble- Possible to stop morphine myself?, posted by kerria on August 13, 2005, at 11:15:37
this might be a bit on the late side. but my recommendation would be to open one capsule and look in it if there are small pellets then you can split the contents into half. and take 50 mg in the morning and 50 mg for the night. this might feel pretty bad but it is not dangerous. after a couple of days on 100 mg per day when you are out of morphine the best thing you could do is to do a 10 day taper using buprenorphine. BUT before taking the buprenorphine you must wait as long as you possibly can since the bupe will act as an antagonist and would give you severe withdrawal if taken to early. Anyway when the withdrawal is so severe you think you are losing it start off with 2 mg's and take another 2 mg's every two hours until you reach 4 - 8 mg's. Hopefully you'll be stable at that dose. Then taper the bupe for 10 days to as low as possible then just quit.
Posted by kerria on August 17, 2005, at 8:34:18
In reply to Re: in trouble- Possible to stop morphine myself?, posted by reefer on August 14, 2005, at 18:37:11
Thank you Reefer, for the info. i wish that i could stop taking pain medicine but now - after the nerve block and the few days of partial relief- the pain is back worse than before.
Or the morphine doesn't work as well as the oxycontin for pain. i'm so frustrated- went to two drs this month and they just keep refering me from one dr to another. Now the pain management dr threatens to abandon me completely and i have no recourse.
It's impossible to live in this pain. It's hard to do it even do it with the morphine.
In so much pain i can't go to work. Dr said he'd treat me for two weeks then?Then what? This dr is so abusive not to refer me to someone . i'm having so difficult a time now.
The morphine doesn't work well enough for my pain. how could i possibly manage without anything?
i need to start calling drs and when i go try to have them understand that i'm NOT a drug seeker but i'm in terrible pain . Why can't anyone find the reason why i'm in constant unrelenting pain?
i know what i feel, i'm not exaggerating. Is it my psych dx that gets them to not help me?
It's so unfair- where can i go for help? ERs are the worst place- please don't say that.Thanks for any help,
tears,
kerria
Posted by ed_uk on August 17, 2005, at 9:28:42
In reply to Re: in trouble- desperately seeking support, posted by kerria on August 17, 2005, at 8:34:18
Dear K,
Are there any local anesthetic procedures you can have?
~Ed
Posted by ed_uk on August 17, 2005, at 9:36:49
In reply to Re: in trouble- desperately seeking support, posted by kerria on August 17, 2005, at 8:34:18
Dear K,
Are there any more pain management specialists in your area that you can speak to?
~ed
Posted by kerria on August 17, 2005, at 13:12:54
In reply to Re: in trouble- desperately seeking support » kerria, posted by ed_uk on August 17, 2005, at 9:28:42
Hi.
i don't understand- like what?
Another nerve block? i would never let the pain mgmnt dr every touch me again . i still have numbness in my right leg also and the results only lasted for two days.internal anesthetic injections? i think i put my body through enough horrific surgeries, invasive tests and the procedure last week.
When is enough enough?
is there anything that doesn't require torturing the body even more?
k
Posted by kerria on August 17, 2005, at 13:16:21
In reply to Re: in trouble- desperately seeking support » kerria, posted by ed_uk on August 17, 2005, at 9:36:49
i have an appt at the end of Sept at a different dr i never heard of and don't know how i can wait that long. They ask for me to bring records from last dr. :(
k
Posted by kerria on August 17, 2005, at 14:11:55
In reply to Re: in trouble- desperately seeking support, posted by kerria on August 17, 2005, at 13:16:21
Today i'm so so thankful. i was at the end of all hope when the mail came and i opened a letter from a dr that i had seen earlier in the month. It was hand written - he thanked me for coming to the office and said that if i couldn't find anyone to treat me and the only way to keep the pain away was to take (meds that i take) that he would be happy to maintain me on them.i cried and still am so overwhelmed in relief and thankfulness for this wonderful dr. that i only saw once. He knew how much need i was in, how desperate i was. He saved my life. tears. Nothing like this ever happens to me. This renews my faith in the human race and in God.
God is good- He's so much there in emergencies. no one probably realized how much an emergency it was.
Thank you, Ed and everyone for being there.
Love,
kerria
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