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Chronic Pain
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Posted 6/20/2008 9:20 AM (GMT 0)
Anyone who is dependent on a medication for their health care should wear a Medic alert. If they get in an car accident and are knocked out, they have a dog tag on their wrist or around their neck. Saves Lives.
Pamela Neckpain
Posted 6/20/2008 10:10 AM (GMT 0)
Good piece of advice Pam.

I wear one that states I am on methadone so that I will NOT be given Narcan for any reason and thrown into withdraws.
Posted 6/20/2008 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
thanks for the Heads UP Pam...
i wil have to get one for myself
Posted 6/20/2008 4:36 PM (GMT 0)
Great post. I have one for my diabetes...and it lives in my purse but don't have one for the pain meds I live on.

Thanks,
Chutz
Posted 6/20/2008 5:42 PM (GMT 0)
Nevrthsame,
I take Methadone. I didn't know anything about "Narcan" Would hospital people give that for pain? That is soooo scary. Methadone works pretty well but it sure does have a down side.
Pamela Neckpain
Posted 6/20/2008 5:55 PM (GMT 0)
One of these days we'll be carrying our entire medical record on a small chip somewhere inside our body! Actually, I think something along those lines has been tried - at least a mini disk to carry that any doc/hospital can pop into a computer. But you make a good point, Pamela. I never thought of it for meds., although mine change so they'd have to call my pharmacy to get the current stuff in my system. Those of you on methadone, though, have a more unique situation re: ER, surgery issues.

PaLady
Posted 6/21/2008 3:31 AM (GMT 0)
Pamela...Narcan reverses alot of narcotics and would immediately stop them from working...could possibly cause life-threatening types of withdrawals and possibly other problems including not treating the pain.   Also for those taking Xanax there is a reversal for that too and people who have been on it for some time could have seizures if it is used and w/o Medic alert no one would know the reason.  Most hospitals require a drug screen on injured accident victims and if a person wasn't awake they could possible give the drugs to see if they could "wake you up"  Hope that helps. 

Posted 6/22/2008 4:39 PM (GMT 0)
I am new I have severe neck,head,rt shoulder,rt arm down to fingers, last 3 fingers on rt hand, rt hip and rt knee, level of pain is 9 or more and has been for 3 years and 5 months. I have tryied everything T3's with codine 100mg, perk's, oxy-contin (allergy) no help 5mg, hydro-morph contin 10mg (allergy) no help, Gabbpenton 1800mg (alergy), Topomax (alergy), morphine 10mg, None of these helped now on Fentaynal patch 150 mcg every 72 hours, for break through 10 -30mg of fast acting morphine, I go every three months or so for never burns in my neck C2-C3 on rt side burns first 2 weeks later C2-C3 lt, C5-C6 rt. This takes pain from my wobblly head pains down to a managable 4-5 and lasts about 2 months sometimes a bit more and some a bit less, The stablizers in my neck are distored and no one is willing to do surgery as it is very dangerous, my head wobbles around and pinches the nerves constantly so that cause sharp pains in my head that are uunbareable, the pains will over lap and last up to 5 mintues each stab. the nerve burns hurt and hurt worse every time. would not go through this is i did not have 3 beautiful young children.(twin 5 year old girls and a 3 yr old girl as well. only for them!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am in so much pain and the insurance company is being not helpful. I was not at fault I stopped and a 3 quart ton truck hit me from behind doing 60-70 kms hour. Does anyone know of an other pain drug fentanyl is very strong but my tollerance to it is making it less effective. does anyone else have trouble in their marriage because of your pain? I am or I feel like I am all alone with no friends a husband who hates me and makes no sceret about it. I feel like I am going to explode with the amout of pain I am in. I take 4 morphine, 2 gravol, 1 dompairadon (like gravol),effexor, scopolomine, and 150mcg of fentanyl just to keep going, the morphine I take first 2 to see if it helps wait fifteen mins, not working take 1 more wait 1/2hour and not working one more,
if that dos not work I deal with the pain with breathing, focal point doesnot really help I try doing things with my hands to get my mind away from the pain (most effctive). Help anyone please
thanks for listening to my sob story but I do not know where else to go.(my husband is a jr chaplin)
babie bear
Posted 6/22/2008 6:14 PM (GMT 0)
Dear Seebreeze,

I want to welcome you to HW, but wish you didn't have to be here. I am so sorry for all you have and are going through. Yes, this is the place to come for people to listen. You may want to start your own new thread (even just cut and past this entry into a new topic) so others will "see" you better.

It sounds like you are working with a pain management specialist, and have a lot of allergies to pain meds which makes your treatment more complicated. Have you obtained second opinions perhaps from a teaching hospital, to make sure everything is being done? I'm also guessing (though I'm not sure) when you say nerve burns you might mean radiofrequency (RF) procedures? These help some people, but nerves regenerate over a period of 2 years generally. I researched RF's for myself at one point, and learned they can last anywhere from a couple of months to around 2 years, tops, and the average was around 6 months. You are certainly trying everything, and wth 3 young children have more than your share of responsibility to bear. Yet, if they keep you motivated and trying for more help that is a good thing. A good thing indeed.

You're experiencing what most chronic pain paintients do - changes in every area of our lives incluing marriages, relationships, jobs, etc. One thing I'd strongly encourage is along with all the pain control measures that you find a good therapist to not only help you with the psychological changes, but to bring your husband in so that he can understand more of what you're going through. If he's a jr. chaplain, he should have some empathy (or he should be learning some!) for you, and others he will encounter in his work. I'd suggest looking for a therapist who specializes in dealing with pain.

We are here for support anytime, and you will find lots of good information on old threads.

Again, welcome.

PaLady
Posted 6/22/2008 10:32 PM (GMT 0)
That is true, I learned also in nursing school, to keep a list of health issues and meds in your freezer, or the bottom of your shoes. Sounds funny but EMT's will look there first.
Posted 6/23/2008 8:20 AM (GMT 0)
Pam like Maggie said Narcan is given to reverse a drug overdose or an allergic reaction to opiate meds and many times in the ambulance if you dont wake up or they dont know why you went down say int eh grocery store they give a small amount of narcan as it wouldnt hurt someone with no opiates in their system,to see if this is the reason your unresponsive so this can and is given prior to any tox screens and what have you enroute to the hospital and it can be very dangerous to those who are on high and long term opiate treatment. It can throw you into a seizure and send your B/P thru the ceiling ultimately causing a stroke to occur.

If I carry nothing else I carry that one!

SubX users as well here!

People on a small dose of opiates or those that do not take them on a regular basis are too much at risk but those on higher more consistant doses are at great risk for this happening.

It happened to me actually when my Potassium level dropped once and I was on the verge of a heart attack and very lethargic,confused and sweating,and happened to be in a gas station that called 911 thinking I was drunk or sick and the paramedic didnt bother to tell me he was putting it into the IV until he had done it and my B/P shot up and all the monitors went off did he bother to ask if I was on long term opiate use. The immediate response clearly showed that I had not just been out for a night of fun and doping! He could have killed me!

I ultimately spent 3 days in the ICU being pumped full of morphine to try to get my opiate levels back up and and my B/P down and all the withdrawl symptoms to subside. It was not something I ever want to go thru again.

When I say the response to this med is immediate I mean within seconds after being given it your in full blown W/Ds with complete loss of bladder and bowel function and vomiting,twitching, ghastly.

It is the med that the movie stars and rich use to go into the hospital and pay out their behinds for a rapid detox session. You can be put to sleep given narcan and experience detox while under anesthesia and thru the entire thing in less then 36 hours. A very dangerous situation and some have died from doing it even under the care of the hospital. As a matter of fact I have not heard of anyone using this method for awhile and wonder if they still offer it.

I advise anyone on opiate treatment to wear or carry some type of thing to alert emergency personal of such and especially methadone and SubX users as it hits us extremely hard.

Just a plain medical alert bracelet even if it blank can be used as they come with a paper to fill in the needed info and place somewhere they can access it if they need to but at least it alerts them to some type of underlying condition and treatment.

They also make one for a living will or DNR if you feel strongly about these issues you might want to get one of those and they can be found at most chain drug stores as it is policy to treat someone and then worry about whether they wanted you to or not but it is really difficult once you have been put on a breathing machine to have them remove it.

great topic!
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