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Posted 2/16/2012 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
cry So the lidocaine patches are not helping- my Dr said I need to cut them in half and use one on each side- well, cutting them in half does not make them big enough to cover the area I need covered. Using it without cutting doesn't do a darn thing because I have to place it in the middle of my lower back, so again, doesn't cover the right area. I called the Dr and asked if I could use one patch on each side, nope, just to use one patch cut in half. The box says 3 can be used at one time, so why can't I use 2? I am SO frustrated! Taking 4 baclofen/day is not showing me any improvement from taking it 3/day. The first day it helped, but not since then. My pain is out the roof and it's making me very grouchy. Doesn't help that it is raining yet again, so pain is even worse. I don't want to feel like this tomorrow, it's my birthday! I'm having lunch with a good friend and then getting one of my tattoo's touched up, so it will be really bad if this pain is not any better tomorrow. I took my baclofen and percocet over an hour ago and can't even tell a difference! This is really getting ridiculous. Oh, and the test I'm to have on my sacral joints to see if they are ruptured isn't until the 28th! My poor husband has to take the morning off from work to take me as I am given light sedation and have to have a driver. His company has been on a firing spree lately, and even though he's in the union and should be safe, even the union people are getting fired. I hate that he has to do so much for me and put his job at risk, but I literally have no one else that can take me. I'm sorry for the vent, I realize I've vented a lot here, I just have to get it out and everyone here is so understanding and supportive.
Posted 2/16/2012 5:09 PM (GMT 0)
I`m sorry to hear you`re having an awful time. Don`t be sorry for venting, that`s what we`re here for. (I think I`ll be venting too at some stage today lol.) I suppose you can`t get into your doctor any sooner after what happened last time? Wow, rain makes it worse! Ì haven`t heard of rain as a trigger. I hope the rain stops then! That must be stressful with what`s going on at your husband`s work, I hope it turns out ok. Hugs xx Di
Posted 2/16/2012 6:12 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry to hear that it's not going well right now....This is the hard part about chronic pain....it's really trial and errror which can take months or even years to get to the right comprehensive plan that helps manage our pain level...

Hopefully just the fact of enjoying your time with your friend during your birthday lunch tomorrow will help ease the pain....I will with you an early HAPPY BIRTHDAY right now!!!:):)

I will ask though....do you think that having your tattoo touched up is the best thing right now with your higher pain levels? That seems like it will only add to nerve pain...I have one tattoo so I know what it feels like to have this done....I'm just thinking that maybe you should hold off until you get your pain levels better under control...

Any type of 'new' pain can trigger our chronic pain to be even worse....because it's building on top of it..compounding...Our brain doesn't know how to separate the two....

Obviously your choice....just making a suggestion...

Usually a Dr. wants us to try a new pain regimine for a few weeks to see if it works....I'm sorry that he won't let you put more than one patch on at a time....that is strange if the box/prescription has this as an option...

I'm not sure how big the Lidocaine patches are....I have the Flector patches that are 10cm x 14cm....These release the NSAID, diclofenac....So maybe this could be an option of the Lidocaine do not work...

And I guess the last option is that if you've been with this Dr. for a long time and he just isn't willing to look at other options...it may be time to seek out another Dr...

Again...sorry to hear that it's a bad day:(....I hope you can have a great Birthday tomorrow!
Posted 2/16/2012 6:18 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Firefly,

I've been using lidocaine patches on and off for years. Drs suggest them, I give them a try, then stop because they seem completely useless.

Recently, I think they might have helped the pain in some neck muscles, but anything deep, they can't do a a thing. So, if they are for your SI (I've tried them there too), the tissues are very possibly not close enough to the surface.

I have, though, found ice to be very helpful with SI pain.

Hope all goes well & there are no repercussions for your husband.
Posted 2/17/2012 7:00 AM (GMT 0)
Happy birthday Hillary! I hope you have a great day despite the pain, I hope it isn`t so bad today. Hugs xxx
Posted 2/18/2012 4:29 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone! It's so nice to have this forum and to have people understand what I'm going through. Today was the best birthday I've had in years! I did get my tattoo touched up, I know it could have triggered my pain to be worse, but I really wanted to get it done and it actually took my mind off of my back pain for a bit. Even though my pain was still bad today I did not let it ruin my special day!
Di- yes, rain makes arthritis pain worse. When I was little my Grandma used to always know when it was going to rain because her back would hurt, and I used to think she was crazy, but she was totally right!
Snowbunny- I am not sure of the size of the lidocaine patches & don't feel like getting up to look- I was told that they would get into my system and the lidocaine would spread, but it's not doing that, it's only affecting the spot that I put them on. I think I might ask about different ones on my next visit. I've not been with my Dr that long, only 6 months and I am generally happy with him, just not too happy with his staff as they ask the nurse practitioner the questions that I call and ask about instead of asking the Dr! So annoying!
Cogito- I can see how the patches could help the neck area, but the area I am needing them is quite large- L4-S1. They don't even come close to helping that entire area & don't do a darn thing for the SI pain. I've tried ice off an on and haven't had good results with it, but will definitely give it another try. I am so attached to my heating pad, so probably a good idea for me to try ice occasionally.
Itsmee- The lidocaine patches are a topical anesthetic and are supposed to spread out the medicine, but it doesn't spread for me, only affects the spot they are on. Most of my pain is really deep, so I am sure that's why they aren't helping me much. The rain doesn't really affect my mood, just hurts my arthritis. We've been getting so much rain that we have some to spare. ;) I am sick of it! I did get my tattoo touched up- I have three tattoos and the ones I got touched up are nautical stars- They are on my wrist and I have four of them- one larger to represent my direction in life and three smaller ones to represent each one of my fur babies. I added the three on last year and they already needed touching up just a month after I got them, so the guy who did them obviously was not a good tattoo artist. It hurt like heck getting them touched up, but I don't care because now they look 100% better.
Thank you all for the birthday wishes!
Posted 2/18/2012 4:59 AM (GMT 0)
Hillary, Happy Birthday, though I'm sorry that your pain is bad.

With your heating pad - if heat helps, do you get any greater benefit from moist heat as against dry heat? I guess everyone has their different ways of doing things, but I wet and wring out a towel, put in in a plastic bag and microwave it for a few minutes. Then tie up the bag, wrap in a dry towel and apply. It's meant to give deeper penetration than dry heat - it's more cumbersome, but it does seem to help me more.

I hope the rain stops soon too.

Laura
Posted 2/18/2012 5:04 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Laura! I've never understood the moist heat thing. The heating pad I have can be used for moist heat, but I don't understand how to use it that way. I guess I need to get the instructions out and try that. I don't get a ton of relief with the dry heat, but it helps enough for me to warrant it's use, even if it just dulls it for a short time. Ice doesn't seem to help me at all, seems to make everything hurt worse. Anyway, if moist heat is good for deep pain then I definitely need to try it as my pain is deep. I saw your post and I am so sorry for all of the things you are dealing with right now & hope you get some sort of relief soon!
Posted 2/18/2012 7:49 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Hillary

I`m so glad you had a great birthday and the pain didn`t affect it. That`s great you got your tattoos touched up. That`s great that it distracted you from the pain for a bit, you could do with a break from it.

Wow, I never knew the weather could have such an effect on pain, though now I think about it it makes sense considering the weather has such an effect on depression too. And if the past two days are anything to go by then I think I may have to add rain to my triggers, I`m glad I`m aware of that now.

Have you tried a gel called xylocaine? I think that`s what it was called and it sounds like it`s in the same `family`of drugs as lidocaine. It`s an aneasthetic gel, I tried it and it was quite helpful for me for awhile, you can get it over the counter, I assume it would be the same in the US. It comes in 2% or 5% forms, the 5% one was very helpful. I don`t know if it would penetrate deep enough being a gel form but perhaps it would be an alternative to patches since you`re having so many problems getting them to stay on. I wear heating patches to work and they don`t always stay on, they are a hassle!

I hope you`re doing ok today. Hugs, Di xxx
Posted 2/18/2012 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Di! I'm glad I had such a good birthday as well.
Rain and cold weather are triggers for a lot of people with pain, so I would not be surprised if it's also a trigger for you.
I was prescribes xylocaine a long time ago for the vulvodynia, it helped but the numb feeling it gave me sort of made me feel funny. It is not over the counter here, it has to be written by a doctor. That is something I will keep in mind when I see mine next month. I hope you are doing well today as well! Hugs!
Posted 2/18/2012 8:58 PM (GMT 0)
Hello, and a happy birthday to you.  I am not sure but I thought the patches not matter what they are are not supposed altered in any way, i.e. cutting them in half, I am not sure about this but I am almost sure thats what my doctor told me, and I was using Lidocaine.  As an aside, I never found them useful at all.  Whether half or whole, to me they were useless.

Good luck, hope all turns out well for you,

Kathy

Posted 2/19/2012 9:14 PM (GMT 0)
NiNi53- Thanks for the birthday wishes. My Dr told me to cut the patches in half and I've heard that a lot of people do that. Using a half of a patch on each side does absolutely nothing for me. I'm pretty disappointed as I've heard many other people have great success with them.

Today is a VERY bad day for me pain wise. It rained all day yesterday and didn't stop until a couple of hours ago. I am SO sick of all of this rain. It's making my pain 10 times worse and I want to scream just sitting up to type this, so I can't even get my homework finished that is due tonight.
I am SO sick of this chronic pain- and I hate days like this when it's so bad. All I want to do is curl up in the fetal position on my bed and cry. This is just not fair!
I'm trying ice right now instead of my heating pad, it's helping a little, but it's quite uncomfortable.
I hope everyone is having a better day than I am.
cry sad shakehead
Posted 2/19/2012 9:46 PM (GMT 0)
Aw honey, I`m so so sorry you`re having such an awful time, you poor thing. If there`s anything I can do let me know.

If heat helps you do you think a bath would help? Sometimes I find it`s better than the hot water bottle to have hot water directly on me, plus it might help relax you, but I`m not sure because of your back if lying on it would be relaxing or not! Or a shower? The shower helped me the other night, it didn`t take the pain away but it did distract me and calm me down. I was curled up in the fetal position for hours and didn`t move. I watched TV which also helped distract me, and I also got messages on here which was comforting.

Ìt`s so unfair the pain pills keep you awake so you can`t knock yourself out and sleep through it. Do you have anything else that could make you sleepy? Try not to worry about your homework deadline, it`s not your fault you couldn`t do it, though it sucks the pain is getting in the way so much. I`m thinking of you. Big hug xxxx
Posted 2/19/2012 10:07 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry you are having a bad day:(..Sometimes this happens after being out and about as you were for your Birthday....our bodies have that delayed reaction...

I agree that the rain can make everything more miserable!...

NiNi...it's only patches like Fentanyl that cannot be cut. But I've certainly been told that Lidoderm ones are ok...

Below is straight from their website:

LIDODERM should be used to cover the most painful area of intact skin only—without any
blisters.
• Cut the envelope along the dotted line. The patches can be cut into smaller shapes to custom
fit the area of pain
• Remove the clear plastic backing from the patch, then apply immediately to your area of pain
• You can use up to 3 patches for 12 hours a day, followed by 12 hours off, as directed by your
healthcare professional


Fireflyhillary...I hope that you can stay curled up the rest of the day...and tomorrow is better....
Posted 2/20/2012 3:51 PM (GMT 0)
Di- I tried taking a bath a couple of weeks ago and it did not help, plus it hurt my back being in the tub. Shower's do not help me either, and actually, they make my pain worse. I can no longer shower every day :( I guess it doesn't matter much since I'm always home.
It stinks that the pain pills don't knock me out- I take one with dinner and then am able to sleep if I wait at least 4-5 hours because the other med's I am on knock me out.
Yesterday was spent curled up on the bed watching a dog show with my fur babies cuddled with me. Thank goodness my teachers gave me an extension until tonight to finish my homework, but that means two papers to write by midnight- not going to be easy.
I appreciate all of your support- that's all you can do for me, but it's enough. I think you & I can really help each other! Big hugs to you as well honey! xoxo
Snowbunny- Yeah, I am sure being out all day and night Friday did not do my body any good, but at least I had a great birthday. Rain is horrible to my body and we've been getting so much, so it aggravates my body so much. I am sure I was hurting so bad last night because of the two days of non stop rain and also from Friday. Thanks for your support!
Posted 2/20/2012 9:06 PM (GMT 0)
Yes I think we can help each other! I`m very glad I found this site, it`s the one good outcome from seeing that pain management doctor lol. Well you know I`m here if you need support.

What a pain showers and baths also cause you pain. Baths are wonderful for me, though I don`t have one at the moment and try not to think about them as they aren`t an option at the moment lol. Maybe it`s something to do with water for you, with the rain too?! I hope the rain has eased up.

I`m so glad you had your fur babies to cuddle up to yesterday, that would have been comforting. They`ll look after you! I miss my cat so much but especially when the pain is bad, she always knows when I`m suffering.
That`s good you got an extension though I hope it`s not too much of a struggle to get it done and hope it doesn`t make things worse. I really hope today is better than yesterday. Thinking of you. Hugs xxx Di
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