chronic pain

Hi there...Welcome to the boards..

Sorry to hear of your pain issues..

While it's all relative on the types/amounts of medications that people are put on...I can say that it's unusual to be put on two really strong and really high dosages of long acting medications...And if you've only been on meds for 2 years...then in just my opinion..yes..that is a pretty high amount of meds for such a short period of time.

You are on both the Fentanyl and the Oxycontin..Most people are just put on one or the other and the a medication for breakthrough pain if needed.

Do you take the 90mg of Oxycodone (short acting) every day? If so....then you are really on 330mg of Oxycodone a day.

As you write...you aren't on any type of nerve pain medication which is also very strange that the Drs. would put you on such high dosages of opiates but nothing to help your nerve pain issues.

I was on Cymbalta and it actually can cause weight loss in some people. I had to remind myself to eat. But even with Lyrica or Neurontin...if you stay mindful of your diet and limit sugar, salt, and stick to complex carbohydrates...As well as drink plenty of water each day along with daily exercise like walking or swimming...Most people don't have to gain weight.

I would find another PM Dr. and tell them that you want to try and tirate down on the opiates with adding in a nerve pain medication and see where your true pain levels are.

In some cases which yours may be....people can develop opiate hyperalgisia.

Osteopenia is supposed to be less severe than Osteoporosis...but if/when someone actually breaks a bone and they link it directly to the bone loss...then it is no longer Osteopenia and is considered Osteoporosis. What are your bone density numbers?

What treatments are you doing for the Osteo? Do you happen to smoke?

I don't see you list any medications for the Osteoporosis like Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel...etc.

Do you have a daily exercise program and eat well and maintain a healthy weight?

Obviously no one here is a medical professional...so these are just my own thoughts/suggestions about which to speak with your Dr.

The key with any long term chronic pain management is trying not to only rely on medication as there are dozens of other modalities to help treat our pain. And finding a Dr. who helps us find the best comprehensive program to acheive this.

Thanks for sharing more..

As I mentioned...there are many ways to avoid gaining weight with Neurontin or Lyrica. Your Dr. can help you with this. It's learning that these medications trigger salt/sugar cravings which can easily be handled if aware.

And as I'm sure you know...smoking is known to cause Osteoporosis as well as it can cause disc dehyrdration in our spines.

Not trying to scold you...I'm just more surprised that a Dr. didn't warn you how bad the smoking is in addition to the obvious, if you have been breaking all these bones.

I would also think that by taking a medication like Nexium daily, watching your diet, this would allow you to take the Osteo medications...Acid reflux can easily be managed and is lesser of the two evils per say as it's critical to be on a good Osteo medication to at least help slow the progress. Again...especially with all these breaks...

A good Dr. can help you with all of this and help you manage your weight, nutrition/diet, and getting healthy with quitting smoking along with figuring out what your true pain levels are and what medications you really need and which ones you can get off.

 Good morning GB!...and welcome!

   I had to cringe as I read your introduction...and agree with Snowbunny that yes you seem to be on high doses of pain meds. At least you are weaning down with the help of the internist there, and I think they have a good plan in place for you. This will take time, so be patient....you don't want to throw yourself into a bad situation with withdrawals.

   One thing we do understand here is chronic pain, and you certianly seem to be suffering with all you have gone through.

 I agree with much of what Snowbunny has shared with you here, so I do not have a lot to add to it.

    Were glad to see that you are reaching out for support and this is by far a wonderful forum for that.

 Again welcome and enjoy the forum, and it's members!

 SE

If you work with your Dr. to do a tapering schedule...you really shouldn't have to suffer any type of withdrawal issues. You've already dropped down a decent amount from what you have written.

I appreciate your honesty about not telling the Dr. about smoking...Most Drs. once you tell them will really admire you for wanting to quit and get healthy and will do everything they can to help you.

Same thing with wanting to go down on your opiates and add in other meds that may help your other pain issues. A great Dr. will be happy to work with you on this. If the Dr. you see now is not that way...I suggest finding another.

We will be here to support you through it all:)

Proud of you!!! My mom smoked for a little over 30 years and she used the patch to quit and she started the morning we left on a trip to Maine on a train. It was her "fresh" start. She hasn't looked back and that was in the early 90's...

I have never smoked myself...but I know how addicting it is and how when things get stressful it's hard not to want to use that to relax.

So..it sounds like you are really on a path to get healthy and get a hold of your pain levels in a better way. It may be that you still need some opiates to manage in the long run so don't feel bad about that...but hopefully it will be on a lot less than what you are on now.

Hugs (( ))

Hi Grizzly and I too want to welcome you to the chronic pain forum. It sounds like your internist is on the right track of weaning you off of some of the meds. I am really surprised you are able to function much with you being on the patch & oxycontin at the same time. Did this combo not sedate you somewhat when you first started? I know you are anxious to get off this stuff, but please follow your drs instructions and that way you should not experience any ill side affects, thats just something you don't need. Don't be so hard on yourself, this was not your doing, the dr is the one to blame here.

People really have a difficult time believing that narcotics do not have that much affect on nerve pain but you are living proof of that. I really feel bad for you because like most you believed your dr knew what he/she was doing so you placed your trust in this person. With that in mind, you are not a pharmacist, so why should you have questioned the dr.. You have no doubt learned a lot from this experience and you now know that you cannot rely on drs 100%, their word is not always the gospel.

I do hope you will talk to the dr again trying you on one of the nerve meds. Seems to me one of our members was put on Nortriptiline for nerve pain & it was helping, I may have not spelled it right, lol. Granted the dr will have to take in consideration all of the meds you take. Any time you want to know about a particular medication, go to Drugs.com and look it up. It is a user friendly website with tons of info.

There is nothing wrong with advocating for our own care either. Many times we have to do just that to get the level of care we need and deserve.

Anyway, I wanted to pop on here and say hello and welcome aboard. Take care...Susie

The clonidine is used many times for people coming off of opiates and since it's main purpose is for high blood pressure...I would not stop that one, or any meds without consulting your Dr. first.