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New girl here<-- No pain meds in this part of the world!

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Posted 11/25/2012 12:03 PM (GMT 0)
Im new here and like you need somewhere to connect with people who unfortunately are dealing with chronic pain. I am living in a country where theres very limited options as far as pain control. Its so crazy that they dont have meds like vicodin, and all those type of pain meds. Its not allowed. So I use alot of "traditional" type meds. The strongest pain med availble for prescription is Tramal. And that is very rarely given as most docs dont have the abilitly to prescribe it, cus its controlled. I have been able to get my rumey to give me a scriptfor it so I take Tramal ER and Voltran ER, B-12 and sometimes a pill that has all the B vitamens. D-3 and I take ambien sometimes for sleeping.

 

I just finished a round of PT including aqua. I do core exercises. Keep active also.

I will be coming back to the states soon.

 

Am I allowed to start posting topics yet or do I have to do something else? I really would like to get started posting please. smilewinkgrin
Posted 11/25/2012 12:12 PM (GMT 0)
OOH I did something wrong here....this is not the screen name I wanted. I think I got the profile name and the other one mixed up....I cant figure how to change it.

Can anyone help me on how to chng "butterfly catcher" to what the other one I put?

Sorry about that I am  new to all this rolleyes

Posted 11/25/2012 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome.....feel free to post anything you feel like, but please read the "rules" so that you don't cross anyone's boundries.

I am not a moderator, but I'm pretty sure you can change the screen name by clicking on profile and then edit my profile. Give it a try....and again welcome!!!
Posted 11/25/2012 3:13 PM (GMT 0)
I'm new here 2..
I suffer from chronic pain and various injuries but at least have compassionate doctors. I feel for you..
good luck.
Posted 11/25/2012 3:34 PM (GMT 0)
**Retiredmom..thank you sooo much for the help that was really confusing. I did read the rules! and did I cross anyones boundries? sorry if I did , I just needed help...

man I havent even posted yet and Im already causing problems...

sammy27 sorry you are in pain also but happy to hear you have a grreat doc!!
Posted 11/25/2012 3:41 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there...welcome to the boards...

It sounds like you really can't do too much where you are located right now....so I would just start making some Dr. appts. for when you come to the states so you can get proper care..

May I ask what your diagnoses is that they are treating you for pain?

For me, I actually got a good 3 years of pain control with Tramadol. This was before and after my first cervical fusion..I also added a lot of other things to the mix like daily exercise, massage, physical therapy, aqua therapy, acupuncture, injections, steroids, biofeedback...etc..

As well as there are nerve pain medications out there and muscle relaxers that can be a good supplement to help with specific types of pain.

If you can share more about what brings you to HW that would be great...

When are you coming to the states?
Posted 11/25/2012 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
Snowbunny...Ya I will be seeing some doctors when i arrive. On Wednesday I have a MRI scheduled for my spine and pelvis. and I will be put to sleep for that.

I have some current diagnosis but cant remember all them...i have the reports put away.I will get them out later. but i know I have chronic sacroiliitis, disc herniation L4 L-5 ..major neck problems in C5-6 and some kind of curviture ( cant remember )and herniations. osteoarthritis. anxiety.

Anyhow, I have tried so many things. Accupuncture, heat, ice, aqua PT. Massage. PT, TENS, Vitamen injections. I have a full back to neck brace, soft neck brace, hard neck brace. Lyrica, Gabapentin, 3 different types of antideppresents, mobic, muscle relaxers the list goes on and on..

I keep active as I can, and watch my weight. But I still have some bad pain days.

I dont have a problem with taking Tramal, but usually the pharamcies dont stock it. Theres only a few cities that even pharmacies that stock controlled medicine so even when you do have a script for it...good luck trying to find it!! cry

Posted 11/25/2012 4:30 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for sharing more...

Why are they putting you to sleep for a MRI? I've never heard of that before...It's one thing to offer a sedative to a patient to take beforehand if they are nervous about being claustrophobic...

But going under general anesthesia is definitely not the norm as there are so many risks associated for anesthesia that it's only used for major surgeries..

No worries about finding your reports...lol...I was just asking to get an overall view of what you are being treated for with regards to pain.

The thing about spine/disc issues is that it's either surgical or non surgical and the non surgical treatment is always using as many modalities as possible.

On these boards it seems that we are all the 15% that end up having surgery and then even the smaller percentage that ends up with chronic pain. There are hundreds of thousands of people who have surgeries and go on without hardly a twinge...or the same amount that have their issues resolve without surgery and do well.

So we are the chosen few! LOL...I have had 3, cervical fusions (two levels each time) and still have 3 severe herniations...(two in lumbar and one lower cervical)...I've just decided with my Neurosurgeon and PM that we will continue to avoid any more surgey as long as we can. So I just treat it with all the things I mentioned...Thankfully walking every day and stretching has kept my lumbar ones from flaring up..(I had a terrible flare in July when I lifted a suitcase wrong:().

Hopefully you are seeing a Board Certified (as well as Fellowship trained) Neurosurgeon as they are the most highly trained (especially in the cervical region of the spine). They can offer the best comprehensive treatment plan..

Are you going to be staying in the states or return to the country where you are now?
Posted 11/25/2012 4:45 PM (GMT 0)
Snowbunny21...I know it is very abnormal to be put under GA...however thats the only way I can tolerate it and here they are ok with it and I really prefer it because this will be more than an hour long MRI. I have had MRI's with being sleeping but not under GA but I wake up from that during the procedure.

Nope I dont think the consultants are BC. He did get his degree from UK though.

Great you have kept from getting flares!

Yes I will be back for good when I come. Cant wait to be back home;))
Posted 11/25/2012 4:54 PM (GMT 0)
When you say "tolerate" it...you mean because of being claustrophobic...or from pain? Again...you are the first person I have ever heard of that they would risk general anesthesia for a MRI..

I guess I was thinking you were getting the MRI when you returned to the states...so I got confused on this as I thought you were returning soon so I guess I"m not sure why they would do all the testing there if you are going to come to the US shortly and be treated here?

Hopefully you can get all the images (actual films) to bring with you to the US as the Drs. here will need that for their own diagnoses and treatment...

May I ask how all of this works with insurance where you are and then having insurance in the US right when you return to see all the Drs.? I'm just curious on how that would work....LOL

***And now that you mentioned that you are only getting a lumbar MRI (along with your pelvis)...then either a Board Certified Neurosurgeon or BC Orthopedic surgeon is best to see when you get to the US to figure out what is going on.....I was thinking they were looking at your cervical issues as well and a Neurosurgeon is more experienced in that area of the spine...

Post Edited (Snowbunny21) : 11/25/2012 10:00:21 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/25/2012 5:01 PM (GMT 0)
Yes Snowbunny21 clausterphobic and I cant lay on my back so its reallly painful to do that let alone for more than an hour.
Im doing and have had a few MRI's here because we have really good insurance here and no co-pays or nothing.
When returning back to the states we will have the same insurance but its through a different provider and is much more limited. Oh and I have all the MRI's put onto CD's so yes I will def bring for other opinions.
Posted 11/25/2012 5:09 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for explaining...That seems too bad that where you are has such good health care and to where they put you under for a MRI for pain yet you say they don't have any of the modern pain medications:(

Hopefully you will find some great Drs. when you return and they can decide if surgery is warranted or figure out a good comprehensive program to help your pain levels!

Post Edited (Snowbunny21) : 11/25/2012 10:13:23 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/25/2012 5:17 PM (GMT 0)
HA I know...it seems they would rather just knock you out than give sedation that may last...and this is Saudia Arabia so ya pain meds, alchohol, even rubbing alchohol and hydgren proxide isnt sold here!
They are very very strict about certain types of things! but other than the health care is great!
Posted 11/25/2012 5:32 PM (GMT 0)
I know that they use Morphine over there for pain management ....so I'm not sure why they can't provide this to you..I understand different cultures and not having over the counter products that contain certain things....but they should have access to pain medications for actual patients being treated by a Dr.

(Just like in the UK they have codeine as an OTC medication where it isn't this way in the US)

But either way....you will be in the US soon and be able to get better pain management!!

Post Edited (Snowbunny21) : 11/25/2012 10:36:09 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/25/2012 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
The only time they use Morphine is in the hospital like immediately following surgery. Like I had once. Then after the recovery room you are off IV pain meds and if really bad pain they may give you IM volteran. And one time about month and half ago I had severe neck pain like so bad my shoulder was almost under my chin and they gave 3mg of IM morphine but thats only because I told them I had used tramal and volteran already.

There is absolutely NO pharmacy that carries/stocks morphine here AT ALL!!!

I lived in the UK for almost 3 yrs and although they do stock codiene OTC its only 6 mg included in a paracetamol pill. Thats it. its called cocodamol.

In france however they sell OTC cocodamol that is 21mg of codiene!

Posted 11/25/2012 5:49 PM (GMT 0)
Maybe to give more of an understanding about the way meds are not given here, there isnt even a single dentist including dental surgens that can even write a controlled script. They dont use sedation even for complicated dental procedures. Not even nitrous oxide!! if that helps better understand.

The city that I drive to for my private care is almost a 2 hr drive cus the city we live does not have any Pharmacy that stocks any type of controlled meds like tramal.

I dont want to make it sound like this country is a torture place, its not, I love the country alot, its just that I was used to taking stronger pain meds along with other treatments to handle my pain and its hard sometimes when Im feelilng so much pain.

 

Posted 11/25/2012 5:50 PM (GMT 0)
I had a friend who was living in Riyadh for two years a bit ago for work and had a car accident and injured his back and leg. He was prescribed Morphine for pain management but he may have gotten this treatment from the hospital and using their Pharmacy..but I know he was on it for many months.

The reason I remember this is he was one of the only people I knew that was taking Morphine before my Dr. was needing to switch me over to it as the Oxycontin was not available in generic anymore...I was nervous about using it as I just associated with such strong medication! So talked with him about side effects and such..

Anyway....all neither here nor there as you will be returning shortly and will hopefully get a good plan of action for you!

I have traveled a lot around the world myself but have usually brought my medication with me so it's much different if you are living there like you are.

I know that Saudi Arabia is so much more worried about addiction (loss of "control") and this is one of the big reasons they don't use many opiates except in rare occasions it seems.

And for people who may be a bit confused...Tramal...which you are taking is another name for Tramadol in the US...It is the generic for Ultram here:)
Posted 11/25/2012 5:53 PM (GMT 0)
We were posting at the same time with our last two posts! LOL...

It's still mind boggling that you describe the dental procedures yet they are perfectly ok with using general anesthesia for a MRI...Makes you shake your head as it makes no sense whatsoever!
Posted 11/25/2012 7:15 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Butterfly and welcome to the chronic pain forum. Wow, it sounds like you have pretty much ran the gambit in terms of receiving medical care. I hope when you move back to the states you do not have problems getting certain medications. Not sure how long you have been gone from the states, but we have had quite a shake up when it comes to getting narcotics for pain. The DEA is deeply involved, there are new guidelines in place for the drs that write scripts for narcotics. Many of us here at the forum are under the care of pain mgt drs because our primary care drs do not want the DEA breathing down their necks over how many scripts of narcotics they write a month, so they just will not give them out any longer. A few will but nothing like before. It primarily started with the "war on drugs" that bled over and made a huge impact on people that suffer with chronic pain.

It sounds like you have had decent medical care living where you are now. I hope you are able to make a smooth transition when you get back to the states.

Take care.....Susie
Posted 11/25/2012 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
i can relate to the mri .:PinkSprklyButterflY:., i had an MRI on my knee, and that was no problem.
Yet recently on my c-5, c-7, and it freaked me out..hit the panic button. What helped was going to another mri that was bigger, it gave me some breathing room, that and a valium. I survived lol..
Yet the damage is done and the results are 2 bulging discs with no feeling in my right fingertips, constant numbing feeling there, never mind the pain in my upper neck. I also have a torn acl.
Surgery is not an option at the time as i would lose my job, no short term disability. I feel for anyone living in pain, and especially for folks who cannot get the meds needed due to drug abusers who have made it difficult for doc's to prescribe such medications..
Posted 11/25/2012 7:22 PM (GMT 0)
My guess would be that the MRI is being done in a hospital, a much more controlled environment than a dental office. As for GA for an MRI, that's a new one on me too (except when one is already in an induced coma, on life support, etc.). It's amazing, the differences in health care in various countries! Although I understand different cultures/beliefs/values, I feel that managing a person's pain is/should be a basic human right.

Pink, I hope that you can find some relief soon and you don't have to wait until you are back in the U.S.! Take care of yourself - and Welcome to HW!

Post Edited (Splashdancer) : 11/25/2012 12:31:25 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/25/2012 9:32 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome. I hope the MRI is able to give your drs the info they need so you can feel better. It sounds like you've been having a hard time.

My son was sedated for an MRI. He was to young to lay still. It's fairly common with very young children. It's always been in a hospital setting and very safe.
Posted 11/25/2012 9:44 PM (GMT 0)
Rocckyd...I think there is a huge difference between a bit of sedation which is usually Valium or an anti-anxiety medication for many folks that may have trouble that is given either orally or through an IV ....or actually using general anesthesia like that used in a major surgery..

There are quite a few risks associated with general anesthesia and that is why it is only used when absolutely needed. That is why a few of us are very surprised to hear it being used for someone getting a MRI as we have never heard of this...

 

Post Edited (Snowbunny21) : 11/25/2012 2:54:11 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/26/2012 1:50 AM (GMT 0)
I was just wondering - when you say 'general anesthesia', do you mean they actually insert an ET? Or is it like the medicine used during a colonoscopy? For the life of me I can not remember the name of it - my doctors have always called it 'pina colada in a syringe'! It puts you to sleep, but when you wake up after the procedure there is little, if any, grogginess (at least for me).
Posted 11/26/2012 2:13 AM (GMT 0)
I know-I was just thinking outloud.

With kids it is often a necessity since little ones can't stay still. My son had an mri that was 2hrs when he was a toddler. I remember it was full anesthesia cause I was very nervous. He had never been put under before. It was in a hospital setting. Actually seemed like a surgery since he spent time in recovery as well.

I guess it all comes down to what the dr thinks is best for the patient. I'm assuming the hospital would have some sort of protocal as well. Regardless, I hope answers are found :)
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