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Posted 3/27/2013 5:32 PM (GMT 0)
Well as the title said I am new to this board,I have been posting on the depression board for a few weeks. A little about myself " I am 47 female and a few years back I had my neck broke, they replace 3 levels in my neck with cadaver bone -2 c-3 c-4 and then fused five levels with titanium rods and disc . " They had me on Methadone and I just could not function on this medication , I set a hot pan on my hand while making diner and didn't even know I had until my husband noticed the smell ,gave myself 3rd degree burn form this and now have horrid scar. Any way I just quit taking the methadone and haven't gone back to the Dr , but I am in so much pain ALL the time, and headaches are so bad they make me vomit . I have a hard time even getting out of bed most days, my arms and hands have begun to go numb , my shoulders and down my spin feel like they are on fire and lots of shooting pain down my back now. I can't seem to do anything any more and feel so depressed , just want to lay down and die most days.

Now my question for all is what medication to you think is best for severe pain? I want to go back to the Dr but not sure I want to go on Oxicontan ( question on spelling ) and that was the last one suggested to me. Can anyone share the pros and cons of this? or suggest any other that may help? And Thank you, Wendy
Posted 3/27/2013 6:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Wendy and welcome to the chronic pain forum. You've sure been through a bit lately.

Is there any particular reason you are worried about OxyContin?

Without you trying it, there's no real way of telling how you will tolerate it or how effect it might be in giving you pain relief, but for what it's worth I have been on it for some three of four years now (using OxyContin - the ER formulation - as a maintenance med, and oxycodone IR for breakthrough.) I have had no trouble with it - have some relief,and I tolerate it very well.


Laura
Posted 3/27/2013 7:06 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for the reply CRP, I am worried I will not tolerate it well as I have been told it is even stronger than the methadone, And the methadone didn't do much for the pain other than make it so I didn't want to just die but it made me a zombie. Just worried how this medication may be if it is stronger. I don't want to be a zombie, I want to try and live again, if that makes sense.
Posted 3/27/2013 8:38 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Wendy and welcome to the chronic pain forum. Wow, what a story you have to tell, which everyone that comes here has a story to tell.

I am not sure what type of drs you have seen, whether its a neurosurgeon, orthopedic or pain mgt. My first thoughts are getting in to see a good neurosurgeon. I prefer the neuro's over the ortho's mainly because they are better versed in dealing with the nerves in the body. The ortho's more into the boney structure. You may need to have an MRI or CT of the neck to see what is going on in there to be causing you so much grief. This is not normal and should be investigated. If the work up does not reveal anything out of the ordinary then I would ask to be sent to a pain mgt specialist. Treating pain is their specialty and they know what medications tend to work better for different scenarios. There are medications out there that can help with you without making you feel like a zombie. The key here is to give you back some quality life and not be in the shape you are in now.

I know you may not care for the idea of starting back with seeing a dr & such, but do yourself a favor, get some help, you deserve it. Life is just too short to be living like you are, you are not even existing on a half decent scale.

Take care and please come back and let us know what you have decided to do.
Posted 3/27/2013 9:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Wendy!…and Welcome to the Chronic Pain Forum!

…sounds like you have had a rough time of it, and I'm sorry that you are in so much pain there.shakehead

To answer your question about meds….well there are pros and cons, but everyone is different in how well they work for pain, and the possible problems of side effects.

Oxycontin is a good pain reliever, and can be very effective fro many patients. A few others are, the Fentanyl patch, MSContin (Morphine),…Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Nucynta….and a few others.

Now you mentioned a burning sensation, and I'm guessing this could be from nerve damage, ….so a few meds to treat this would be,…Cymbalta, Gabapentin, Lyrica…and again Nucynta. The Nucynta medication, treats both chronic pain…and nerve damage. I myself have had decent luck with this med, and we have recently added Lyrica. I will need a higher dose of the Lyrica, to see if it will help, because so far I have not experienced a lot of relief.

I hope that answers your question, and if not, then hop back on here and let us know how we can help you.

Again!…Welcome!…and Enjoy the forum!

SE
Posted 3/28/2013 12:02 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for the input, Straydog I have seen all three of them Dr's and seems they can't do much more for me , so was sent to the pain management in SL and was was doing okay , but then I lost my job and insurance so have been unable to see any Dr for about two years. I am hoping I will get my SSD soon even though this has been 2 years in the process. And then I should be able to get some kind of medical . I hope I can.

Thank you SE for your info also, I just know I need to do something and soon or I am going to die, I just can feel myself slipping away. Thank you all very much.
Posted 3/28/2013 1:10 AM (GMT 0)
…your in a tough spot, but please keep seeking support here with us. We all have been through those dark days, and many of us continue to do so. No fun for sure! shakehead

Take care!

SE wink
Posted 3/28/2013 7:19 AM (GMT 0)
Wendy...

I'm sorry for the issues that brought you here.... that being said - I'm glad you found your way to HW. It's a great support system. As SE said - many of us here have been through those dark days. I personally know what it's like to deal with pain/health issues - and then have severe depression on top of it.

Anyway - just wanted to welcome you here to the CP board.... and hope to get to know you better.

Take care --Tina
Posted 3/28/2013 8:24 AM (GMT 0)
Wendy, the strength of medication is a very relative term as different medications can and often do effect people differently. for the most part how one medication compares to another, for example saying 20mg of medication A is equivalent to 10 mg of medication B is more for the doctors to use as a starting point when switching medications.

IMHO what you really need to do is go back to the doctor explain to him that you are unable to function on it and also be specific about what your goals are when it comes to pain management.
Posted 3/28/2013 10:45 AM (GMT 0)
Wendy, I'm sorry we had to meet this way.

I've fought the SSD battle, and eventually won. Now, there's a 2 year waiting period, no exceptions, before you are eligible for Medicare. Hopefully you don't end up like me and get just a little too much from disability to disqualify you from MedicAID. That's my situation right now. I have disability, but I'm out of pocket for almost everything. At least until January, when medicare kicks in.

That being said, I'm fortunate enough to have a hospital system in Louisiana that takes "indigent care" patients, and I do qualify for that. So I am able to see doctors, but it's a lot of jumping through hoops, and learning to navigate the system. And there have been plenty of budget cuts, but I can still get care.

Oxycontin has gotten a bad rap. There are a bunch of scare tactics out there, but it is a legit medication that can help some people, even if others have misused it and made it scary to the uninformed. Don't write off a medication unless you've had a reaction to it. Each one works in a different way. There's a bit of trial and error in getting the dosages right, but that's not unusual. Just stick with it, and keep track of any reactions you have, and keep it written down to share with the doc when you see them.

Whatever you find, I hope you get some relief soon. Keep up with us here.
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