My Doc wants me to get off pain meds

I am sorry that you are having to deal with all of this pain.if you don't mind me asking why is your doctor dead set on taking you off your meds when he know's your medical histery?and too are you seeing a Pain mangement doctor or is your PCP the one that is scripting yor meds?I hope that you get some reliefe soon and please let us know what your doctor does as far as your pain meds.

I'd most certainly get another medical opinion. I've tried every herbal and naturopathic solution there is. They are expensive and not strong enough for us folks with chronic conditions. Look for a pain clinic - or at least a more undertanding Dr. before you panic. There are good ones out there that understand & will work woth you - rather than against you. Don't give up!

Some pain mang. doctors really do just do the injections. ONe pain doc. here where I live only treats with injections, so I couldn't go to him. (i have migraines). I ended up having to pay $250 a visit, so he made a referal of the meds he would prescribe, and my PCP followed his advice. He had me on way too much fentanyl though...
Just thought I'd share that they may not have thought you were a drug seeker at all, but the injectons may be all they really have to offer.
I would love to tell you about something called a spinal flush. Its something we do in Energy Medicine. There is a book my Donna Eden that is really good.
Best to you,
Ang

 

       Dear pain since 91

    Dont listen to people telling you your regular physician is wrong. It is 99%likely that

he is right .These opioids are extremely addictive and they reduce your pain threshold so that they increase your sensitivity to pain. They were thought to be a miracle cure for chronic pain by the medical professsion (my people) 10 yrs ago and they have turned into more of a medical disaster. If you gradually scale down your pain meds according to your doctors advcice you will feel more pain in the short run and less pain in the long run

             Do not go to ANY  pain clinic .These are the people who created this disastrous

black chapter in the history of medicine . (they use the term opioids for noncancer pain ,at least that was the in vogue term last week ) A conservative chiropracter who uses hands on therapy can give you decent relief ,but have realistic expectations .You will nt be cured .

    It sounds to me as if your own doctor is giving you excellent  advice.                                        

Post Edited By Moderator (Admin) : 12/4/2007 7:10:01 PM (GMT-7)

Dear Chutz
What you say is certainly the party line . You cant stop the medication or you will feel unbelievably horrible . You also cant get by with something milder like a tylenol 3r or advil because your body has developed tolerance . You cant even undergo a colonoscopy because the pain is so horrible because of the tremendous tolerance you have developed to opioids . You have horrific side effects ranging from constipation grogginess difficulty urinating and concentrating to reduced reflexes poor short term memory nightmares sleep disruption sleep apnea low sex drive sweats chills.

And thats if you you are taking it very very regularly .If you skip a dose or two you feel ten times worse .
But you are not addicted because they have redefined addiction to mean you are only addicted if you you are intentionally makng yourself worse , stealing it etc.

I think they should redefine winter as being warmer so I wouldnt have to shovel so much snow .

I am all in favour of making people with pain feel better even if only temporarily and partially .It
unfortunately has been my experience that these people (95% nothing is 100%) feel better in the short term and worse in the longterm .Look at the post of the lady who has 4 good 1hr periods out of 24 hrs on opioids . I bet her doctor wished he or she had never started thepatient on opioids.
I will never know exactly how the patient would feel if she had never taken opioids , but probably better than she feels now . My own personal and clinical observations - not supported by clinical studies (yet) but by tons of experience.

"I would like to say that what seems obvious to people and what does not seem obvious are to a cetain extent a function of time " Albert Einstein in August1920