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My pain management isn't working

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Chronic Pain
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Posted 6/28/2008 4:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hey,

I'm Chris, I'm new to this forum.

My current combination of pain meds are not working for me at all, and I'm very distressed with it all. I'm currently on Tramadol (100mg 4 times a day), Dihydrocoedine (60mg 4 times a day) and diazepam (10mg 3 times a day).

My problem is that due to my age (I'm 17), my doctor is very unwilling to prescribe anything stronger, which leaves me in limbo, in agony and getting no sleep.

I'm literally in tears right now, the pain is so bad. I really don't know what to do anymore - I'm stuck for ideas. I've been to the ER several times, and all they do everytime, is X-ray the leg, tell me that it's not broken, then tell me to go away.

I honestly can't complain with this pain much longer - what should I do? I'm in a serious problem at the moment, I can't see my GP until monday and my father is insisting that I'm not in as much pain as I claim to be in.

I desperately need some relief. Thanks in advance for any replies.

Chris

Posted 6/28/2008 5:00 PM (GMT 0)
Chris,
Sorry you are in such pain at such a young age.
Have you asked for a referral to an orthopedic doc or neurologist to make sure the problem is not bone or nerve related?
My left leg is always a source of pain. For years I had no clue why it would begin hurting in my hip and radiate down to the knee and ankle. Finally I was given the diagnosis of Fibro but no absolute cause as to why so much pain in the left hip etc.
I know so well what you are going through. You want to crawl away from the pain but there is no where to go. Sometimes I have even thought if all I were was a head that would be the only way to escape the pain.
For now just try soaking in warm Epsom salt baths maybe. Sometimes it helps just to relax the rest of your body. I lay with pillows between my legs, and sometimes that eases it just a bit.
Hope the weekend goes quickly for you at any rate and that you find answers to this problem soon.
Best of Health, Lynn
Posted 6/28/2008 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you.

I have been referred to an orthapaedic consultant, but the x-rays haven't revealed anything. The MRI, however, revealed a lump behind my right knee, and a huge tear in my cruciate ligament. They said that it's fixable, but not completely fixable, so I'll be in pain for the rest of my life. Long long time to go unfortunately :(

Posted 6/28/2008 7:38 PM (GMT 0)
Dear Chris,
Welcome to HW. I'm so sorry you have to be going through this at such a young age, but from your description it sounds like it may be treatable to a large extent. You really won't know your options until you see a good orthopod. so I'd try to relax a bit, because anxiety can make pain even worse than it is.

It sounds like you had an injury? I tore my ACL a few years ago in a bad fall, but it wasn't bad enough to fix surgically, but I'm also a lot older than you! They do lots with arthroscopic surgery these days. I'd be sure to get a second opinion if needed, and maybe if you're near a teaching hospital that might be a possible route. But you might not need that.

Look at all the athletes that have their knees torn up but many at the very least return to functioning, whether or not they play hard sports again. You may be in some discomfort from the knee even after surgery, but probably not the level of pain you're in. I wonder if you're staying off of it right now. If you're putting weight on it even walking you could be making the pain worse. I'd say the RICE advice is the best for you - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation - which won't solve the problem but will help the knee from getting worse. You'll probably also be referred for physical therapy either before or after surgery, depend on what the orthopod. sees. Don't project out to the rest of your life. Knees are fixable, although yes, maybe not back to 100% of what it was, but definitely something you can manage. And likely with a lot less pain than what you've got now.

Take it easy until you get to that orthopod!

PaLady
Posted 6/28/2008 7:41 PM (GMT 0)
I've had physio, it made it worse unfortunately.

I hope your right, but my GP is usually pretty accurate, and he says I'm going to need pain meds for the rest of my life. *Fingers crossed* though.

Posted 6/28/2008 7:47 PM (GMT 0)
Well, if it's a bad tear (and it sounds like it is) PT likely may make it worse. I'd stay off of it until you get to the orthopod. And make sure the orthopod you're seeing has lots of experience - and as I said don't be afraid to get second opinions.

They are even doing total knee replacements now, and perhaps that's what you'll need. I don't know. What is this an injury, perhaps a sports injury? I wonder if the lump behind the knee is from swelling. The ACL (was it the anterior ligament?) is pretty significant to the knee, so if you're putting pressure on it even from walking you're going to make the pain worse. What instructions have your doc or PT given you, especially re: ice, heat, compression supports?

The more you're on it, the more you risk doing even further damage, and you don't want that, but I know at 17 it's hard to stay still!

PaLady
Posted 6/28/2008 8:11 PM (GMT 0)
Ironically, he said exercise as much as you can. But my GP says he's an idiot and that I should keep it immobile as much as possible, which I have been doing, staying in bed all day and only getting up to go to the toilet.

My GP thinks that the lump is either a cyst or an osteosarcoma..I'm hoping for the former! As for the ACL, it's pretty obvious what's wrong with that, but I'm just waiting on a time and date for my surgery now. Can't wait.

Posted 6/28/2008 8:46 PM (GMT 0)
I'm with your GP on activity level, Chris, although I'm not a doc. I sure hope it's a cyst, also, and that you can get treatment - likely surgery - as soon as possible. Does ice help? Heat?

If it's from an acute injury, then I understand your doc not wanting to put you on stronger pain meds, although if you have to wait a long time for surgery, I'd ask the orthopod not for specific drugs, but just say what you're taking and that it's not working. They may be willing to temporarily give you something stronger.

I hope you don't have to wait long, too.

PaLady
Posted 6/28/2008 9:09 PM (GMT 0)
It's not acute, it's been a year.

Ice used to help but the pain has got so bad recently that nothing has helped me at all, unfortunately. I've been given sleeping tablets so I can get some sleep before, but the fact that I also have an anxiety disorder was probably worked into that.

Posted 6/28/2008 10:39 PM (GMT 0)
Chris, I know everyone is different and you have the lump as a complicating factor but, when my sister tore her ACL (she was seventeen) it was excruciating, and she had to have surgery to fix it. They did a surgery and only ended up cleaning out the area since her ACL was completely ruptured and they could not find the ends of it or put it back together. After the surgery her pain was almost completely gone and she has had no lingering difficulties even with no ACL. Hopefully once they can diagnose the lump, clean everything up and fix the ligament you will be much better off than you are now.
Hang in their for now.
Sj
Posted 6/29/2008 11:20 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks to everybody for your replies. They've been remarkably helpful.

Feel free to continue offering advice :)

Thanks again, Chris x

Posted 6/30/2008 12:13 AM (GMT 0)
Chris,
I understand chronic pain - six years of understanding. I know that doesn't help you, but I do say I've survived! Sometimes the pain lightens up and I have a good time. I enjoy TV. Hope for the day when I can paint. Hope for Spring when I might be able to take a short walk in the park.
You are young. The doctors are just beginning to understand your problem. It WILL get better. They'll work on it! (You are young) So your job is to just hang on. Lay on your bed, breathe slowly and imagine you can "see" the pain. If you can "see" it, can you take it away -- drop by drop, inch by inch.

Inch by inch life's a cinch
Yard by yard, life is hard.

Pamela Neckpain
Posted 6/30/2008 2:20 PM (GMT 0)
I just saw a new consultant who said that I shouldn't be taking anything more than paracetomal three times a day. All my other doctors have been so much more compassionate and sympathetic than this guy, I really don't want to see him again....I'm genuinely AFRAID to see him again. I left his office in tears and he was confused as to why. He said that I was a baby if I couldn't tolerate a little pain. It's really NOT a little pain

I spoke to my GP and he said that the consultant is an idiot, and I should continue seeing my other consultant.

Even so, I just feel so mistreated. I wish there was a was of doctors being able to see EXACTLY how much pain you're in, to avoid being undertreated like this. Any support guys? I'm so upset :'(
Posted 6/30/2008 2:29 PM (GMT 0)
Chris,
I'm sorry you had to experience this, but it's more common than you may know. Be grateful your GP understands, because sometimes it's all of our docs and we're left undertreated with no where to go. Was this other consultant a pain management specialist? If not, he/she may not understand how to adequately address pain. Telling you that you're a baby if you can't tolerate a little pain is completely unprofessional. If it's your GP that's prescribing, then I'd just stay with him/her until you can get treated by the orthopod. If the consultant you saw was the orthopod. I wouldn't see him/her again UNLESS they were excellent with knee surgery/treatment, and then I would try to arrange that my GP would prescribe all my pain meds. until I had the surgery.

Read through a lot of the old threads on this board and you will see you're definitely not alone!

Hang in there until you can find treatment for your knee, but use us and others for support as you go through this process.

PaLady
Posted 6/30/2008 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
He was an an Orthopod, but I've got another one who's much better qualified that him, that I'm lined up to see in a fortnight, and he'll have some results for me. I'm sorry it's such a problem for everyone, but in many ways I'm much happier that I'm not alone.

Thanks PALady.

Posted 7/1/2008 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
Chris, I too have had surgery for a partial tear of the ACL. All I can tell you is, until I had surgery I was in terible pain. Three weeks after that scope repair, I had another scope done on the right knee for a torn menicus. Ten days post op of the ACL I was at the drs office walking up the walkway and caught the toe of my shoe in the cement lines by the handicap parking. I lost my balance and came down on the knee and twisted it. I tore up tendons and as a result wore a huge brace for a year. I finally got healed up and I also underwent Suupartz injections. I am much, much older than you that is why I did the Suupartz. I can finally say my knees are doing good. I have had 5 scopes on my knees. Susie
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