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Posted 4/22/2010 5:42 AM (GMT 0)
well, I finally found a pm dr.  I saw her today.  she gave me a good once over and boy was i hurting afterwards, but it was worth it.  I'm so sore tonight.  She did a tox screen and said when it gets back, she'll be prescribing me something stronger.  She asked me how well the Kadian had worked when I took it in the past.  I told her it worked really well, so I think the Kadian will be what I get.

She gave me a week's worth of Percocet.  I was taking just the 5mg of Oxycodone twice a day and she put me on 5mg Oxycodone with 325mg acetaminophen, which is Percocent three times a day.  She gave me a week's worth.  She also gave me Neurontin to take three times a day eventually by titrating it  up every three days.(one capsule at bedtime for three days.  one capsule twice a day for three days, and then 1 capsule three times a day from then on.  I had told her that I got stabbing pains all of a sudden in my back and that's why she gave me that.  She also gave me a pack of prednisone to take for 6 days.  I sure will be glad when she gets that tox screen back and prescribes me the stronger meds.

The only thing about this dr. is that she'll treat me with the pain meds until I'm stable and then she'll ask my pcp to take over the prescribing of the pain meds.  I sure do hope that she'll do it.  I thought that I had nothing to lose that at least I would get to be stable at least.  I'm being positive that everything will work out.  I'm also going to the (well my mind just went blank).  It's the place that does heat, ice, exercise, etc.  anyway, she said that was a good idea.

I sure hope this works out.  I'm very tired of being in so much pain all the time.  If it doesn't then I don't know what I'll do.  Please say a prayer that it works out for me. 

hugs

Loretta

Posted 4/22/2010 5:48 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Loretta:

I'm glad that your appt. went well, and I hope this week goes by very quickly for you.

I totally understand your feelings of being tired of being in pain!

Take care,

Lorie
Posted 4/22/2010 5:49 AM (GMT 0)
Loretta

It sounds like you are on the right track, I sure hope this works out well for you, I will say a prayer or two for you! And I will cross my fingers and toes too! I think the word you were looking for was Physical Therapy? For some that also can be very very helpful! Anyway I am very Happy for YOU!

I wish welll

White Beard
Posted 4/22/2010 6:25 AM (GMT 0)
9Years sounds like your appt went well, at least she listened to you and heard what you were saying that is a plus. I take it she wants you to start physical therapy, lets hope that work out well too. Take care .
Posted 4/22/2010 8:47 AM (GMT 0)
Loretta,
I'm glad you found someone that seems to want to help. I'm on percocet (although more than what you're prescribed) and also neurontin, along with heaven knows how many other meds! LOL Just a heads up that the neurontin can have some side effects especially at the beginning. I had to ease up very slowly, so if it gets to be too much for you (mostly feeling tired, sometimes a little blurred vision) ask your doctor if you can slow down the progression. I actually had to fight with my neurologist to reduce the 300mg capsules down to 100mg increases so I could move up in dose more slowly. I've been on it a long time now, though, and it does help the nerve pain, especially in my feet. The downside is that I know it still makes me more tired than I was before I started it, but not as bad as at the beginning.

good luck!

PaLady
Posted 4/22/2010 9:54 AM (GMT 0)
I'm so happy that you found a doctor to treat your pain! Is your GP okay with taking the recommendations of the pain doctor?

Flower
Posted 4/22/2010 10:00 AM (GMT 0)
Congratulations on finding someone willing to help. This Dr. sounds like they have a real plan and that's always a good start.

I hope you find the relief you have been looking for!

RM
Posted 4/22/2010 1:41 PM (GMT 0)
 

   Dear Loretta,

 

      Good morning *hugg* How are you doing this morning? Good I hope. I was excited to see your post! It is fantastic that your pain is finally being treated properly. Thank goodness! I sounds like in about 2 weeks you ll be able to have your pain somewhat under control? I am hoping the medicines work, you have be in alot of pain for a very long time. It is high time something was done about it!

 

      I wont chatt away, I just wanted to stop by and *high five*

 

*huggs*

   dani

Posted 4/22/2010 2:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi loretta, Sorry I'm late but I'm w/ Dani but I'll stick w/ the low five! I'm happy you are getting some help w/ the %^#@!!)(*^!!! pain dfinally!! I forgot to tell you in my post that my new pain doc started me on Neurontin too a little over 3 weeks ago when I first went to see her. I'm taking 3 x 100mg a day and I'm not sure but I think it's helping w/ the electric tingling nerve pain which runs from my neck down my spine! Instead of having this sensation all the time, now it only seems to happen when I overdo it! Can't be a bad thing! It also is helping me sleep a little longer I think. I'm now sleeping 5~6hrs instead of 3~4!!!! Now if I could just sleep straight through w/o getting up to pee every hour, I'll be in heaven!!!
Please keep us updated w/ what your good doc says & does for you! Oh also> prayers, no problem! Got you covered and here's a big hug to go with them!!!!!
Your buddy,
Pete
Posted 4/22/2010 5:07 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Loretta,

I'm glad to hear that you found a new doctor & that this doctor seems willing to help with your pain. I'd like to reiterate what Palady said. I too found that I had to increase my neurontin very slowly (by the smallest possible increments each time) otherwise it would make me very dizzy, etc. I eventually got up to the maximum possible dose (I think it was 2400 mg/day, but it was several years ago & I have been on so many different meds since, so I don't really remember) & then came off of it completely because it wasn't helping, but it took me well over 6 months to titrate up. If you are having trouble with the side effects (which is very common), don't hesitate to ask you doctor to slow down your progression. Good luck!

hugs,
Skeye
Posted 4/22/2010 6:35 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for the replies.  I also want to thank you for the pointers on the Neurontin.  When my husband picked  my meds up, the  pharmacist told him that it can cause dizziness and drowsiness.   I took the first one last night, and I'm pretty tired today.  I think the 300 mg capsules are too high for starting on.  I think I'm going to call the dr. and ask if I can start at a lower dose.  I apppreciate all the hugs and prayers.

 

hugs to you all.  I hope you all have a lpd.

 

Loretta

Posted 4/22/2010 6:52 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Miss Loretta...

Good to hear your update. I am so glad you found a PM doc... that's step number one to getting the care you need! I'm going to keep you in my prayers that the meds work for you....and you get some much needed pain relief.

I'm off Neurontin because I'm pregnant... but it can work wonders AND have some of those side effects you mentioned. That sounds like a pretty high starting dose to me, too. I can't remember what I started at... maybe 200mg 2x a day... or maybe even less than that. Sorry, it's been a while...and my memory is shot anyway :)

Anyway, I'll keep you in my prayers.... and let us know how it goes for you. Take good care.
--Tina
Posted 4/22/2010 7:12 PM (GMT 0)
9years, I am glad you found a pm. I hope all goes well for you.
Posted 4/22/2010 7:35 PM (GMT 0)
Loretta,

I'm glad you've found a doctor who can help! One more small piece of advice. Prednisone is a wonderful medication, but it can cause mood swings. If you get them, don't worry. They'll go away as soon as it's out of your system next week. I've taken prednisone several times, and I don't always get the mood swings. Fortunately, I knew about them before I started taking it, so I knew they might happen. YMMV, of course.
Posted 4/22/2010 7:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Loretta,

I am happy to hear that your PM appt. went so well and that she listened and is willing to help you use different modalities...ie medicine, PT, etc. to help with your pain...I truly feel that is the best approach to have things work in conjunction with one another...PT should be good to learn and also be able to do at home too...

I agree that the Neurontin can make you very dizzy...I actually couldn't take it...I was on Cymbalta for my nerve pain for many years instead...And one thing I learned with any type of steroid, was that it made it very hard to fall/stay asleep...like I was buzzed on coffee! I had no clue that was a side effect...But I do the Medrol dose packs two times a year when I get a flare up..they are very helpful!

I hope that she is able to put you back on your Kadian if that was working well for you! I take MSContin and find that works very well for my long acting medicine..

Just be careful with driving, cooking at the stove, things like that until you get used to any new medicine like the Neurontin just to be safe:)...

And one last suggestion..I would actually go ahead and send an email or phone your PCP to make sure that on down the road they will be ok with taking over all the medicines you will be on...I would hate for you to be on everything and then have them say no..and you be stuck without..so..I am a dork that believes in planning for everything!

I really am glad to hear good news that you are being well looked after! What a blessing for you to get some pain relief...

Sending hugs (( ))
Posted 4/22/2010 8:15 PM (GMT 0)
Loretta,
My cousin is a pharmacist and she's the one who helped clue me into the neurontin. My neurologist initially told me to start on 300mg at night for 3 days, then add another 300mg during the day for 3 days, and then add the third 300mg after 3 days, so that within 9 days I was supposed to be up to 300mg, 3X/day. Well, at the time I was still working and driving and needed to assess how this was going to affect me, so I asked if I could stretch each change out over a week, and he agree, although told me that the 900mg/day was a very low dose. So for a week I took the 300mg at night, then the second week I added another 300mg, and the third week another 300mg. I can't remember when it was but at some point it was still too much, too fast, because it was making me too tired during the day (it helped me to sleep at night, and that was just fine as I was horribly sleep deprived), and it was my cousin who suggested I ask for some 100mg capsules. My neurologist really scoffed at that, saying he didn't think it would matter that much, but eventually gave in and I inched up using 100mg at a time, especially for during the day.

I now take 400mg, 4 times/day for a total of 1600mg, which my cousin tells me is right about in the middle between the lowest and highest doses, but it took me a long, long time to get up to this much.

I still believe the neurontin is what causes me the most fogginess, yet I know it helps because if I'm even late on a dose my feet start back up with the numbness & tingling. I've tried lyrica but I don't think I ever had a doctor who knew how to dose that properly. Lyrica is sort of a newer version of neurontin, and is supposed to have fewer side effects, but everyone is so different. I loved cymbalta, but had one bad reaction to it, so had to stop it, but it truly was the only thing that ever got rid of the numbness and tingling in my feet and made them feel somewhat "normal" again.

Would you believe I still have a few of those 100mg neurontin tablets? LOL Every now and then if for some reason I've screwed up my doses and they're too close I'll substitute one for a 400mg, but that's rare now. I also had some blurred vision off and on for the first couple of weeks or so, but that eventually went away (I think - I kind of attribute my vision stuff now to aging, but who knows?! LOL).

Everyone is different. Just offering this for ideas in case the initial dosing is too much for you like it was for me and Skeye.

I kind of agree with Snowbunny about contacting your PCP, but I wonder if it would be better to ask your PM to do it at your next appointment. I do know that some PCP's will do it if you follow say, once or twice/yr with the PM, so the PM is reviewing your meds for needed changes. If you PCP has a problem, perhaps you could offer this as a strategy.

PaLady
Posted 4/22/2010 8:35 PM (GMT 0)
PALady..that's a good idea about the Neurontin...I was probably on way too high of a dose many years ago when I was put on it by a Dr. whom I stopped seeing..so he never suggested trying to lower the dosage..just took me off when side effects the first few days were just too much..

And yes..probably best to have your PM speak with your PCP about the timeline on your medicine and who is handling what...I think it will help put your mind at ease Loretta, knowing that it will be a smooth transition when it happens..

Take care..
Posted 4/23/2010 1:47 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for the advice about the Neurontin PaLady and Snowbunny.  I already take Cymbalta for depression, and it doesn't do anything for the pain, so I guess it's different for different people.  I'm really drowsy right now.   I don't know if I want to take another Neurontin tonight or not lol.  I'm so tired from the one I took last night.  Do you know how long the half life is of Neurontin?  I guess I'll look it up on the web and see what it says about it.  I didn't call my dr. today because I thought maybe I could handle it, but I don't know about that.  Thanks for sharing your stories with me.  I hope you both have a lpn.

 

hugs

Loretta

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