I am going to give you all a little backround (I'll try to make it as short as possible, but that might be difficult.
I was diagnosed with Chron's / Colitis in 2003. From 2003 until 2005 I was taking Hydrocodone (7.5/500 tabs) on and off as needed for pain and flares.
In 2006, while pregnant with my first child, I had an extremely bad flare and ended up with toxic mega-colon and had to have my entire colon removed when I was 9 weeks pregnant. A few months after surgery I felt great. Still had slight back pain (which I have had since my diagnosis) but I barely took any pain meds beyond tylenol for fear of harming my baby.
Once she was born I went back on the 7.5/500 Hydrocone mostly due to my lower back and tailbone pain.
A year after my daughter was born I opted to have J-Pouch surgery so I could get rid of my ostomy. Having this done did not create my back issues but it did make them worse. Not much longer after J-Pouch surgery we discoved I had developed a RV Fistula. The surgery to fix this is extremely invasive and after many talks with my surgeon we decided it would be best to wait until I had all of my children.
So I remained on the Hydro. Also added Cipro and Promethazine. I was on that combination from 2006 until I found out I was pregnant with my second child in July of 2011 and the pain skyrocketed. I had thought my first pregnancy was bad and never dreamed the second would be a million times worse. Not only my original issues with my back but I had horrible abdominal cramping and a lot of leakage from the fistula which caused more pain as well.
My GP and OB agreed that Hydrocodone was not the safest option for pain medication while pregnant so they switched me to 10mg Percocet as needed. I always tried not to take it but the pain was so intense and my high-risk OB's said if I was in pain it would not only stress me but would also put stress on the baby. So over the course of the pregnancy I had to keep increasing the dosage as the pain got worse. The last couple months I was taking 8 10mg Percocets a day.
I made the mistake of getting scripts from my high-risk OB and GP - when I was running low I would just ask whichever doc I saw first for the scrips.
Then one day when I called my GP for a refill his nurse informed me that my doctor no longer felt comfortable giving me percocet. His nurse also told me "Everytime you feel you need a pain pill, think about what you are doing to your baby." I was so upset - did they really think I'd be taking it if I didn't need it??
After my son was born I was sent home with Fentenyl Patches (which I only used for about a week because while on it all I did was sleep and was lucky to be awake 6 hours every day) and Percocet - I was told the OB's would take care of my pain meds until I found a new GP - but when I called for a refill they refused - saying I didn't really need the pain meds.
I had obviously fired my original GP and set up a new appointment with a new doctor. The very first time I saw him he basically accused me of either being a drug addict or a drug dealer then decided I didn't need the percocet and he would feel more comfortable giving me the Hydrocodone which I was originally on before the pregnancy - which was fine with me - I just needed to have anything that would help me function. I did afterall have 2 children to take care of. He said he wanted me to try getting off the narcotics and we could slowly decrease the dose and just see how things went. He also helped me get into a PM doctor.
PM docs ideas: Try Gabbapentin - didn't do a darn thing to touch the pain. Then he thought about trying injections but after checking all my MRI scans said it would not work on my anyways since the tissue in the area I'd need them was not normal tissue. And finally we tried Tramadol - which didn't work as well on my pain as the Lortabs and honestly made me feel terrible. I couldn't sleep, had trouble peeing, and my body ached all over like when I have the flu.
So PM doc said there was really nothing more he could do - that I should just stay on the Lortabs and just try to take as little dose as possible.
Back to my GP - Over the course of about 1-1/2 years I am now on 2.5/500 of Lortabs 4x daily. My GP NEVER ONCE examined me or did a check up in all that time until my last appt which was about 2 or 3 weeks ago (I saw him atleast 15 times during this period.) I had set it up because I've been having more pain in the abdomen and had been taking 6-8 Lortabs a day the pain was so severe. I was upfront and honest with him always - if I took more then usual of the Lortabs I made sure to call and tell him - this did not happen often - there were usually 3-5 days a month that I needed more - but I always did my best to stay at the 4 a day. So I go in and when I asked for a refill he said "No, he couldn't prescibe them any more." And that "I couldn't keep taking them long term like this". And he said "your on such a low dose I don't even see why you need them." Um, ok so does that mean If I needed a higher dose it would be ok and he would keep giving them to me??? It's just crazy. And I am afraid to admit it but the 2.5 Lortabs DO NOT stop my pain...taking 4 a day spaced out just gets the edge off so I can actually function somewhat normally. I also asked if he was worried about the tylonol - since Lortabs have that with them and I've been on it so long. He said no, it was the narcotics that he had a problem with and he said the PM doc told him that. (Not sure who is lying here because when I saw the PM doc he told ME that the narcotic had no long term effects but that he would be more worried about the tylenol.
I honestly get why my GP was concerned when he first met me. Seeing in my chart that I had gotten narcotic scrips from 2 doctors at one point and then leaving my first GP does look bad - I totally get that. But he never let me explain my reasons to him - when I try he just speaks over me and changes the subject. He made me promise I would never do that - and I should only get my Lortabs filled by him and be honest about what I take. So I did that...I only went to him yet now he won't help anymore and I have to find ANOTHER doctor??? I feel so betrayed, like he wants me to look like I'm doctor shopping. I should be able to trust my doctors and not be afraid to talk with them about my pain and what I need. Yet the thought of going to any causes me so much stress and anxiety.
I am heading back to the PM doc on Monday. I feel like he'll take my GP's side and not really listen to or care what I have to say - if I even know what to say. If it wasn't for my 2 kids I would glady give up and just lay in bed in pain all the time - that way I wouldn't be judged. I have lost my faith in all doctors and feel like I cannot trust any of them.
How do you make your GP and PM Doctors see that you are not an addict and really truly need the pain meds?? I could really use some advice. I'm so scared to go to the appt on Monday. Sorry for the long post and for how unorganized it is. I have so much running in my head it probably sounds confusing but need some help and I would love to hear your thoughts...
PS - Other things I've tried for pain: Accupuncture, Chiropractor, Massage Therapy, Physical Therapy and have seen a spine specialist.