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My intro and a question about pain specialist

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Fibromyalgia
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Posted 7/14/2012 3:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hello fibro sisters and brothers. I'm Kristie: 33, wife and mother to 2 beautiful girls. I got my dx 10 years ago at 23 years old. Since my fibro dx, Ive added more to the list. :( IBS-D, Rheumatoid arthritis, nerve damage (following left subclavian DVT removal surgery), frequent migraines... just to name a few. Current meds: Cymbalta, neurontin, trazodone, klonapin, hydrocodone 5/500. I was "treated" by my family doctor (I say "treated" because I don't believe that she really treated me, she tolerated me and didn't treat me) After 4 years of being told fibro isn't real, it's all in my head eyes my husband accompanied me to an appointment and demanded that she send me to a rheumatologist. I've been with my rheumy for 6 years now. At first, the meds helped and I had 5 years of feeling somewhat normal. I had my days where breakthrough pain would keep me in bed crying and screaming, but they were only a few times a month. I feel that I am becoming tolerant of my meds and I've asked for a change or increase in my doses. I've tried PT, massage (which made me jump off the table SCREAMING and took me 2 weeks to recover), accupuncture, a TENS unit, exercise, hyptnosis... every non-medical approach. None worked for me.

I am allergic to NSAID's. Which sucks because I've heard they can greatly help. One Advil put me in the hospital for 3 days due to hives, my throat swelled nearly shut.

So that's the short version of my history :) Now my question.

I am seeing a pain specialist this coming Tuesday. I am nervous, which I know I shouldn't be. How can I approach the subject of wishing to increase my meds dosing without sounding like a junkie? It's such a delicate line, especially when seeing someone new for the first time. I know my body well enough to know that what I'm putting into it isnt working like it did at one time. I know you can develop a tolerance (especially to the hydrocodone) over time. My mother (fibro, RA) takes oxycodone daily and uses hydrocodone 10/500 for breakthrough pain. Honestly, I have tried my mom's medication (she offered, she hates seeing me suffer and wanted to see if it would help me so I would know) I felt so much better for those 2 days that I tried her meds!! Oh the difference was amazing. Even my husband noticed! So do I tell my new pain specialist this at my first appointment on Tuesday? Or is that bad?

Thanks for reading and for any advise. :) I look forward to getting to know you all! God bless!
Posted 7/14/2012 5:07 PM (GMT 0)
Maybe you should try being honest and tell your doctor that you tried the stronger meds and that they worked well for you. I am taking endocet 7.5/325 and I really like it. I was on norco (vicodin 10mg) for years. I tried percocet 5/325 and it wasn't strong enough so the doctor gave me the 7.5. Sometimes all you have to do is ask. You could tell them that you were in severe pain and you tried something stronger and it worked well. I know it is scarey. You don't know how the doctor is going to react. You don't want to sound like you are seeking drugs, yet you need the help.

Good luck to you. I hope that you get the meds that you need. I wish you luck asking for them.    They might not put you on ten mg becuase that would be a really fast jump.  You might have to work your way up to it...  Good luck...

Take care, have a good day.

Hugs, Karen...

Deepwell, I thought ultram and tramadol were the same thing??? Please explain...
Posted 7/14/2012 5:33 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for the advise ladies! I really appreciate it!

No, I have not tried any herbal/natural medications. Thank you for the suggestions, I will have to seek them next time I am in town at the natural foods store. (I live in a po-dunk country town. LOL Nothing around here, nearest town is an hour and a half away) Being allergic to nsaid's really limits medication options. My rheumy is always offering an rx of prethnisone (spelling?) in fact, I have a standing rx at the pharmacy that I can pick up anytime. LOL I've been desperate enough a few times and have used a few cycles in the last year. The side effects (for me) have been rotten, though I do feel relief in my joints. Darned if ya do, darned if ya don't! LOL

It is always scary for me to see a new doctor. I think the anxiety of it is going to be worse than the actual appointment. LOL I've got my box of paperwork, MRI DVD's, x-rays etc ready to go and sitting on my dining room table. I may move them to keep them out of sight until Tuesday morning. LOL Every time I glance at the box, I feel anxious! :/
Posted 7/14/2012 5:52 PM (GMT 0)
If you are seeing a new doctor, I don't know about asking for stronger meds until you get to know them. Though you never know...

Good luck...

Hugs, Karen
Posted 7/14/2012 6:15 PM (GMT 0)
The reason I'm going to see the pain doctor is that my rheumy suggested it. Rheumy has always been great about listening and understanding, and he treats me well. He is really wonderful! The referral was made because he'd like to see what the pain doc suggests and wants to work together as a team to figure out the best treatment for me. :) Will still continue seeing my rheumy. He isn't opposed to changing meds at all, he just wants the pain doc to see me and perhaps get a better med plan for me.
Posted 7/14/2012 8:12 PM (GMT 0)
Mommakiki,

I see. So maybe see what the rheumy says first and if they don't up your meds, or ask you how you are doing on them, if you feel okay about it, maybe mention the oxycodone. I am scared to give you advice here. You can always let them know that the hydrocodone isn't strong enough. I would feel it out and see how it goes first. Then maybe mention that what you are taking isn't quite reaching the pain. I hope this works out for you. Keep us posted...

Deepwell, thanks. I thought so but wasn't sure. How are you doing???

Hugs, Karen
Posted 7/15/2012 1:36 AM (GMT 0)
Just be honest and open with the pain doc. If s/he is truly interested in helping you, you need to give your full history, allergies, didn't works, I tried my moms......... and that helped, all of it. If you go blasting in and ask for something by name, yeah, you are a drug seeker. But be honest, and don't be surprised if new doc orders a bunch of tests too.

I love my pain doc, he is a keeper.
Posted 7/15/2012 1:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Mamakiki, and welcome!  It is a touchy subject when it comes to pain medication because it is abused many times.  So, with this in mind, I personally would not let them know you tried your mother's pain medication.  I wouldn't go in asking for a specific pain medication either. 

 

In Fibro 101...the first thread on the forum...you will find a link to a pain journal and also links to pain charts.  Print these out.  Keep a record of what you do and how much pain you have doing this.  The charts work great because then the doctor will be able to really see what is going on with you.  (One of the charts has faces and these are used in hospitals.)  So start keeping a record of your pain.

 

Let the doctor know what you have been taking, how long you have been taking it, and also that you have been having more pain recently.  Your body does build up a resistence to narcotics and you need more and more of them to get the same pain relief you did on the lesser dose.  Doctors know this so they will understand what is going on with you.

 

I did try Tramadol and also Vicodin and it really didn't help me much at all.  Deepwell mentioned boswellian.  I take an alternative product that has won awards for pain relief called Curamin.  It has Tumeric, boswellian, and a couple of other ingredients in it and it does help me with the pain.  I also take malic acid/magnesium and vitamin D3 supplements, too.  There is a link in Fibro 101 about these last two supplements and how they work in your body. 

 

My rheumy gave me a muscle relaxer a few months ago called Robaxin and it has helped me immensely.  So there are other options out there besides narcotics.  Yes, my pain is tremendous.  I not only have fibro but also a very painful autoimmune disease but the above things help keep my pain under control.  I also do daily gentle stretching exercises, I do gentle daily exercise like walking and swimming.  Yoga is another good one for fibro.  I pace myself when doing anything.  All this combined helps me live a full and enjoyable life in spite of my health issues.

 

I do get GENTLE massages.  If someone tried to give me a deep massage, I would have had the same problem you had.  You can't just go to any massage therapist.  Mine has studied how to give massages for various illnesses, including fibro and myofacial pain syndrome.  She is a member of an organization that has them continue taking courses every year in order to be in this organization.  You could find a good massage therapist through this...one that knows how to massage fibro patients.  The massages help me a lot.  Below is a link to this.

 

http://www.amtamassage.org/findamassage/index.html?utm_source=%2Ffindamassage%2Flocator.aspx&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=redirect

 

Be sure to read Fibro 101.  There is a ton of info in it and you will learn a lot there, too.  I've had fibro for 25 years and am still learning new things about this illness.

 

I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.  Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you.  Hope to hear more from you soon.

 

Sherrine

 

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