Doc appointment in a few hours.. Need suggestions FAST!

Doctors are getting reluctant to prescribe pain medications because they are learning that narcotic pain relievers can cause more pain after long term use. Plus they are addicting.

I would write a list of what you want to accomplish and give it to her. Let her know that is why you are there today. Make sure you stress the fatigue. Once you get on something for the fatigue, you will be moving around more and that will help with the pain.

I wish you the best.

Be careful on asking for pain medication, often doctors think we are drug seekers. I know, it is a bad rap, but that is the way that it is. Maybe just ask for something that you are already taking (Norco) only more often. I took Norco for a long time, but found oxycodone helped me more. But eventually it caused me more pain. Didn't want that. I am now on suboxone, trying to get off of pain killers. This can happen to you too. It is something that can't be avoided. It just occurs after a long time of taking them. Sorry...

I hope that your doctor helps you today.

Best wishes...

Hugs, Karen...

PS Keep us posted.

It is cold here too and hard to get outside. I find I hurt more due to lack of exercise. I have been trying to exercise inside. Even if I just walk in place or dance to music. Every little bit helps.

Keep us posted on how things go today... Best wishes...

Hugs, Karen...

PS looks like it is going to be sunny. January thaw!!!

I can recommend a few things.

I have a similar problem in getting doctors to listen and take what I am saying seriously. To that end I put together a few rules for myself.

Do not mention pain medicine in anyway shape or form.

Ask for assistance in ways that don't involve pain meds. For instance, ask them about seeing a sleep doctor to work through your sleep issues.ask them for a way to handle the fatigue during the day. Ask about a tens unit to assist with pain in a non-medicated way. Describe the situation that you were going through and don't ever mention drugs.

For some reason, I get better prescriptions when I don't mention this at all and send their warning signals up. I think someone else here mentioned a detailed list of what you are going through and what the problems are. The other thing to remember to provide is dates of when everything has occurred or at least when it started for you. Many times they think that it's only been a few weeks and they are unwilling to provide anything because it hasn't been months or more.

Good luck with the doctors appointment today. I hope I got this to you in time. Let us know how it goes.

Avoid saying the higher dose. Just say they arent working. Tell her you need toknow what alternatives there are to resolve these issues.

Good luck!

Thanks for all the help from everyone to all my posts lately. I just had a very successful doctors appointment. She listened to me and worked with me on picking a treatment. She changed and increased my pain meds, changed antidepressant to what I wanted to try and we discussed getting a sleep study and other things I can do to fix my sleep issues.

I asked about the modafinil but she told me my insurance will not approve it unless I had all the tests done..which is true because I just called my insurance and they told me a prior authorization is required before they will cover modafinil.

I finally felt like I got my point across and she listened! She said she will work with me better if things aren't working for me in the future as well.

I'm very happy for you too.

What did she put you on for pain?

What kind of tests would you have to take for the modafinil?

A priorauthorization is nothing for her to take care of...

am glad you had a successful visit...

I am really happy for you. I am glad things ate looking up.

Getting by, she put me on a higher dose of norco 3x a day which is exactly what I wanted so I can break them in half if I needed. I also asked to change my antidepressant to cymbalta.. I've been taking lexapro off and on for years and over the past few months or so it just hasn't been working. She knows my insurance very well because at least 50-60% of her patients have the same..were a big aircraft city and work for the same company. She knew was modafinil was, she knew it required prior authorization and she even knew the cost without insurance.. So I don't think she was lying to me. She said insurance will want a sleep study done before paying for a $900 per month med. She also wrote down that I would need diagnosed with sleep apnea, narcolepsy or shift work disorder to get approved by insurance.. However she mentioned that I'd probably get by with shift work disorder because of my odd hours. She thinks if I can get my sleep patterns down and get enough sleep at night my fatigue would improve a lot.