Pain management

dougcrann

Have been dealing with a back problem for many years. Degenerative disc disease progressed to lumbar spinal stenosis which apparently has advanced to whatever is next. Seen several docs about it. All have told me because of the extent of wear and the amount of time it has covered surgery is not much of an option. Rheumatologist told me that arthritis always tags along with overuse injuries. Dale went on to say that having all mu lumbar discs fused just isn't going to happen. And that if I did find a surgeon willing to do it with the amount of arthritis I have pain levels wouldn't drop much. Anyway, pain levels have climbed past what the amount of Opiods I am on can mask. Doc has referred me out to a Pain Clinic. His referral came with a warning...they may want to take me off the Oxys. With the dose I am on, and the length of time I have been on them, withdrawals are a good possibility. Told my doc that I will refuse treatment from them if they tell me I need to come off the Opiods. Twice a year I used to wean myself off of them, just to he then out of my system. Last time I tried to get off them I was stuck in bed, curled up in a ball, unable to stand up. The amount of pain I was in was off the charts. Doc did also mention that he would prefer me to be in a detox setting if they decide to pull me off the Oxys. I am well aware of my dependency on the meds. Beginning to think this may not have been a good idea. Apologies for rambling...have a lot on my mind...

20stone

I have not advice, just support.

I am sorry that you are having to deal with chronic pain and hope that you and your docs can find a tolerable path forward.

DoubleEgger

20stone said:

I have not advice, just support.

I am sorry that you are having to deal with chronic pain and hope that you and your docs can find a tolerable path forward.

Well said and agree 100%. 

Jeremiah

As the others have said, so very sorry for your level of pain. Do hope you find some relief.

DaveRichardson

Cronic pain from a spinal fracture and multiple other fractures/arthritis/ degenerative issues here.  Luckily I am not at the point of medications on a regular basis; otherwise, my life as a practitioner will be over.

From doing Pain Mgmt in a clinic for a few years, may I suggest that you look into a Spinal Cord Stimulator trial.  Kinda like a TENS unit to mask pain signals by stimulating sensory nerves which conduct signals a lot faster than pain receptor nerves.  They can do a trial device to see if it'll help any.  I have a young lady friend (nothing funky going on) who has been in multiple car wrecks with pelvis fractures and spinal fractures who says that hers is a lifesaver.

Again, pain sucks.  and the crackdown that the government is doing is shameful to say the least.  Poor patient screening and selection leads to most of the good medications being removed from the market.

Killit_and_Grillit

Man all I can tell ya is I feel ya man! There is nothing worse than pain that won't subside. 

I broke my shoulder in 2011. Got a bunch of nerve damage due to a surgery and the bone not healing properly. It put me down off and on for years. 

I finally went to pain management. I stayed away from the meds because I have a very addictive personality so I knew it would probably end with me on the news. 

All that to say it worked for me. Not perfect but I saw progress. 

gdenby

I too have degenerative disk disease, but not nearly so badly. Last time I had a major failure, the doc said I'd need a spinal fusion if it happened again. I had learned at that time that prior to improvements in fusion surgery, the best that could be done was a special corset.

You do need to detox. The stuff is poison. As a small btw, chronic pain medicine use impairs the body's own ability to block pain. While I haven't had to use opoids for some time, both my back and now wide spread arthritis had me taking daily doses of NSAIDs. After about 18 months, I reached a point where I was in continual pain that was bad enough I could barely move. Stopped taking the NSAIDs, tapered off over about a months time. While I still have days where walking up and down stairs is daunting, and many nights I wake from jabbing pain, I'm much better. Last time I took naproxen, I thought I was going to puke.

Eggcelsior

I'm sure you've heard this before(and maybe are doing it), but are you getting PT/exercising to strengthen your core? Having stronger support muscles helps take strain off of the structural support(bones). I agree on looking into alternative therapies as @DaveRichardson suggested. While the increasing oversight is annoying, we as a medical establishment brought it on ourselves by overprescribing narcotics at the behest of pharmaceutical companies and the ignorant idea of "the 5th vital sign". Narcotics are terrible, and truly due fundamentally change the way we interpret pain signals. It's used as a panacea but causes a multitude of unintended effects.

fishlessman

i hope i never get it that bad. hurt myself bad when i was young at work, again in my 20's on a giant slalom course, then every year since with stupid stuff like tying my shoes, sneezing, picking up a sheet of paper without planting my feet firmly etc.   its usually 6 to 9 months with crutches, sleeping on the floor, ib's all day long. after 30 something years its getting better, a few weeks to 3 months at best with the sciatica pains, probably just getting better at not twisting, bending, whatever sets it off and taking ib's before theres a problem. i have a bottle wherever i routinely go, work upstairs and down, every room in the house and camp, truck, boat, everywhere. chiros, sports medicine, stretches, have come to the conclusion they dont know what theyre doing

SemolinaPilchard

I know quite a few people who have seen relief from pain with turmeric. None with pain to the degree you have though. One of them has arthritis in a knee following a break in the lower leg right at the joint.
Turmeric is over the counter. Supposedly the ones with black pepper extract work better. I doubt it would be a game changer for you, but it may help. 
I hope you find relief.

nolaegghead

DaveRichardson said:

Cronic pain from a spinal fracture and multiple other fractures/arthritis/ degenerative issues here.  Luckily I am not at the point of medications on a regular basis; otherwise, my life as a practitioner will be over.

From doing Pain Mgmt in a clinic for a few years, may I suggest that you look into a Spinal Cord Stimulator trial.  Kinda like a TENS unit to mask pain signals by stimulating sensory nerves which conduct signals a lot faster than pain receptor nerves.  They can do a trial device to see if it'll help any.  I have a young lady friend (nothing funky going on) who has been in multiple car wrecks with pelvis fractures and spinal fractures who says that hers is a lifesaver.

Again, pain sucks.  and the crackdown that the government is doing is shameful to say the least.  Poor patient screening and selection leads to most of the good medications being removed from the market.

The problem is a minority of doctors that over-prescribe pain meds to addicts.

This leads to increased addiction, and more policing by regulatory agencies which drives users to illicit sources, which are dangerous, and lead to overdoses.

What's the solution?

Killit_and_Grillit

nolaegghead said:

DaveRichardson said:

Cronic pain from a spinal fracture and multiple other fractures/arthritis/ degenerative issues here.  Luckily I am not at the point of medications on a regular basis; otherwise, my life as a practitioner will be over.

From doing Pain Mgmt in a clinic for a few years, may I suggest that you look into a Spinal Cord Stimulator trial.  Kinda like a TENS unit to mask pain signals by stimulating sensory nerves which conduct signals a lot faster than pain receptor nerves.  They can do a trial device to see if it'll help any.  I have a young lady friend (nothing funky going on) who has been in multiple car wrecks with pelvis fractures and spinal fractures who says that hers is a lifesaver.

Again, pain sucks.  and the crackdown that the government is doing is shameful to say the least.  Poor patient screening and selection leads to most of the good medications being removed from the market.

The problem is a minority of doctors that over-prescribe pain meds to addicts.

This leads to increased addiction, and more policing by regulatory agencies which drives users to illicit sources, which are dangerous, and lead to overdoses.

What's the solution?

@nolaegghead

They key is pain riddled middle of the night wake ups, a comfortable recliner, and Netflix binging when the rest of the world is asleep while surfing cooking forums. FML. 

nolaegghead

@Killit_and_Grillit I hear ya.  No stranger here to pain. SWMBO is on week 5 of broken clavicle and a few ribs (I told her it needed more Oregano!)  (Kidding).  She's driving herself nuts after running out of pain meds.  We have plenty of 'puters and smart TeeVees hooked up to NetFlix, Amazon and the likes to keep her occupied.  She keeps adding oregano to everything still, sort of a setback. I kid.  Anyway, I have lived dangerously and have paid the price, and I eschew pain meds for this very reason. And I, too, have an addictive personality, or, whatever you call it.  I still drink like a fish, and troll.  This forum. I wish I made that into a haiku.  That ends in spam.

Foghorn

@nolaegghead,

nola nighttime troll
can't sleep, hits the firewater
grief in the morning 

nolaegghead

Foghorn said:

@nolaegghead,

nola nighttime troll
can't sleep, hits the firewater
grief in the morning 

5-8-5 ain't a haiku, but the sentiment is, unfortunately, accurate.

nolaegghead

On second thought, that is 5-7-5.  I'm obviously myself.

Foghorn

nolaegghead said:

On second thought, that is 5-7-5.  I'm obviously myself.

Clearly. 

nolaegghead

Foghorn said:

nolaegghead said:

On second thought, that is 5-7-5.  I'm obviously myself.

Clearly. 

If it's clear to you, then me, then perhaps I'm not on enough firewater.  The waters are not muddled sufficiently?  I should doth protest everything, methinks.  But, alas, I have a sliver of reason.  Self-deprecation is a poor man's mea culpa.  Awww fk it.  g'nite

Austin Egghead

Ibid what 20stone and Eggcelsior say.
I shatter my humerus over years ago.  A damn good surgeon put be back together without having to replace shoulder.  I was told to be happy to get but 60% usage of shoulder,  but 6mo in PT, pushing rehab all the way, a damn good therapist and continuing the exercises daily, I have 90% use of the shoulder.  I avoided pain pills by doing displacement pain like the PT showed me.  Try all options till you find the one that fits and works for you.  Good luck. 

tarheelmatt

Sorry to hear about your pain pal.  I hope you and your doctors will find a way to ease your pain.  

thetrim

Bones heal, chicks dig scars, pain is only temporary, but the glory lasts forever.  This is less true at 45 than it was at 25.

gmac

All I can say is I'm very sorry to hear it's gotten to that point. I've been refusing pain meds for a couple years but I'm not as bad as you are clearly. I refuse to have them in the house with 4 teenagers. Just too easy for problems to start. Sort of like the firewater example above

Best of luck and take care. 

Hans61

Hope you figure something out @dougcrann good luck. Sounds like you should trust the docs

Hans61

If you have Netflix "Prescription Thugs" is an informative and entertaining documentary 

Spaightlabs

Man I do not envy your situation at all and wish you the best.

I think you know in your heart that you need to get of the meds and you also know it is going to be hell.  I'd guess there is very little chance that the pain management Doc is going to tell you to keep on pumping heavy doses of opioids.

Hope you get out of this deal ok.  Long term opioid addiction is not in your best interest.

Hans61

Spaightlabs said:

Man I do not envy your situation at all and wish you the best.

I think you know in your heart that you need to get of the meds and you also know it is going to be hell.  I'd guess there is very little chance that the pain management Doc is going to tell you to keep on pumping heavy doses of opioids.

Hope you get out of this deal ok.  Long term opioid addiction is not in your best interest.

Stool softeners are your friend :-) sorry not to make light