a little Freedom at last!

By Skye Saturday, August 21, 2010

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I have Fibro, OA, and very acute nerve pain in my feet, and have been on disability since 2001. I have gone to various pain clinics and have used all the various trials of different neurotransmitters and ointments and tens units, etc. but never anything that worked long enough allow me to be able to go out in public except for very short times due to pain. My PC did not want to treat chronic pain with narcotics but that is the only thing strong enough to make a difference. I have been becoming more and more a recluse, rarely leaving my house.

I finally wrote down all the treatments I had tried, the minimin amount (15) of vicodin I felt I would need per month along with legimite reasons for needing times that I could function better including caring for myself and my husbands declining helth and an increase in quality of life and socialization. I presented these argumaents to my doctor, calmly without my former whining about pain and asked him to think about it and what he would be comfortable with. He gave me a trial of 6 vicodin for 2 weeks and it made such a difference to be able to attendmy husbands work picnic, do some tasks around the house I have not been able to do for some time. I still had a couplle of days in bed, off my feet. On those days I knew that nothing but rest was what I needed.

Yesterday my husband and I met with my doctor and we will be seeing my doctor monthly to receive an RX for 15 Vicodin a month to use at my discresion to improve my quality of life. II feel so free just to know that I due have more choices in my life. I do not have to take the pilss to already feel better knowing I am not powerless over the pain that, at times has controlled my life. I hope by using the medicine this way I will not become addicted too fast to needing more or a higher dose. We shall see, but I feel hopeful for some kind of a better life than I have had.

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Comments (4) | Add comment

Gary

8/26/10 12:49pm

Skye,

I am a bodymind therapist, licensed in both massage and counseling, and have successfully treated fibromyalgia in as little as 6 weeks. The treatment is a mindbody technique not using drugs or invasive therapy. The other chronic pain will mostly reduce greatly as well. Contact me at:garyrosent@aol.com if you are interested in successful, client centered treatment

mamadukes

8/26/10 1:08pm

I just read the letter from Skye about her trial of trust with her doctor and the use of opiates . I only wish she could be working with a pain specialist who might be better aquainted with the options of opiates and her specific needs. Obviously something is better than nothing but she realizes the dangers of addiction and developing sensitivity to opiates. In the use of narcotics as well as suffering with a painful condition ,less is more. Maybe Skye could extend her research to the use of ketamine to lower her pain threshold . It might be better to try a long acting opiate ? I have HCV and cannot take nsaids nor can my stomach tolerate salictic acid or aspirin. I believe there is another compund in Skyes' choice of medicine and that it is very important to know how that will affect your health in the long run.

Marie

8/26/10 10:25pm

Skye I feel for you, if you are at the point of having your life so miserable you need help for sure. But I don't believe that 15 vicodin will be the answer, you will go by ups and downs ( the pain) with time 15 will not do it anymore, The pain gets used to the meds and doen't react as well aftert a while.

I have chronic pain(s) for over 20 years . I tried about everything and every therapy possible at least offered to me then. I took the OTC pain relievers as ASA Acetaminophen then graduated to ANSAID's and and tyl.#3 . Percocet up to 6 a day YES I needed them .Went to a pain management clinic and a pain clinic for about a year. I learned to live with pain, ther are techniques to reset your body but it doesn't suffice all the time. I learned to deal with it. I Went to 3 chiro's accupunture,massages etc. The only relief was in my pocket book it was getting lighter. I can't count how much chronic pain cost me my job,my life, pillows, gadgets,etc. I had to stop all the panoply of OTC and other because my stomach had enough. My family dr. talk me 10 years ago in trying morphine, I was insulted, scared, not at ease at all. He took the time to explain many times and told me if it did not work he will be there to help me get out of it. I started 3 times and discontinued before reaching real relief. Finally I educated myself a bit more. For opiates to work you have to take a slow release on a regular basis. Now I can function, but my old life is gone, the monster is still having grip on me but I can function, with what I learned in therapy and pain management I can keep at the lowest dosage possible for me . For 9 years now I am on the same dosage, I do cut at times so I don't have to go higher.It is hard but necessary If I do thank my former Dr,I was lucky he keept good files in order so an other one could trust me. I had bad thoughts at times life was not fun at all but who said that life is supposed to be fun after all ? Just livable.

This is just my experience. There are some people so afraid of opiates and narcotics they never walk in our shoes,shoes of pain . At least now I can walk in my own shoes.

Marie

nancyk

8/28/10 10:30pm

I have no life now anyway. I found vicodin made me constipated and I felt worse the next day, like a bounce back. Marie, I would like to know what is a slow release opiate. It was not clear to me what you are actually taking. I find the only thing that helps at all is klonopin and that inerferes with your sleep structure. I also meditate one hour each morning....deep breathing and relaxation.

a little Freedom at last!

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