Better Sleep Often Means Less Chronic Pain

Dr. Mark Borigini Health Professional Chronic Pain Specialist Mark James Borigini, MD, graduated from Hahnemann University (now... Send Message Subscribe: Dr. Mark Borigini

Monday, June 02, 2008
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I have often in these virtual pages emphasized the importance of sleep in reducing the severity of chronic pain. Sleep has been shown in fibromyalgia studies to be extremely important in reducing the pain fibromyalgia patients experience, and a lack of sleep appears to contribute to the mise...

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sleep help
jenn
Monday, June 09, 2008 at 11:17 PM

I have been using Trazodone before going to bed for 3 or so years now. I sleep so much better and don't wake up tired and achy anymore. I have fibromyalgia and noticed a great inprovement after starting this medication. Jenn

Chronic pain and sleep.
jewel
Saturday, June 14, 2008 at 03:40 PM

Like Jenn, I have been taking trazadone to help with sleep for over ten years. I helps

a great deal. Question --- I have chronic low back pain and am treated with a variety

of medications including morphine. I seem to need at least 10 hrs. sleep to feel rested,

is that normal for chronic pain patients?

Jewel

CHRONIC PAIN
tnt4145
Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 02:04 PM

WHY DO THOSE OF US WHO REALLY HAVE PHYSICAL PROBLEMS AND NEED PAIN MEDS ARE BEING PUNISHED FOR THOSE WHO ABUSE THEM AND SELL THEM?? ITS NOT FAIR. I'M JUST ABOUT READY TO GIVE UP AND TRYING TO FIND A DR. WHO WILL GIVE ME WHAT WORKS FOR ME. NOT ALL PAIN PILLS WORK FOR EVERYONE, EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT AND THERE BODY WORKS DIFFERENTLY TO MEDICATION. I KNOW WHAT WORKS FOR ME AND WHAT I NEED BUT MY DR. WONT AGREE WITH ME BECAUSE OF SO MANY DRS. ARE BEING INVESTIGATED AND I UNDERSTAND. THE BAD PATIENTS NEED TO BE WEEDED OUT SOMEHOW WITH URINE TEST OR BEING ASKED TO BRING THERE MEDS IN 1 WEEK LATER FOR A COUNT OR SOMETHING!!! WHY ARE WE BEING PUNISHED FOR THE PILL POPPERS & SELLERS??

re: CHRONIC PAIN
stephaniesue
Monday, January 19, 2009 at 09:24 AM

I know exactly what you are talking about. I live in Florida and they have so many problems with drug abuse that they just plain punish everyone. My pharmacist told me that I fit the profile of a drug abuser, petite, widowed, woman with osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism, FMS, RLS, TMJ, heart, lung and gastro problems. I have never drank or smoked or abused drugs. I can't find a doctor who dares to really help me. I don't know if this problem is nation wide or just in local areas but the U.S.A. is not treating it's citizens with respect and following the hippocratic oath doctors take to help people. something has got to change!

re: re: CHRONIC PAIN
Kiviana
Monday, January 26, 2009 at 12:32 AM

Alright you two, hopefully this will help you find someone.

Find out where the nearest pain management program is, ask to be refered to it. Yes they are very strict, and some of them are even some of the people who accuse you of being a drug dealer or addict. However, they give you drug tests randomly, have you sign a contract, and if you have to go to urgent care or the emergency room you have no choice but to tell them you are a pain management patient or be dropped. That's one way to do it.

Second way is to contact your clinic/hospital/practice's patient advocacy. There sole purpose is to help you get what you need done or find a way to get it done. If they cannot find a way to get it done I want you to thank them and say "It's alright, I'll just wright to the state senator, state health official, clinic/hospital/practice's board, and to make things even better so you wont be bothered by any other chronic pain patients seeking help I will post it on the internet that you can't help out." Of course you want to use that as a last resort. Start off peaceful, then go forceful if you need to. It may help if you tell them you are willing to submit to drug tests, sign contracts, and have no history of drug abuse, nor do you intend to in the future.

Please let me know if you two find doctors to help, especially if what I put here helped you to find some help. Good luck you two. Oh and those who profile you have no imagination. Furthermore, if its a pharmacist remember they are just legalized drug peddlers- so doesn't that mean that they fit the profile of a drug lord?

I really do hope this helps you. Stay strong, and let me know if you need anything.

re: re: re: CHRONIC PAIN
stephaniesue
Monday, February 09, 2009 at 05:33 PM

I did go to a pain specialist. She gave me Darvoset (which didn't touch the pain) and I had a series of injections of a steroid into my cervical and S.I. spine which really didn't help either. I even had the radio frequency ablation of a nerve which only left a numb spot on my skin surface. I have osteoarthritis, bone spurs and bulging and disintigrating disks in my back. I had to have a molar extracted and told my oral surgeon he had to contact her to get permission to give me any pain med and she told him I couldn't have anything with hydrocodone in it. (He had had to extract a molar perviously and as an experienced oral surgeon knew what type of pain control I needed.) I ended up with "Darvoset" which didn't begin to touch the pain. I was in agony all day and that night. I followed all the rules and still had to go through terrible pain. I would like to take this up with someone who could do something about it. She needs to suffer some consequences for being such a noncompassionate inhumane jerk.

Adequate Treatment for Pain
Denise Coleman
Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 10:49 AM

I am sorry I didn't see this post earlier and I hope the people who commented on it will see this. First let me say I am so sorry that you have all had such negative experiences regarding treatment for chronic pain. I'm sorry but not surprised. It is a problem I lived with for over 40 years, until January 2000 when I had an Intrathecal Morphine Pump implanted, which provides the most relief I have had since I was 12 years old. I am 57 now, and while I also deal with MS these days the original back pain I've had since I was a child is thankfully being managed.

Too many doctors don't understand the physiology of chronic pain or how to best treat it. It is not taught as an independent subject in many medical schools and is often just touched on as a symptom of other diseases. It is impossible to fully understand the impact chronic pain can have on a person's life, but it would help if medical professionals at least understood the physical aspects of pain.

In addition, there are some local and state governments that are adopting laws that restrict doctors from prescribing opiates, which is often the most effective medicine for chronic pain. This not only assumes the patient is a criminal for needing this drug but that the doctor is criminal for prescribing it. It's bad enough we have lay people influencing our medical care through insurance coverage, now they can control it through legislation.

It is time we all speak up and advocate for the appropriate treatment of chronic pain and one way we can do this is by joining the American Pain Foundation, and support their efforts in these issues. One important way is to support passage of the National Pain Policy Act which would require better understanding and treatment of pain. I am going to write a Post on this issue today so please look for it.

sleep eating and driving on Lunesta
donna45
Friday, March 13, 2009 at 10:15 PM

I actually ended up in the psychiatric emergency room for 48 hours after sleep driving on Lunesta. After I woke-up, I was able to TELL them I had taken a 2nd dose of it at 3 am. I couldn't get to sleep on the 1st dose, which I took at 9 pm on a Friday night, so I took more. I actually drove 20 miles to take my husband to work and then back. That was at 5:30 am. Then drove my 17 year old daughter to work 2 miles at 8:00 am. I drove the 2 miles back, passed my home, and ended up at the mini mart just down the street. I went in, which I remember, then went out to my car and fell asleep. A ambulance was called and they took me to the hospital. I was to pick my husband up at 10 am that day. When he couldn't reach me by cell, he called the state police. I was a missing person for 5 hours. They somehow screwed up paperwork somewhere down the line. When he found me at the hospital he was angrier than a bear in a trap. I was still sleeping that day until 7 pm. The doctor the next day should have let me out, but he "made up" a story that my husband was leaving me and all this other bs. Being in the psychiatric er, he could hold my life in his hands, and he did! ALL my rights were taken away. It is a very scary place. I never want to go back and hope I never do. I take my medication doses seriously now. I had problems on Ambien before I was changed to Lunesta. I did A LOT of sleep eating. It got to the point where it created many problems. I would dump cereal on the floor and eat it that way. Once, I jumped out my bedroom window naked trying to get back in the house. Thats what I was telling my kids and husband as they were bringing me back in the house. By the way, it was winter, argh! Be careful on these drugs if you take them.