I've had 3 back surgeries about 18 years ago and have been living in severe pain ever since. I really had problems with the meds at first. I was over taking and getting high. Then I met my husband and we became sober and he got ordained. We now have an alcohol and drug recovery ministry and help many people find their way out of the hell of addiction. I had alot of issues, abortions, rape, molestation, etc. Until I delt with those issues the drugs were shutting out the pain in my mind as well as the pain in my back. Now, I've been sober living for about 12 years. My physician has walked this all out with me. I am now on 80mg of methadone, neurontin, and muscle relaxers which i don't take. they make me feel high. Anyway, I've been on this drug now for about 7 years and have gone down from 90mg. My doctor is on this new pain kick! He says that the narcotic is giving me more pain and I need to go on soboxone to come off. I asked him what I was suppposed to do about my pain during this withdrawal and he had no answers for me. Is this theory true? Help me! I need pain relief. I need to go up on my meds not down. I've tried to keep the dose low so that I wouldn't get high. What do I do?
What your doctor told you is backed up by research. In the past, we have thought that the reason people taking opioids needed increasing dosages to maintain pain relief was because they built up a tolerance to the drug. However, in the last few years, new research has shown that a significant amount of the increased pain experienced by people taking opioids long term is actually caused by the opioids themselves because they increase the person's sensitivity to pain.
• A study in the November, 2003 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine reported that “long-term use of opioids may also be associated with the development of abnormal sensitivity to pain.”
• A study in the March, 2006 issue of Anesthesiology stated that there is “evidence that opioids may cause hyperalgesia [heightened sensitivity to pain] and that this can negatively impact early pain outcomes.”
Suboxone can actually be quite effective for pain relief. For more information about how Suboxone works and what you can expect, read: Suboxone: An Exit Strategy
Good Morning,
You and I are on about the same timeline. My pain started in 1991. I had surgeries on L5-S1 and L3-4 in 1996 and 1997 respectively. These helped keep me mobile, but I have been managing my pain for 18+ years.
I heard the same desperation in your post as I have been feeling for a very long time. In short, I am going to try to make life changes (try to decrease stress even at the risk of a much lower income, decrease the meds which disguise but don't cure, hope to keep my mind right and take it all a day at a time). Perhaps this approach could work for you since your doctors are apparently out of answers?
Other thoughts: 1) It sounds like you are in worse pain than I am, but I thought I'd offer input from my many doctors. First, have you had your spine fused? It's a last resort but sometimes creates a firmer base that supports you better.
2) The opioids have all sorts of negative effects. I have had trouble holding work and have now been "laid off" 5 times over the cycle of my pain. My marriage is also on the rocks. Since the meds have not really created any permanent positive change, and all things being equal I think I'd like to stay married, I am using exercise, lidocaine patches, daily doses of klonazepam (klonopin) for the anxiety of the multiple issues, and my anti-depressant cymbalta to keep it all together. I also found an excellent acupuncturist whom I see 1x a week and self-pay since insurance still doesn't get the long term benefits of eastern medicine.
If any of this is helpful, run with it. Good Luck,
Paul Levinson, Boston, MA
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