No more withdrawl from suboxone but no help with my chronic pain - Addiction & Recovery Message Board

ANGELINMICHIGAN · 01-29-2009, 06:47 AM

Hi everyone

I am sure you are familiar with my story, if not go under suboxone withdrawls, chronic pain or fibromyaliga. Today I am very proud of myself as it has been 31 days off of suboxone. It was a very difficult process and I came through it very bravely except for the fact that I still cannot sleep at all and no matter what I try my system will not let me fall asleep. As you know if you don't get any sleep your body will not heal properly.
I have Chronic Pain in my neck and shoulders and a headache that is there constantly. I had failed neck surgery in 2003 and have pins and plates in my neck and a fusion that didn't fuse or the neurosurgeon said that the second cadaveur bone had disintegrated. The fusion surgery did not take my pain away. I am so proud of myself that I have got the opiates out of my system that my family doc gave me for pain but.....here I sit in so much pain that I can't stand it. I should have been controlled by some other doctor as my family doc gave me anything for the pain and kept on adding and upping doses.
I will never touch pain medication again and even my Pain management doc. that I have now is so happy that I stopped taking them but has very little answers as what he can do for me. He did give me injections that day putting in medication under my skin along my shoulders and ocipital area. It lasted 1 week and I don't see him for another 3weeks at least.

I have been the pain clinic route before having several different injections, cortizone, steroids, botox, occipital nerve blocks, etc. and the burning of the nerves with the doctor guiding the needle in with a radio frequency. It helped me for about 6 months so now that is the route I am taking again. He will do test shots first and then burn the nerves on one side and then will come back in 2 to 3 weeks and he will burn (or kill) the nerves on the other side. I know now that I will have no relief for months still and that isn't very much fun to look forward to. I have an appt. with a new neurologist that the PM is sending me to so she can help him control my pain, but with what????? The only thing I take now is 60mg of Cymbalta and Neurontin. Of course I am depressed and anxious, when you are in pain 24/7 you are depressed and anxious!!!!

I am very frustrated and would never take a pain pill again. I have inflammation patches for my neck and shoulders and my husband massages my pain points every 12 hours and puts on new patches. I don't know what I would do without his support. Sorry I am venting and had to get that off of my chest. I am sure there are lots of stories that sound the same as my. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what helped them?? Thanks in advance.

I hope everyone is doing well. Take care eveyone.

Lyn in Michigan

TaCot · 01-29-2009, 08:27 AM

Lyn,

I have been in a few bad car accidents and all of the were someone hitting me from behind. I have suffered with neck pain for 25 years. It starts on the right side of my neck and goes up to my occipital bone and even up to the top of my head. There are times when the base of my skull feels swollen too. It is so hard to explain the pain, I think you may know what this feels like!! I have to sleep on a certain pillow or I will wake up so stiff that I can't turn my head. I just bought a new pillow, a Temper-pedic (know I spelled that wrong). I spent $158.00 on this pillow and it is wonderful. I also have to try not to feel stressed out because that makes the pain worse.

I think because you haven't slept in sooo long, your neck pain is agitated by this, don't you? I feel so terrible for you and wish there was something I could do for you. Has anyone ever suggested to you taking Amitriptyline at night? That will make you go to sleep and relax your muscles so that you can get relaxing rest. I was diagnosed with Fibro about 20 years ago, and have suffered with neck pain every since. It took me years to find the right combination of things to help me sleep and relax. Every time I feel stressed out, the first place I feel it is in my neck. Usually, when I have bad flare-ups, I can figure I am about to get a cold or am coming down with something. I swear, I feel everything in my neck. My neck even grinds sometimes when I turn my head. Sounds weird, but that is the only way to describe it.

Hopefully, this new doctor can do something for you. Since you are not gettng sleep, you neck pain is probably worse!!! I hope and pray that someone can help you.

Congrats on your 31 days!!! That is a HUGE accomplishment. TaCot

ANGELINMICHIGAN · 01-29-2009, 10:06 AM

Tacot, thanks for answering my post. It sounds like you have or are going through the same things as I am. It is certainly not fun. I too have spent half a fortune on different pillows, mattresses anything to help me get comfortable. I have a different kind of pillow that helps me in every different room in the house. I have not tried a temperpedic yet but I like the "memory foam" pillows that are like a normal pillow not a box style with a dip or spot in it for your neck. You can't scrunch that kind of, it is kind of weird. I also have a few "sawakaba" pillows which are buckwheat husks or hulls and you can scrunch that up under your neck and get comfy. I also besides Fibro. have "myofascial" pain and there is not much to get relief from that either and TMJ which is all very closely related. Hopefully I will get some help with the nerve burning and my new neurosurgeon. Thanks for caring, I am proud of you for doing so well either. But, what do you use to take your pain away?

Take care

Lyn

TaCot · 01-29-2009, 10:35 AM

I take Motrin or Tylenol. It takes the edge off so it is managable. I put heat on my neck a lot and I use this stuff called BioFreeze. As long as I stretch my neck daily and do breathing exercises to relax, I can usually hold the really bad pain off. If I don't get a good night's sleep, I am screwed!! I think the combination of Trazadone and Amitriptyline that I take at night enables me to get the rest I need. I am on 25 mg. of Amitriptyline and 50 mg. of Trazadone. If I wasn't on both of these meds, I would never get to sleep. I have been on these meds for probably 15 years, and it works for me.

I think your neck issues are worse than mine. I really hope someone can help you though. There is nothing worse than being in pain all of the time. It sucks to have the feeling that your head weighs 30 pounds and your neck is trying to hold it up, right?

Let us know how the doc appt goes. Take care, TaCot

10sox · 01-29-2009, 11:39 AM

Lyn-
I have followed your story and know how hard it was to get off all of your narcotic pain killers. I wish I could tell you something that you could do to relieve your pain, but unfortunately I cannot.

I know this board is not to debate why or why not to take pain pills. And I am in no way telling you what you should do. That is something that only you and your doctor can determine for you. But it seems like you have LOTS of legitimate pain. I can only tell you what I have experienced. I am 35, have 2 very young children at home, and live in chronic pain every single day of my life. I have permanent nerve damage that isn't going to heal. I have seen more doctors than I can even count. The only way I can function is to take pain pills. Without them, I am in bed crying in pain. Let me tell you this also....I used to HATE them. I would cry when I opened the bottle and curse at them. But I knew I needed them...for my children. I have since started going to a psycologist who deals specifically with chronic pain. He has been a life saver to me. He has shown me that I am not an "addict". He also showed me how to embrace my pills rather than hate them.

I just hate to see you suffer so much. I know you are scared of taking the pills and you went through so much to get off of them. I am scared if I ever need to do the same. But in the same breath, I would do anything to go through withdrawals right now if it meant my pain would be gone when the withdrawals stopped.

Again, I am just sharing my story with you and have no idea if you have a history of addictive behavior. But there are studies out there that prove how much damage chronic pain does to a body when left untreated.

I hope you will find a way to control your pain and you will have some peace.

10sox