injured betty
06-21-2004, 01:19 PM
Lidicaine patch: Is my doc crazy? I went in with severe back pain, told him that I didn't come in for pain pills and he writes me a script for Lidicaine patches. I had sticker shock at the price. They come in boxes and not seperately and he didn't give samples. Did they work, NO!
Has anyone ever heard of a doctor giving these for back pain? I am completely ready to find a new doctor.
I tried one, NADA! nothing, zilch. Now I have a box of them with no use.
I think that there are doctors who see how far you willl go in order to stop your pain. My pain is from a damaged nerve. Damaged by another doctor.
Is there a cure?
Has anyone ever heard of a doctor giving these for back pain? I am completely ready to find a new doctor.
I tried one, NADA! nothing, zilch. Now I have a box of them with no use.
I think that there are doctors who see how far you willl go in order to stop your pain. My pain is from a damaged nerve. Damaged by another doctor.
Is there a cure?
Sponsor
Fiona_Jo_324
06-23-2004, 04:06 AM
My experience with the Lidocaine patches is that they do not help nerve related pain at all. They are strictly topical (best used for muscle strains or even when a joint is sore, e.g, my mom has osteoarthritis in her hip and she uses the Lidocaine patch on her hip and they do take the pain off a bit.) I can't imagine why your Doctor would prescribe them for nerve related pain. They basically just temporarily "numb" the area and that is about it. He really should have given you a sample before you spent money on them -- I know they can be expensive. Have you contacted your Doctor since you tried them? I can certainly understand why you are frustrated. :angel:
Jo
Jo
tyler7
06-23-2004, 07:55 AM
Actually, all due respect, but you shouldn't really generalize. I have nerve related pain from Brachial Plexitis and my main sympton is burning/stinging pain right on the skin level, for which Lidoderm is a significant help.
injured betty
06-23-2004, 02:24 PM
My doctor knew that the pain was deep inside of the joint. I have had two MRI's and although I was initally diagnosed with synvocial cysts, the second MRI, which I had to pay for out of my own pocket to prove the Neurologist incorrect, did not show any cysts. I have no idea why he prescribed the patches.
I asked him for one patch to try but he said that he didn't have any on hand. I was a sucker and he knew it. I was ready to try anything for pain short of narcotics. I haven't made that step yet.
I am currently taking Bextra and have an unused script for Ultraset. I am taking Tylenol for pain even though I can't manage to get out of bed or when I do, it is limited to going for a walk for my spine's sake and so that I won't develop blood clots.
I am baffled as to why this doctor gave me this patch. He saw the MRI. Granted, it may work for surface pain, but the pain in deep inside of the joint which can be felt when I walk. It radiates from the SI joint to the groin and hip.
So, anyone else here have SI dysfunction and if so, what are you doing about it or taking for it? I tried the natural route with the Prolotherapy and although it tightened my ligaments back up and I am totally aligned, I am still in massive pain.
I had every hope of going back to work but it has been a year and I have not been able to work. I can't walk across a room without wanting to shoot myself. This is just like when the dentist was doing a root canal and hit a nerve. It is in the seat of my soul. Child birth hurt less and I did that natural.
Because SI dysfunction is so hard to diagnose, I have had to jump so many hoops that I am tired just thinking about it. You would think that if I was willing to pay cash for the Prolotherapy and endured letting a doctor stick dozens of shots of sugar water into my back for several sessions, that I am not out for pain meds. I have not once asked for pain meds until the day that I hobbled into the doctor's office and he gave me that script for patches.
It has been one full year of unbearable pain. They are now offering me a steroid shot in the joint. I am refusing that due to the fact that I don't believe in steriods. (See on line publication, "The Burton Report") I have had three in my shoulder and they didn't do squat. That was before I learned that they were extremely bad for you. (I later had shoulder surgury.)
Granted, some people look for pain meds to get high. I am NOT one of them. I am just looking for answers. The step/hoop that I have to jump is the physiotherapist. Again, out of my pocket as I didn't claim workman's comp as I wanted my job back without the fear of them looking for a reason to fire me.
Somebody out there must have SI dysfunction and knows how to deal with the pain.
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I asked him for one patch to try but he said that he didn't have any on hand. I was a sucker and he knew it. I was ready to try anything for pain short of narcotics. I haven't made that step yet.
I am currently taking Bextra and have an unused script for Ultraset. I am taking Tylenol for pain even though I can't manage to get out of bed or when I do, it is limited to going for a walk for my spine's sake and so that I won't develop blood clots.
I am baffled as to why this doctor gave me this patch. He saw the MRI. Granted, it may work for surface pain, but the pain in deep inside of the joint which can be felt when I walk. It radiates from the SI joint to the groin and hip.
So, anyone else here have SI dysfunction and if so, what are you doing about it or taking for it? I tried the natural route with the Prolotherapy and although it tightened my ligaments back up and I am totally aligned, I am still in massive pain.
I had every hope of going back to work but it has been a year and I have not been able to work. I can't walk across a room without wanting to shoot myself. This is just like when the dentist was doing a root canal and hit a nerve. It is in the seat of my soul. Child birth hurt less and I did that natural.
Because SI dysfunction is so hard to diagnose, I have had to jump so many hoops that I am tired just thinking about it. You would think that if I was willing to pay cash for the Prolotherapy and endured letting a doctor stick dozens of shots of sugar water into my back for several sessions, that I am not out for pain meds. I have not once asked for pain meds until the day that I hobbled into the doctor's office and he gave me that script for patches.
It has been one full year of unbearable pain. They are now offering me a steroid shot in the joint. I am refusing that due to the fact that I don't believe in steriods. (See on line publication, "The Burton Report") I have had three in my shoulder and they didn't do squat. That was before I learned that they were extremely bad for you. (I later had shoulder surgury.)
Granted, some people look for pain meds to get high. I am NOT one of them. I am just looking for answers. The step/hoop that I have to jump is the physiotherapist. Again, out of my pocket as I didn't claim workman's comp as I wanted my job back without the fear of them looking for a reason to fire me.
Somebody out there must have SI dysfunction and knows how to deal with the pain.
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fiona_Jo_324
06-23-2004, 06:01 PM
Betty-
If is sounded like I overgeneralized about the patches, I apologize. I was just going by my experience with them. As I said they have been very useful for my mother's osteoarthritis related pain (she doesn't like to take any pain medication stronger than asprin, so they've been very helpful for her). Also, my father-in-law has used them for shingles and they really helped. I was very hopeful so I asked my Doctor for them; and I tried them a few months ago and while they did help to numb my lower back they did nothing for the "deep" pain as you describe that traveled to my hip and down my leg. But, as I said they offered some relief to the lumbar area; but in the case of the nerve issues they didn't help me. Even my Doctor commented when I asked him about them, that they probably wouldn't help the nerve related pain I was experiencing, but they may offer some relief for my lumbar back pain. I just think it would have been good if your Doctor would have provided you with samples to start out with. Because they are expensive.
Have you talked to your Doctor since you tried them? I'm so sorry about what you're going through. I hope others will have suggestions for you. You are in my thoughts. :angel:
Jo :wave:
If is sounded like I overgeneralized about the patches, I apologize. I was just going by my experience with them. As I said they have been very useful for my mother's osteoarthritis related pain (she doesn't like to take any pain medication stronger than asprin, so they've been very helpful for her). Also, my father-in-law has used them for shingles and they really helped. I was very hopeful so I asked my Doctor for them; and I tried them a few months ago and while they did help to numb my lower back they did nothing for the "deep" pain as you describe that traveled to my hip and down my leg. But, as I said they offered some relief to the lumbar area; but in the case of the nerve issues they didn't help me. Even my Doctor commented when I asked him about them, that they probably wouldn't help the nerve related pain I was experiencing, but they may offer some relief for my lumbar back pain. I just think it would have been good if your Doctor would have provided you with samples to start out with. Because they are expensive.
Have you talked to your Doctor since you tried them? I'm so sorry about what you're going through. I hope others will have suggestions for you. You are in my thoughts. :angel:
Jo :wave:
feelbad
06-25-2004, 09:01 AM
Can i ask just what it is that you expected your doc to do?It really does sound as though you have tried just about every sort of modality to try and relieve your pain and you say that you do not want to have to use the narcotics "yet",Just what are you waiting for?You state that you cannot even get out of bed,is that any way to try and live?sometimes you have to bite the bullit and do what gives you the best quality of life.I don't want to have to live on narcotics either,but if i did not have the oxycontin that i take three times a day i would not be able to get out of bed either.As long as you and your doc are monitoring your usage, i guess I don't really see the problem here.Just how badly do you want to be able to get out of bed in the morning and be able to be functional and possibly be able to go back to work here at some point?there are many people on this board who go to work everyday,while recieving some sort of narcotic relief for their pain.I worked for a full year on narcotics before my first surgery and was actually able to do my job much better when it was not consumed by thinking about my pain.I had absolutely no problem at my job.what are you waiting for betty?I think that the use of narcotics right now is needed,don't you?You sound very upset and depressed,don't you think that you are just prolonging the inevitable here.you just sound sooo miserable.You may not like the fact that you have to take the narcotics and the majority of us don't, but isn't that better than having to live every minute of your life in agony and in bed just feeling so left out of your own life?I guess i can understand your hesitation at first but you are way past due for some very good relief here and in getting your life back.
For the sake of the people around you who probably miss being able to do things with you, and just for you and a better quality of life,you really really need to stop and look very hard at starting something here very soon.You know, the one big difference in using pain meds for pain and using them for that 'high',is that when you use them for legitimate chronic pain, That high feeling is almost not there at all.
I sincerely hope that you are not offended by what I just posted as it was done out of concern for you and the loss of your old life, nothing more.You deserve to be happy Betty,and you will not get there the way you are currently treating your pain.i think you really need to look at this all a little more urgently.Please keep us posted on how you are doing with this okay?Take care, Marcia
For the sake of the people around you who probably miss being able to do things with you, and just for you and a better quality of life,you really really need to stop and look very hard at starting something here very soon.You know, the one big difference in using pain meds for pain and using them for that 'high',is that when you use them for legitimate chronic pain, That high feeling is almost not there at all.
I sincerely hope that you are not offended by what I just posted as it was done out of concern for you and the loss of your old life, nothing more.You deserve to be happy Betty,and you will not get there the way you are currently treating your pain.i think you really need to look at this all a little more urgently.Please keep us posted on how you are doing with this okay?Take care, Marcia
injured betty
06-29-2004, 10:18 PM
Feel bad, no offense taken :)
I have given a lot of thought to the question, "What do I expect the doctor to do?" I just want relief. I have been in this particular spot for over a year now. When thinking back in time, it started about eleven years ago. I was getting adjusted, periodically. Nothing big like now. I kept up my walking program and doing stretches. I have worked at manual labor on an off and always worked in my yard.
Last June I did a push/twist at work injury. The doctor called it a lumbar strain. I never got better after that. A few months ago I fell on the wet cement outside and really landed hard on my butt.
So, I am not sure what the main culprit was or if it was a combination of factors.
So, the nitty gritty of the situation is that when I had my daugher about twenty five years ago I blew out a huge hemmeroid as I only weighed ninety pounds at the time and she weighed almost ten at birth. Since that time I have always shied away from narcotics. The doc told me that if I didn't get surgery for the hemmeroid I could not place myself in a situation where I would get constipated so for all of these years I have stayed away from pain killers of any kind and have eaten a diet filled with fiber and water.
I wanted to be able to do this with manipulations and physical therapy. This is why I did the Prolotherapy. I was willing to try anything short of narcotics. I have looked into getting the hemmeroid taken care of but they have to put you on narcotics afterwards.
I am stuck between a rock and a hard place right now.
Each night I force myself out of bed and take a two mile walk. That and stretching is about all that I can take. I am really watching my spine health as I know that the SI joint can effect it. The strange part is that our house is the same age as I am and the foundation is crumbling. So, I get the whole concept of the foundation of our house and the core muscles and spine in our body correlation. It is kinda trippy.
Last night my husband talked me into taking three Ultraset, one Soma, and one Percocet. It barely took the edge off of the pain. I am wondering if, since the pain, the core pain, the pain that I can feel all the way to my soul, is maybe related to the Prolotherapy that I had done. I have been researching it today and it might be an infection in the joint. That is a far reach, but possible. I am going to call my doctor tomorrow an ask him about it. After two MRI's and an Xray and still no explaination beyond the admitted nerve damage, that is the only explaination left. I am in total alignment.
I can't see living my life like this but I also hate the feeling of being high. I thought that if you are in pain that the drugs don't make you high but I definetly felt high last night.
Maybe I am just not using the right meds. I guess that there is a ladder to climb. The doctor gave me 125 Ultraset and told me take them six times a day. This is to see if they work. Three didn't work by themselves on my back but they did cure my shoulder pain. The right side of my body is whacked right now and for no apparent reason.
Thanks for the kind words. You are right, I need to know what I want from the doctor. I need to find another doctor, though as this doctor told me that Xanax is not addictive. That is a whole other issue.
I have given a lot of thought to the question, "What do I expect the doctor to do?" I just want relief. I have been in this particular spot for over a year now. When thinking back in time, it started about eleven years ago. I was getting adjusted, periodically. Nothing big like now. I kept up my walking program and doing stretches. I have worked at manual labor on an off and always worked in my yard.
Last June I did a push/twist at work injury. The doctor called it a lumbar strain. I never got better after that. A few months ago I fell on the wet cement outside and really landed hard on my butt.
So, I am not sure what the main culprit was or if it was a combination of factors.
So, the nitty gritty of the situation is that when I had my daugher about twenty five years ago I blew out a huge hemmeroid as I only weighed ninety pounds at the time and she weighed almost ten at birth. Since that time I have always shied away from narcotics. The doc told me that if I didn't get surgery for the hemmeroid I could not place myself in a situation where I would get constipated so for all of these years I have stayed away from pain killers of any kind and have eaten a diet filled with fiber and water.
I wanted to be able to do this with manipulations and physical therapy. This is why I did the Prolotherapy. I was willing to try anything short of narcotics. I have looked into getting the hemmeroid taken care of but they have to put you on narcotics afterwards.
I am stuck between a rock and a hard place right now.
Each night I force myself out of bed and take a two mile walk. That and stretching is about all that I can take. I am really watching my spine health as I know that the SI joint can effect it. The strange part is that our house is the same age as I am and the foundation is crumbling. So, I get the whole concept of the foundation of our house and the core muscles and spine in our body correlation. It is kinda trippy.
Last night my husband talked me into taking three Ultraset, one Soma, and one Percocet. It barely took the edge off of the pain. I am wondering if, since the pain, the core pain, the pain that I can feel all the way to my soul, is maybe related to the Prolotherapy that I had done. I have been researching it today and it might be an infection in the joint. That is a far reach, but possible. I am going to call my doctor tomorrow an ask him about it. After two MRI's and an Xray and still no explaination beyond the admitted nerve damage, that is the only explaination left. I am in total alignment.
I can't see living my life like this but I also hate the feeling of being high. I thought that if you are in pain that the drugs don't make you high but I definetly felt high last night.
Maybe I am just not using the right meds. I guess that there is a ladder to climb. The doctor gave me 125 Ultraset and told me take them six times a day. This is to see if they work. Three didn't work by themselves on my back but they did cure my shoulder pain. The right side of my body is whacked right now and for no apparent reason.
Thanks for the kind words. You are right, I need to know what I want from the doctor. I need to find another doctor, though as this doctor told me that Xanax is not addictive. That is a whole other issue.