Okay I admit that I don't know most of the chemical names for the different pain meds I've tried, and I recently had to switch from an anastisiologist (sp?) p.m. doc to a pcp with a minor speciality in pm because I moved to a small out of the way town in the country (USA), but I feel like I need to be the one to ask the questions, and I don't know what questions to ask!

A little background:
I can't take Demerol (it makes me hallucinate, though it does help with the pain ;-) and don't like morphine (doesn't do much but make me sick). Methadone was actually WORSE than the pain itself (if you can believe that), and Neurontin didn't do anything other than make some pain I have in my bladder worse (this pain is due to a spinal cord injury - or so they say). I was on the duragesic for 6 months before my last neck surgery, but the side effects are awful, and I feel so completely addicted when I use them - IE: I have withdrawal when they are coming close to needing to be changed.

I read all of the different suggestions that everyone posts here, but don't know most of the chemical names so I don't know what I am comparing things to. I am currently on Oxycontin 80's and 20's (will be switching to the generic 20's in two weeks). I take 120mgs in the morning, again in the afternoon and 60 to 80 mgs at night. I also have oxycodin for bt, currently 2 15mgs a day that are not used every day, but sometimes more than 2 tablets, depending on the day (it averages out). But the regimen is working less and less as the months go by, and I don't want to have to continue raising my dosage every year like I have been!

I would like to find a different med to at least use for BT. like so many have said, I think it would be good to mix things up a little. But I HATE trying out new medications! and I am supposed to be going back to school after the first of the year, and I don't want to have to be all screwed up at that time.

I am going to ask my doc about Lyrica when I see her in two weeks, but can anyone else give advise on other prescriptions I should ask about with the thought of not wanting to be in a brain fog, not being able to be tired all the time, maybe getting better sleep (I do take sleep aids, but they only work so well), and wanting my pain to be more under control than it is currently???

Also, I survive right now, with my pain levels running between a 3 and 5 most every day and spikes getting up to 6 to 8, but being able to keep the 9's and 10's away for the most part. But I have a pretty high threshold for the pain, and my numbers are perceived to be low if anything (meaning a level 3 pain truly takes quite a bit of my attention). I don't think I will be able to attend school - and actually learn anything - if I don't get my levels down a little lower. Plus, I am moving out on my own again in 2 weeks, after living with my partner for a little over a year and truly appreciating his support and assistance day to day.

I read that someone was taking over 3000 mg of Skalaxin... how did you get that high, and does it work/have a lot of side effects at that high of dose? I take 800mg twice a day, and then Flexeril (30mgs) at night.

I know that we are not doctors, but does anyone have any suggestions on what I should ask my doc about when I see her on the 16th?

Thanks in advance!
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DomNakita