npainnTN
01-03-2007, 03:28 AM
Hi All,
Well I finally got into see my new PM a couple weeks ago and the first 2 weeks after seeing him were the best 2 weeks I have had since I got sick. He changed my meds around. He decreased my Acitq to only 2 per day, started a fast acting oxycondone 4 times a day as needed, left my oxycontin at 2 times a day, and added methadone 40mg at bedtime. When I left the office, I was in shock, a doctor who actually believed that I was in as much pain as I say, and willing to prescribed medications to help me try to lead a "normal" life.
For the first time I could say that there were minutes when I had almost no pain, which is something I thought I would never be able to say again. I was playing with my daughter, I was going to places with my husband, and I was actually sleeping a little better. BUT
You know there is always a BUT when something good happens. I was to return to the PM 2 weeks after my first visit just to check up. Well, the night before I started breaking out in a rash. Not very bad, but you could tell it was the beginning of something. By the next day at my appointment It was looking pretty bad. I suggested that It might be the methadone because that is the only new medication ingrediant I started. He was like no way it would have already happened it that were the case. He is also a PM that tells you up front that he is a PM and a PM only, not a MD for anything else. So he prescribed the same regimen since I had been feeling so much better, but added Valium to the mix as needed at bedtime. I have a horrible time falling asleep. Its usually like 2-3 before I can even lay down.
He just kind of blew of the rash (for lack of a better term). I know we are not allowed to say what our professions are, so we will just say, I know what I am talking about with the medications. So, that night I stopped the methadone. That was on Wednesday, by Thursday night I was ready to go to the ER because benedryl was doing nothing I was eating them like candy. The next day, was my husbands christmas party and my mother in law saw it (and for those of you who know, my MIL thinks that I don't need any meds and should be in rehab, she basically thinks I am crazy:rolleyes: ) anyway and took me straight to a walk in clinic. When I told him everything that was going on He agreed that it was the methadone and that it would get better as soon as it got out of my system since it has such a long half life. He also put me on steroids and a few other things. By the next morning I felt so much better and 2 days later the rash was gone and the itching had almost completly stopped. :bouncing: :bouncing:
But, now that I have stopped the methadone I have started hurting again. I am almost right back where I started from because he decresed the Actiq. My only helper has been the oxycodone that he gave me. I am afraid to call and tell him because he did not think that it was the methadone causing the reaction. But on the other hand my next appt isn't until the 16th. I don't really want to wait because I am hurting again.
What would you all do? I am one of the ones who signed a pain contract, so I don't even know if he would do anything if I did call. I am almost 100% sure that it was the methadone because I had not changed ANYTHING, eaten ANYTHING new, or ANYTHING else that could cause the reaction.
I am also allergic to Penicillin and when I started being allergic to it, I had taken it on and off for over 5 years. And this is the exact same reaction I had with that except not as severe because I immediately stopped the methadone and with the PCN we didn't know what was going on so I continued to take it until we figured it out.
Any Advice would be greatly appreciated. As well as any other meds that he could try or I could suggest. Thank you all sooooo much.
I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season, or as wonderful as we can have with the CP we live with on a daily basis, unfortunately it doesn't give us a break for the holidays. :)
Thanks to everyone
Jenn :wave:
Well I finally got into see my new PM a couple weeks ago and the first 2 weeks after seeing him were the best 2 weeks I have had since I got sick. He changed my meds around. He decreased my Acitq to only 2 per day, started a fast acting oxycondone 4 times a day as needed, left my oxycontin at 2 times a day, and added methadone 40mg at bedtime. When I left the office, I was in shock, a doctor who actually believed that I was in as much pain as I say, and willing to prescribed medications to help me try to lead a "normal" life.
For the first time I could say that there were minutes when I had almost no pain, which is something I thought I would never be able to say again. I was playing with my daughter, I was going to places with my husband, and I was actually sleeping a little better. BUT
You know there is always a BUT when something good happens. I was to return to the PM 2 weeks after my first visit just to check up. Well, the night before I started breaking out in a rash. Not very bad, but you could tell it was the beginning of something. By the next day at my appointment It was looking pretty bad. I suggested that It might be the methadone because that is the only new medication ingrediant I started. He was like no way it would have already happened it that were the case. He is also a PM that tells you up front that he is a PM and a PM only, not a MD for anything else. So he prescribed the same regimen since I had been feeling so much better, but added Valium to the mix as needed at bedtime. I have a horrible time falling asleep. Its usually like 2-3 before I can even lay down.
He just kind of blew of the rash (for lack of a better term). I know we are not allowed to say what our professions are, so we will just say, I know what I am talking about with the medications. So, that night I stopped the methadone. That was on Wednesday, by Thursday night I was ready to go to the ER because benedryl was doing nothing I was eating them like candy. The next day, was my husbands christmas party and my mother in law saw it (and for those of you who know, my MIL thinks that I don't need any meds and should be in rehab, she basically thinks I am crazy:rolleyes: ) anyway and took me straight to a walk in clinic. When I told him everything that was going on He agreed that it was the methadone and that it would get better as soon as it got out of my system since it has such a long half life. He also put me on steroids and a few other things. By the next morning I felt so much better and 2 days later the rash was gone and the itching had almost completly stopped. :bouncing: :bouncing:
But, now that I have stopped the methadone I have started hurting again. I am almost right back where I started from because he decresed the Actiq. My only helper has been the oxycodone that he gave me. I am afraid to call and tell him because he did not think that it was the methadone causing the reaction. But on the other hand my next appt isn't until the 16th. I don't really want to wait because I am hurting again.
What would you all do? I am one of the ones who signed a pain contract, so I don't even know if he would do anything if I did call. I am almost 100% sure that it was the methadone because I had not changed ANYTHING, eaten ANYTHING new, or ANYTHING else that could cause the reaction.
I am also allergic to Penicillin and when I started being allergic to it, I had taken it on and off for over 5 years. And this is the exact same reaction I had with that except not as severe because I immediately stopped the methadone and with the PCN we didn't know what was going on so I continued to take it until we figured it out.
Any Advice would be greatly appreciated. As well as any other meds that he could try or I could suggest. Thank you all sooooo much.
I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season, or as wonderful as we can have with the CP we live with on a daily basis, unfortunately it doesn't give us a break for the holidays. :)
Thanks to everyone
Jenn :wave:
Sponsor
badoldback
01-03-2007, 09:47 AM
Hey Jenn,
Call the Doc. He's really very understanding.
Call the Doc. He's really very understanding.
npainnTN
01-03-2007, 12:34 PM
:D Hey Badoldback, You are the one that said you go to the same TPC right? I am going to call him because even though he changed my other meds, without the methadone I am almost back to square one. I mean I really hated taking it, (not only because of the stigma but the first night I took it I got really choked on it and ended up throwing up because it was soooo stuck. It was bad so I dreaded taking it every night after that) but the pain relief that it gave me was unbelievable. I was really amazed how much it really helped. I thought maybe it was just because of the other med changes that it was a little of everything, but now that I have been off of it for over a week and it is out of my system, I know that 90% of the relief was from the methadone.
thanks
jenn
PS thanks for the advice to go and see him. Even though I have to pay out of pocket because my insurance is in TN so he is "out of network" :dizzy: it is soooo worth it. He was very open with me about his history of helping people and his experiences with different types of people. I was impressed compared to other PMs. I do have some concerns but not even close enough to make me think twice about stop going. And like you said the staff is also great. The first day was kind of iffy with them,the receptionist had not received my records even though my md had faxed them twice so she was snippy about that but the next time I went she was great. I even had to bring my daughter with me. I can't drive so my father in law brought me and sat in the waiting room with her and they were all playing with her (she is only 3) and talking to her. Which I was very surprised with. Thanks for your encouragment to call them. I also saw that you are on their message board, we should try and get that up and running like some of the other post say. Maybe soon
I hope your holidays have been great.
Jenn:)
thanks
jenn
PS thanks for the advice to go and see him. Even though I have to pay out of pocket because my insurance is in TN so he is "out of network" :dizzy: it is soooo worth it. He was very open with me about his history of helping people and his experiences with different types of people. I was impressed compared to other PMs. I do have some concerns but not even close enough to make me think twice about stop going. And like you said the staff is also great. The first day was kind of iffy with them,the receptionist had not received my records even though my md had faxed them twice so she was snippy about that but the next time I went she was great. I even had to bring my daughter with me. I can't drive so my father in law brought me and sat in the waiting room with her and they were all playing with her (she is only 3) and talking to her. Which I was very surprised with. Thanks for your encouragment to call them. I also saw that you are on their message board, we should try and get that up and running like some of the other post say. Maybe soon
I hope your holidays have been great.
Jenn:)
npainnTN
01-03-2007, 02:17 PM
Hey BadOldBack; Well I called them and explained what was going on. They were ok about it. At first I don't think that she believed me, because she of the questions she was asking. Which I know they get so many people calling that shouldn't but still. At first she said I will have Emily call you, and I said thank you so much for doing that I know and understand that you are not suppose to call for medication changes, but I thought this would be a different situation. So then she said oh well yeah, you do have to come in and see the doctor. She could work me in tomarrow, but then I had to pay for another office visit and keep my visit in 2 weeks. So I had to tell her there was no way that I could afford that. And thanked her. So, I guess I will tough it out for a few weeks. Which is nothing compared to how long I have went with doctors who wouldn't give me anything. :dizzy:
How are you doint? How long have you been going there? do you still have to go every month? You are kinda far away too aren't you? What is your drive time. I end up driving depending on traffic about an hour. Which is nothing compared to what I have read about some people. The first time I went he was telling me about the pharmacy downstairs Kay's. I thought that was pretty nice. I went there and for the first time they didn't look at me like a drug addict. They didn't question oh they want you on this and this AND this....So that was nice. He said he negotiated lower prices with them so his patiens could get thier meds cheaper, but thank goodness for the time being I have ins. so it doesn't matter where I go. Have you noticed any differences?
Well I will shut up now. :) I know how long winded I get, and about completly boring stuff :yawn:
Have a good day
Jenn
How are you doint? How long have you been going there? do you still have to go every month? You are kinda far away too aren't you? What is your drive time. I end up driving depending on traffic about an hour. Which is nothing compared to what I have read about some people. The first time I went he was telling me about the pharmacy downstairs Kay's. I thought that was pretty nice. I went there and for the first time they didn't look at me like a drug addict. They didn't question oh they want you on this and this AND this....So that was nice. He said he negotiated lower prices with them so his patiens could get thier meds cheaper, but thank goodness for the time being I have ins. so it doesn't matter where I go. Have you noticed any differences?
Well I will shut up now. :) I know how long winded I get, and about completly boring stuff :yawn:
Have a good day
Jenn
badoldback
01-04-2007, 10:09 AM
Hey Jenn,
I've been going there just over a year now. The drive for me is 2 hours from home, but only about an hour and 15 mins. from my office. Still going every month. It's the only thing that enables me to keep working and to have any kind of family life at all so I don't mind a bit. Good luck.
I've been going there just over a year now. The drive for me is 2 hours from home, but only about an hour and 15 mins. from my office. Still going every month. It's the only thing that enables me to keep working and to have any kind of family life at all so I don't mind a bit. Good luck.