patm5771
05-19-2007, 12:12 PM
I am a 24 year old male. In the last 1 year I have had worsining back problems. I have seen a chiroprator but I eventually had to stop due to $$ reasons. After you stop seeing the chiropractor any of the minimal benifets that i has gettin ended. In the last 3 months the pain is so bad it is affecting my life in all areas. I sit at a desk all day at work and I am in contant pain. I am crying when i wake up each morning because I know that im going to be miserable all day. I work in sales so I have to be personable all day and I cannot in this condition. I am snapping on people, if this keeps up i might lose my job and than i am competely screwed. My doctor does not seem to take my discomfort seriously, he has started me on physical therapy where i was told I have 2 curves in my spine. The therapist says the exercises she has me doing will help, but if anything it is making the pain worse. The doctor has percribes tramadol and some baclofen but this is not helping, I called the doctor and told him this asking if there is anything stonger he can give and he perscibed me 12 hydrocodones. This is not cuttin it. I have an appointment this tuesday and I am going to request an MRI or to be reffered to a pain doctor but I am just worried that being a 24 year old male i will be seen as a drug seeker or something and just written off. I dont know what to do. I dont want to be seen as a drug seeker but at the same time I need them to give me some drugs. If i was a woman or a few years older I 'm sure this would'nt even be an issue but im not and I am in pain now. If any one has dealt with a situation similiar to this and has some advice it would be much appreciated. If things dont change soon i dont know what will happen.
Thank you for your replies in advance....Patm5771
Thank you for your replies in advance....Patm5771
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Fabrashamx
05-19-2007, 12:58 PM
Hi Pat,
I am so sorry you are suffering like this, there is nothing worse than constant pain, it makes you feel like a trapped animal.
I am not sure being female would help, I think most of it is your age, for sure, when I was your age I ran into the same kind of thing. I think the doctor means well, they see a young person, they think you will heal quickly and why put your body through an opiate trial at your age. BUT when pain doesnt resolve itself within a very few weeks, I feel it HAS to be treated.
Otherwise the constant pain and depression and anxiety can destroy your entire life in short order.
Have you had an MRI? there might be more going on there then they know, and an x-ray wont show soft tissue damage, like disc problems. I would flat out tell the doctor you are miserable day and night and to please keep looking for the cause and to medicate you in the meantime so you arent suffering like this.
Pain management has only in the last decade or so started to evolve, it was not too many years ago that unless you had end stage cancer, the most you would be offered is tylenol 3 or Darvon, niether one is very effective for moderate to severe pain.
One group that has not 'caught up' yet in terms of pain management is the young. I know from expierience that my sons were not routinely medicated for pain as an adult would be, given advil for broken bones and ear infections ect, my oldest needed some very painful dental work done when he was quite small and I took him to a pediatric dental specialist, who told me doctors are so afraid of lawsuits when giving children and young people pain meds they would rather let them suffer, or horribly undermedicate, The medicine he gave my son was based on brain size not body weight, and it was so nice to see him start playing with the toys, finally out of pain.
Try keeping a diary of your pain, list everytime it wakes you up, and everything you are trying to get some relief, such as hot/cold packs, heating pads. ect. Good luck to you and please let us know how you are doing, there are also some younger folks on the board who may be able to give you some more advice.
Your Friend, Fabby :wave:
I am so sorry you are suffering like this, there is nothing worse than constant pain, it makes you feel like a trapped animal.
I am not sure being female would help, I think most of it is your age, for sure, when I was your age I ran into the same kind of thing. I think the doctor means well, they see a young person, they think you will heal quickly and why put your body through an opiate trial at your age. BUT when pain doesnt resolve itself within a very few weeks, I feel it HAS to be treated.
Otherwise the constant pain and depression and anxiety can destroy your entire life in short order.
Have you had an MRI? there might be more going on there then they know, and an x-ray wont show soft tissue damage, like disc problems. I would flat out tell the doctor you are miserable day and night and to please keep looking for the cause and to medicate you in the meantime so you arent suffering like this.
Pain management has only in the last decade or so started to evolve, it was not too many years ago that unless you had end stage cancer, the most you would be offered is tylenol 3 or Darvon, niether one is very effective for moderate to severe pain.
One group that has not 'caught up' yet in terms of pain management is the young. I know from expierience that my sons were not routinely medicated for pain as an adult would be, given advil for broken bones and ear infections ect, my oldest needed some very painful dental work done when he was quite small and I took him to a pediatric dental specialist, who told me doctors are so afraid of lawsuits when giving children and young people pain meds they would rather let them suffer, or horribly undermedicate, The medicine he gave my son was based on brain size not body weight, and it was so nice to see him start playing with the toys, finally out of pain.
Try keeping a diary of your pain, list everytime it wakes you up, and everything you are trying to get some relief, such as hot/cold packs, heating pads. ect. Good luck to you and please let us know how you are doing, there are also some younger folks on the board who may be able to give you some more advice.
Your Friend, Fabby :wave:
patm5771
05-19-2007, 01:32 PM
thank you for your sympathy and your time I appreciate it
mudbone
05-19-2007, 02:43 PM
You are right to request an MRI and to see a PM specialist. You can expect however more than just meds to help w/ your pain. You have a bunch of things that the PM will expect you to do as part of the program. PT is one but also several different types of injections, massage therapy. A whole list of things you will be asked to try so that its not just like handing out meds. You sort of have to jump through some hoops if you can understand that. PM's are strict, as I get drug tested, they count my pills, all sorts of things. I'm not trying to discourage you but I'm trying to let you know that they just dont hand out pills and say have a nice day. You have to work on your end also to try to remedy the pain. I wish you well!
whosit
05-19-2007, 10:04 PM
I too wish you luck, it took several MRI's and CT scans and blood work before I got pain medication. They wanted to make sure I was not a drug-seeker as well. I am 23 years old and know being young is a downfall when seeking pain relief. I was diagonse with Trigeminal Neuralgia and still didnt get pain medication. I am now on pain medication and feel alot better. I take 40mg of oxycontin bid and percocet 10mg for BT pain. So it is possible, just bear with them and let them see what is going on and you will get some pain relief soon, if not then it might be time to see a new doctor. Just make sure you take your MRI reports when you get them and it will speed up the process a bit if you have to go to another doctor. Best of luck and hope you feel better!
wvrecon432
wvrecon432
sherry1
05-20-2007, 07:31 AM
Hi
I was on a pain management course for 8 weeks.
They showed us how to do core stability exercises and gave us advice on how to deal with everyday living with chronic pain.
I live in the UK so i think Pain management is different over here.
I have had 5 months of pyhsio,facet joint injections and nothing seems to be working except the pain meds to try to make the pain manageable.
I have been left to my own devices for coping with my pain till i see my consultant in July!
I hope you get some relief soon.
Best wishes
I was on a pain management course for 8 weeks.
They showed us how to do core stability exercises and gave us advice on how to deal with everyday living with chronic pain.
I live in the UK so i think Pain management is different over here.
I have had 5 months of pyhsio,facet joint injections and nothing seems to be working except the pain meds to try to make the pain manageable.
I have been left to my own devices for coping with my pain till i see my consultant in July!
I hope you get some relief soon.
Best wishes
ozzybug
05-20-2007, 01:37 PM
Hey Pat-
I too am so sorry you are suffering and really getting no relief. It sounds like your doctor maybe doesn't understand your pain levels, but is trying to do something to help.
I would highly urge you to get a referral for an MRI if you haven't had one already. As for the PT, I can tell you that I've been through too many rounds of intense PT to count, and most of the time, my pain levels did get worse before they started to get better. Unfortunately for me though, the PT was actually not helping and I ended up with 7 surgeries on my right knee within a 2 year span. Urgh...
Now, as for a true pain management doctor. Absolutely request to be referred to one. It would benefit you to have someone who specializes in chronic pain treating you. As already mentioned, don't expect them to just immediately dole out opiates to help your pain. There are many PM doctors who don't use them at all. Also, as already mentioned, there are so many other modalities that can be employed when treating chronic pain. Things such as bio feedback, hydro therapy, E-stim, stretching & strengthening excercises, TENS, trigger point injections, relaxation techniques, the list just goes on and on. This isn't to say that all of these will work for you, but, you might be suprised at some of the things that will help. I for one, swear by my Alpha Stim unit when I wake in the middle of the night with pain. I also use the Therma Care heating patches when my knee and back are hurting. Sometimes these things work enough to get me through, and there are other times they just don't.
My husband has chronic back & neck pain from falling off a 3 story roof 3 years ago, has had an MRI which diagnosed deffinate problems created by that fall, and he is not in pain management. He has been through many rounds of PT, and is currently going through another round of PT to help. There are times that the PT actually does cause a major pain flare for him, but he isn't one to take a lot of meds, so he tries to use other modalities before using medications. This is just his choice though- everyone has their own ideas of what is appropriate pain management.
I really do hope you can get that MRI and that it will actually give some kind of answer as to why you are hurting so bad. Not knowing what is causing the pain can really wear you down. I also hope you are able to get in with a pm doctor who can work with you to come up with a real treatment plan that will bring you some much needed relief. Please try and hang in there, and do keep us posted. I personally feel bad for the younger pain sufferers who are denied relief just because they are young. Chronic pain is chronic pain regardless of your age. If medication is something you need to use in a treatment plan, then so be it. Should pain meds be the sole treatment for chronic pain? No, absolutely not, but, when they are needed, they should be added to the mix.
Take care.
I too am so sorry you are suffering and really getting no relief. It sounds like your doctor maybe doesn't understand your pain levels, but is trying to do something to help.
I would highly urge you to get a referral for an MRI if you haven't had one already. As for the PT, I can tell you that I've been through too many rounds of intense PT to count, and most of the time, my pain levels did get worse before they started to get better. Unfortunately for me though, the PT was actually not helping and I ended up with 7 surgeries on my right knee within a 2 year span. Urgh...
Now, as for a true pain management doctor. Absolutely request to be referred to one. It would benefit you to have someone who specializes in chronic pain treating you. As already mentioned, don't expect them to just immediately dole out opiates to help your pain. There are many PM doctors who don't use them at all. Also, as already mentioned, there are so many other modalities that can be employed when treating chronic pain. Things such as bio feedback, hydro therapy, E-stim, stretching & strengthening excercises, TENS, trigger point injections, relaxation techniques, the list just goes on and on. This isn't to say that all of these will work for you, but, you might be suprised at some of the things that will help. I for one, swear by my Alpha Stim unit when I wake in the middle of the night with pain. I also use the Therma Care heating patches when my knee and back are hurting. Sometimes these things work enough to get me through, and there are other times they just don't.
My husband has chronic back & neck pain from falling off a 3 story roof 3 years ago, has had an MRI which diagnosed deffinate problems created by that fall, and he is not in pain management. He has been through many rounds of PT, and is currently going through another round of PT to help. There are times that the PT actually does cause a major pain flare for him, but he isn't one to take a lot of meds, so he tries to use other modalities before using medications. This is just his choice though- everyone has their own ideas of what is appropriate pain management.
I really do hope you can get that MRI and that it will actually give some kind of answer as to why you are hurting so bad. Not knowing what is causing the pain can really wear you down. I also hope you are able to get in with a pm doctor who can work with you to come up with a real treatment plan that will bring you some much needed relief. Please try and hang in there, and do keep us posted. I personally feel bad for the younger pain sufferers who are denied relief just because they are young. Chronic pain is chronic pain regardless of your age. If medication is something you need to use in a treatment plan, then so be it. Should pain meds be the sole treatment for chronic pain? No, absolutely not, but, when they are needed, they should be added to the mix.
Take care.