Lidicaine patch - Pain Management Message Board

injured betty · 06-21-2004, 10:19 AM

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?

Fiona_Jo_324 · 06-23-2004, 01:06 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.

Jo

tyler7 · 06-23-2004, 04:55 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, 11:24 AM

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fiona_Jo_324 · 06-23-2004, 03:01 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.

Jo