I'm at a loss. I've been trying for years to get help - when I turned 40 and after my child was born everything changed. Migraines started - 2-3 a month; I've always had back problems and had a very bad car accident in 1997. I'm trying to get of Lexapro and have a decent internist but as I'm getting pain meds from the back specialist, I cannot take pain meds from any other doctor. I think I was doing better on 40 mg of Hydrocodone than the 30mg of percocet I take now.
I asked about longer acting meds - the doctor "pretended" he didn't know what was better/stronger/longer lasting than percocet. I know he prescribes Oxycontin as I've heard him talk to other patients (they're not good at closing doors, etc. which drives me nuts - I don't want a waiting room to know about my medical problems). Anyhow he gave me another injection and told me to take 4 10 mg percocets a day but I was only prescribed 90 for the month. I said but I'll run out before the 30 days and he said we'll talk about it next week.
I just want to cry. If I kill myself will someone listen then? I asked to read my chart while I waited 2 hours to see the doctor. It says myofacial (sp) pain all over the records. He never told me this, ever! I was told it was Chronic Lumbar Strain.
With the twitching legs, I'm at a loss. I think I should go see a neurologist which has been recommended to me by this practice once before. I'm just depressed about starting over - I have no clue what a neurologist does and I have no idea what myfacial (sp) pain is. I see a long thread which I'll read when I get back from school pick up.
If anyone has advice for me I'ld be grateful forever. EG, a neurologist sounds like the right doctor? I am tried of being shunted from one doctor to another and living like this - having a little pity party. I'm so glad I found others who are going through the same thing - I feel so alone. I'm scheduled to go back to the back doctor next Tuesday for another injection and I guess we'll talk in more detail about how 90 pills at 4 a day is supposed to last 30 days. Even my kid can figure out that math.
Thanks in advance.
Tarajb, I have been where you are. If I had a buck for every doctor I've seen, you get the idea. All I can say is DON"T give up. I felt as you did , that when I died and it was going to be soon I wanted them to do a complete autopsy on me because then they'd know how bad I was and WHAT it was. It took me 20 years to get diagnosed and 12 years before I was on anything at all for pain. Please keep looking. You know your own body and you will find a doc to help you. It might be a neurologist, a pain management doc, a pcp, but keep looking until you find that compassionate doc who will treat you appropriately. When I had my first PM appointment I was crying when the doc came in(I don't recommend this, he looked at me like I was nuts at first). I told him that I had been treated so bad my doctors, nurses, front office staff, pharmacists, that his caring staff caught me off guard and I lost it, after years of being treated so bad.
This is the hard part you are going through right now and I think we all have been through it. I know it isn't easy to keep going to all these different docs, but try that neurologist and see what happens, and see about looking into finding a PM doc. In the meantime I hope next week he gives you the extra.
Sorry to hear about things, but you've got to hang in there.
The positive- He upped you to 4 Percs per day....He's trying to address your pain. He obviously has something against Oxycontin. Maybe it's your local law enforcement....Who knows. OC does carry a bad name in certain places just because of the name. Maybe the other patients you've heard about have been on it a while and he can't change them...Or it would be bad to. But, he's not going to add any other patients to the drug.
He does want to see you next week to monitor your pain...That is also good. At that point, you have to decide whether to grab the bull by the horns or not. I'd be tempted to come right out and tell him you've done some research, and there are long acting meds like OC, the patch, MS Contin, & etc. If he's got something against OC, he could use one of the others. As many know, I'm a big proponent of the patch.
Anyway, hang in there best you can. Stay positive!
Thank you Melissa - 20 years, oh my gosh. I've just read the thread on myofascial pain and I'll spend some time researching it. I am with a pain med doctor - he has a license to prescribe pain meds but PT is also required, which I do and the injection was decent 2 weeks ago so I'm hoping it works again.
Ex, you've been great at giving me direction. I will stay positive as I have so much to be positive about. Great husband, kid, a good life but a good deal of pain. I learned a bit on the thread re myofascial pain. I will return next Tuesday but I don't know that I'll continue with this doctor. I'll stay with him until I can find the *right* doctor. I'll interview the osteo's or anesthesiologist or neuro's, whomever I find to help me figure this out.
I can see how deep tissue massage would help - I had one once but then I couldn't walk for 2 days - she went way to deep. It was in fact the same area I am still suffering from some 6 six years later as I don't think my daughter was born when I saw that massage therapist.
Between this and regular peri-menopause, I'm going insane at times. I'm going to fix my husband and kid a nice dinner and put it out of my head for now. Ex, he's a "conservative" PM doctor (per the Chiro in the practice) and the discussion I overhead was someone who was getting scripts for Oxy's from 3 different doctors so he cut him off and threw him out. Yikes, it's people like this who make people like me feel like I'm drug seeking when I am willing to TRY ANYTHING. For now I'll keep the perc's until I figure out what the heck to do next.
Thanks so much.
Thanks Juliet - the thought has crossed my mind but my a family member did kill himself and it has wreaked havoc on my family. I would never and don't have any concern about that - it was a poorly phased tongue in check statement. Apologies if I have offended anyone.
I looked up doctors in my PPO (afraid of being accused of doctor shopping but I refuse to take any prescription expect the PM doc's scripts). I have an appt. with a neuro/anethisiologist (sp)/surgeon this upcoming Saturday. Someone cancelled and the receptionist slotted me in. I thought for sure it would take longer than 5 days. I'm nervous and will bring notes with me to go over the last few years.
Juliet, I am confused about the doctor testing me. Do you mean he expects me to take the 3 10 mg daily (not take a 4th unless desparate)? If that is the case, he has nothing to worry about because I won't put myself in the position of being in withdrawals (major or minor). I've experienced reduced usage both tapered and abrupt and neither was fun. I'm grateful for the experience - mostly mild - I chalk that to taking my meds as prescribed but percocet over hydrocodone worries me and LA worries me even more. I worry a lot lol. Ah, a laugh.
Thank you all for replying. Off the research MFP now.
My husband cooked dinner, I've been a bit detached thinking about everything but he understand and believes a good deal has to do with peri.
Thanks.
Last edited by kim46; 05-21-2008 at 07:50 AM.
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