help with hubby's med management - Pain Management Message Board

kmail · 10-24-2003, 02:26 AM

My husband was injured at work Oct. 1996 and had back surgery March 1997. They waited too long, and now he's screwed. He's got sciatic nerve pain that will probably be with him until he dies. (He is only 49.) Top that off with a P.O.S. incompetent worker's comp attorney and here we are.
He's in constant pain and also has increased meds gradually. Started with Vicodin, then to Oxycontin 10 mg 2x/day, gradually upped to where he is now - 40 mg 5x/day.
He's on his feet all day at work and since we run our own biz, there is NO way around it right now. With current dosages (including Vicodin for BT pain), he's doing pretty good, but his leg ALWAYS still bothers him in the late afternoon, and both knees are bad too! and Vicodin is like candy.

When we get his meds, I divide them up into 30 compartments of plastic box. A couple of months ago, he woul end up short meds the last few days. It was driving me crazy and he never mentioned anything and I thought I was going f---ing crazy, as if I had put a few for backup in a special place and then forgotten where I put them. In turn, if I had misplaced a few oxycontin and he is made to suffer because of me - well, basically I was shattered, thinking it was my fault. I finally asked him, because I couldn't figure it out, and he admitted having snuck extra pills here and there. I broke down and cried, as it seemed I couldn't trust him with his own meds. I told him I truly thought I was LOSING MY Mind because I couldn't figure it out. He promised he wouldn't any more, and script has been upped to 5-40mgs since then, so it's ok now.

I am just trying to make sure he endures as little pain as possible, because being a triplicate it is not easy to get the meds a day early, and something ALWAYS GOES WRONG when it is time for refill!

Anyhow, I guess I want to know if any of you have had the same experience - taking more than you're supposed to. do you also have someone to help you stick to prescribed dosages?

I'm sorry for you guys and gals in pain. And I feel bad when I mention if my legs ache in the middle of the day. I don't know if there's anything worse you could go thru beside chronic pain. I would never minimize anyone's pain, knowing what my husband goes thru - I just wonder also if there is any support out there for spouses of those suffering from chronic pain. Although it's different, we are also suffering with you.

Sorry for writing so much. Thanks for listening.

dwpavlik · 10-24-2003, 10:39 AM

Howdy
My wife helps me out quite a bit. She is my greatest helper. In my past I had several times ended up with less pills than I thought I should have. I could simply not keep count of the pills. I was trying to do no more than to treat the pain. So I would loose track of the count trying to get out of pain. So we went to the drug store and got a weekly by daily pill caser. It has a pill case for each day and one for the whole week. Now we put the pills in each daily case and I have been staying with the count that way. If I paid attention to the pain I had and treated it that way, I would always end up with less. My wife takes care of refilling the pill cases every Saturday night. And we watch the case not the pain. This has helped greatly. As she has been the best person, and love of my life in caring for me. She puts up with a lot, especially when the drugs make me a bit moody. Wow, what patience.
Don

cookie51 · 10-24-2003, 11:17 AM

Hi,
I too have nerve pain after surgery,mine is in left leg,i went to pain manegment dr. and he is going ot give me a tens implant,it is implanted in spine and battery is put in your hip or abdomin, it suppose to stop the nerve pain,i'm going to try it,some people it works for,i will try it. I cant take all the meds. my stomach cant handle no more,i think it messes with your mind also i think they only work for a little while. Try and find out implant it may help.
Good Luck cookie

surgicaldisaster · 10-24-2003, 04:57 PM

You have raised a very important subject in your post...what about the supportive spouse/friend/whomever that is there day in and day out watching helplessly (except for our meds) and suffering their own pain watching us in pain. You sound sooooo wonderfully supportive and sounds to me like you are doing everything right. Perhaps just talk with him and tell him the next time he feels the proper dosage is not doing it, it's time for another appt. with the Dr. But my gosh you handled it well and he's a lucky man. You are right..you need support too. I often wonder how my hubby deals so well, but thank God we talk a LOT. Perhaps that's an idea in and of itself...a support group for CP patient care givers (?) Take care of yourselves...and YOU TOO!!! Love to ya. Surgical Disaster

kmail · 10-24-2003, 09:06 PM

Thank you so much! I'm glad I found the healthboards!