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Posted by
David Chales on November 20, 2000 at 13:54:33:
In Reply to: Need advice from other chronic pain people about my meds. posted by John R. on November 12, 2000 at 08:52:02:
: Hello, I have not posted in a while but have found the need to speak with some of you again. I have had cervical fusion, two levels wich was somewhat successfull, that was three years ago. I am now 35 years young and ahve also had several lumbar surgeries. First one was a laminectomy at L5-S1 when I was 19. Second one was a e repeat laminectomy at same level in 98. That surgery failed in the summer of 99 and this spring I underwent a two level lumbar fusion because L5-S1 colapsed crushing nerves and I had developed spinal stenosis at L-4 L-L5. Images from MRI and fine cut CT scans also showed stonosis begining at L-4 L-3 and bulging discs in two levels above that. The fusion itself was successfull, meaning bone fusion has occured and hardware seems to be fine but yet pain has returned to legs and back. I can not even get relief lying down, barely beeing able to ambluate particularly in AM and am now using a cane. Have been on MSContin in MSIR after surgery and most recently Oxycontin 80mg. twice daily and OxyIR for break through pain. Now the oxy is barely touching the pain. Have any of you been through anything like this and what other pain med might actually help me. It almost seems like a waste to continue with current pain meds because of the little relief I get. I have I good pain maagement doctor but would like some opinions from actual cp people before he changs my meds. Thak you for reading this post and I hope today is better that yesterday for all of us. John
Hi John I've had 3 back surgs, Laminectomy L3-4-5, Fusion L3-4-5, broke that harware and now fused L1-2-3-4-5-S1. I've got a junkyard in my back now and the pain is intense. Last week I ask my doc to switch me to methadone, The price is about 1/15 of the oxycontin. Meth has a very long half life, 24hrs+ I'm so glad I swtched, I sleep through the night better, I take it 4 times a day and don't find myself forcing to wait for the next dose. Meth is much stronger and has dropped me from a constant 7+ on pain scale to 5- the oxy never could get me below a 6 even with increased dosing. I was taking 120mgs a day of oxy and I'm at 40 mgs of meth. I'll probably go a little higher but I'm still getting used to the meth. I hope this helps. David
