[Cherry73]

Hello everyone. A few months back I posted because I was so frustrated. Well a lot has happened since that post. I had my gastric sleeve surgery and I had some complications and was in the hospital longer than expected but all is well now. It's been a little over a month and I have lost thirty-five pounds. The surgeon changed my pain meds because I couldn't swollow large pills and was vomiting a lot. To cut down on the medication I had to swollow he gave me a duragesic patch and it works great. Now I don't know if this is because I was on the morphine for so long I had built up a tolerance or if the duragesic is just better suited for my pain but either way its helping me a lot. He gave me oxycodone for break through pain and I don't even take all that I am allowed because I don't need them. It really has made a world of difference. So I went to my pain clinic post surgery and explained to them what the surgeon had done and they agreed to do the same thing thank goodness. Especially since I now have to pack up everything for my kids and I and drive us fourteen hours away to our new home. I am so thankful this is working for me otherwise this move would be pure torture.

[mazing]

I'm so glad you have been able to find some relief

[Leed]

Thats wonderful! I'm so glad to hear that the patch is working! I used them for awhile too, but for some reason, I became accomodated to them quickly and needed an increase in dosage very early -- so my doctor decided that perhaps the patch wasn't going to do it for me. He STARTED me on .75mcg, so obviously I was going to have to at least double it to get any relief. That's what he said anyway.

But for awhile it worked very good. I'm so glad it works for you! God bless and please keep us posted, ok? Hugs, Lee

[avlady]

i am on Loritabs is that he same as morphine?just wondering, I am glad you feel better, I am new here for abouut 3 weeks now and just love this place where I can go and relate with others.i wish you happiness in your new home-avlady

[Cherry73]

Lortabs and morphine are different. Both are in the opiate family but lortabs are a schedule three drug and morphine is a schedule two narcotic. Also morphine is usually used as a long term maintance drug usually prescribed every eight hours and lortabs are a breakthrough pain medication. I used to take morphine three times a day with the hydrocodone (lortab) As needed for breakthrough pain. That was how my doctor wrote the prescriptions. Now since the surgery I use the patches because I experience alot of nausea and vomiting but I just received a letter from my insurance company that they are no longer going to pay for them unless my doctor convinces them I really need them. I also received a letter from my insurance company today saying they do not pay for my soma, muscle relaxers, and that I need to take baclofen, which does not work for me, or zanaflex, which completely knocks me out. So I hope my doctor can persuade my insurance company to keep me on my current medication.

[shinty]

the Duragesic patche's active ingredient is fentanyl. Fentanyl is one of the strongest, if not the strongest pain reliever out there. It sounds like this doctor knows his stuff, and gives his patientwhat's actually needed to heal comfortably as possible after a big procedure. Don't you wish all doctor's had this philosophy? It's hilarious that the pain specialists couldn't figure out what a gastric bypass surgeon could in order to properly medicate his patient! You can get the insurance to pay for the medicines you need/want if the doctor fill's out a Prior Authorization form requesting the medicines that aren't covered by your insurance. The doctor has to state why you need that particular medication, blah, blah, blah. I'm sure your doctor knows how to fill out the forms so you get what you really want and need. I wish you all the best.
Sean

[Cherry73]

As soon as I get to Maryland the new pain clinic said to call and they will see me within 48 hours. When I go, I will tell them that the patches require a PA to be filled along with the soma. I really hope I like them because I didn't really care for some of the doctors at my last place. In fact the NP was the only one who really seemed to care and listened to what I had to say. I can't wait until this move is over and everyone is settled and I can relax.