[tranquility]

I just got home from having a bone scan and cried all the way. The scan looked fine. This was the last test they were going to do to figure out my hip and leg pain.

They did ask if my feet hurt and I said no because I was so wrapped up in my hip pain. I realized when I got in the car that my right heel is pretty bad and some mornings I can't put any weight on it until I roll a tennis ball under my foot (and that hurts!). So even though I want an answer for my hip which is preventing me from walking much I guess I'll hear about my foot instead.

So now it's PT and if that doesn't help than there is nothing else to be done. I'm seeing my primary doctor for my annual physical tomorrow and we have alot to talk about. I truly believe in homeopathic and alternative medicine and I'm doing everything I can in that regard (chiro, massage therapy, vitamins, hypnotherapy, tai chi, yoga) but I don't understand why I have to be in so much pain. She took my pain pills away 2 years ago and I understand that I'm an alcoholic and I have an addictive personality;' however, I was ALWAYS congnizant of my pain meds because I didn't want them taken away. And one presecription generally lasted 2-3 months so it obviously wasn't an issue.

I don't know I'm rambling, I'm just so upset, depressed, and sick of this..........

untranquility

[bebop]

(((tran)))) I know the frustration! if there is pain there is a reason. when will you have the results from today? get the pain meds!

[(JD)]

I sure hear what you're saying... if a doctor asks about my pain, I can only think to discuss the loudest one at the time.

Curious as to why the doctor took away your pain med. In the USA that is just short of incompetence as the USA has a blatant script of a patient's rights to having their pain addressed. That she began you on meds and then took them away is real cause for discussion imo.

I wonder if the pain meds worked for you? Was the script a normal month's dosage that you stretched into 2 or 3 or how did that work?

The battle with chronic pain is, well, chronic. The sooner you have someone help you learn to address it differently, and not feel sick of trying, the sooner you will feel better. (Just for the fact of not putting yourself/body down because you feel pain.)

Pain is subjective. YOU have to be the one to create your own pain level scale on that one to ten level. There are some basic ones out there... use the same wording (none, mild, moderate...) Address the various types of pain and parts of your body that experience them.

A physical therapists keeps me going, and he works with the psychologist who is a pain management specialist.

I'm glag they didn't find any huge reason on your scan, really. I think you will be too.

TC

tranquility, i am so very sorry for your pain. i understand the frustrations of chronic pain and dealing with the exams, etc.....i hope it gets better soon.......xoxoxo pat

[tranquility]

Thanks Bepop - the tests as far as my hip is concerned was completely normal. But they are suppose to fax him the report this afternoon.....

[tranquility]

Hi Sky -

Alot of docs are getting paranoid about prescribing narcotics because the state is tracking it and they start to investigate docs who prescribe too much. Now isn't that ridiculous? I could see if they prescribed 500 pills to one person, but really!

What happened was that 2 years ago the rheumatologist I went to diag. me with fibro and put me on Ultracet 2 pills every 6 hours. When I needed a refill I had to go back to PCP because I wasn't going back to the rheum. unless there was a new problem. She called in one pill a day - I flipped, called back, went round and round with the assistant and they ammended it to 2 pills a day that anything more is too high a dose. I like my PCP very much but I don't know what the issue is with pain pills - I'm definately discussing tomorrow.

On top of that I really didn't want to take pain meds. Even though I have a very high tolerance and could take enough that would knock out an elephant, I feel different like I have a flat affect and don't really have any drive. I don't like that. But on the days where I have just had it, it would be nice to get out of pain.

Tranquility
I'm hoping the PT person will be able to help.

[tranquility]

Faye - thank you - I know you know what it is like and the frustration that is felt. I needed those hugs.

Tranquility

[(JD)]

If the rheumie put you on pain meds, then that should have continued through the rheumie, imo. Don't let them mess with you on that "FED crackdown" garbage. I called my MD on it and she finally admitted that she has other pain patients that she prescribes more meds to than to me. Her main thing is that until I quit driving she won't increase my dosage...as if driving IN pain is safer than driving without pain. But I got her to admit it wasn't the FDA at all.

In fact, they are required by law to treat pain patients adequately. The FDA is just looking for the flagrant dispensing of narcotics for any little pain. Chronic pain wins out.

Maybe you could try another med, one that dosed right won't make you feel worse. I can't tell a bit when I'm taking my pain med, but surely do when I don't. I find that I try to work through feeling bad and finding I just can't do anything..and then realizing I missed taking my pain med, no wonder!

Unless you PT is a Physiatrist, they can't prescribe. Try and find a pain doctor, someone who isn't afraid of the supposed big bad wolf of the FDA

[eskielover]

Going through chronic pain is a difficult thing.....finding the right med & the right dose is tough, but once it is found, it is like having your life back.

I never had a migraine or even a headache all my life until they started messing my body up with anti-depressants...& I have to admit, I messed my body up with those anti-depressants even more when I didn't want to continue living. That may have been what caused the almost permanent migranes that won't go away.

I had tests, tests, & more tests....they found a neck problem....thinking that neck fusion would help the migraines, I went through that....with no relief. That was when they started me on a lower dose of the fentynal patches for the pain which was actually a pretty high dose. Unfortunately, that didn't help, so they tried giving me a prescription of another pain med to go along with the fentynal...rather than trying to find the right dose of that to work. I was in the ER every 3 days for demoral shots....being accused of being drug seeking when all I was doing was seeking pain relief.

I went for years like that until they found another form of the fentynal & tried that along with the patch. It was like a miracle....until the drug company changed the formulation & that quit working......the pain specialist suggested my using 2 of the patches (my husband was at the appointment & heard him say it too). The next month when I went back, he denied ever saying that & told me that he wouldn't prescribe that amount & he wouldn't continue treating me & to go find another Dr.

I had enough of the med to last me at the higher dose for several months & it took that long to find another Dr. The next pain specialist I went to insisted that I go off all meds & that would make the migraines go away. That was theory & I asked her how she would handle me if that didn't work. She said that was impossible & she wouldn't even consider that possibility.....well.....I don't want any Dr that isn't going to deal with all the options. She had pointed me to another pain specialist that worked in the hospital that my pdoc & psychologist had privlidges at in order to get me off the pain med I was on.....so I went to see him. He wanted new MRI's....looked at them & saw all the leisons (white spots in the brain). He said that was a good indication of how seveire the migraines actually were & asked me about the meds I was taking that were now working. He told me it wasn't that high of a dose for major chronic pain & he was willing to continue the level that was working since I was completely functional. He said there could be the possibility that I could build up a tolerance to that level......needing a higher level & that is different than getting addicted to the med.....he said that getting addicted would be if I was wanting more of the med to get a high or some kind of feeling out of it....where tolerance is where the body ends up needing more to keep the pain away.

At that level, I was able to start riding my horse again & focus on things. I could actually come out of my dark bedroom & deal with sounds & smells again.....so as long as I was getting my quality of life back without feeling so drugged that I couldn't function either, that is the basis for prescribing the level of narcotics. He said that justifies to the DEA the level of prescription & they never would go after him for treating patients with that background.

That was over 4 years ago, & I haven't had migraine pain since then....I can still feel some pains, & sometimes get the symptoms of the migraines without the pain (which is a strange sensation).

You need to find a pain specialist with that basis for treating pain....in order to get it under control & get your quality of life back.....they are out there....it is just a bit difficult to find a Dr who treats his patients that way.

If you know they are out there, & know what to look for & the questions to ask, you will find the help you need,
Debbie

[tranquility]

Thanks Debbie - I'm glad you shared your story. I'll see what my doc says today. I've been trying to find specific pain specialists in my state and I have found one clinic which is comprised of anesthesiologists. Their website indicates they do use injections and meds, although their goal is to try not to have people on long term pain meds.

I just don't get it? I do know that you do build a tolerance after awhile and then there is the possibility that no pain med will work. Kinda like how they are worried about everybody taking too many antiobiotics.

I'm glad I heard your story because I'm ready to give up - I need to hear these kinds of stories to keep pushing for an answer.

Tranquility

[sassypants]

I hope you start feeling better soon, I really know what you
are going through. I could list at least 12 or 13 DR's. that
i have had for various problems. I also had heel pain,
went to see a foot specialist, said I had tendanotis. He gave me drugs-No relief. Then I went to see an orthepedite,
he said I had plantar fascitias.(flat arches) I ordered my
orthodics through another doctor. Guess What ? He made
my arch supports wrong!!! I had so much pain in my knees,
hip, back, and feet. I was using a cane, because he made
them wrong.My orthepedic dr ordered physical therapy to help get everything straightened out. 6 weeks of pt, 3x a
week. I called the dr. that made my arch supports and
i told him I wanted my money back. MInd you, I had been
calling and also seeing this dr. so he can adjust the arch supports. He adjusted them 4 times.
He was very forthtelling me , that he can't give me my money back. Sooo, I said, You have to give me my money
back, otherwise I will sue you for all the pain and the
physical therapy treatments that I had paid. He did give me
my $250.00 dollars back. But now when I think of all I went
through I should have sued his butt!!!

Well, thanks for letting me rant.. I really hope that they find
out what is causing your pain. I will be praying for you.
Sending you a great Big Hug!!.