1. < Chronic Pain

Chronic pain people that fall through the cracks!

Posted by johnjustice42 @johnjustice42, Jul 19 2:16pm

I have been on methadone for 23 years for a failed back surgery, I like methadone it doesn’t mess with your head like some other opioids. Only need 30 mg per day. But about 3 months ago at my visit with the pain Dr. I accidentally mixed my last methadone tabs with my bp meds that withought my glasses look just alike. I never asked for meds early, in 8 yrs of seeing him never had a problem. They had performed numerous procedures, implanted a Spinal Cord Stimulator that no longer works. Well he cut my methadone off and told me he would give me no more oral meds, I couldn’t believe it, he said however he would be willing to put in a pain pump ( which I do like the idea of ), but it’s been 3 months now and they keep giving me the runaround. I am absolutely miserable. To the point of looking into a methadone clinic, but they won’t see me because I’m not at that point yet. So I guess I have to do something bad to get help. This isn’t right to let someone suffer this way. I’m heading to a dark place and this scares me. My pain Dr. sees me as a criminal and won’t help and the methadone clinic does think I qualify for their help, so what do I do? My BP is out of control along with my sugar! I haven’t slept more that 2 hrs a night for over 2 months now. Anyone have any suggestions? I know I can’t be the only one to go through this!

Thanks,

John

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.

loriesco | @loriesco | Sep 24 11:41am
In reply to @lmmiller "I had my pain meds taken away in 2020 because of the government. I only got..." + (show)
@lmmiller

I had my pain meds taken away in 2020 because of the government. I only got 3 days of pain meds for a revision total knee replacement. I have had many spinal injections, ablation and whatever they tell me to do. Therapy costs me $45 everytime I go. My medical bill is over $3000 from the procedures and therapy. They think we will all be opiod addicts. I was on oxycontin from 1996 to 2020. I never abused it or asked for extra. It let me live my life. I don't know what they expect us to do. I refuse to go back to a psychologist and be put on meds because your unhappy with the government and doctors making you live in pain. These procedures are causing patients and insurance companies money. I'm 67 and just want the cheapest method for my pain that works and that is opiods.

Jump to this post

“… And that is the opioids.” Just as a footnote, I honestly don’t understand why legitimate use of opioids can’t be distinguished from abusive use of opioids. A very smart person eight years in university in health and sciences, and the opioids not abused has the least interaction with all the other medication I end up having to take. For me the oxy plus the Tylenol works the best, I can’t tell you how terrible I felt over the years when some nurse in a hospital or a doctors office says some thing to me about addiction. After 30 years I can still almost go a day without taking anything if I am distracted enough good luck to you , whenever I come across someone who tells this story we commiserate and then with that support, they can continue on their journey. The guy who fixes my garage door got medication from the VA and they denied him his Percocet and he had to go to an outside Doctor Who charged him $500 a month , the stuff is $.86 if that for 90 day supply. It is a shame, a crying shame. So I speak out whenever I can.

REPLY
laurie6 | @laurie6 | Sep 24 11:44am
In reply to @gbear1953 "I would add that my pain clinic has stopped all opioid prescriptions save for buprenorphine. The..." + (show)
@gbear1953

I would add that my pain clinic has stopped all opioid prescriptions save for buprenorphine.
The reason is two fold number one being the "Fed's" approve it more so than others and second, it has an excellent safety profile. It is very hard to overdose on bupe.
My doctor does have a heart and gave all the patients amble time to wean down or switch to bupe if they wanted to. I believe 60 days
I am not sure one can lump in all doctors. My Doctor has great compassion and really cared about patient suffering. It was also true that most of the patients stuck with the correct dose etc but I am sure there were some who were predisposed to addiction.
Lucky to have him

Glen

Jump to this post

Mine only gives the buprenorphine with naloxone.

I have tried going long enough to try the strip, but it’s REALLY IMPAIRING (!!) and I will not be free of opiates long enough to survive getting started with it.

And.

Once I did quit opiates long enough to get started, I would be WASTED on buprenorphine and unable to function.

Then I would be told to KEEP TAKING IT AND I will not likely ever have FEELINGS again, and I won’t likely have ANY HELP getting OFF the buprenorphine that is politically correct and medically absurd. Our country is completely stupid. And dumber every day.
California is spending a ton of time and money arguing about paper or plastic…
Why not TREATING CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS CURRENTLY IN EXTREME DISCOMFORT?

(Just blowing off steam. I’m not literally this crazy. I AM literally outraged that we are not even accessing poppy plants anymore?!)

But booze is flowing…

REPLY
1 reply
gbear1953 | @gbear1953 | Sep 24 11:58am
In reply to @laurie6 "Mine only gives the buprenorphine with naloxone. I have tried going long enough to try the..." + (show)
@laurie6

Mine only gives the buprenorphine with naloxone.

I have tried going long enough to try the strip, but it’s REALLY IMPAIRING (!!) and I will not be free of opiates long enough to survive getting started with it.

And.

Once I did quit opiates long enough to get started, I would be WASTED on buprenorphine and unable to function.

Then I would be told to KEEP TAKING IT AND I will not likely ever have FEELINGS again, and I won’t likely have ANY HELP getting OFF the buprenorphine that is politically correct and medically absurd. Our country is completely stupid. And dumber every day.
California is spending a ton of time and money arguing about paper or plastic…
Why not TREATING CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS CURRENTLY IN EXTREME DISCOMFORT?

(Just blowing off steam. I’m not literally this crazy. I AM literally outraged that we are not even accessing poppy plants anymore?!)

But booze is flowing…

Jump to this post

Hello I agree with what you say about how crazy it has become.
I however disagree with bupe covering up feelings. I have been on it for years and it takes care of most of my pain and I feel completely normal.
In order to start you only need be in mild to moderate WD so heck a few hours of feeling crappy is worth the relief you ought to feel.
As far as getting off the buprenorphine, I did with a simple but slow and I mean slow plan.
I cut the pills (2009 suboxone was in pill form) down half to quarter to eight's etc etc until I was taking mere "crumbs" then skipped a day here and then eventually I stopped. next day I went to Atlantic city with buddies and gambled, swam in the ocean and stayed overnight.
Yeah I had minor muscle twitching and felt a little weird for a few weeks but it was not bad at all!
I stayed off for a year but my pain forced me to find a doctor to prescribe bupe once again.
So since 2011 I have been on it and it works.
I went through a few major surgeries and only took the bupe for pain control.
I hope you at least give it a try.

Glen

REPLY
laurie6 | @laurie6 | Sep 24 9:01pm

Thank you for the perspective. I’m glad to hear that part about feelings is likely myth.

Maybe someday I will be able to use it. Never say never.

Other experiences are absolutely helpful and appreciated! You have no idea! (You don’t mind faking naloxone?)

Thanks

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.