Do opioids help with your chronic pain? - Successfully?

Lyrica and Gabapentin had horrible side effects. Gabapentin seemed to help with pain initially but quickly faded and the longer I took it side effects continued to trouble me. I feel Gabapentin is a dangerous drug. I found Lyrica to be ineffective and expensive at the time I used it. As often as these drugs are prescribed I realize that some people, like yourself, have success with their use. Good Luck and God Bless.

Lorie, you seem to be part of the problem about discrimination against suffering Patients in the War against Pain Patients. Opioids have been used for pain for over 8,000 years until China and Mexico conspired to flood America with Fentanyl. Doctors do not prescribe Opioids because they will lose their license and go to jail. Research That...

Lori, you seem to be a part of the problem in the war being waged by the Medical Community. Opioids have been used for Pain for over 8,000 years effectively. It was only after China and Mexico conspired against America to flood the public with Fentanyl/Opioids that people began dying in Mass. People taking Opioids WITHOUT prescription are the problem and seem to be using to manage Mental Health Problems. Patients under prescription and monitored are Not the Problem. Today, doctors will lose the License and go to Jail for Prescribing a Pain patient Opioids. When a Physician prescribes 40 Patients an Opioid and Just ONE Patient abuses the system, that Doctor will suffer the consequences by losing their License and going to Jail. So today, it takes just one bad apple to affect the treatment of many Pain patients. Opioids have been used effectively for over 8,000 years. How many studies on the long term use of Opioids have been completed successfully? Research That...

Uh... dude. You obviously haven't read my posts. I have used opioids successfully for 25 years. I actively fight for prescription use for years. BTW, it takes NO bad apples to screw up the system. One person died from a heart attack - unrelated to Darvon use and they pulled the product off the market. WE ALL suffered who depended on that drug for pain relief. I have MANY posts here that support opioid use with the LINK TO CHRONIC CARE for prescribing Opioid use. You might be the problem because you didn't read the context for everything. You can't doctor shop and it's illegal to do so. It is illegal to ask me to refer a doctor across state lines who will prescribe opioids. Somehow, I believe the person who asked the question KNOWS THAT and thought she'd get some dumb geriatric person to comply with her request. I notice she didn't respond to my questions. Not much validity there.... and you are WAY OFF BASE. Get a life and learn how to read. Your attacking the wrong person here.

Reminder about the Community Guidelines https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/about-connect/tab/community-guidelines/

In particular, see guidelines number 2
2. Remain respectful at all times.
- Exercise tolerance and respect toward other participants whose views may differ from your own.
- Disagreements are fine, but mutual respect is a must.
- Realize that sarcasm and joking will often be misunderstood.
- Be inclusive. Not everyone shares the same religious or political beliefs. Don't impose your beliefs on others.
- Avoid comments (even when said in jest) that single out a specific group of people.
- Personal attacks against members or health care providers are not acceptable. Such posts will be removed.

I had decompression surgery without hardware (as I have severe osteoporosis) at level L3-4. That was March 1, 2024. I felt great until mid to late June when I started becoming more active, resuming my former very active life, walking on the sand at the beach and just walking. The surgeon said it was totally fine for me to do all that. But after that the symptoms returned that I had before the surgery, a bit different. They had given me Oxycodone when I had severe (level 10) cramping and throbbing at one point after the surgery. That went away luckily until late June. I was diagnosed with severe lumbar stenosis in late 2016 but was able to keep dancing (I was performer) late 2017. I did PT at five different places, had ablation, acupuncture, osteopathy, massage etc. Finally by 2021 I was sleeping two hours a night due to unrelenting nerve pain and found a surgeon who would not force fusion on me.
I am probably going to have an epidural injection soon but I don't think those last, do they ?
I could explore endoscopic foraminotomy, but not that trusting of surgeons anymore, since the one I went to was supposedly one of the best neurosurgeons in NYC at Columbia. His staff are horrible and I don't think the reason they are denying me Opioids has anything to do with the right path for me since they have no suggestion for me. Even the surgeon said I don't need fusion surgery, he's basically not saying much anymore. So I am very open to suggestions. I will be getting more opinions of course.

I had my third and most extensive lumbar back surgery involving L3-4-5 and my coccyx with disc stabilization and replacement. Now I am still experiencing pain, and nerve pain across my entire lower back. I was on opioids/Vicodin 10-325 every 8 hours . Helped a lot the first month and I was active and happy, month 2 less helpful and increased to every 6 hours still not like month one but helpful, month three hardly helping at all, increased to evert4 hours. With that my lower body and abdomen became very swollen, and I was short of breath. I didn’t connect it immediately to the medication until I looked it up. I stopped it and with 7 days I lost 8 pounds of fluid and was relieved of my constipation and shortness of breath. The amazing thing is my pain was better off of it at this point. The same with long term prednisone the side effects were horrible so I stopped that too. I’ve changed my diet, meditate and take rest periods. I’m contour with gabipentin, a muscle relaxer and Advil, heat and ice. So far

My back surgery was on October 23, 2023. I think the gabipentin is the next to go. In the past 5 years I have gone from 3 meds for blood pressure and depression to 11. You treat the pain and then the side effects of the pain meds! Honestly I need to remain strong through this! Chronic pain is a nightmare!!

Tramadol helps me, without getting hooked.

So Far, So Good? You finally found a combination that works for you. Good Luck with your Future Care. I Care and God Bless You!