Doctors claim oxycodone exacerbates pain but nothing else helps

Posted by Jenny @fairymystry, 6 days ago

Hello. I have reached out to the forum before on behalf of my best friend with chronic pain and I am back again with another query....
My best friend had yet another upper endoscopy today to attempt to find a cause for the constant and intense abdominal pain that she suffers. She has a long history of food allergies, gastroparesis & other gastro issues spanning most of her 49 years but, several years ago she began a cycle of getting pancreatitis repeatedly with 6-12 months in between. The abdominal pain has never gone away & is so intense that she can no longer work, especially since she had a nerve block a couple of years ago that she claims actually made it worse. She now relies heavily on the oxycodone & it doesn't take her pain completely away but she is able to function at least. It is the ONLY thing that seems to work for her and she hates it because of the side effects.
Today after the latest endoscopy, this doctor joined a series of docs that have suggested that the oxycodone she takes to relieve the pain is actually exacerbating the pain and that she should consider getting off of it. The doctor that renews her prescription for it monthly doesn't seem to see that as an issue & my best friend doesn't know what to do because of course she'd love to get away from the oxy but the pain is too intense without it and no one seems to have an alternative for her.
I guess I came here to ask if anyone else has heard that the opioid they take for pain may be making it worse & if there are non-opioid alternative that actually work for this type of pain.

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

@wisco50

I use a fair amount of diclofenac in rub on forms!

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I do a lot of that also. Did you know you can get extra strength Voltaren Gel from Canada as well as the suppositories. This stuff penetrates deeper and lasts a lot longer than the normal gel. And it costs the same to get the Extra strength from Canada as buying the normal gel at your drugstore. i highly recommend the suppositories if you can manage with them. You have to be comfortable doing it to yourself.

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@pamglutemedius

i have chronic pain and was in a pain management program in pennsylania and took tramadol and oxy which worked great. Nothing else did. The drs had no problem. I saw them like clock work and they refilled my rx's with reg apts and blood work. Iv'e been Dx'd with CRPS & 100% disability due to pain & ptsd. Since moving to Ohio, no Dr will rx either drug and my pain is un-managed. Ohio has written into state law that these drugs cannot be rx'ed outside a hospital or nursing home within X # of days from a surgery. Drs are terrified of losing their licenses. I think this dr. has rocks in their head. I honestly feel that Drs do who do not know or understand pain (even if they are "pain mgt" drs) just blow off patients pain & concerns. They do NOT understand how pain sucks the soul out of us and denies us the ability to get through a day or night or the ability to work gainfully or around the house or sometimes even have meaningful thought or conversation. Sorry. Find a different Dr that really understands pain and your friend. This doc doesn't get it.

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I cannot believe that they cannot fill your medication. Seems exceedingly cruel. I wish I had some advice. Can’t imagine not being able to have my pain medication filled. I remember there were a lot of drug issues in that state, it doesn’t mean other people should have to suffer because of it.. It’s just wrong on every level. So sorry.

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