Anyone tried Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Pain?

@jimhd, I checked...mine was a $5 prescription. CBD/hemp oil worked for me for a month or so, then no relief. Go figure. The company that made it is apparently OOB and the current supplier's stuff doesn't work...or I've habituated to it.

I tried making brownies with some cannabis butter, but I didn't like the taste. It didn't help with the pain, just made me feel loopy. I haven't tried CBD oil, though lots of people swear by it. I keep hoping one of my doctors will come up with a medication that I can take without bad side effects. I'm going to talk with a neurosurgeon in a few weeks about a different stimulator. I don't know much about it yet, but the man who has been working with me adjusting the controller seems to think it might be a better solution for me. We shall see.

Klonopin reduced my pain by more than 50%, but last year DEA forbade docs to prescribe it in concert with the pain meds I take, so I had to quit taking it. Haven't felt right since.

Hello @scruffy, the DEA didn't forbid it, just warned it was possibly dangerous. The same with other drugs like ambien. Maybe recheck with your doctor.

@scruffy1 Some of decisions and restrictions are done at the state level. Here in Oregon last year the governing physicians board required doctors to prescribe only 100mg of narcotics. Some adjustments to the ruling were made to accommodate those who need it for chronic pain long term. The same regulations apply to pharmacies, as well. At first they were limiting prescriptions to, if I remember correctly, ten days worth, and even less for post surgery pain. I'm glad they figured out how incredibly difficult it would be, especially for someone who lives 200 miles from the nearest pharmacy. As it is, they are only allowed to prescribe narcotics for a 30 day supply. Even that can be a challenge. I drive 30 miles to do my shopping, and I have to be careful not to cut it too close and risk running out. My wife and I are probably going to be able to drive for awhile, but I don't want to think about what we'd do to get to town. Everyone talks about getting rid of cars and using public transportation. Yeah right. Like that will ever happen where we live out in the country.

I began taking 1mg, with the option of taking 2 a day, 15 years ago for anxiety. A secondary benefit is that I don't kick and punch, acting out my dreams. It's one medication my wife doesn't want me to stop taking.

@jimhd , that's insane, especially for post-operative pain.. Federal law allows narcotic pain relievers for 30-day periods. My physiatrist (MD of physical medicine) (or his P.A.) sees me every 60 days and give me 2 prescriptions: one for that month and one for the next month, and they are dated specifically for those months. That saves a trip. And, randomly, I'm tested to see if I'm actually taking the drugs (and not selling them) or if I'm taking them from two sources. It's a minor inconvenience that I'm used to. When I worked I also had to take the tests. One thing that I noticed: my neuropathy was far worse when I was under stress. My pain level seems to follow my stress levels, so if I can find a way to relax or exercise to get rid of stress, I hurt less, sometimes significantly less. That's why the benzos (that I may no longer take) kept my pain levels VERY manageable. Sometimes pain causes stress which causes pain which causes more stress and more pain. I try to eliminate that first stressful situation.

@scruffy1 My doctor gave me dated prescriptions for 3 months at a time. At least the laws have changed so that he can send a prescription electronically now, so I no longer have to go to the doctor's office and pick up a hand written one and take it to the pharmacy. I get most of my medications from Humana Pharmacy mail order, which is really convenient, but I have to stay on top of refill dates and to send a message to the doctor to send in the monthly scrips. I got behind on one this week and I had to go to the local Rite Aid for a ten day supply to hold me over until the mail order 3 month scrip comes.

Pain certainly does exacerbate stress and depression, and vice versa. I know from my experience over the past 15 years. I had six appointments with a pain therapist who made some recommendations for living with and managing pain. I wasn't so sure about some of what she said, but I have been practicing a couple of things I learned from her.

Jim

Hi Jim. I live in Az and I take opioids, and have been told by my pain Mgmt Dr as well as my pharmacist that I can only get a 30 day supply. So I have to go monthly and give urine so they can verify that I’m using it and not taking it and selling, then they send an electronic script. I wish I could get a 2-3 month electronic script. Where do you 2 live that’s allows this? Also, are the scripts for controlled substances? That’s my roadblock to not being able to get a 90 day supply. Frustrating. Thx.

@mlross4508 I thought that no electronic opioid prescriptions was a DEA or FDA reg. When I go to the pain doc, I can only get a current 30-day prescription and another dated 30 days from the first.

@tjp4 Thank you for the info. My doc said that every time he prescribes it knowing I'm on opioids, he gets a "strike." 10 "strikes" and he says he can lose his DEA license. My next visit is with him, not his P.A. I'll see what he says. Life has been miserable without the Klonopin. I wear a Herbst appliance for sleep apnea, and it causes dry mouth. I have Biotene (recommended by someone on this website...and a GREAT recommendation) on my night table but my initial sleeping is still about 2-3 hours. Then it's Ambien and hope to get 4 more. With Klonopin, I got 8-10 hr. and little foot pain. The difference was so stark when I forgot to take it that I knew by late the next morning that I missed it, my feet hurt so much.