1. < Neuropathy

Pain Pill Addiction and Neuropathy - Looking for Guidance

Posted by mom29907 @mom29907, Feb 2, 2020

I am a neuropathy sufferer, CMT, with minimal pain right now. However, my mother suffers from painful peripheral neuropathy. She is the reason I joined this group. I am looking for advice and guidance. My mother was treated by a neurologist for years and prescribed Percocet. She became addicted. Recently, her neurologist referred her to a pain clinic. Her Percocet prescription needed increased and he told her he could not do it. At the pain clinic, she was prescribed methadone. Upon her return visit, the doctor at the clinic "released" her, said she was an abuser of her pills. So, she not only is dealing with chronic pain she is suffering from withdraw symptoms from years of pill addiction. Watching this is heartbreaking. I am desperate to get her treatment for both conditions but she isn't making it easy. I am looking for suggestion for successful treatments that don't involve opioids. I was going to encourage her to try laser therapy but don't think that will be an option due to how expensive it is. Any guidance, suggestions, etc. would be so greatly appreciated.

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

margaretob | @margaretob | Feb 11, 2020
In reply to @lisalucier "Hi, @mom29907. I'd like to add my welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Glad you've been in..." + (show)
@lisalucier

Hi, @mom29907. I'd like to add my welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Glad you've been in contact with @johnbishop and also @rwinney. A few other members who also may have input related to dealing with the pain pill addiction in your mom related to her neuropathy treatment and have some guidance and suggestions include @bkerker @las1067 @pamegannp.

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I just saw a NEUROLOGIST who knew what he was talking about. HE TOOK ME OFF THE HORRIBLE DRUG TRAMADOL, and put me on GABAPENTIN which is a whole lot better and less addictive. VITAMINS and a good diet with lots of vegetables and COFFEE with the meds (the caffeine adds to the GABA) and takes a whole lot of the pain away...I ACTUALLY FEEL BETTER....on insulin 24 years, it still works, no sugar or sweets, no bread, good diet with lots of veggies chicken fish lots of water to thin the blood and flush out the kidneys. AT least a half a gallon and a quart every day. THIS DID A LOT FOR THE PAIN.....Hope my health helps yours..M.

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1 reply
margaretob | @margaretob | Feb 11, 2020
In reply to @lisalucier "@mom29907, waiting for someone to come to a realization that they need help sounds painful, cause..." + (show)
@lisalucier

@mom29907, waiting for someone to come to a realization that they need help sounds painful, cause it's basically out of your control. Thoughts?

When the doctor at the pain clinic called your mom an "abuser" of her pills, how did she react?

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DOCTOR WITH NO BEDSIDE MANNER? SHAME ON HIM....hope your MOM can beat her addiction. I WILL PRAY FOR HER...GOD HEARS US.....OUR NEUROPATHIES AND OUR PAINS>>>>M.

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margaretob | @margaretob | Feb 11, 2020
In reply to @mom29907 "Thank you all for your responses. It is so reassuring to know that there are others..." + (show)
@mom29907

Thank you all for your responses. It is so reassuring to know that there are others who understand my situation and are able to offer advice and support. I am most appreciative. At this point, I am waiting on my mom admit that the problem is more than just her daily struggle with her neuropathy pain. I remind her often that there are options and help available. She just needs to take that first step. As of now, she still thinks that she is going to be able to handle this on her own.

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DID THAT ON MY OWN, didn't help much til I FOUND A GOOD NEUROLOGIST WHO ACTUALLY CARES ....I am better but still have the DIABETES AND THE NEUROPATHY, it does NOT leave but must be controlled with diet and some pills and some exercise even in a chair when it hurts....look up on the net...the water is amazing to help it actually waters down the pain...HALF A GALLON A DAY and a QUART..flushes out the pain and keeps the kidneys clean....I never knew until I did it...pee a lot ..so what...M.

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margaretob | @margaretob | Feb 11, 2020

You might wet your pants in the a m when you get up...I do it some It is a small price to pay for keeping the possible dialysis away from my body.
.Most people are seriously dehydrated which makes the pain WORSE..water helps...It sounds silly but it WORKS>....

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1 reply
Mentor
Rachel, Volunteer Mentor | @rwinney | Feb 11, 2020
In reply to @margaretob "You might wet your pants in the a m when you get up...I do it some..." + (show)
@margaretob

You might wet your pants in the a m when you get up...I do it some It is a small price to pay for keeping the possible dialysis away from my body.
.Most people are seriously dehydrated which makes the pain WORSE..water helps...It sounds silly but it WORKS>....

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I agree with you 100% about water. Good for you for being a great advocate and doing whatcha gotta do!

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Rachel, Volunteer Mentor | @rwinney | Feb 11, 2020
In reply to @margaretob "I just saw a NEUROLOGIST who knew what he was talking about. HE TOOK ME OFF..." + (show)
@margaretob

I just saw a NEUROLOGIST who knew what he was talking about. HE TOOK ME OFF THE HORRIBLE DRUG TRAMADOL, and put me on GABAPENTIN which is a whole lot better and less addictive. VITAMINS and a good diet with lots of vegetables and COFFEE with the meds (the caffeine adds to the GABA) and takes a whole lot of the pain away...I ACTUALLY FEEL BETTER....on insulin 24 years, it still works, no sugar or sweets, no bread, good diet with lots of veggies chicken fish lots of water to thin the blood and flush out the kidneys. AT least a half a gallon and a quart every day. THIS DID A LOT FOR THE PAIN.....Hope my health helps yours..M.

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I'm with you on veggies, fruits, water and fish. Kill the sweets and sugars from bread, pasta...but OH SO HARD.

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Rachel, Volunteer Mentor | @rwinney | Feb 11, 2020
In reply to @rwinney "I'm with you on veggies, fruits, water and fish. Kill the sweets and sugars from bread,..." + (show)
@rwinney

I'm with you on veggies, fruits, water and fish. Kill the sweets and sugars from bread, pasta...but OH SO HARD.

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I've limited my sweets to raisins.

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Mentor
Jim, Volunteer Mentor | @jimhd | Feb 12, 2020

@mom29907

A word I love and use is "balance". It applies to the ongoing conundrum of addiction to pain medications and medical necessity. Dealing not only with chronic pain but with a long list of illnesses, treatment and management of pain sometimes translates to long term need for medications. Especially when all of the alternatives are tried to no avail, decisions have to be made as to how to live a life with any kind of quality.

By now I know that (for me) neuropathy will continue to progress with more and more pain and all kinds of other related problems for the rest of my life, unless a miracle cure is discovered. I know that I face a future with continual searching for ways to manage my pain and complications of neuropathy with things other than suicide. If that means taking a medication however long it's effective, please don't criminalize a medication that is addictive to some people, but is used responsibly as it's prescribed, and not abused.

So, the balance of legitimate use vs. illegal abuse will be something that each of us is making or will have to be made at a future time. Where is the line? I believe the line isn't in exactly the same place for everyone.

Anyway, that's what the addiction issue looks like to me.

Jim

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1 reply
margaretob | @margaretob | Feb 12, 2020

Emergency ROOM DOCTOR gave me a way to get off an addictive drug and keep the neuropathy pain down to a whisper and not a roaring lion. I am doing it and it seems to be working. It is a six hour plan...Pain so strong I made it a five hour plan. I am not a DOCTOR but it works. EVERY FIVE HOURS TRY A different PAIN MEDICATION FROM OVER THE COUNTER. .2 aspirin an(d an alka seltzer five hours later take two ADVIL, five hours later take two TYLENOL EXTRA STRENGHT, five hours later take two ALEVE five hours later take two prescribed GABAPENTIN...do this for two days and it peels off the addiction, and stops the pain also...

REPLY
2 replies
Mentor
Rachel, Volunteer Mentor | @rwinney | Feb 12, 2020
In reply to @jimhd "@mom29907 A word I love and use is "balance". It applies to the ongoing conundrum of..." + (show)
@jimhd

@mom29907

A word I love and use is "balance". It applies to the ongoing conundrum of addiction to pain medications and medical necessity. Dealing not only with chronic pain but with a long list of illnesses, treatment and management of pain sometimes translates to long term need for medications. Especially when all of the alternatives are tried to no avail, decisions have to be made as to how to live a life with any kind of quality.

By now I know that (for me) neuropathy will continue to progress with more and more pain and all kinds of other related problems for the rest of my life, unless a miracle cure is discovered. I know that I face a future with continual searching for ways to manage my pain and complications of neuropathy with things other than suicide. If that means taking a medication however long it's effective, please don't criminalize a medication that is addictive to some people, but is used responsibly as it's prescribed, and not abused.

So, the balance of legitimate use vs. illegal abuse will be something that each of us is making or will have to be made at a future time. Where is the line? I believe the line isn't in exactly the same place for everyone.

Anyway, that's what the addiction issue looks like to me.

Jim

Jump to this post

Perfectly stated Jim. I mean, who wouldn't love to NOT have this conversation???

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