@amandaburnett and @trip17 I'm sorry for both of your pain journeys. Pain can be very complex which is why I took interest in your conversation regarding OIH (opiod induced hyperalgesia). I've been on 5mg of hydrocodone/acetaminophen 3 years for Migraine, Cervical Spondylosis, Occipital Neuralgia and Small Fiber Peripheral Polyneuropathy. As my pain is not always controlled well enough by 5mg, and I dont want to increase the opiod mg, I use medical marijuana to pick up the slack. I'm frustrated because in a rare instance when I'm feeling like I dont need a pain pill, I cant seem to go too long without feeling flu like symptoms of body aches, sweats, headaches. The problem is, as much as I want off opiods, they help my neuropathy sensations and pains. I feel it's a catch 22 because, could they be causing additional pain while trying to help? Great question. I will be going to Mayo Jacksonville this October and am fully prepared for them to wean me off safely. I know this is the only way to get to the bottom of whether I experience OIH. I do fear, however, how my pain will be effectively handled. I know Mayo will do everything in their power to provide me a new way. I'm game and hope they dispell all of my thoughts and concerns going forward. I fear my pain will need opiods for the rest of my life and hope they prove me wrong. Thanks for bringing up this topic Amanda. It was good to read your experience with Mayo and I am interested in your after Mayo life. Did all your pain disappear? Was it only caused by phantom gallstone
or did you have other painful conditions? What do you take for pain now and how easy has it been to not use opiods again? Chris, I will be interested in your outcome if you attempt to wean off hydrocodone and/or if any other diagnosis presents to solve your pain puzzle.. I wish you both the very best. Thanks for your time.
Rachel

Hi Amanda: We start to wean off Hydrocodone today. All Doctors agree should. They think I may improve, but they are not convinced that is causing my stomach pain, but could definitely making it worse. At the moment, at least two of them suspect a vascular issue. When I had my Nuclear Stress Test and they injected the Adenosine to make my heart beat faster, the pain in my stomach was excruciating. At first because I was yelling and kicking my feet from the pain they thought I was having a heart attack, but the Dr immediately looked at the EKG and it was all normal. Since the pain was below my heart and was in my upper stomach, technically it's not heart related. We are going to either go to the UT Southwestern Diagnosis Hospital and let them start with vascular tests and go from there, or go to a vascular surgeon first and then to UTSW if it's not vascular. My MD and pain DR are suspecting Chronic Mesenteric Ischemia after learning of this episode. If this is truly the issue, not sure we'd ever have found it if not for the heart tests. At this point I'm actually hoping I have this illness so I can get treatment and get back to life. Thanks again for all your advice!