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Tired of the fight for treatment/DIC & chronic pain
Hello, all: Have any of you had an episode of D.I.C. following surgery or another trauma? It's a rare bleeding disorder that has a survival rate of around 15%. I experienced it immediately after my 3rd back surgery in 2007. Since so few people survive, the medical field knows very little about DIC or it's long-term effects. The after effects, plus several failed surgeries that left me with chronic pain in my back & painful neuropathy in both feet, have led to me living in a recliner or wheelchair. Nothing helps and at 67 years old, I'm ready to give up the battle. Doctors don't know how to help & they keep screwing around with my meds. My pain level stays at a 9+, but with 5 to 6 10mg tabs of Norco per day, muscle relaxants & 2 mg of Clonopin daily, the pain number goes down to 7 & I can handle that. In my area of SE Florida, there were pain clinics on every block in the mid 1980s for several years where you could show up & a doctor would ask a couple questions & prescribe whatever you asked for. This legal drug trade went on until the DEA forced the doors shut on thousands of pain clinics, many doctors lost their licenses & Walgreens pharmacies were nearly shut down & could not fill scripts for opioids or anxiety meds for many years. Today, they have very limited supplies & ridiculous restrictive rules on dispensing opioids. Pain clinics push useless (for me) shots & conservative non-opiod treatments. At 67, I should be able to get the meds I know work for me, but I can't. The anxiety & depression are overwhelming. I really don't care if it's dangerous to take Benzies & opioids together. I've taken them for years exactly as prescribed & was able to live life instead of just existing. The DIC has left me with slowed responses, stuttering, jello-like legs & body leading to many falls. I was laid up last year with a severely broken ankle & torn tendon requiring 2 surgeries. After 7 months in a non-weight bearing cast, I was able to start P.T. but 3 weeks later another fall broke all the bones on the top of the same foot & was back in a non-weight bearing boot for 4 months. This started on January 23rd, 2019 & lasted till November, 2019. I continue to have lots of falls & recently broke a bone near my little toe, but I didn't get treatment for it because, like I said, I'm tired of the battle & life. Thanks for "listening".
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Personally, I am afraid to mix opioids and benzos. I have both and never cross hours with them. I don't know what a Dr would say about my dosages but combining them can cause severe respiratory depression that could lead to death. If I wake up in the night due to pain, I consciously choose which one to take--usually the benzo wins out since it works faster to help me to fall back to sleep.
@ellens I mixed meds once and passed out so I always now check Drugs.com for interactions on new meds I get
Good. No Dr ever told me not to mix opioids and benzos. I read the literature with the Rxs and figured that out myself. Then, later I noticed the warning in the literature.
@ellens From now on I always read literature if not Drugs.com
Good plan. I think you'd be surprised at how many people never read the literature with their Rxs.
Hi @cb772 I thought I'd take a moment to check in. It's been a few days since you last posted. How are you doing?
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1 ReactionI've also tried many holistic treatments, but none worked very well. Walking & yoga are great if you can do them. Unfortunately, my pain & the long term effects of DIC prevent me from walking, let alone yoga. I was an independent, active (gym workouts, dancing, walking), confident woman in a career I loved. Now, I'm dependent, lack confidence, have no sense of self worth, etc. I believe, for my symptoms, it's all related to the DIC I suffered following my 3rd low back surgery. DIC is rare & only a small percentage survive. I guess that's why there aren't any doctors who have studied long term effects. I'd be happy to be a test subject for any doctor who wants to study it.
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2 ReactionsWhat is DIC? So sorry for all your pain. I am in a lot pain myself and I sympathize. Thank you.
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You are in my thoughts dear. I am so so sorry you suffer so much. Life has dealt you a terrible hand. May I ask, do you find any solace in spirituality? I know that it is either there for a person or not. It can be a rock if you have it as your center. It does nothing for you if you do not have faith. And no one can give you faith, it's only found within. I feel great sadness when I read your posts. I know I am not the only one ever to say that if I had the power to remove pain from those like you I would do it immediately. Best, Hank
@jesfactsmon Thank you for your response! I am a Christian and my faith is what I rely on daily. I'll admit that I have considered ending it all, but I really want to go to heaven and breaking one of 10 Commandments probably won't get me there. Again, thanks so much for being so compassionate.
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