I don’t know where else to go without going to a hospital. I’ve always had issues with depression and anxiety. It is tough to deal with, but I have a grasp of what it is at least. I’ve been taking 10MG of Lexapro and 1-1.5 MG of Klonopin to treat it. My psych doctor died in January and I started with a new doctor that upped my Lexapro to 20MG and put me on Buspar for anxiety.
She then decided to take me off the Klonpin. She had me go from 1-1.5 to only .5 a day a month ago and then cut me off. My anxity was already starting to increase that month, and a few days after I stopped the klonopin I faced massive panic attacks among a ton of other issues. It took some begging for help until she eventually put me on .5MG of Atavan but I don’t think it is working.
My current symptoms are this horrible brain fog that is impairing my basic functions. I forget things easily, I can’t concentrate. It feels like I’ve literally got dumber. I am clumsier. I keep almost walking into poles and today I almost got run over by a bus. I’m beyond irritable. I almost attacked a man on an elevator because of his breathing, and I’ve never had such violent thoughts before. I’ve had brief sucidical thoughts that I had to talk myself out of because I rationally know I don’t want to do that.
When I stretch my neck it hurts. It feels like my neck or back is violently ripping in two. I’m having out of body experinces. I am sitting at work and suddenly I am not sure if I am dreaming or not
I also have headaches, I’m pacing constantly. I am having muscle spasims, twitching, my hands tremble.
This is terrifying. I’ve never felt like this in my entire life and I don’t know what is going on. Is it the Buspar? The Atavan? The lack of Klonopin and should I go to the hosptial? My doctor isn’t around on the weekends. Any help will be appericated.
Liked by Scott, Volunteer Mentor, susanlorrie
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, aka (Paget-Schroetteter’s), is a disorder where the veins and arteries that should supply blood to and from your arms and hands (on one or both sides of the body) are cut off. In my case all three, veins, arteries and nerves were stuck between the 1st rib and the clavicle. When my arm was lifted in a certain position pain would occur. It took over 20 years for this to be diagnosed. I eventually saw a pain doctor who recognized the syndrome because he was part of a study at University of Arizona. They Did a special MRI and were able to objectively identify It. I felt vindicated. The syndrome is extremely painful as well as the surgery. When the doctor did the surgery he was also able to visually determine that the nerves where also involved. This is a laymens recollection. Thanx for asking.
Liked by Colleen Young, Connect Director
Pain doctors consider “Guidelines” the same as “Rules and Regulations”. They are not. However I understand their predicament. If a person overdoses and they are following the “guidelines” there is a much smaller chance of sanctions and even the possibility of losing their license. Still, it leaves those of us with Pain issues left to fend in large degree for themselves.
Liked by Kim
Hang in there. I don’t know what your pain level has been but I take a similar amount of a morphine equivalent. I think your comment about weaning off 90mg but then going back on because of the pain is an enlightenment for me. I do have to wean down per doctors instructions to adhere to guidelines, but I don’t have to wean all of it. I really want to, but I don’t want to get myself it trouble. My husband continues to tell me to take it slow. Let us know how it works out.
I weaned off at 15mg every 2 weeks, because I wanted to see if the Cymbalta would do the job on its own. I found that it doesn’t, so took 15mg for 10 days, then 15mg in the morning and 15 at bedtime. I still have a fair amount of pain, but I won’t go any higher until I talk with the pain specialist next week. I intend to discuss medical Marijuana, as well.
Liked by safetyshield
The same thing happened to me but my doctor said that it was time to change doctors even though I was a model patient. I can see the doctor talking to me about not weaning myself off your pills but to have my doctor dump me for a first time offense is ridiculous. I was really shocked! The reason I weaned myself off by myself is because I was having some terrible side effects and I knew I wouldn’t hear from her right away and I just couldn’t wait that long.
Have a wonderful day everyone, or at least try to.
I am a practicing therapist and I am very concern about law suits. Ironically the suites are based on what I say and how the client interpreted it. But all the cautions that doctors take the end result seems to be if someone takes a medication or advice from their doctor and something goes wrong as much precaution the doctor takes he may still be sued. I have personally experienced mistakes by doctors and hospitals. But before I consider legal action I will talk to the doctor about the mistake and work it out before legal action. But of course in any situation things are different
First as the patient it is not your fault that the doctor wanted you to change doctors. Your doctor should of discussed with you the reasons he wanted you to change doctors. To the point you would understand and no need for guessing on your part. It’s a burden that YOU not have to go through. Doctors choose to depart with a patient for many reasons and not being the patience fault. It upsets me and angers me when a doctor is so uncaring of their patients. I hope you can find another doctor that treats you more as a person than a body. Please continue in these conversations and bring your thoughts etc with you it will at least be helpful to me.
Liked by Minnie1971
Hi Indiana Scott, May I first say that I am sorry for the situation you had to endure with your wife. I am glad you were there for her throughout her years of need.
I understand a lot of what you have said in your “two cents worth”, especially when seen from your perspective.
However, I just wanted you to understand a couple of things from someone that is experiencing what some pain doctors, as well as The Neuroscience Center call “The Most Painful Thing In The World”. I suffer from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), for which there is no cure. Though not deadly itself, I can assure you that there have been times that I have wanted to die, the pain was so bad. I know that I am not the only one either.
I was the one that had mentioned the pain pump earlier. I know the pain pump that you have seen is the setup. at the hospitals that is on a pole & constantly beeping and sounding off and really noisy. I am sorry to tell you that there is more than “one chance in a hundred million billion”, because pain pumps are already available for home use. They are different than the ones that you see in the hospital. They are small units a little smaller than an iPad mini. A cartridge of the medicine goes into the unit and it is all contained in a small pouch. The allowable dosage is already preset within the unit and it secure by both codes and a lock to the pouch itself if needed.
I made use of one for my husband as we chose to have him at home in the final stage of colon cancer. This may or may not be seen as “basic” depending who you are and how you look at it. I do not believe that everyone should be given a pump. I do believe that there are cases beyond EOL care for cancer patients only. I am on the maximum dosages for ALL of the medications that I am on. This includes all medications beyond just narcotics & opiates. I just finished going through the list again with my doctor. There is no where to go from here to manage my pain as it continues to spread in my body. The only option, if it was available, would be a pump which would actually allow me to lower the dosages on my medications, since they are much more effective when given directly into the bloodstream.
I agree that something has to be done to address the current situation that has become what appears to be an epidemic.
However, I am talking beyond the hassle of having to wait to get your wife’s opioid Rx’s when she was down to one day’s dose.
I have to do that as well, as many others. But I am talking about doctors and/or insurance companies denying you medication at all !!
That is why the NOUGG came up with the Guideline and made it clear that the Guideline was/is NOT intended to be used as a Policy or Standard of Practice. They knew that there is and will always be cases that do not “fit” into the Guidelines. There is a need to for some discretion. You cannot punish those who are in need and use the drugs properly by denying them their drugs because of those who don’t! I have already been on the verge of suicide because of the pain that I endure from this condition. I also believe that there are many more like me who actually were denied and were forced to go to the street to buy whatever drugs they could get to help ease their pain or maybe to take their life in order to get away from the pain and not have to endure using the streets as their pharmacy!
Hi to all of you …. I just caught up with this thread and this disease sounds awful. To have no end in sight would be very discouraging, I would think.
I do plead ignorance, though. Could one of you please tell me …. in “people” terms (not doc.’s terms) just exactly what it is, how it manifests itself, how you got it, is it hereditary, etc.? I feel so sorry for you folks with this, but I would like to know more, right from your own minds and hearts.
Bless you,
Abby
@jimhd
I’ve been taking Morphine sulfate for a few years, and was up to 90mg daily. I weaned off it, with the pain specialist’s instructions, but after being off for 3 weeks, I was in too much pain, so I started back on the morphine sulfate, per doctor’s instructions. My pcp screwed up the last prescription, and wrote it for 1per day instead of 2, so now I’m sitting in the clinic, waiting for someone to figure it out. My pcp isn’t in today. I only have 2 days worth of pills left, so I hope they’ll be able to get me going.