OMG! Is it ever hard to get pain meds these days
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I have scoliosis and arthritis between my L4 and L5 and it is really painful at times, the 2 work against eachother and in turn leave me in excruciating pain. My doctor prescribed me muscle relaxers as well as pain pills and I only took them twice. Pain pills are super addictive and I would rather be in pain than chance becoming addicted to pills. PT and at home exercises have helped me tremendously and don't require be becoming dependent on any substance. Have you thought about going to see a chiropractor?0
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headofphat wrote: »They don't want to give up the pain meds but quick as hell to medicate your kids and tell you that they need it. This is why I grow my own meds. FTW.
That's awfully paleo of you
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Well all the above is informative but if you are yelling give me pills..then it sounds like an addict to me ( not saying you are just what it sounds like to someone who doesn't know you). Calm down and listen to your doctor. Back issues are highly faked just for drugs.if you have always gone to the same doctor trust them to treat you. Ibuprofen will help.0
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SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »headofphat wrote: »They don't want to give up the pain meds but quick as hell to medicate your kids and tell you that they need it. This is why I grow my own meds. FTW.
That's awfully paleo of you
I just thought up a new diet, but it's very counterproductive.
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Hurt my back last week, don't know how.
Tylenol and ibuprofen didn't help and after four days I said uncle and went to my doctor.
I asked for pain meds and he basically blew me off giving me a sheet of exercises to do. I can hardly move.
I go through this EVERY day. Do what you can with the exercises. If you cannot do the "complete" exercise, do the modified versions until you can do the full.Yesterday I could take no more and called him reading the nurse the riot act. She called back saying he'd give me something, but I had to go to physical therapy and I'd need to watch for their call to set up an appointment.
This will not help your case. This makes you loook like an addict. Go to PT.She was snippy about the whole matter.
Can you blame her? You read her the "riot act". She's a nurse, not a doormat.I'm still angry. I've never in my life asked for pain meds before. Only ever taken them when I had major surgery.
And? This does not entitle you to narcotics when you request them.I told her to look at my chart and see how many times I'd done so. That it was outrageous for him to send me home to suffer more when I'd been there asking for help, which by the way is his job.
This still makes you look like and addict. The nurse doesn't write the scripts, the doctor does.I felt like I was being treated like a prescription seeking junkie, which I'm not.
Your actions made you look this way. They responded accordingly.
Try OTC NSAIDs, alternate heat and ice, and invest in a TENS machine. You can find one on Overstock for about $20. It's the best $20 you'll ever invest.
If you go to PT, the doc may give you one and your insurance will pay for it.
Sources: MYSELF
- 3 back rebuilds and too many other ailments to list
- FORMER 9 year HEAVY morphine and oxy addict (not for recreational use).
- 10 years intermittently bedridden0 -
Being in pain sucks. The doctor is probably doing you a favour even though it doesn't feel that way. Dealing with the pain by seeing a PT is more work, but it's better than potentially getting hooked on pain meds and having to detox from that later. Switching doctors is only going to send up the red flag that you're doctor shopping for meds. Not going to help your situation.0
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The doctor isn't giving you pain meds for the same reason people on workman's comp can't get them... the amount of abuse is ridiculous.
After my c-section, I had a hard time getting pain meds. You have to jump through hoops to get them and sign your life away for getting controlled substances. Was I angry? No! And I just had MAJOR surgery.
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SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »
These two individuals star in a documentary? I would watch it for the thrill as a horror movie. Lookit those dead slitty eyes! And the other one has the Jan Michael Vincent style working.
Does anyone know the name of the documentary?
Wild and Wonderful Whites. It's about the White family in the Appalachians, and it touches on the culture of that region. It's funny to watch, but if you read about the historical exploitation of those folks, it can be pretty sad stuff.
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lol pretty much this in a nutshellMyOwnSunshine wrote: »Wow. Way to abuse a nurse, who doesn't have prescriptive privileges, instead of discussing your issues with the actual prescriber. I can't imagine why she would be snippy, or why anyone in the office wouldn't want to help you.
Showing up at a provider's office demanding narcotics is never going to go over well.
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also I think trust in your doc and their trust and knowledge of your history goes a long ways in if they feel comfy giving you meds, particularly certain meds.TheBeerRunner wrote: »The reality is that so many people go in claiming to have back pain or this and that just to get pain pills to either abuse on their own or to sell to make a quick buck. Does it suck? Sure, but what can you do? It's almost as ridiculous as having to go to a pharmacy to get any cold medicine with pseudoephedrine in it. Need some cold medicine in the middle of the night? Good luck if you want psuedoephedrine.
If I went in ranting and raving about not getting pain pills they would have a very different view of me. My doc gives me what I need and knows I don't want pills often only when absolutely needed for a short time.
Also as above poster shared.. since Hydrocodone has now become a walk in only prescription that says a lot.
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What state do you live in? Is medical marijuana legal? Not only will cannabis alleviate your pain but it was also aid in reducing inflammation. Look at other options rather than pain pills.0
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Painpills only cover the pain, a better way is to find the source of pain and go from there... heating pad, PT, ice, etc. Painpills are needed at times but not as the only method as it won't get your better in the end.What state do you live in? Is medical marijuana legal? Not only will cannabis alleviate your pain but it was also aid in reducing inflammation. Look at other options rather than pain pills.
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I don't think I could become addicted to pain pills because they nauseate me so bad. After my surgery on my elbow this past August, I was given a prescription for Percoset. I got so sick to my stomach after taking one that I ended up losing my lunch. In fact, I recently told the doctor to add "no narcotic pain meds" to my charts. I guess I never considered that lucky.
That being said, I had a cousin only 2 months younger than me who became addicted to pain pills after a car accident when we were teenagers. She ended up committing suicide when her addiction became more than she could deal with.
My issue is with trying to get antibiotics. I am very susceptible to strep throat. I have had it so many times, I can't count. The last time I had it, I was treated like a junkie looking for a fix when I requested an antibiotic.0 -
As much as I hate to semi agree with all these freaks, the exercises will help more than pills. I've herniated a disc twice and the only things that helped long term were core strengthening, stretching/self traction, heat, ice, and 800mg of ibuprofen when the going got really rough.0
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tracyannk28 wrote: »Every time a doctor presribes a narcotic it goes on file. Because of this, doctor's aren't so quick to write a script any more. So it can really suck for someone who's in serious pain.
I think it'll be just a matter of time before they become completely illegal. Just think: Heroine and Cocaine were both legal drugs at one time.
I herniated 2 disks a few years ago and was in agony. I started seeing a chiropractor and it got better pretty fast. I also find that 2 Aleve and a Tylenol works pretty well as a pain reliever. Just take them with a bit of food.
Heroin is an illegal drug, but it's available on prescription under a different name. Hence the problem of prescription drug abuse. You can get some illegal drugs on prescription if you know what symptoms to fake and what drug name to ask for. Hence the OP's problem, because doctors are very cautious about prescribing them,
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I know it's frustrating, but the fact that you have a doctor that doesn't just hand out pain meds shows that he's actually a good doctor.
^^^ totally agree with this, especially for back pain and other injuries. Pain meds do not cure anything, they only mask the pain. This can actually make the injury worse in some cases, as pain makes you more cautious about moving around, which reduces the risk of making the injury worse. Some injuries get better with nothing more than rest and time, in which case painkillers plus resting may be all a patient needs. But with a lot of other injuries, most kinds of back pain in particular, the right kind of exercises through physiotherapy are needed to correct the problem that's causing the pain. And while opiate painkillers are very effective at stopping pain, milder painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen are better at reducing inflammation. With chronic back pain, correcting posture may also be necessary, which is something a physio would need to determine.
If a doctor is just prescribing pain meds for any kind of pain, then he or she isn't doing his or her job properly. Sometimes painkillers and rest are the best prescription, but other time exercises and/or physio are better treatments, along with anti-inflammatory drugs rather than strong painkillers.
That's before you even get onto the issue of abuse of prescription drugs.
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You may think I'm a fruit bat, but try yoga. Yoga and Chinese Acupressure Massage have helped me more than anything. After I gave birth to my daughter in 2009, I was in really bad shape. I had a severe birth injury that had to be surgically repaired, and back pain that brought me to tears on a regular basis. One night, it was so bad that my husband had to take me to the ER because I couldn't walk.
I begged them, please just help me. I don't want pain meds, I want someone to do something. I have a three month old baby at home. I have to be able to walk. They shot me up with Toradol and sent me home, telling me I'd have to talk to my GP for a referral to PT. I got one the next day. Long story short, my body was "crooked". Where the nightmare nurse that was one of the major causes of my PTSD had pushed my right leg back so far while I was giving birth, my pelvic bone didn't go back correctly, leaving me in horrible pain constantly. I spent a year in PT, doing my exercises at home faithfully as well as at PT.
It wasn't until I started taking yoga in January of 2011 that I started to really get some relief. Yoga helped move my pelvic bone back, and helped with general aches and pains not only in my back but all over my body. Seriously, people think I'm crazy, but it does help. There are different types of yoga, and what I did/do is alignment based yoga. That might be something to look into.0 -
Pain killers for a hurt back? Lol, you must be joking. I've had 3 surgeries in my life, was prescribed pain killers for each one, and never took a single pill. If I can go through wisdom teeth extraction, a gum graft, and removal of skin cancer without pain meds, you can certainly handle back pain without pain meds.
Suck it up and take 800 mg of Advil every 6-8 hrs along with using a heating pad.0 -
Just my two cents. If you could drive yourself to visit the doctor, you're experiencing discomfort, not pain.
If you ever have difficulty fitting in the car, because any possible position therein is nearly intolerable and your legs feel like they're on fire, (driving, is at this point, unfathomable), that is pain.
That's when you should be considering meds.0 -
Op, you need to take the D bus downtown, find a Latin fella named Martinez....0 -
This was your mistake. Never straight out ask for meds. The Dr. Understandably needs time to verify your condition and diagnose you. When you asked for meds straight oit it was like painting a neon sign that says med seeker on your forehead.Hurt my back last week, don't know how.
Tylenol and ibuprofen didn't help and after four days I said uncle and went to my doctor.
I asked for pain meds and he basically blew me off giving me a sheet of exercises to do. I can hardly move.
Yesterday I could take no more and called him reading the nurse the riot act. She called back saying he'd give me something, but I had to go to physical therapy and I'd need to watch for their call to set up an appointment. She was snippy about the whole matter.
I'm still angry. I've never in my life asked for pain meds before. Only ever taken them when I had major surgery.
I told her to look at my chart and see how many times I'd done so. That it was outrageous for him to send me home to suffer more when I'd been there asking for help, which by the way is his job.
I felt like I was being treated like a prescription seeking junkie, which I'm not.
I'm seriously thinking of changing doctors.
I've been in your shoes for years. Most ppl would at keast want to tey PT.
When you get to the point where you can't walk or your privates are numb go to the ER and tell them your pain.
For God's sake don't ask for pain meds its not a bar, further just in case dont ask for special meals, blankets, or room setups its not a hotel either. Wanna know how I know?...been there, done that.0 -
neandermagnon wrote: »I know it's frustrating, but the fact that you have a doctor that doesn't just hand out pain meds shows that he's actually a good doctor.
^^^ totally agree with this, especially for back pain and other injuries. Pain meds do not cure anything, they only mask the pain. This can actually make the injury worse in some cases, as pain makes you more cautious about moving around, which reduces the risk of making the injury worse. Some injuries get better with nothing more than rest and time, in which case painkillers plus resting may be all a patient needs. But with a lot of other injuries, most kinds of back pain in particular, the right kind of exercises through physiotherapy are needed to correct the problem that's causing the pain. And while opiate painkillers are very effective at stopping pain, milder painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen are better at reducing inflammation. With chronic back pain, correcting posture may also be necessary, which is something a physio would need to determine.
If a doctor is just prescribing pain meds for any kind of pain, then he or she isn't doing his or her job properly. Sometimes painkillers and rest are the best prescription, but other time exercises and/or physio are better treatments, along with anti-inflammatory drugs rather than strong painkillers.
That's before you even get onto the issue of abuse of prescription drugs.
Yep ^^ This, my mom got pain pills given to her like they where candy, did'nt help a thing other then make her dependent on them.
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Yep I was also given pain meds like they were candy when what i actually needed was surgery. Cleaned myself off those with the help of my husband when the time was right. We considered sending me to plsce to get clean but decided to try me weaning first..it worked. Then when i had subsequent surgeries we were judicious about their use and learned About.their humane and appropriate short term use and were also selective about what was prescribed. Even without being an "addict"some of those harder pills make youcwant thwm by mimicking your pain and becoming less effective till you need more.neandermagnon wrote: »I know it's frustrating, but the fact that you have a doctor that doesn't just hand out pain meds shows that he's actually a good doctor.
^^^ totally agree with this, especially for back pain and other injuries. Pain meds do not cure anything, they only mask the pain. This can actually make the injury worse in some cases, as pain makes you more cautious about moving around, which reduces the risk of making the injury worse. Some injuries get better with nothing more than rest and time, in which case painkillers plus resting may be all a patient needs. But with a lot of other injuries, most kinds of back pain in particular, the right kind of exercises through physiotherapy are needed to correct the problem that's causing the pain. And while opiate painkillers are very effective at stopping pain, milder painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen are better at reducing inflammation. With chronic back pain, correcting posture may also be necessary, which is something a physio would need to determine.
If a doctor is just prescribing pain meds for any kind of pain, then he or she isn't doing his or her job properly. Sometimes painkillers and rest are the best prescription, but other time exercises and/or physio are better treatments, along with anti-inflammatory drugs rather than strong painkillers.
That's before you even get onto the issue of abuse of prescription drugs.
Yep ^^ This, my mom got pain pills given to her like they where candy, did'nt help a thing other then make her dependent on them.
My advice...anytime someone wants to prescribe you anything ending in "-din" or "-cet", thank them, and ask what their actual/long term solution to your problem is. If they have a plan for you that seems viable accept the meds, otherwise do not. Take someone with you in case your pain levels or current med dosage is impairing your judgement or logic.
There do exist Dr.s who will recklessly prescribe medicine with no other strategies in place. Sometimes they call themselves pain management drs but are nothing more than pill pushers. It's their OTHER treatments for you that will help you discern this.0 -
Doctors are like dirty diapers:full of crap and not much use. Mine is getting bad as it took 3 visits and a trip to a specialist to catch something she could have checked in her office.0
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MyChocolateDiet wrote: »
Yep I was also given pain meds like they were candy when what i actually needed was surgery. Cleaned myself off those with the help of my husband when the time was right. We considered sending me to plsce to get clean but decided to try me weaning first..it worked. Then when i had subsequent surgeries we were judicious about their use and learned About.their humane and appropriate short term use and were also selective about what was prescribed. Even without being an "addict"some of those harder pills make youcwant thwm by mimicking your pain and becoming less effective till you need more.neandermagnon wrote: »I know it's frustrating, but the fact that you have a doctor that doesn't just hand out pain meds shows that he's actually a good doctor.
^^^ totally agree with this, especially for back pain and other injuries. Pain meds do not cure anything, they only mask the pain. This can actually make the injury worse in some cases, as pain makes you more cautious about moving around, which reduces the risk of making the injury worse. Some injuries get better with nothing more than rest and time, in which case painkillers plus resting may be all a patient needs. But with a lot of other injuries, most kinds of back pain in particular, the right kind of exercises through physiotherapy are needed to correct the problem that's causing the pain. And while opiate painkillers are very effective at stopping pain, milder painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen are better at reducing inflammation. With chronic back pain, correcting posture may also be necessary, which is something a physio would need to determine.
If a doctor is just prescribing pain meds for any kind of pain, then he or she isn't doing his or her job properly. Sometimes painkillers and rest are the best prescription, but other time exercises and/or physio are better treatments, along with anti-inflammatory drugs rather than strong painkillers.
That's before you even get onto the issue of abuse of prescription drugs.
Yep ^^ This, my mom got pain pills given to her like they where candy, did'nt help a thing other then make her dependent on them.
My advice...anytime someone wants to prescribe you anything ending in "-din" or "-cet", thank them, and ask what their actual/long term solution to your problem is. If they have a plan for you that seems viable accept the meds, otherwise do not. Take someone with you in case your pain levels or current med dosage is impairing your judgement or logic.
There do exist Dr.s who will recklessly prescribe medicine with no other strategies in place. Sometimes they call themselves pain management drs but are nothing more than pill pushers. It's their OTHER treatments for you that will help you discern this.
I think that's some great advice. Glad you where able to work through it. I know it had to be hard for you. I don't like pain any more then the next guy but I think I'm more scared of the pills.0 -
SuperSexyDork wrote: »Going to a doctor and demanding pain pills instead of asking the doctor to figure out what you did to hurt it and fix it makes you seem like an addict. Calling your doctor and bitching out his nurse because you didn't get any pain pills absolutely screams addict.
Stop acting like an addict and people won't treat you like one.
All of this0 -
Feel the love here, Jade. Good luck on the pain front, hope you feel better. I do second the exercise routine. I'm sure it's tough working through the pain, but you would be very surprised how the right PT makes a HUGE difference. If a medical pro has cleared you to do exercises, give it a shot. Peace Out.0
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I have found the exact opposite to be true - Dr's love giving me Percs! I am allergic to Ibuprofen, so I got Percocet & sleeping meds after my c-section, and a different Dr. offered me Percs when she diagnosed me with TMJ (I declined. I wasn't in much pain, even though my jaw makes the unholiest clicking sound). Hubby went in with back pain and she offered him Vicodin and workman's comp lol. He declined. All he wanted was rehab!
In England, you can get codeine w/ Tylenol OTC, so I always used that for my monthly period pain, every 4 hours for a few days, from about 17 to 22. Never went through withdrawals or anything. I didn't even know it was a serious 'thing' until I got to the US, so I guess I am lucky!0 -
MyChocolateDiet wrote: »
Yep I was also given pain meds like they were candy when what i actually needed was surgery. Cleaned myself off those with the help of my husband when the time was right. We considered sending me to plsce to get clean but decided to try me weaning first..it worked. Then when i had subsequent surgeries we were judicious about their use and learned About.their humane and appropriate short term use and were also selective about what was prescribed. Even without being an "addict"some of those harder pills make youcwant thwm by mimicking your pain and becoming less effective till you need more.neandermagnon wrote: »I know it's frustrating, but the fact that you have a doctor that doesn't just hand out pain meds shows that he's actually a good doctor.
^^^ totally agree with this, especially for back pain and other injuries. Pain meds do not cure anything, they only mask the pain. This can actually make the injury worse in some cases, as pain makes you more cautious about moving around, which reduces the risk of making the injury worse. Some injuries get better with nothing more than rest and time, in which case painkillers plus resting may be all a patient needs. But with a lot of other injuries, most kinds of back pain in particular, the right kind of exercises through physiotherapy are needed to correct the problem that's causing the pain. And while opiate painkillers are very effective at stopping pain, milder painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen are better at reducing inflammation. With chronic back pain, correcting posture may also be necessary, which is something a physio would need to determine.
If a doctor is just prescribing pain meds for any kind of pain, then he or she isn't doing his or her job properly. Sometimes painkillers and rest are the best prescription, but other time exercises and/or physio are better treatments, along with anti-inflammatory drugs rather than strong painkillers.
That's before you even get onto the issue of abuse of prescription drugs.
Yep ^^ This, my mom got pain pills given to her like they where candy, did'nt help a thing other then make her dependent on them.
My advice...anytime someone wants to prescribe you anything ending in "-din" or "-cet", thank them, and ask what their actual/long term solution to your problem is. If they have a plan for you that seems viable accept the meds, otherwise do not. Take someone with you in case your pain levels or current med dosage is impairing your judgement or logic.
There do exist Dr.s who will recklessly prescribe medicine with no other strategies in place. Sometimes they call themselves pain management drs but are nothing more than pill pushers. It's their OTHER treatments for you that will help you discern this.
Exactly, unless you are living with a chronic illness (IE: Fibromyalgia) that cannot be healed through some other form of treatment- IE: PT, surgery, massage therapy, yoga/exercise. See what their plan for treatment is. I completely agree, no one needs to be living in pain, it's no fun, but at the same time, you want a treatment plan and timeline of action to know what's going on.
One of my very best friends lives with Fibromyalgia. She doesn't take pain pills on a daily basis, BUT she does need her medication when she has a flare. My heart hurts for her, because there are times she's in so much pain that turning over in her bed is agony. She's tried any and everything you can imagine. Accupuncture, crazy changes in diet, holistic approaches to treatments, desperate for relief, and nothing helps. Her new doctor gave her sleeping pills and told her a good night's sleep and exercise would help. Her last flare was so severe it landed her in the hospital.
After I gave birth to my daughter, I was in horrible pain (I labored for 18 1/2 hours, then gave birth naturally- NOT by choice, the epidural didn't work). I begged for something for pain. They gave me TWO Perocets and an Anaprox. I was really thankful the pain was gone, but it scared me to death. Four hours after giving birth, I WALKED up to the NICU to see my daughter, and didn't sleep at all that night. It had been over 48 hours before I got any sleep. I felt really high and was scared. When my meds wore off, I was hurting again, but more afraid of those pills. My nurse told me I could take the Anaprox and it wouldn't make me feel that way. I was sure glad to get that to help with the pain, and find it out was basically prescription strength Aleve.
I've been on pain meds a hand full of times in my life. I have to take really low doses, because I just can't handle them. After surgery, I won't lie, maybe some people can handle the pain, I can't.
I can't gauge your pain, or say how severe it is, or not severe enough, but you've definitely been given some good advice. Also, I don't know if you'd mentioned it earlier, if you did, and I missed it, I apologize- did you or have you had any X-rays or MRI's done?
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