pain medication

I'm a bit confused by your post.

You had 6 epidurals in the past year, which is quite a bit during a one year period. Usually epidurals are given in a series of 3 injections over a few months. not 6 of them during a 12 month period.

Are you saying that your June 26th, 2009 problem is with your PM doctor or is that when you herniated disc problem began?

Are you stating that you are using a cane or walker to get around and your doctor won't give you one?

OR

are you saying that your doctor won't give you narcotic pain medications?

You post on this is very confusing.

As for your questions about narcotic pain meds.

Pain doctors don't like patients to tell them what pain meds they want. That puts up a red flag to them that the patient may or may not be abusing the narcotics.

Pain doctors walk a fine line in providing narcotic prescriptions and do need to be careful.

Since the death of Michael Jackson 6 weeks ago, their is some panic amongst pain management doctors and prescribing. They are being carefully monitored as well.

Have you signed a pain contract with this doctor?

It may be that you will need to find a new pain management doctor, but telling one what narcotic pain meds you want is not a good idea to do.

As for a safe amount of narcotic that one can take, well that is really an individual situation with each patient.
You can build up a tolerance to the pain meds and then need higher and higher doses for it to be affective for you.

It is hard to get off pain meds and you do need to slowly wean down over a period of time. How long and how difficult it can be, also depends on what narcotics you are taking, what the dose is, and how long you are taking them.

Now, if you have really had 6 epidural injections over a period of 1 year, and you are still in this much pain, and you have done PT and decompression (which usually dosn't help, but can really make you disc worse), then it does sound like you only option for pain relief is surgery.

What kind of surgery is your doctor talking about? What is the doctor planning to do?

Has your PM doctor talked about using a nerve pain medication, neurontin or lyrica to help ease your nerve pain? Narcotics are not very affective at relieving nerve pain. This may help your pain levels.

Spine surgery is a huge decision, on the other hand, the right surgery for the right situation on the right patient, can be very effective in relieving pain and returning to a normal function again.

Have you had more than one opinion on surgery? That is also another very important thing to do before making that surgery decision.

If you give a more clear post of information and answer the above questions, there may be more information that I can provide for you or explain further.

Good luck

Fran

Hi Fran,

Sorry for being so confusing, This herniated disk all started in dec of 2008 I could not walk crawling on my hands and knees etc. was referred to a nurologist he wanted me to get pain management and a series of 3 epidurals, was feeling allright not a hundred percent, but enough to go to to work do my daily activities and still going to my pain mangent doctor as I was still in pain but not accute pain. Then June 26th it started all over again like in the beginning, got 3 more epidurals and did nothing Iam was taking 2 40 milligram oxycotin and 4 30 milligram of percocet for breakthrough pain.

After this come to realize that the oxycotin did nothing for me but the 30 milligrams of percocet just did the trick to make it a little more bearable. I told my doctor that this was working, so could I have 2 more of the 30 milligrams a day and do away with the oxycotin he told me no. He said with that much he was worried about the long term affects of weaning down. I myself and looking day to day not the future as the pain is so severe, he knows I need surgery I know I need surgery so very frusterating, I have been going to him for a while so I was just expaling what works for me not requesting anything different, I feel he is nt listening to me I know what works to make my life a little more comfortable under the circumstance and yes Iam taking neuontin which does not help at all. He is the one who pescribded the walker for me also my disabilty sign.

Yes spin surgery is a hugh decision as iam a mother of a 3 year old and scared, they are taking about a distectamy, my pain doctor is basically saying get the surgery now or iam not floating you anymore, it has only been 6 weeks and last epidural he gave me was the 21st of july so I don't feel like I have had enough time.

As he just does not like to give out pain meds well then don't become a pain mangement doctor. I hope this helps fran Thank you for taking the time to read. So is 210 milligrams a day deadly or something for accute pain patients?

sweetie imm the same age and at 30 i had a dicectomy and have had 4 surgeries all together. if the dr says have it you need it. he has to be carefull giving meds mine is too ive had the same one for 6 years and he watches me closely and im glad i dont want a dr willy nilly handing out meds that would show me he doesent care. your dr is looking out for you though it may seem hes not. im on duragesic patches and many other but thats my main pain med. with back pain you have it for life and it never goes away or gets better all you can do is have a med that relieves it to tollerable. injections never worked for me only gave me more pain to deal with. find a good dr. and get e surgery he would not tell you if you didnt need it. your in for alot buti no longer need my cane to walk all the time only if i go where im standing and walking ALOT and i need it to steady myself and lean on. good luck and listen to him.or find another nothing says you have to see only him get more opinions.