Originally Posted by DanP

JB63 - you desperately need to get your pain under control...I presume your pain is constant and moderate to severe. Tell your doctor to prescribe the Duragesic Patches for you...in at least 100 mcg/h strength.
I have constant moderate to severe pain 24/7/365 for some 24 years - all caused by peripheral neuropathy. We tried all the usual stuff but none of it ever helped very much. Finally, I got rid of all the "super specialists" including the neurologists...some who "specialized" in PN. On 9 Jan 02 my primary care physician asked if any of my docs ever tried me on the duragesic patches. The answser was no so on that very date we began. We started with the 50 strength patch but that was not strong enough. I didn't get relief until using the 100 strength patch which helped a lot. I am now using 2 patches - one is 100 strength and the second is 50 strengh for a total of 150 strength. This reduces my 7 to 9 level pain down to 2 to 4 which allows me to lead a relatively normal life. The fentanyl in these patches is a strong narcotic but I am not addicted and able to perform normally.
These patches have and are doing a wonderful job for me and I highly recommend them. Hope you get your pain controlled soon and if your doctor is unwilling to do the job then find one that will.
Good luck.
Dan P