Hi all,
I will try to make this short: I was injured on the job in new york in 2008 and my condition is as follows as per MRI last month:

c3-4 Moderate central disk herniation type with moderate thecal sac compression. It contacts the ventral spinal cord without deforming the cord.

c4-5 moderate central disc herniation protrusion type. This contacts the central cord without deforming it.

c5-6 moderate disk space narrowing and disc degeneration. Moderate disc bulge. Bilateral disc osteophyte complexes right and left. There is moderate thecal sac compression and moderate to sever narrowing of the right foramen.
. Mild to moderate narrowing of the left foramen.

c6-7 Mild disc bulge and mild bilateral ulcinate spurs. Mild canal and foraminal stenosis.

The problem is is that I am undertreated for the pain. I have no history of abuse. I recieve 75mg lyrica 2x/day and 1 2mg hydromorphone no more that 3x per day. I am opiate tolerat after being treated with 100mcg Fentynal patch which i cold turkey'd a year ago after being on it for 4 years. it was prescribed by my PCP. The opiate tolerance remains. I wrote a letter to the pain clinic to explain this. i would really appreciate any input. I'm worried as hell as I cannot survive like this. here is the letter I wrote as I have a difficult time expressing myself :

Nicole,

I am writing this to you as I often find myself unable to adequately and fully express my thoughts and concerns regarding my treatment. In order for you to treat me, I feel it is important for you to have a brief summary of my past treatment.

As is evidenced by my records I have been treated at SOS since 2008 when I was injured at work lifting. My first visit to NYSSWC was shortly after that. I showed up on my appointment day in the most extreme pain I have ever felt in my life. I also suffer from and pass kidney stones at least once or twice a year, something apparently more painful than childbirth. I would consider such an event to be a 9 out of 10 on the “pain scale”. A 10 being the condition I was in for over a month at that point and possibly longer. I was desperate and hopeful.
The nurse who was taking the admission notes on me that day asked me about my condition and I was completely honest with her and literally begging her for help. Looking back, if I had access to a handgun I would have consider using it on myself to end the pain. My comment to my mother was, “If I had a dog I would put him down out of compassion alone.” I do not exaggerate in the slightest bit. She asked me what medications I was on and I answered remarking that “they do not help at all.” then made the mistake which I have paid for in pain and tears for the last 5 years, I told her that they did not work even when I use two at once. They were prescribed by my primary care doctor to use one at a time and to get me by until I was able to see Dr. Zogby at SOS, however it was incredibly inadequate given the level of pain I was in. I have not been back until a few months ago instead choosing to treat with my PCP.
This time I return to the NYSSWC after seeing no one for this issue for a year. The pain has gotten increasingly worse, this time in a different area and although I know the “rules” now, I am afraid of being under-medicated once more as I cannot fathom “doctor shopping” for a new doctor who will prescribe appropriate medications.

After being treated with Fentanyl 100mcg/hr for 4 years and I retain a high tolerance to opiates. I am afraid to express this however, as throughout the years I have learned this is considered “drug seeking behavior” as was my plea for help in 2008. I took myself off the Fentanyl patch a year ago cold turkey and haven’t touched anything like that since as I felt it was too much and having too many adverse effects. It has been one of the worst years of my life due to the constant and unrelenting pain and most of the time I wish I had never done that, consequences be damned.

To sum up I would like to say this is not “drug seeking” behavior but merely asking for help with a condition I acquired from an accident that happened helping someone else who wasn’t able to help themselves. I hope you can appreciate the irony in that, Nicole. Thanks for your time.