Oxycodone vs. Oxycontin??
 

When I was at the E.R. last week the doctor said I've been taking the big bad "OXYCONTIN" the one everybody tries to steal..... But all I have is Oxycodone 5mgs, it's not extended release.....so AM I taking the "bad one" so to speak? And shouldn't he be reprimanded for making me feel guilty about something my DOCTOR prescribed?

Junkies prefer Immediate Release, NOT Time Release/Extended Release. Time Release meds are more effective on pain!!! The doc in the ER can lecture you all he likes. It is what it is...

The type of med is only one factor in determining what is effective. Dosages and directions are are also very important as well.

If all the doctor did was confirm you're taking oxycodone, he really didnt do anything wrong. But if he was giving you stuff for it, accusing you of stealing or of the sort, then yeah he is in the wrong.
He should know the difference between the 2. How did he know your taking oxycodone? There is no way of telling the difference (oxycodone/OxyContin) by a drug test. Your chart would clearly say what specific medication.
It doesn't seem like something to get worked up about, you didn't share in your post that he made you feel uncomfortable or anything. It could have just been a misunderstanding.

Yes, he did make me feel uncomfortable. Like I was a bad person for taking them, when they were prescribed by my doctor. Since this is a fairly new diagnosis, my medications were far from ideal. Having massive flare-ups that the 5mg oxy's and 50mgs of tramadol, and lidocaine patches weren't covering. I can usually control it with that but sometimes it still goes out of control. That Dr. in the ER told me I need to "quit coming to the ER" for pain. I only went under the advisement of BOTH my DR's offices. And yes my meds were in my chart I also told him what I was on and what I had done to try to stop the flare up, but that neither of my DR's could get me in and both of them had said for the ER doctor to call and confirm they advised me to come in. The ER doc basically treated me like a "drug seeker" saying my chart would be red flagged if I "kept it up".

I've been to the ER twice in the 12 years for RSD/CRPS. It should be a matter of absolutely last resort. Your doc should be prescribing you the correct meds. If they're not, then you need to find a different doc, which may mean having to travel to an urban center like Seattle or Portland. WA has the strictest regs in the US about pain meds.

The problem with me going to the Er was in part due to the strictness of medications in Washington. It had to be a last resort. And since this is a new diagnosis things were still in the "trail" period. Yesterday my Doctor put me on Valium 20mgs and Upped the dose of Oxycodone 10mgs and no more Tramadol, GOOD news! I think it's the right combination!!! Finally!!!! with those two meds I can (so far) be fairly pain free!!! I can type, fold clothes even. (though slowly). I am finally starting to be able to do things that I wasn't. I'm still being careful, i don't want to over do it and cause further damage/pain. But I am happy to say, I'm starting to see the light at the end for the time being!! woo hoo

Pain free is probably not going to be an option even with strong meds unless you go into remission. Many of us live with the goal of having mid level pain, and as we do certain activities our pain levels rise and we take break through pain. All the things we discuss as coping mechanisms help to slightly alleviate pain, and collectively those coping mechanisms increase our standard of living. I know if I vacuum I'll want to go to the ER, so I've learned it's not an option for me to do so. Etc.

Glad to here you have found a combination that is helping you get some relief. It is a trial and error situation for a while. I think it was a good move to ditch the tramadol. This medication is known to cause seizures and be extremely hard to get off of. It sounds like you really needed some muscle relaxing properties which the Valium is good for. Also helps you to be less anxious. Being in constant pain and never knowing how bad it is going to get is very anxiety causing. Once you have something you know you can rely on and won't let you get past a certain point with the pain you will be much more happy.
As far as the E.R goes, you know that is what they are there for. Don't let the "drug addict" factor bother you or even acknowledge it. You are a chronic pain patient with serious pain and that is it. If you act like it bothers you they will give you crap about it. Really though you need to get your doctor to do correct pain control so you don't have to visit the E.R. Sounds like that is happening. Maybe you got there attention by continuing to seek pain control without giving up. Good job!
Brain

The ER is NOT the place for those with chronic conditions to deal with the basic management of their conditions. It's called the EMERGENCY Room for a reason.

I hope that CRPS songbird's docs have finally found a good combo for her. I also hope they are committed to learning how to effectively manage her pain on an ongoing basis using appropriate services.

The dog fur on my rug waves 'hello' to your dust bunnies !

Lol! I've got dog hair as well! I use a large pet hair roller, meant for carpet every few days, it's actually more effective than a vacuum, and I pay someone to vacuum. I plan on getting a ROOMBA in the near future. It's the combo of the weight and vibration that makes it impossible for me to do... :(

I'm disorganized at times but I've tried to adapt so that my place is still clean/ish... ;)

My fantasy new place has to have hard wood floors, so I can make do with damp mopping. Vaccuuming isn't in my future unless they find a cure for us in the interim

I have never went to the ER for my RSD pain and went once for a migraine... although I probably should go from time to time for my excruciating migraines as I know they can break the cycle for them.

I think Lit love said it well. I know I have to have a realistic view of the pain. It will never go away. It can just be managed to a degree where we are some what functional. Even horrible flares where I am crying from the pain and frustration... it is bad, but you have to be in the mindset that it won't last forever at the flare level of pain. Just my opinion and how I deal with it.

Believe me I know the ER is not a place for chronic pain. It was a truly heinous flare-up though almost puking and passing out form the level of pain. And both of my doctors told me to go. That was the reason I was so mad at that ER doc. I HATE going to the ER, and realize that there were other people who needed DIRE help than just pain. Thankfully the new meds seem to be controlling the pain WAAAYYY better!! I am having a much better time being able to cope now! I also think the muscle relaxer (Valium) was a very good thing. It was weird cuz when I was having the flare-ups all the major veins were protruding/ popping up. I talked with my doc about it and believe that my muscles were tensing badly from the pain so I think between the oxy 10mgs 3-4x's a day as needed and the Valium is they way to go for now!

So thank you all, and I hope you all can or have found the same measure of relief as I seem to have now. :)

The only issues with that is for some reason unless the cycle is interrupted by pains meds or SOMETHING, that it just gets worse and worse and worse. It doesn't stop, and can go on for days on end. Since I still work and have a 7yr old that is not an option for me, to just "wait", as I said it just compounds and gets worse. I can usually stop a flare before it gets too bad with Lidocaine patches, however I ran out, I have a prescription for more but no money to buy them.

Everyone's RSD is different. And I do NOT just go to the ER on a whim. As I stated SEVERAL times before, BOTH my doctors told me to go! Sorry if I seem irritated, but that is a point of contention for me. No one seems to understand that sometimes. I also don't handle pain very well, I have a pretty low threshold but I had held it off for 2 days already and was nearly puking from the level it was at...... so I DO consider that an EMERGENCY. Especially when my doctors' advised me to go.

Thankfully now that I am on different meds, hopefully it won't happen like that again. I think part of the problem was that the meds I was on were barely controlling a normal day of pain let alone the flares. We all know it's a trial and error process. And since I'm in Washington state, high dose pain meds are usually a last resort. Well, I think we got there lol.

The Doctor definitely shouldn't make you feel guilty for taking a medication no matter what it is. All opiates are addictive "oxy" just happens to be popular right now, there's nothing intrinsically more dangerous about it. Also Oxycodone and Oxycontin are the same thing. Oxycodone is the active ingredient. Oxycontin is simply the brand name for time released Oxycodone.

Respectfully, songbird, if you really understood that the ER is not the right place for the treatment of a chronic condition, you'd be mad at your docs right now, NOT the ER doc. Your docs are the ones who failed to set you up with a reasonable treatment plan, istructions NOT to do things that you know will trigger a flare, and an emergency plan for when an UNFORSEEN flare happenes.

I did nothing to trigger it! Nothing different nothing out of the ordinary. Other than a cold going around my household, which I didn't even get. One doctor was out of town at a conference, and the other was doing an EMG in a sterile environment, and could not get me in.

Of course I was upset that my current meds were not handling the situation. And this week it was remedied..well hopefully I've only been on it for 2 days or so. And the reason I got mad at the ER doc is because he made me feel like a street druggie for the medications i was on and the fact that they weren't stopping the extreme flare up and needed something stronger!! He said my chart would be "red flagged" with that kind of "behavior". He was condescending and acted like he was being magnanimous in helping the flare!! I seriously did not expect to get reactions like this from people at this site at all. I don't go rushing to the ER every other day or week. Part of the problem in managing my medications is I am allergic to almost ALL of the non-narcotics used to treat the pain. Again I live in Eastern Washington state so it is hard to get an ongoing prescription of a stronger "opioid". I am also limited as I don't have any INSURANCE either, so the cost has to be kept somewhat low as the hospital who injured me is being very slow in reimbursing me.

I really don't think it's right for you and others to try and admonish me for going to the ER under my doctors orders. It's not like I asked for a 3 months prescription of some kind of pain pill. My doctors office said the ER could call and confer with them that I am a NEWLY diagnosed chronic pain patient, and that my medications were still in a "trial" phase. Even if I WAS able to go to my doctors they don't usually keep things like Dilaudid in injection form to help with that kind of pain. You as well as many others know that getting your medications correct and strong enough to manage your DAILY pain

The flare up was UNFORESEEN as you put it. That's why my doctor sent me to the ER. Anyone one of us who suffered from this that was, last resort, FORCED to go to the ER and treated the way I was would be incensed! Anyways that hospital SHOULD treat me and very well too, THEY were the ones that CAUSED this in this first place!

If you suspect that you could have stopped this flare with the Lidoderm patches, but couldn't afford them, then this was definitely not a medical emergency, it was a lack of budgeting/financial planning.

Some people here are still working. Many of us can't. It's not that our familes don't need the money/income.....it's that we are disabled by the pain and can't work. Part of our pain management is a mix of meds AND limiting activities (work, housework, etc). Limiting the aggravating activities is a critical part of the pain control for most of us. I consider myself lucky to have finally found a doctor who is willing to prescribe narcotics that can help me in this struggle. Make no mistake though, he wants to prescribe as little as possible to help me manage this, NOT the max that I would need if I did everything I wanted to..

My kids were a bit older than your 7 yo. Mine were 8 and 10 when RSD started wrecking ALL our lives. They've been doing their own laundry and making sandwich suppers since then......and bringing me a sandwich and an icepack. It was not the life I would have chosen for any of us.

Many here have dealt with financial ruin because of being unable to work for years before getting SSDI approval.

You have to have a realistic plan with your docs. Good luck.

"He said my chart would be "red flagged" with that kind of "behavior". He was condescending and acted like he was being magnanimous in helping the flare!"


Most health care professionals won't warn you that you chart may be 'red flagged'. That was doing you a favor.

CRPS Songbird, I've read SEVERAL posts of your's, just after a med change, saying that you feel a lot better, so 'hopefully' you now have decent pain control. Then, you go right back to activities that you KNOW can cause issues, like housework and work.

We ALL understand that there are things you WANT to get done. We just want you to understand that there are some things you may WANT to do, but may never be ABLE to do without causing extreme pain. That would not be unforseen. That's taking a risk and getting caught. Been there, done that.

Going slow to see IF you can build up your activity level does not mean waiting 24 hours or less, as you have just done. It means waiting a week plus, making sure that the level of pain relief is consistent, then adding ONE activity, like a little typing. If that works out okay, the next week try adding folding the laundry.

Finally getting control of the pain, then adding more activities will often require the use of MORE meds, which you just don't have.

I'm pretty much in agreement with everything finz said, but I think it needs to be stressed that your docs are the issue, not the ER docs. And it takes me a four roundtrip drive to see a specialist every 30 days to get the care I need. It isn't fun, or convenient, and I have to be driven there because I'm not capable of the drive by myself.

I did not write my responses in this thread or in any of the previous threads to simply give you a hard time. I was trying to help you learn to accept the reality of your situation.

I had a PA and an ER doc gang up on me at my last trip to the ER. I was surprised because I have been so careful to never be put in that situation, and I went armed with lots of evidence that the situation was beyond my control. I was upset with the way I was treated, and I have now put a plan of action in place to do my best not to go back again. I accept that ER docs really aren't equipped to help us, and they can even put their licenses in jeopardy by doing so. You're in WA, so your situation is worse.

We aren't trying to pick on you, we just want you to recognize that you need to focus on long term solutions--a better use of your very limited energy...

I had been out of the patches for about 2 weeks. ANd it has nothing to do with a lack financial "planning"!! You have NO IDEA what my situation is!! I find that extremely offensive!! *edit*

And no, I don't do house work anymore. Except in snatches and pieces as agreed by my doctors and PT saying to stop before pain starts. You may have more experience with this or have dealt with it longer than I have. But you seriously need to think about not JUDGING others on YOUR situation. I have managed insofar, with the help of my doctors and therapist, to handle the daily pain, for the most part. Yes, I am still learning my limits of certain things. But I did absolutely nothing exacerbate this last flare up. You might want to try not acting like you know everything about me or my situation before throwing insults. My open doctor was upset at the way I was treated and called to talk to the ER "nurse manager". He felt it was an insult to him as he referred me to go.

No the doctor wasn't helping. I'm sure if you had the same experience I did, you would be outraged, as well.

I aoplogize, CRPS Songbird, I did not mean to offend you.

You are correct that if I had the same experience you did, I may have been offended too.

I haven't had the exact same experience. I also haven't had repeated trips to the ER in a few months for issues that the treating MD SHOULD have dealt with.

I have been to the ER once in 9 years for this.....and I was insulted and called a drug seeker for it. I was insulted by my then primary doctor, the jerk who screwed up by not leaving me a script for a low dose narcotic without Tylenol in it after I had to use more than the recommended max 4000mg dose. Because he didn't do his job, his covering doc instructed me to go to the ER. Thankfully, the ER doc was very kind to me. Again, it ws my primary, who was the one who screwed up, who berated me.

It is not judging on my situation to try to explain the correct use of emergency services. There are FACTS defined by the medical community on the appropriate use of emergency services. Don't shoot the messenger.

I totally understand that you just did what your doctors told you to do. You don't seem to understand that your doctors should not have recommended the misuse of emergency services. They SHOULD have set up a better plan for you themselves. They did wrong, not you.

If you don't do housework anymore, then perhaps your posts shouldn't repeatedly mention the housework that you have been doing. We all can only make suggestions based on the facts you present to us.

My remarks have only been to help you try to see your situation clearer. I am concerned for you. You sound so happy with each improvement that you get from a new medication, then you sound so miserable when it doesn't work out because of the side effects or because you overdid things. I thought that each new post from you discussing a new difficulty meant that you were seeking advice. If that's not the case, I'm sorry. If it's just me that you find offensive, I'm sorry and I will refrain from posting in your threads if that will help you.

No one here, certainly not me, wants to make this struggle more difficult for you. Although each of us faces different challenges, there are usually great similarities in our struggles. Best of luck in the fight for less pain and more happiness.

I apologize. I thought discussing financial planning regarding the sometimes high cost of our meds sounded much more diplomatic than saying that you just can't afford the meds, which is how you phrased it:

"Yup I forgot I use those too lol! But I'm out and cant afford more right now "

Paying for meds is an issue for many of us. Financial planning may include reworking the family budget, running up credit cards, working extra (for those who can), asking the doctor's office for samples, talking to the drug company about free or reduced cost meds, borrowing money, trying to get state services to help pay for meds or food/housing, making an alternative plan with the doctor for meds tha are more affordable. Knowing that a med helps, but not picking it up is either a lack of financial planning or not caring enough to pick up a script. I doubt that you just didn't care enough to pick it up. If something works, but we can't afford it, it is a crisis for our families, but is not a medical emergency.

Finz--

No I don't dislike you personally. But the finance comment DID offend me. The problem is we have already made any and all adjustments we can. There is just nothing left. We can barely afford rent and monthly bills let alone insurance or the rising costs of my prescriptions. It is a bit of a sore point for me, so sorry if I snapped a little. And the "housework" stuff I'm doing it slowly, and by slowly I mean it can take 4hours to fold clothes. It doesn't cause my arm hurt. The typing can and will cause pain if I do it too much. What I meant by being able to type is it is keeping the pain under control so I can get my job done. I do not expect to be totally pain free. I have already started to learn how to adjust my life according to how my body is reacting. And I DO feel that going to the ER was better than suffering for a week not being able to work, which would only make my situation worse. My daughter is helping out a lot for being 7, my fiancé has really picked up a lot And personally I feel the hospital should be jumping to take good care of me, as I've said before they were the ones to hurt me in the first place. I DON'T treat the ER lightly. They do have a fast track program for non-life threatening issues. Now touching on what you said about my doctors needing to get it right...yes they do. That's why this appointment this week we talked a little more candidly and they actually got me something that helps a LOT more. I still have pain, but I know I have to take it slow. I am 30yrs old and have a bit of common sense lol. The thing that's helped me most, like the reason I'm not as stressed and crazy sounding as when I first started posting here, is the therapy. Believe me when I say, I had tried EVERYTHING in my arsenal, to help/lower the pain. before going to the ER. I still think I did the right thing. And I probably overreaction a touch, just because I was already annoyed/mad with the way I was treated. Along with the fact my financial situation IS dire. All I want to do is be able to work F/T again. Take care of my kid and have a somewhat normal life. It's still a process learning to live with this condition, but I usually have under good control lately. The last week or two (as I discussed with my DR) it had seemed to be progressing, not caused by anything I did. My arm has been bright red off and on and I'm having the burning hypersensitivity, along with patches of skin that are hot and some that are ice. Again with the way my body reacts, when I start having a flare it won't stop with out outside help, usually a strong pain killer and the lidocaine. Also when I have my small daily flares where it will start to tense up , I think the Valium is helping with that a LOT. I think that was a major part of the issue with the major flares. We'll see. I tend to take anything new with a grain of salt at first.
So thanks for the apology, I think it was the way it was phrased, it felt more like and accusation rather than a suggestion to try reorganizing my finances. Like I was just irresponsible or something. If it was not meant that way I'm sorry too.

I guess I misunderstood your first post, but the way I read it this time the Lidocaine patches didn't stop your flare, but then your subsequent posts stated you had been out of them for two weeks?

I can completely understand your frustration at the hospital for not providing timely reimbursements for expensive meds. It costs $300 for a pack of 30 patches. Having them in may have kept you from going into a flare. Perhaps, you need to hire an attorney if you haven't already done so, or have the hospital provide certain medications directly.

The problem is that it's risky for an ER doc to prescribe opiates, or to give an injection to someone already being prescribed opiates. If a patient OD's as a result of his care, his medical license could be in jeopardy. In this case, he actually did treat you. In turn, you filed a complaint about the way he spoke to you, which might make your next visit even more difficult. As RSD/CRPS patients, the anecdotal evidence in this forum is that docs are often unprepared and unwilling to treat us in the ER. I'm not saying you don't have the right to go there, but it is likely only a matter of time before you are faced with the reality of receiving no help from an ER doc. He was doing what was expected of him by the medical board in WA, btw.

Please read this link: http://washingtonacep.org/Postings/e...linesfinal.pdf

[QUOTE=LIT LOVE;966126]I guess I misunderstood your first post, but the way I read it this time the Lidocaine patches didn't stop your flare, but then your subsequent posts stated you had been out of them for two weeks?


I probably didn't state it clearly. The patches only help control the flare if I get it on as soon as it starts, sometimes. LOL Each time can be different. I think the muscle relaxer will help with it all as well. I can control it way better having the patches. There are still times when they don't help, either because it's progressed too far or the RSD just decides it "don't need no stinking patches: har har.

I do understand where the doctor was coming from, but I had a list of ALL my medications and does that I was on. I keep a daily log. And it wasn't so much what he said but they WAY he said everything that was offensive. Very disdainful, and condemning. It was not appropriate. That was my problem. Yet again hopefully this new trial will help prevent anything like that in the near future. Living in Eastern Washington, there aren't many clinics that know how to deal with this condition. So my choices are rather limited. But I'll keep my fingers crossed and try not to do anything detrimental!! lol

I think the message I take from all of this is that we need more pain management specialists. That way we can get in to see them without an incredibly long wait. I know that I have to go out of state to see mine so any trip there has to be planned in advance.

....this is the kind of thing that I find offensive, by the way.

To me it feels condescending, or like I can't make correct decisions in my household. There is no LACK of planning. I can "plan" all I want but if I have to buy food or shoes for my child, that comes first. It simply isn't there. there is no extra. Nothing. My mother is disabled, my father is DEAD. My daughter father has been unemployed since September. I applied for State medical and I make $74.35 too much. I have a total (after bills) mabye 10.00-30.00 to spend on medication....which isn't NEARLY what it costs. My fiance tries to help as much as he can but he has 2 teenagers to pay child support on as well as a daughter in college. So there's is no other planning to be don unfortunately. So when I'm left with no way to stop the major flares. Which I haven't been to the ER since Jan, which I had other complications besides a flare. It just feels like you are assuming I can funnel the money from somewhere....I can't. I've been trying my best to do what I can. I should have SOMETHING from the hospital soon to reimburse me for the money I've spent on medications soon. Which, just to give you an idea of the strain it's put on me, totals now over $900 since November 2012. Please don't assume things like that. There is NO lack of planning. When phrased like that, it comes across very rudely to me......

Hi songbird
 

I had trouble paying for my pain meds before I received medicare. Try writing the drug company that makes you medication. Sometimes your doctor will have a form to fill out to submit. I did this and received my pain med free for about a year, until I qualified for help. This may get you by without the hardship these drugs cost. Ginnie:hug:.

Ya I did that with a couple and got a discount for one I ended up being allergic too...lol. I don't think I can for the narcotic ones, but maybe the patches...I will talk to the pharmacy and see

Hi songbird
 

My free meds were narcotic. Took Kadian a form of morphine. That was free too. Some of these companies will give in, especially if your doctor follows up with a note. Give it a try for those narcotic companies, worth a shot...ginnie:hug:

******************************************

Respectfully, CRPS Songbird, there IS a lack of planning.

If you look at more of that post.....

"Financial planning may include reworking the family budget, running up credit cards, working extra (for those who can), asking the doctor's office for samples, talking to the drug company about free or reduced cost meds, borrowing money, trying to get state services to help pay for meds or food/housing, making an alternative plan with the doctor for meds tha are more affordable. "

You can clearly see I accounted for situations in which we just can't afford the meds. That doesn't mean there isn't planning that could be done. Have you looked into the free prescription help programs ? Have you asked your docs for free samples ? Have you contacted the company to see if they can help ? Do you have access to credit cards ? This is not meant to be condesending if you have looked into those options too, it's just that you keep addressing only a small portion of the 'solutions' in your responses. That's not a 'demand' for more info......no one here should share more info than they are comfortable with.

If you have clearly discussed with your docs that the patches DO help, but you just can't afford them and explained that you NEED another plan, then you might have mentioned that, otherwise it looks like that hasn't been done. If you have had that discussion with your docs, then again, this is ALL on them for sending you to the ER for a non emergency situation. That is ALL part of the financial planning for this.

There is no blame here for not having the money. Many here are in a similar, or worse, situation. You've mentioned being over the limit for help because your income is a bit too high. You may end up, like many of us, being unable to work. That will help make you eligible for that money for meds, but you could be up a creek for housing, etc. The financial hardships that RSD adds to our already complicated and difficult lives stinks.

Hi songbird
 

Look for my PM this morning. ginnie:hug:

Emily, it seems really soon after diagnosis for you to be taking schedule 2 narcotics. Have you tried low dose naltrexone? It works well for some, and doesn't have the side effects of opiates, and I believe it's fairly reasonable.

You're still in that "window" where you still have the greatest opportunity for remission. If you mask the pain with schedule 2 narcotics, you will lose some of the urgency to try meds and procedures that could potentially help you recover. It's like going to a dentist for a shot of novocaine everyday but not having him/her perform the root canal you're in Desperate need of.

You didn't like the SGB you underwent, which I can understand, but when done well they can give substantial relief for a few weeks. Ketamine is not something I look forward to for the experience, but the results have been remarkable. Can you get hyperbaric sessions approved? Have you tried warm water PT? Massage? Etc.

If your work has been reduced due to your injury, the hospital should be paying the difference. If you're working, but simply delaying the fact that you need a leave of absence, delaying will not help your chances for remission. And maybe this means collecting food stamps, cash aid, and Medicaid for 6 months to try and restore your health. If you're simply putting off the inevitable, your odds are much higher if you take time off now and focus on remission, than wait until your condition worsens and becomes permanent. And if you need a housing subsidy which means living apart from your bf temporarily, than that might be a sacrifice you both will need to accept. (If he really plans on marrying you, your urgent health needs should be a priority after he pays his child support and before he helps his adult child. Many college students don't receive help from their parents. And this can mean she takes out loans which he agrees to help pay, for example.)

There have been people that refuse opiates years after diagnosis, that I've encouraged to explore the options. You will come across my posts where I discuss my med combo, but I felt uncomfortable doing so in your other thread... Choosing to take Schedule 2 narcotics is a long term commitment that should not be entered into lightly. It's best to try the meds your doc has experience prescribing. You don't want to be your doc's first patient to try fenatynl patches! People do OD, and people do die taking these meds.

Driving safety becomes a serious issue on these meds . (You shouldn't be driving anyone else's children and you must be careful not to drive when meds are too low or too high in your system. This is difficult to do without help when you're working and/or have children. I drive infrequently and am unable to safely drive several times per week.) Usually those taking schedule 2 drugs have reached the point of permanent disability and can no longer work. (If you have a job with any safety concerns, you may not be able to.) The ability to have constant access to them is mandatory--if you can't afford meds that cost several hundred dollars or up to a few thousand, it's a bad idea to start them. Same with just the hassle of getting the scripts written and filled. (Methodone is inexpensive option though.)

Seeing a psych doc was a great step. It's you fortunate you have a short window in which to deal with all these issues. And there's no guaranty that should you make some tough choices, you will go into remission, but there is an opportunity for it.

Hi songbird
 

How are you doing? I was thinking about you this morning. ginnie

just so you all know
 

I'm not on anything SUPER strong. I have Oxycodone 10mg which I only take 2 a day usually 4 if it's a bad day. That along with the Valium 2mg up to 2x's a day as needed has seemed to help a LOT as far as daily pain control. So... I'm not sure why that would be such a big deal. Obviously my DOCTOR thought it would be ok.....

I'm sorry I'm laughing at the "hospital should be paying" line. lol. It is NOT that easy. Yes they should be paying for it, but they are fighting tooth and nail to avoid claiming ANY responsibility. I'm fighting right now just to be reimbursed for the medications!! As far as my SGB goes, it didn't work. At least not for more than barely a couple of days. So they didn't want to do it again, and thought since I didn't have any luck with that and the only other procedures were just MORE invasive the didn't think I was a good candidate for any other treatments like that.
Like I have said repeatedly.....the narcotic were last ditch as far as meds go. And until I can get some sort of compensation I have to keep cost DOWN. I might be getting SOMETHING reimbursed by the end of the month which would be great so I can get the patched and a compound cream my doctor wants to try.

I make "too much" to get medical from the state, I am not old enough for Medicare/aid and I DO get food stamps. Just not much. I know you are trying to suggest things to help, but I have already done everything gone to every state agency/program. Since I'm not "disabled" enough or elderly, or pregnant (god forbid), there's not much I can do. So while I truly appreciate the suggestions. It's not a lack of trying or planning, or anything else you and Finz have mentioned. Trust me. I am a smart. capable women. I KNOW where to get help, I am just not able to get it. As I stated before I make 74.35 too much a month to get the help I need, and the hospital "paying back" anything that will be worthwhile for me is going to take an extremely long time. I am most likely going to have to use an attorney, I already have an appointment, in fact. So again thank you. But I don't feel I am taking anything "too soon" as far as narcotics, they are still fairly low dose.....my doctor is hesitant to try some of the other anti-seizure and "Cymbalta" class medications due to the severe adverse reactions I had. So not much is left in my budget right now.....I don't even know why I'm explaining that anyways. My doctor put me on them...I'm not getting them off the street or something.



Oh and as far as remission....it's progressing rather than remising. My doctors are (hoping it's not) starting to think it's permanent

Has anything other than one SGB been done that might help prevent progressing and effect a possible remission ?

I believe THAT was the jist of LL's comments here......that if find some degree of pain mangement with WHATEVER works for "now", you are not just making each day more livable (as is my case.....and the case for many others here)........in your case, because it is still early(ish), you could be missing your short window of opportunity to fight and subdue this monster, instead of just having to learn to live with it.

Nothing more. Many of us here depend on narcotics. Opiates aren't a dirty word here.

Have you shared here what they incident was with the hospital and their liability on this ? I only remember that you had what should have been a "simple" injury that progressed into RSD. If this is a potential lawsuit, I'd encourage to to retain a lawyer quickly and try to move forward. Any money that you could put toward therapies that might help with remission would be a great thing.

Best of luck with this.