On going pain issues
 

Some of you already know I have been having pain issues since mid-august 2007.

I am not happy with the current neuro who I only started seeing last year. He is willing to prescribe narcotics, I am fighting to not use narcotics - it's a personal issue for me.

For those not aware of the meds I have tried: Baclofen, Lyrica, Cymbalta and Klonopin. I have used Klonopin on an as needed basis since 2004 for panic attacks but right now it's the only med I can handle with few side affects and with the ability to minimize the pain for a few hours with each dose.

I had a follow up with my PCP and mentioned I am still dealing with the pain. I use 1mg Klonopin once a day. My PCP looked at the last update he recieved from my neuro - it said nothing about the pain nor the posibility of narcotics or the Klonopin.

My PCP didn't appear to happy. I was very up front with my PCP. I told him I have tried 1mg twice a day (2mg total) and at this point I will run out of Klonopin before the insurance company will approve my refill - I am using more than the prescribed dosage.

My PCP believes pain can be a quality of like issue and should be treated. He wrote out a new script for 1mg twice a day - bless his heart.

I have made an appoinment with my original neuro - the one who dx'd me in 1986 and yes, he is still practicing. I want his opinion on what has been going on and if he has any other suggestions that would be different than I have done or recieved at this point.

My current neuro told me I would just have to live with the pain and deal with my life as such. I'm not ready to accept that answer or option right now.

Hey LeeAnn~ If I didn't take Clonazepam (Klonopin) at bedtime, I would never sleep. The pain would just wake me up all night long. My Neuro and Rheumy both tell me to stay on it. Like you, I don't want to take anything stronger, as the Dr's have told me I can if I want to.

I tried Lyrica and it gave me some wild side effects, so stopped it.

With my reg pain plus the back probs I have, it's just impossible to function w/o the Klonopin and believe me, I tried.

Glad your PCP wrote the script. No sense being in constant pain if it can be helped. Hope the new dose does the trick.

take care; your'e waaaay too special to hurt all the time..:hug:

The strange thing - I have no pain when sleeping even without meds. The pain is there only when I'm awake.

So sorry for your pain, Snoopy. I'm glad to hear your PCP has a heart and decided to help you with your pain issues.. I dropped my Neuro and only see my PCP now.

I hope you and your Doc can find something just for you. Have you tried that non-narcotic pain patch, I've been hearing about?

:hug:

No, I haven't tried it and not familiar with it. I guess this is just one more reason to see my old neuro :rolleyes:

Did you read any of Braingonebad's posts about the pain clinic and the drugs they have her on? She is, finally, having some relief. One is a patch and the other is a pill. Flector is one name and Robaxim is the other.

Here is one of the threads:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread41989.html

IMHO, you need a pain clinic. As you can see from Cathy's experience, there can be other solutions that are non-narcotic. I saw a post of her's the other day that said she could actually work i her garden without the horrible pain.

Your PCP is right that pain is a quality of life issue. You deserve to have it aggressively treated.

Sorry to hear your pain is still an issue! I'm not painfree by any means but Elavil at night helps me. It is one of the old style antidepressants.

Night is my worst time for pain...I'd say from about 7 until I finally break down and take my night time cocktail of pills...Neurontin, Requip and Elavil. It takes the edge off and helps me sleep. I have Vicodin but it does nothing for my nerve pain. Nada!

Take care friend and I hope you and your PCP get it figured out for you.

Holly, thanks for the link to Cathys thread, I missed it :o

Brenda, sorry your dealing with so much pain :(

This is considered sensory - it's the same stuff that started after the UTI - pain and pressure in the pelvic area, pain of the urethra and external burning.

My current neuro has called me med sensitive. After all these years this is the first time I have needed a med long term and I can't seem to find one that works well or where the side affects don't bother me.

Holly just mentioned the name of it...Flector!! :)

Aww Snoop
I'm sorry you've got so much pain and so little relief. I too have mostly sensory stuff and am med sensitive too. Klonopin is great for anxiety, I've tried some, but don't have a script now.

I've found a bit of relief from the most annoying tinglies in my extremities and upper left ear, from my anti-siezure med (trileptal). I get no relief for the burning/freezing and pressure stuff though.

I found that out last week when I had run out when filling the pill box for the week. When I got the refill, I'd forgotten that I needed to finish filling the pill box. After two days I thought I was relapsing.

When I went to fill my pill box on the last day for the next week, I realized what was missing and quickly popped 2 tabs, then and 2 at bedtime. The next morning tinglies had become more tolerable and I now don't mind taking the med because I do get a bit of relief.

It doesn't take them away entirely, I need to call and see how high I can go. Wellbutrin was the only one that gave my hands any real help. I had a horrible siezure and dislocated my shoulder during it in 2002. Now that I've had a 2nd siezure it is for sure off my list. :(

A pain doc sounds like an excellent plan. I saw one in Denver last year and he is the one that suggested Namenda (alzheimer med) because he's has some success with his MS patients. If you PM me, I can get you his name and number. I'll be starting Namenda on Sunday, my neuro agreed this week.

Good luck with your old neuro. It will be good to find out what he has to say. Be sure and let us know.

:hug: