Self-Advocacy for Meds - Advice?
 

Hi,

I'm new to this list and am hoping to get some advice. Last January I was diagnosed with a broken coccyx, a herniated disc, and spondylolisthesis (bike accident). The coccyx pain subsided in 4 months, but the nerve pain in my leg is killing me. I jumped through every "conservative treatment" hoop held up by my doctor (PT, chiropractor, acupuncture, massage therapy, steroid pills, and a steroid injection) with 0 result on my pain. I am now awaiting my surgery consultation next week and will be scheduling surgery for as soon after that as possible.

As far as medication, I started out with codeine right after the accident, and was switched to hydrocodone soon after (when it stopped being as effective). Once I developed a tolerance for the hydrocodone, I was instructed to take 2-325 mg tabs of oxycodone every 4-6 hours. Well, it's been a month of taking that and I'm tolerant to it now, too!

I have been VERY vocal with my doctor the entire time in two ways: first, my own reluctance to even be on pain meds (whether or not I need them - it's a matter or pride for me), and second, every time I develop tolerance and need a higher dosage, I feel like I'll be judged as a pill-popper, or weak, or an addict. I finally got over those "issues" though, and on Monday was very direct in asking for something stronger than the oxycodone. It's just not cutting it anymore - and whether that's due to tolerance or an increase in actual pain I'm not sure - but it shouldn't matter. I just need something to get me through until surgery.

But, just when there's a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of actual relief (surgery), I'm running into a wall with my doctor: "Stronger meds will cause addiction, and that's not in your best interest." I feel like tolerating the pain I am in without meds is WORLDS harder than kicking a possible addiction, as I am soooo ready to throw out all these little orange bottles forever! But, no matter what I've said she's just not giving me whatever the next step up in meds is (and I'm not even sure what that even is!). It might be because I'm young that she thinks I may be more likely to be addicted?

Does anyone have any ideas on advocating for a higher dose of pain meds/convincing a doctor I'm not asking because I "want to get high?" I want to be polite, complient, and respectful of her position (she is after all ultimately the gatekeeper of the medication I'm after), but when someone tells me what's in my best interest, it really makes me angry. It's in my best interest to get out of pain! And if I've been strong enough to deal with my injuries and the pain for a whole year without killing myself (which I have seriously considered a few times) I swear to God I'm strong enough to kick an addiction to pain meds. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

pain meds
 

If you are not going to a pain Dr that may be the problem, most Dr's does not like to give the stong stuff.

i presume what you are taking is percocet or the generic there of.....ea tab is 5mg of oxycodone and 325 of tylenol......taking this 2 tabs q 4 hours is putting you at the top end of acceptable tylenol intake and that is only for short term use...2-3 days at a time.....can result in liver damage...
would be much easier to get the oxy separately and throw some tylenol in with some doses but not all.....perhaps your surgeon to be would be willing to prescibe? if you are taking the high end, oxycontin 10/10/10 might do or 10/10/20.....good luck

Interesting...I asked my doctor for a referral to a pain specialist and she immediately got me a prescription for morphine (15mg 2x a day).

this is no where near equivalent to what you were taking....hopefully she left you with the percs for break thru pain; and this was for MScontin, correct...ie sustained release morphine??...there is a 2/3 ratio between oxycodone and morphine....you need half again as much morphine as oxycodone for the same pain relief.....if you were taking the max of the percs you were taking 60 mg of oxy a day.....so the 30 of morphine is going to be spitting in the wind.....GOOD LUCK
ps the sustained meds are best given in 8 hours increments, not 12; especially in the younger person with the faster metabolism

When I have had to deal with a lot of back pain they gave me Hydrocodone 10 mg. I found out if I woundn't take it everyday, it worked better. I'm not saying right after surgery tho. I tried that then too, and the pain got ahead of me and was bad. When staying on pain meds awhile, switch around and sometimes your body don't get as used to them. This is only a suggestion!
Fancy:)

Yes, I realized very quickly that my perception of morphine was no where near the reality of what it did (or more accurately DIDN'T do for me). Now I'm taking 2 oxycodones, 2 morphines, and 1 hydrocodone every 8 hours, which is totally a prescription of my own making, but it's the only thing that works. I have an appointment with a neurosurgeon today and am hoping I can get him to get me a better option.