I have a medication related question . . . . Right now I'm on oxycodone 15mg/5 times a day, and take amitryptiline at night (10mg). I have gone through multiple nsaids, non narctoic pain relievers, patches, neurontin, lyrica, tramadol, vicoden, etc . . . . And they all either have awful side effects that I can't tolerate, or do nothing for the pain. For a couple months my doctor had me on morphine controlled release and 5mg oxycodone for breakthrough, but I couldn't stand the morphine, made me so sick to my stomach and I felt so tired, even with smaller doses. So he ended up raising my oxycodone to 15 and that is all I can take during the day.

Lately, as I have been trying to not use my boot and do my physical therapy excersices, I have been having really bad flare ups and breakthrough pain almost every day. I take my medication exactly on schedule, and don't take an extra pill because I don't want to get in trouble. At my last pm appointment I talked to my doctor about my flares and breakthrough pain, and told him that I can't function or work when it happens. He told me to take the lyrica when it gets bad. His therory is that since I'm not working or functioning at all when the pain is so bad, the side effects from it (total zombie like state, general feeling of being not all there) should be fine since I'm not doing anything anyways. But my goal would be to control the pain and still function. I don't want to be seen as a drug seeker, but I can't stand taking the lyrica, and I've had another doctor tell me that it doesn't really work to it's full extent unless it's taken regularly. I don't know if that's true or not, but I would just like to be able to function. I know that's probably too much to ask for full out flare ups, but most days, especially in the morning and evening, my pain is out of control. I'm usually home by 1pm (leaving work early) to lay down because I can't do anything else.

How do I talk to my doctor about this without sounding like I'm asking for drugs? I don't care what it is, as long as I have something there to treat breakthrough pain.