lumbar spinal problems and X-stop procedure

Dr. Smith · 04-02-2012, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmullen

I'm not too excited about pain pumps or taking morphine to relieve my pain. Right now, I take 500 mg Hydrocodone ....

Hi Carolyn,

Whoa!

I think that's prolly more like 500 mg. acetaminophen (paracetamol/APAP/Tylenol) w/ 5 (to 15) mg. hydrocodone, right?

Hydrocodone is available only in combination with other ingredients¹

¹ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000014/

Nobody in chronic pain is ever excited about having to take narcotic medications. Unfortunately it's the only/best option for some.

I was just about to type something about the "lesser of 2 evils", but that's not right. I almost got caught up in the exact stigma I was about to rail against!

Pain is not evil - it just is. Neither are narcotic medications when used according to directions and under the supervision of a doctor; that is a stigma born of ignorance and misinformation. It's the stigma and resultant fear, guilt, and harm caused by un-/under-treated pain that are evil.

Quote:

Unrelieved pain has many negative health consequences including, but not limited to: increased stress, metabolic rate, blood clotting and water retention; delayed healing; hormonal imbalances; impaired immune system and gastrointestinal functioning; decreased mobility; problems with appetite and sleep, and needless suffering. CNP [Chronic Nonmalignant Pain] also causes many psychological problems, such as feelings of low self-esteem, powerlessness, hopelessness, and depression.

Undertreatment of CNP often results in suicide. In a recent survey, 50% of CNP patients had inadequate pain relief and had considered suicide to escape the unrelenting agony of their pain. Unrelieved pain also leads to requests for physician-assisted suicide, another indicator of pain's harsh impact on the quality of life of many patients and their families.
....
CNP patients with severe, unrelenting pain from permanent structural damage to the neurologic or musculo-skeletal systems are often subjected to expensive and unnecessary surgeries and other painful invasive procedures. Arachnoiditis and reflex sympathetic dystrophy are the most common causes of severe CNP. Other common causes include: post-trauma, adhesions, systemic lupus, headaches, degenerative arthritis, fibromyalgia, and neuropathies.
http://www.cssa-inc.org/Articles/Chronic_Pain.htm

Not wanting to take heavy meds for pain is fine, laudable - it's even normal and healthy. Fear and guilt about taking (or having/needing to take) them is not.

Your post is the first I've heard of the "X-Stop" procedure (by that name, anyway), but I'm going to look into it further (have my own issues down there - L4-S1). Thanks,

Doc

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