Re;pain tolerance; Neurontin 2400ml.bid since2007... with 5mg.bid of oxycodoneHCL since nov.2008 w?
with 200 mil.ultram once a day... no extra med for breakthru pain... my pain is getting worse..is it appropriate to ask my dr. for more/or higher dose at this time? Is my tolerance within normal time frame? thanx... Earth..
Is it appropriate to ask for higher dose of pain meds?
Question posted by earth on 7 Aug 2010
Last updated on 14 June 2018
Added 7 Aug 2010:
Im a beginner so to speak re; the pain Im haveing on a daily basis....its wearing me down..am I a woos? well yes I am but how much of a woos am I allowed do you think?
9 Answers
Vegideb
26 Jan 2018
I was just prescribed 50mg of lyrica for fibermyalga... I take it at night but I still have pain thru out the day. I don’t want to take the lyrica in the morning as it makes me so sleepy. Is it appropriate to ask for norco to take in the mornings ? Anyone else ask for that?
Junielle
22 Dec 2011
Hi, Earth, I am going to try to answer your question by outlining some of the treatments that are offered to manage PHN. Because there is no "cure", it is usually recommended that more than one treatment be used. There is some history to support anti-seizure meds, like Neurontin or Lyrica. They can settle down the hyperactive nerve endings, but it takes time and will not work the same way for everyone, but some will note a benefit. Another treatment class might be Lidoderm patches to place on the area. If you wait out the itching/ irritation, you could get some benefit. Some drugs which were used for depression could also be helpful. Examples are nortriptyline and Elavil. These would take several weeks and might have some side effects, but do help some people. Stronger pain meds can help and should be available to you if needed, but they will only partially relieve PHN pain. They can be very helpful.
They can make the difference between being in bed all day, moaning and struggling against pain, or being up and engaged in life.
However, politics has entered the sphere. Patients are often viewed as potential or actual drug criminals and will have to provide urine for checks. We will be asked if we have ever been to drug rehab, on and on, just because we have disabling pain and go to the professionals who treat these conditions. We want relief so we can stay out of the bed, so we can be productive family members and citizens. Let's support and learn from each other. Be blessed. Junielle
JMCorvette1963
6 Nov 2011
You are not very specific on what kind of pain? Is the nerve pain or the muscle aches? I can answer, I have been through the medications with the pain mainagement specialist. Can tell you more, once you be more specific.
troyonll
2 Jan 2011
The doctor once had me on oxycontin... The little gold 40 milligrams ones. They were the best thing I had ever taken for the mis diagnosed back injury I had when I was 18. I could actually walk, stoop, bend over, etc... without the pain it seemed like I always had. Especially my legs. Well, I took this as proscribed for a while and everything was great, I could work again, I had energy and no pain hardly at all. I thought it was a miracle drug. Until l it started causing problems. I really became severely addicted. But I always said the same thing... If I stop taking them the pain gets more intense and I can't function at all, So I rationalized in my mind... Until things got really bad and I got into trouble and had to go to re-hab. That was the best thing that ever happened to me. Because at re-hab they got me off of them with minimal discomfort. Not like sitting at home and jonesing all day...
so I found that the intense pain I felt when I ran out of the pills was really the pills themselves... my original pain was not nearly as bad as withdrawal pain. So my point is, And please don't get me wrong, there are a lot of people that need pain meds, so this isn't for everybody... But if you kinda recognize yourself here then know that there are ways out of the nightmare without going through intense withdrawal symptoms. Research on the web and get the help you need because life is short. Now I'm taking loratab 7.5's, which these can be addicting to, to a lot of people. But thank God they dont seem to bother me to much when I run out, Just a little tired for a couple of days... and of course back pain again. But nothing like the oxycontin I was taking at all. So I guess the point is make sure the meds match the pain. I hope this is helpful to someone.
skater1215
4 Sep 2010
People say that Ultram isn't an opiate but it does help with pain. You can tell your doctor that it your dose needs to be adjusted but Ultram can only be used at max. 400mg/day. So if it doesn't help at higher doses, talk to your dactor and see if you can switch medications. P.S. Ultram has a verry high tolerence.
~skater1215
Mddavis14
14 June 2018
Ultram is an opioid medication, it also has properties of an SSRI. So it's double dangerous
blackfoot62
3 Sep 2010
i am new to this group but not new to neuropathy. i have sufferd for years. i have nerve damage from spinal troubles. the best advice i can give is to try either a portable tens unit or something a little different like lyrica. i take 450mg a day, and 5/500 lortab 4 times a day. it still is painful but i have came to grips with reality that it will never go away. the worst part for me is the pin and needles tingling in my legs and feet, especially when i lie down to go to sleep.at one time i was on kadian (morphine sulfate) but i asked to go down a little so i could function. i hope you the best but i personally found out that it is not how much pain meds i was on, but rather my frame of mind. good luck.
Inactive
8 Aug 2010
Its always okay to ask for something stronger if you are in pain management its expected actually. If you have proof of your pain(MRI) they never have a problem giving you all the pain meds you want in PM. If its just a regular physician i wouldnt worry about bothering but if your not in PM he could help you get there(referral). Good luck dear i hope you get your help you need.
melissab(twilightfan85)
8 Aug 2010
my family doctor was actually the one giving me the GOOD pain meds. when he sent me to PM... thats when that quack lowered my dosaged and the amount of pills i take. it all depends on whick dr you go to. now i have problems just getting out of bed and doing chores around the house. it really sucks. i have to take 2 at a time to affect me. or buy them off of other ppl which is dangerous and illegal. im gonna quit that though. im better than that. its taking a toll on my relationship with my fiance and my parents. they think im addicted (which can be highly likely with these kind of pain meds) but this is not the case for me. i take it simply for the pain. if i didnt, i wouldnt be able to move! they are begining to think i have fibromyalgia... i just want some relief so i dont have to take meds anymore. i want someone to actually fix me... i feel soooooooo broken!!!
Inactive
8 Aug 2010
God tell me about it girl im so sorry you are in so much pain i totally understand im gettin the breeze from my family,friends and husband shit even my son. I tell them the same thing i just cant function without them i really cant i dont want to clean or cook for my family its miserable truely miserable! Yeah it definantly depends on what doctor you see ive met some big ass****s that got their boxers in a bunch anytime i asked for pain meds. but i can consider myself lucky i found a doctor finally that understands and its gratifying you really need to shop around to find one of a kind like mine she is a sweet doctor. There is one out there for you and i hope everyone finds an understanding doctor cause pain is not easy to deal with and it sure aint easy to understand it.
wildbrat
12 Aug 2010
I's alway appropriate to ask for what you need and yes it isn't easy to find someone that will listen to you. Dr.s do not know how bad we feel pain wise unless they have been there and most of them haven't. Dont let them bully you because they will try, you know your body and you shouldn't have to be buying them from friends if they would just listen to you. If one DR. won't listen then find one that will. I on the other hand am on a restricted program thru my insurance company so i have to get approved everytime i want to find a DR. and i am in the middle of switching because i have moved. So i am being strong and making them listen. they are already trying to change things and want me to go to a pain program. which i am open to trying new things, but dont mess with my meds. also educate yourself on your condition and medications so when you do go in there you have some knowledge.
melissab(twilightfan85)
4 Sep 2010
im trying to get into a new pain management center. the only problem is i have to wait about 2 months for an appointment to get in there. im wondering if the place i go to now will still see me until i get to that appointment. i know my family dr (pcp) will not help until then. he refuses to see me for my anxiety or back pain anymore. here's the story behind that: i went to my pcp for sleep problems. a student (intern) was taking all of his cases that day. she did great with my sleeping disorder. as i was about to leave she handed me my script for my lorcets. i told her i was suppose to come back for them in a couple of weeks. she told me to hold onto the script. i asked if i needed to come back for my appointment since i already had the script. she said "well, i'll just hold onto it then till you come back". i never took my script home with me. my fiance was there and can verify that.
i went back a couple weeks later for my script and my pcp said that i already got it at my last visit. i told him the student had kept it. he said "here's what im gonna do, im gonna write you one last script and refer you to pain manangement." i guess he didnt believe me at all. his fake red flags must have been flying. i took medical assisting classes and i know documentation is everything. its on the books that she gave me that script. she never went back and said i didnt get it... or put it in my file. that student really screwed me over. im pissed and horrified that they think im a liar. as for the student... she is gone. nobody has seen or heard from her. now im in this downward spiral of bad PM and bad scripts that dont help. im going back on the 8th to give it another shot. im gonna tell him that im still in pain. if he refuses to give me something stronger, im out! i WILL find someone that treats me as a person with pain instead of a junkie looking for a fix. i honestly hope everyone here has found someone (dr) that understands them and their pain. everyone is unique. we all need different types of meds and special care. im praying that i find that special care somewhere!
shellyclasby60
2 Jan 2011
absolutly, there ARE docktors out there who write pain meds as thier JOB that is their speciality and ppl like us who can;t actuaully function normally without crying in pain not waling withering it is suicidal crazinest! We I YOu anyone of us have to be strong and just get our meds that we are supposed to get, and do not let them talk you into lyrica nerontin they do NOIT work yoy need narcotics oxycontin or condone and be careful ppl like to steal it so keep it safe!
Jjjake65
29 April 2012
Hi Annomyous,
I too have chronic pain from neuropathy. I was on pain meds. Norco 10 which helped when I had muscle pain from the leg cramping, especially at night. Nerve pain, I honestly believe there is no medication that takes it away. I was sent to a pain mgt. clinic. They started me on MSContin 2x day and 3xnorco breakthrough. I told the dr I didn't want to take something every day because some days ibuprofen was enough, other days pain so bad norco helped, but not with nerve pain. Anyway, I ended up on high doses os narcotics because they told me I had to take them in the am "to keep pain from getting ahead" now I have no insurance, had to go on suboxone to get off and before I screwed up with the sub. Felt better th an I have in years off pain meds. 600mg ibuprofen works about as good as the norcos. I think I was making myself believe I needed more because my body was craving it. I was waking in the night only to have to take pain meds.
I learned how to do deep breathing and yoga. The breathing is the only thing that comes close to taking nerve pain away. I wish everyone could learn the technique . It takes a lot of practice and nerve pain is hard to ignore to be able to do it. I wish you the best. I know how hard chronic pain can be but for me, higher doses of narcotics made it worse. I can't wait to be off of all, at this point the pain is more tolerable then craving pain pills! Good luck!
melissab(twilightfan85)
8 Aug 2010
ask for something stronger! hell my dr started me out on lorcet 10/650s. they helped my back pain and made it where i could function and play with my kids again! then he referred me to pain management and they cut my pills down from 120 a month to 60 a month. and they cut the dosage to 7.5s. i dont like it... it dont help, and neither did the steroid shot they just pumped into my lower back! but we ARE the bosses of our bodies. nobody knows the hurt we go through except for us. each person handles pain differently. i think you should ask your dr for something stronger. if he doesnt give it to u, find someone that will! thats what im gonna do!
kimmie1
8 Aug 2010
Earth. Quite an unusally name.(sp) I like it though. Ultram is not even a narcotic. Yes I would ask my doctor for something else. If he refuses, ask for a referral or ask a friend for there thoughts. You are the boss. All though they are the ones who write the scripts. We are at there mercy.
oxyaaron
22 Nov 2010
ultram is a narcotic and a very addictive one at that
shellyclasby60
29 Dec 2010
No it is not unusual to ask for more pain meds my God... first of all not all Docktors feel comftable writing pain meds, you should ask to for a pain clinic referra. With that in hand you may explain to a pain Dockto would evaluate your pain and suggest what you should have which clears Your primary of ALL responcibility of writing paine meds as a specialist gave you back a referal. I f that does'nt work then start calling around with the help of the pain clinic as they told me what docktors in my areaccept my insurance and DO write pain meds and you may have to find a new Docktor..and be sure they accept new patients with your insurance.. There are many dr.'s who specialize in pain specifically. I have perephial neuropathy and am given 30 mg of oxycodone a day! And with out that I couldn't function, you people on neurontin BE ADVSED it DOES NOT WORKKKKK I will assure you you still have paine because neurontin does not help with pain.
I've seen a million ppl on it noone has had pain relief.. please tell your dr. neurontin makes you feel wird suicidal anything just get him to get you off it and on real paine killers I even had fentanyl patches which I choose to not use 100 mcg so stron dying pts get them, as neruopatrhy is one of the most painful conditions out htere besides dying of cancer... So speak up and get yourself a damn docktor who will empathixe how much pain you are in as i need a pill every 4 hrs and if I'm late my pain actually makes me sick to my stomach its so severe!
Alexandera
25 Sep 2011
I have a response for Earth and then a question for kimmie1. Earth, you are not a woos! Until you experience it personally, one cannot imagine neuralgia pain. And when you experience it constantly--for months, or even years--it does wear you down, as you said. I've had it now for 2.5 years and am struggling to maintain my managment job. And forget a personal life; I'm single and it's non-existent. After work and on weekends I'm so happy not to have to try to function in pain, I just collapse. Hang in there. That's what we have to do until we find something that can make this condition more tolerable. To that end, kimmie1, how are you functioning on oxycodon, every day? Can you drive? think? make decisions?
mimipopo11
5 Jan 2012
I've been diaganosed with four bulging disks, degenerative disk disease and small curvature of the spine. This was diagnosed in september 2010. In order to receive pain meds I had to sign a narcotics contract. Has anyone else ever had to do this.
mdwag
16 Sep 2012
Welcome to the group! You will find so many of us are in the same boat. When you are in pain you are in pain. When the pain interrupts your life completely, it is time to talk to your doctor. Being open and honest with your doctor is the best way to feel better. When you are suffering pain, allot of times your blood pressure will be elevated. It is better to get the medicine you need, life is to short to live in pain. Good luck!
Related topics
neurontin, ultram, migraine, peripheral neuropathy, pain, persisting pain, shingles, fibromyalgia, postherpetic neuralgia
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