Pain Management
 

What are the feelings here on using medication for Chronic Pain?

Re: Pain Management
 

I am currently going thru pain mgmt with an awesome dr who is one of the drs in practice with a very awesome spine specialist. I do not think there is a thing wrong with it as long as.... and I do stress as long as it is being followed with all the other necessary ingredients. Pain mgmt does not just consist of pain medication at all... most cases need serious physical therapy,,, and in my case injections have been at times a life saver and at times not... but again pain mgmt is NOT just medication treatment and if that were the case I would indeed be against it.

Re: Pain Management
 

If you are in pain, pray over your meds and take them.

:D

Re: Pain Management
 

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Pain Management
 

Nothing wrong with pain meds but I would make sure it was not an addictive med and use it sparingly. Some pain is better relieved with regular doses. It really depends on the type of pain, what your pain tolerance level is, and trying alternative methods.

Re: Pain Management
 

One doesn't get addicted to pain meds when they take them for pain and as prescribed, so don't worry about whether or not they are addictive. However, when one is in pain management for a chronic condition, the reality is that you will be addicted to anything you take, but that doesn't really matter since the long term problem is...well....long term.

Pain management isn't only about medications, but pain control using non-pharm methods as well. This also helps keep addictions to pain meds low.

Re: Pain Management
 

I thank everyone for their comments. It has been a hard 5 years for my family, but we are blessed to have a good doctor. Can't say the same about the surgeons we have ran into, but that is a whole other story.

God bless

Re: Pain Management
 

That's actually not true. Many recorded cases of becoming addicted even though they followed the prescription.

Re: Pain Management
 

That is not what she said... she said if you follow and are taking it for the pain/right reasons... if you take a pain med according to the script but arent suffering the pain... you are addicted and it is a problem... some people will get a script for something pain wise and take and take and take it when its not necessary thats the issue. Most pain meds say take every 4-6 hrs AS NEEDED for pain... if the pain stopped a month ago and they still have those pain meds and keep taking them every 4-6 hrs yep they are going to be addicted! Or already are!

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I'll take your leftovers.

Just kidding.:party

Re: Pain Management
 

Actually I fully understood what she said. Do some research on Oxycontin. Many who while using as prescribed and during pain became addicted and when they could get off the meds because the injury/pain was gone they were unable to stop because they were addicted.

Re: Pain Management
 

To understand what an addiction means, you have to understand the pathophysiology in relation to pain. Following a prescription doesn't keep one from being addicted or vice versa. There is a time when a prescription no longer has to be followed because the issue that prompted the prescription has changed at some point, for most people anyway. When people continue following a prescription instead of orders that preclude the prescription, addictions can occur, but that's not what I was talking about above.

For those who suffer from chronic pain, there is a claim that is made that they are addicted, but understand that they are NOT addicted. They need the pain meds to control their chronic pain!

For those who don't suffer from chronic pain, narcotic pain meds shouldn't be taken for longer than 3 months. If one does so, that's when addiction occurs, because of one of several factors.

a. The pain isn't well controlled but they don't tell their doctor and thus get a different med to try.

b. They take the meds in anticipation of pain whether it's actual or not.

c. The pain isn't bad enough to require a narcotic med, but they take it anyway.

Those are just a few of the possibilities that aids in someone becoming addicted to pain meds.

But again, for those who take meds for chronic pain, there is no addiction to be had from the meds because THEY NEED THEM!

Think of it this way...a diabetic needs to take insulin to control his blood glucose levels. If he doesn't take it, odd things will occur in his body. Does this mean he's addicted to insulin? No. He has to take it for control of blood glucose...much in the same way someone takes pain meds to control pain.

Re: Pain Management
 

Sheesh, why did I just waste time responding? LOL!

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LOL... you said it much better then I did LOL

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Then they didn't follow orders.

Even in a nursing home, where many are on narcotic meds, if it's for an acute problem (we have a lot of rehab patients), they initially take the max amount a day, but as time passes, they take less and less, and finally just end up taking Tylenol and no longer need the narcotics.

Sorry, but I don't believe that someone takes Oxycontin for a broken pelvis for a few weeks and SUDDENLY wants to stop taking them and cannot. Nope. Doesn't happen. Most people wean themselves off during the course of treatment. Narcotics should NEVER be stopped suddenly anyway.

Re: Pain Management
 

I thought you did better than I!

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LOL

Re: Pain Management
 

I have been on narcotic pain killer for almost a year now taking them just about every 6 hours just like they are prescribed. When the weather warmed up I went without taking them long enough for withdraw to set in if I were addicted, but it didn't. I think a lot has to do with the personality of the person taking the pills, some folks get addicted to things a whole lot easier than others. Just my .02.

Re: Pain Management
 

I am sure statistically most do not get addicted, but to say "not to worry about it" would be foolish because even youth "you" don't believe it doesn't mean that it hasn't happened. Too much evidence to support otherwise. Oxycontin for one just lost a major lawsuit or settled it (don't remember which) and they didn't do it because they were nice people.

Re: Pain Management
 

For someone to bring up a lawsuit against a drug company because they got addicted to the drug is really a waste of time and money, because the side effects tell you that it may cause addiction!! It's a narcotic.

That's like naming soda pop companies in a lawsuit because you are addicted to caffeine. It's stupid, excuse my bluntness.

Again, when people take them only for what they are prescribed for, they don't get addicted. Those I've read about who became addicted continued taking them long after they didn't need them anymore, and THAT'S when the addiction happened. Not before or during the needed therapy.

I'll give you an example. Duragesic patches are like 100 times more powerful than Morphine. People who wear these patches are those in chronic pain. Their dosages have to be titrated upward every once in a while due to a tolerance that occurs.

Now, if you suddenly have them stop wearing the patches, they will go through withdrawals. NOT because they are addicted, but when someone is on narcotic medication, you DO NOT suddenly stop taking them. You wean yourself off. Doing it the right way results in someone getting off the drug without addictive side effects.

You won't find any news story where someone did the above with any narcotic medication and found themselves hopelessly hooked! It just doesn't happen when it's done the right way.

Do you know what happens to people addicted to meds that go into rehab? The rehab titrates them downward, like they should have done themselves, until they are drug free! 30 days later, they are released from the rehab, good as new.

It's not only narcotic meds that have to be done this way, but most anti-depressants, steroids, and most meds that alter the chemicals of the brain and body should be done in the same manner. One can go through withdrawals if they suddenly stop taking their anti-depressant meds, but I'd hardly suggest it's because they are addicted to them. However, the body is dependent on them, so they should be titrated down.

Hope that helps.

Re: Pain Management
 

oxycontin is a rough one though even for people with chronic pain. The side effects can be terrible. I have not ever used it at all, but if I had Chronic pain, I would beg for something, anything, different than Oxycontin. From what I have seen, even when you need it for pain, your body tells you when it is time for your next dosage.

Re: Pain Management
 

I took Oxycontin for a while and never had a problem with it. I give it to patients where I work for chronic pain and they don't have a problem with it either. But I do agree that it's rough.

Percocet is Oxycontin and Tylenol combined. Lots of people take that med and have no problems.

I used to take Oxycontin and Vicodin together. I wouldn't suggest that, but I did so to get rest when I was suffering from chronic pain a few years ago. Thankfully, I had surgery that corrected my affliction and no longer suffer from pain at all.

Re: Pain Management
 

I am happy for you! :bliss The side affects I have seen with Oxycontin is bad sweats, can't wake the person up at times, diarreah, nausea, bad anxiety........this is when dosage is fine and some of them is when a dose is late. The person I know that has to take it has had 3 back surgeries and still in pain. He had 2 of the surgeries in one year......waited almost 5 yrs before the last one only because he was losing use of one of his legs. The last surgery did fix the leg somewhat, but the pain is still there. They tell him there is nothing more they can do now. He hates the thought of being on meds forever. With the help of his doctor, he has lowered his dosage, but now he is stuck due to pain.

Re: Pain Management
 

Thank you for making my point, but I appreciate your input

Re: Pain Management
 

Ah, you mean I can't sue Maxwell House!?? :reaction

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No, but you should step up to some gourmet...the can stuff just doesn't do! :crazywalls

Re: Pain Management
 

Us po folk don't have starbucks in our neck of the woods!

Nah, really though, have you tried the Maxwell House Columbian Bold? Man, that's some good coffee!

Re: Pain Management
 

I am probably going to get my head handed to me on a platter for saying this, but marijuana is excellent for pain management. It's a shame the government won't allow people to use it for such purposes.

Re: Pain Management
 

I've had times this last winter I would have taken just about anything to kill the pain not caring about addictions or anything else. It's amazing, but when you are on the outside of pain that won't go away you can afford to be judgmental (not that anyone was on this thread), but when you are in that kind of pain you really just don't care anymore.

Re: Pain Management
 

:boxing

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You missed the context, didn't you?

It may cause addiction, and that's because people abuse it. It's no different than any other drug, including illegal drugs, alcohol, and even caffeine. But it's the abusers who end up addicted.

Re: Pain Management
 

I definitely am not trying to argue but I must disagree with your comment about its only abusers that end up addicted.

My husband has had 2 major back surgeries and is going to have another in June. He is a retired police detective who hurt his back in the line of duty. He cannot stand to take pills of any kind. The only kind of medication that gives him any relief at all is oxycontin. He is prescribed it 3 times a day. Most days he gets by with only 2 and usually takes 2-3 percocets( also given by dr ) for break thru pain. But let him miss a dose or be much longer that 12 hours since his last oxycontin and he will definitely start into withdrawls. It scares him because the withdrawls are so severe. He says he can't imagine having to go thru full withdrawls from this. Now, this is a man who up until this injury, had never taken anything but tylenol or aspirin for his pain. So to say that if it is only taken as needed for pain that you won't become addicted, simply isn't true with every one. I'm sure most people who have ever taken this drug would agree.
Debbie

Re: Pain Management
 

How long has he been taking it? If you read my posts where I talk about chronic pain, you will see that I exclude those people because of the long-term usage. I also didn't say that only abusers end up addicted, but that is the case with most.

I'm sorry for your husband's pain. There's nothing like chronic back pain to mess up someone's life, as well as the lives of those who care for them.

Re: Pain Management
 

My husband has been on it about 7 years. He has known for a long time that he needed another surgery. He just tried to put it off as long as possible, but he has finally given in. I feelso sorry for him. The pain has robbed him of so much in his life. I justr pray that this will help got him some relief so that he is not in as much pain all the time. I'm sorry if I sounded short. I did not mean to at all.

Re: Pain Management
 

You didn't sound short at all. I deal with people in chronic pain all the time. The state and insurance requires that every so often, we titrate them down off their meds, but most of the time, the pain increases, so we have to move them back up to where they were for the highest pain control possible.

Looking back, there are several things in this thread that need clarification that should have been done long ago on my part. Kinda late now unless someone brings it up again...LOL!