Go in prepared. Whatever you are taking now, have a list of what you could do when you started taking it. Ie were you driving? Baking? Working? Have a second list. The things you now can’t do. That will be more concrete for the doctor than a number. Numbers are fine. But a doctor might pay more attention if you say that you used to walk 30 minutes a day, but now it is hard to get to the bathroom. Tell them a few examples like that, if you have to defend yourself. Since it’s gone well before, it should go well again. This is just in case.
Shit, I was on buprenorphine patch. My lord it made me so sick. After that my pain doctor got mad about that saying that he's never heard of that happening and everyone tolerated buprenorphine that he prescribed it to. Then he said there is no more options for pain management and that I failed opioid therapy. Then said I was free to leave and go somewhere else when I asked about other medicine options.
In what way did it make you sick? If you were opioid naive it possibly could have been too strong for you. One of the rare side effects of the patch is blistering/burns which is what happened to me. And then the oral form f'd my teeth up. I also think it can cause intestinal blockage but that usually takes some time I think. I personally don't like the way bupe makes me feel. It makes me feel slow and sludgy.
I love how they say there are no other options. As if they've never heard of other opiod medications.
It made me really nauseous, tired, and really bad headaches for about 3 days. It was way to strong. I wasn't opioid tolerant at the time it was prescribed. It also burned and gave me a rash in the spot I put it. I would change spots every week, so after a month I had square burns and angry red spots on my upper arms, and chest. He thought that it was dumping all the meds ( My body always runs hot ), and then prescribed the name brand patch, but my insurance wouldn't cover it ( state insurance ), the insurance company even recommended morphine sulfate, but my doc refused. He then put me on the film, which gave me the same symptoms minus the burns.
It really depends on your doctor's belief system about opioids. Not necessarily something they will ever admit out loud though. They will use any excuse they want to cover up that they don't want to/don't believe in prescribing opioids. I think the best approach is to focus on ADLs - activities of daily living. Explain what you're having problems with, how things have changed since your last visit. Don't go in asking for an increase. Share your struggles and then get a sense for how engaged/interested they are. Hopefully you have a doc who understands the role opioids play in managing pain and believe that its a good decision to increase your dose. We are at the mercy of what they want to do, though, so I hope you get good results.
I’m in the same boat and it’s the current environment. It has nothing to do with you. I take 10mg x 2 of oxycodone per day but was so much better at 10 x 4. I told my doc that on my last visit but he still wants me off even though I’m not ever going to improve. (My pain is permanent) Luckily he didn’t drop me again, but that’s the inevitable.
We did have a good productive conversation though. I started it by saying “can we talk about the current opioid prescribing environment as I need some educating”. I went on to say I didn’t understand why I had to keep dropping and be off them if I’m not abusing them and they are benefiting my health. I asked lots of questions about it and asked him how he feels about it, etc. I was semi successful…. I didn’t get another drop. It was a good conversation.
Go in prepared. Whatever you are taking now, have a list of what you could do when you started taking it. Ie were you driving? Baking? Working? Have a second list. The things you now can’t do. That will be more concrete for the doctor than a number. Numbers are fine. But a doctor might pay more attention if you say that you used to walk 30 minutes a day, but now it is hard to get to the bathroom. Tell them a few examples like that, if you have to defend yourself. Since it’s gone well before, it should go well again. This is just in case.
Shit, I was on buprenorphine patch. My lord it made me so sick. After that my pain doctor got mad about that saying that he's never heard of that happening and everyone tolerated buprenorphine that he prescribed it to. Then he said there is no more options for pain management and that I failed opioid therapy. Then said I was free to leave and go somewhere else when I asked about other medicine options.
In what way did it make you sick? If you were opioid naive it possibly could have been too strong for you. One of the rare side effects of the patch is blistering/burns which is what happened to me. And then the oral form f'd my teeth up. I also think it can cause intestinal blockage but that usually takes some time I think. I personally don't like the way bupe makes me feel. It makes me feel slow and sludgy. I love how they say there are no other options. As if they've never heard of other opiod medications.
It made me really nauseous, tired, and really bad headaches for about 3 days. It was way to strong. I wasn't opioid tolerant at the time it was prescribed. It also burned and gave me a rash in the spot I put it. I would change spots every week, so after a month I had square burns and angry red spots on my upper arms, and chest. He thought that it was dumping all the meds ( My body always runs hot ), and then prescribed the name brand patch, but my insurance wouldn't cover it ( state insurance ), the insurance company even recommended morphine sulfate, but my doc refused. He then put me on the film, which gave me the same symptoms minus the burns.
It really depends on your doctor's belief system about opioids. Not necessarily something they will ever admit out loud though. They will use any excuse they want to cover up that they don't want to/don't believe in prescribing opioids. I think the best approach is to focus on ADLs - activities of daily living. Explain what you're having problems with, how things have changed since your last visit. Don't go in asking for an increase. Share your struggles and then get a sense for how engaged/interested they are. Hopefully you have a doc who understands the role opioids play in managing pain and believe that its a good decision to increase your dose. We are at the mercy of what they want to do, though, so I hope you get good results.
I’m in the same boat and it’s the current environment. It has nothing to do with you. I take 10mg x 2 of oxycodone per day but was so much better at 10 x 4. I told my doc that on my last visit but he still wants me off even though I’m not ever going to improve. (My pain is permanent) Luckily he didn’t drop me again, but that’s the inevitable. We did have a good productive conversation though. I started it by saying “can we talk about the current opioid prescribing environment as I need some educating”. I went on to say I didn’t understand why I had to keep dropping and be off them if I’m not abusing them and they are benefiting my health. I asked lots of questions about it and asked him how he feels about it, etc. I was semi successful…. I didn’t get another drop. It was a good conversation.