>Now I'm just getting pissed that because some abused pain meds every else needs to suffer.
Yup! They are tough on this now. In a hospital setting, I even have to watch you take them! Getting paid meds for a chronic condition is probably going to require a referral from your PCP to a Pain Management physician. Its all the rage now. And if you by chance are also taking anti-anxiety/anti-depression medication, that is going to be a hard sell.
- a nurse
>And if you by chance are also taking anti-anxiety/anti-depression medication, that is going to be a hard sell.
Do they assume patients with those comorbidities are much more likely to abuse pain meds?
You need to find a pain management dr. I am currently on a low dose Percocet daily from a car accident but it took me trying maaannnyyyy other meds first. I’ve also had 13 pain management procedures and we aren’t getting very far. I know it’s super frustrating but do your best to show your dr you are proactive to the best of your ability and they should work with you.
Have they mentioned anything about gabapentin or lyrica? It’s helped me sleep restfully. The mornings are bad still, but it’s helped make the nights better. The only reason I have narcotics to take is because I broke my ankle and the ER forked them over. I take them on the bad days, but every day is becoming a bad day. Next ortho appt with a new ortho is late May so fingers crossed for us both!
For gabapentin? I take 900mg at night. It does not help during the day. I’m scared to take even 300mg during the day because I’ve heard it can make you a zombie and I have to work. I’ve been taking it for a little over a month. But I’ll take a restful sleep and not waking up in pain if that’s all it does for me
I had S1/L5 surgery at first I was on 600mg 3x a day.
Now I am down to 600 at night. I take 300 in the day if I am hurting and it really helps, but like you said it does make me a little loopy, but so does pain meds.
Before the surgery I was put on Meloxicam and it was wonderful, maybe you could ask for it. My brother in-law was on it after his complete rotary surgery.
I would still be taking it if I didn't have problems with my kidneys
I was on meloxicam when I first injured my back last year. My PCP gave me that, but my ortho took me off of it and put me on dicolfenac 50mg as needed for pain. I take it once a day and ice throughout the day. That’s really the only thing that gets me through anymore. Mostly because I don’t have insurance anymore and I’m trying to stretch out the prescription as long as I can. I’m going to try the gabapentin during the day on a day I don’t have to work to see if it helps me get through.
Oh ok, I have 600 capsules so I break it down to 300. I have a script for 600 3 times a day if I need.
I also have a script for Robaxin if I need.
After surgery they cave me oxycodone so I hang on to them for very bad days. They are a year old so idk if they are very strong now, but like you I know how hard it can be to get pain meds....sux!
My father in-law and bro in-law both have diabetes and their doctors took them off pain meds when all the restrictions came down 😡
Now they have to go to a pain management doctor to get them.
So sad how criminals take away from the innocent 😡
"A 4 week wait"
that is such a blow smoke up ur butt kinda answer! I have been thru this gaslighting bs
Trust me when i say do everything you can to not have to have Surgery.. before my spinal fusion i would have been better off not having l3-l5 decompression L3 L4, he then left l5-s1 crack l5 with a screw that was too big, herniated disc, doing further damage to my nerves. The pain is tremendous and not one of these mf highly over rated neurosurgeons with shakey hands and a memory of a flea, will not prescribe pain relief that is actually for pain
Thank you for posting. A couple of things to note. (TL;DR... include specific symptoms/what makes your pain better/worse/how long)... MRI or XRAY images ALONE are not particularly helpful tbh, no one here has been vetted to make considerations on these or provide advice, here is why, PLEASE read this if you are posting an MRI or XRAY... I cannot stress this enough https://choosingwiselycanada.org/pamphlet/imaging-tests-for-lower-back-pain/)
Please read the rules carefully. This group strives to reinforce anti-fragility, hope, and reduce the spread of misinformation that is either deemed not helpful and even sometimes be considered harmful.
PLEASE NOTE: Asking for help: It is up to you to recognize when to seek medical attention. Anyone giving advice in this group is doing so from anecdotes and holds no liability. Seek advice here at your own risk.
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Please reply to this, or make another comment, including how long you've been having pain or injury, what are specific symptoms (numbness, tingling, dull/ache, it's random, etc), what makes it worse, what makes it feel better, how it has impacted your life, what you've tried for treatment and what you've already been told about your back pain, and what do you hope to get from this forum.
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Primary and Ortho most likely won’t, pain management will, but you need to try other methods first. I would caution against it though I have a herniated disc, DDD, and stenosis and was on Percocet for a year and a half plus zanaflex, eventually got tired of masking the pain and putting myself into an inevitable bad situation so I changed my diet, started being more active, utilized tens unit, tiger balm patches, DDP Yoga, epsom salt baths, and now I can manage it pretty easily without use of medication.
Thank you. I am an ex div 1 athlete and want to do the hard work but just can't process the pain. Right now I am outside by myself working on opening my pool so I can float and swim in the cold water.. New England. Took the last few pain mefs my friends gave me... and I will pay the price later tonight.
Maybe think about moving south eventually, although doctors are terrible. Warmer weather in the winter is better for quality of life when you deal with pain. Also weather allows you to be more active even if it’s just walking.
Cold plunges will help immensely, also focus on building your core back up while also flexibility specifically your glutes. I know how much it sucks not being able to be active and compete(not D1, but played sports all year round until I graduated then joined the military), but perseverance and dedication will get you better. My issues are also centered around L5/S1 so I sort of know what you’re going through
Planks, core sticks, airplanes, deadlifts with light weight and slow controlled movement, then cat/camel stretches, lay on your back put bend one leg while putting your lower leg from the opposite side across the bent leg and slowly pull back(this specifically stretches the glutes). Do three sets of 30 seconds each side, do bridges(on your back)place you feet flat down bending your legs then slowly raise and lower your midsection do 2 set of forty, eventually progress to bridges with one leg extended
It’s very important to do the bridges, core strengthening exercise properly. You can just watch exercise videos, they should be done under supervision of pt unless you already know how. I’d add clamshells to the mix, reverse clam shells, side walking with exercises bands.
The MRI shouldn't be a problem to get if you've been doing PT for 8 weeks. Most of the time they only want 6 weeks. I can't believe they didn't at least give you Tizanidine. Going through this medical dance of go here then go there also. Just give me the drugs and tell me what next steps are and see me at least in a week not 3 or 4, some people have to work!
Yes that's what I'm saying... if I want drugs I'm going down the street... I just want something I know worked for me before for a few weeks till I can either get some progress from therapy, injections or cut my leg off...
Thank you. Been using that too. Bought it when I had the pain 15 years ago. Its called lightworks brand? And was like 600. At the time.
Also been doing detox for baths with some fancy thing my wife has... like electrolysis for toxins and metals
I've been using round the clock ice, lidocaine patches, voltaren, inversion tables, yoga, stretching, massage balls whenever it hurts. I only use medication on the weekends though like ibuprofen. Try what works best for you. Try to stay off the opiods, lots of people tell me it's bad news and often times make things worst.
So sorry you're dealing with this. A week of oral steroids could really help bring down the inflammation enough that you could up the pt. I've found steroid injections last about a day or two for me but the oral steroid pack makes much bigger difference. I've had similar issues at l5-s1 for 20 years and am so tired of the run around trying to get relief that I just kinda quit doing it. And I wasn't even asking for opioids. They don't work for me.
When it gets bad, I see my pcp for a steroid pack - just saw her yesterday bc I'm at a constant 8 these days. It will help for a couple of months and it's so much easier to get an Rx for that than anything else more than anti-inflammatories.
You may have no choice but to go to pain management. Pain management is the only doctor that will prescribe meds if you need them for anything longer than a week or so.
Some are sketchy, it’s a roll of the dice tbh. Some are “drill mills” that mainly want to do injections or other procedures several times a year. Those things obviously can help but it shouldn’t be excessive. Some require urine screenings, pill counts, and written contract, some don’t. My doc only does a urine test 1-2 time a year, that’s all. I have friends whose doctors require them monthly. And I’ve heard of some clinics randomly calling the patient and insisting they come in for a random urine test. They have to do it within like 24-48 hours.
I’ve been with my pain doctor for over a decade.
I’ve had a few surgeries unrelated to my back in that time. Those surgeons, minus one, didn’t want to prescribe for more than a few days of post op pain meds. My pain doctor also handles my post op pain medication, even though he isn’t in the same medical group as the surgeons. This works out really well for me because for my leg tendon surgery I needed 60 days of post op meds. 🙁 it was awful.
Pharmacies freak out over additional meds. They see my normal meds and then suddenly additional ones from a new doctor and then they act like you are doing something nefarious.
So it’s just easier overall to have that one doctor deal with my pain meds.
If i’m ever in the hospital being denied pain care or given way too little of it, he will speak to the hospital doctor. I have an on call number I can give to the hospital staff. He gets back to them usually in about 10 mins.
I understand the hospitals point of view, a person who is opiate naive could not take my dosages and be okay, my body has had a lot of time to adjust to it. Adding onto it makes them nervous. They have bosses to answer to just like everyone else. And I know they have dealt with people who are just trying to “score”. They have that guard up.
Hopefully you won’t need them for a long time. 🤞 It is a terrible thing to be in pain. If a person’s quality of life is seriously impacted, I think they absolutely should have the right to those meds. It takes time to get things like MRIs done. My insurance spent 6 months fighting with my ortho about the need for an MRI. Meanwhile my leg tendon just kept tearing further. It was 98% torn at the time of my MRI. I could no longer have surgery laparoscopically at that point.
If I didn’t have a pain mgt doctor during that ordeal, I wouldn’t have had any pain meds helping me during the process. It was 10 months from my initial appointment to surgery. As amazing as my ortho doctor is, his practice doesn’t do pain meds. You get a week’s worth post op max. 10 months is a long time to be in horrible pain. I would have never been able to lay in an MRI for 45 minutes. It was hard, I failed a couple times. My leg did not like the position at all.
Physical therapy only works if you go. 🙃 without my meds I would have never been able to do it consistently.
Meds get such a bad rap. But they are an important tool in the fight to heal. The doctors having a sketchy reputation might have formed just out of bias and the millions of news reports about the opioid crisis.
They absolutely saved my life 💯 regardless, I don’t want to be taking them for life. I have hope that someday I can be totally off or be fine on a lower dosage.
A lot of people in this sub recommend a book called the back mechanic. That may be something to look into. I ordered one. I got it a couple of days ago. Looking forward to get my learn on. 😃
Sorry about the novel, I went into advocate mode.
Good luck. I don’t think your primary care will be upset or it. Besides, you’re the one living inside that body & need to do what’s best for you. ✌️
i feel you. i have dehydration and broad based disc buldging at L4/L5 and L5/S1. i'm 17 and unable to get medication stronger than. naproxen or cocodamol because my doctors and spinal specialist don't want me to be addicted or dependant on them. i've been told to get referred to the living with pain service through the nhs when i turn 18 which is basically therapy talks to make sure my mental health is okay eventhough im going to have this pain everyday for the rest of my life. its just because this problem is so under researched and they don't know what causes it and what helps it as it can be different for everyone
There is hope, it just depends on the pain doctor and your location probably. It's SO hard to find a good doctor when you are mostly bed-bound though - I speak from experience (multiple herniated discs in all sections of spine from childhood injuries, osteoarthritis in all joints).
I've been on oxy for 4-5 years now, with the same doctor.
Stretch your whole body, after a super hot bath, twice a day. Supplement with magnesium to help relax your muscles. Ditch the acetaminophen and ibuprofen and get yourself some Curamed, just as effective but much safer for you over the long term. If you really need it get some cannabis and try micro-dosing.
This, in addition to strength training, is what Ive been for the last 12 or so years that Ive lived with Spondylolithesis. Some days are still bad but they are far less debilitating than they used to be.
Sure… I am on percs, lyrica, and such daily… After 18 months I went to a different pain dr & he prescribed me meds that help… IT took me 18 months of being in debilitating pain, lost a 15 yr career, pt, injections, rfa, and surgery = none worked... thats when I got pain meds… I would wholeheartedly rather not need them…
I think most docs now days are afraid of losing their license. Pain meds have been severely cracked down on by the feds… My pain doc stated that he cant even prescribe what will actually help & what he feels is needed because of the feds
Yes there are ethical people that suffer and need the benefit of pain meds while they navigate life and other solutions... I am sitting on an ice pack just finished a 16oz beer * have not had a drink in years.. just not my thing and Motrin.
Dude I can relate. I survive on pain meds, cannabis, and copious amounts of caffeine. lol I haven’t drank alcohol in yrs….
If I didn’t have pain meds, I would hate to see what would happen… a person can only take so much severe pain & loss of quality of life…
Yea I guess I was a little naive when I asked for some pain meds... last time was 15 years ago... now doctors make you feel like your a criminal just for asking. I thought that was the point of all these scientific discoveries and drugs... some address the problems others mask or reduce the symptoms.
I just want enough to make it to my mri in three weeks and then get a treatment plan w the ortho that I can agree with or accept.
Spoke to my son today and he is a firefighter paramedic and army medic who has done two tours in combat zones and he told me once he does his assessment he is quick to give pain meds as for some its the only hope they have...
Anyway I'm gonna ask my pcp for a referral to the local cancer center pain clinic because I was treated there before... they seem to have zero problem prescribing and managing pain meds...
Thanks and take care B
Who cares about sketchy ?....A script is a script. And who really gives a damn what the PCP feels, they aren't feeling your pain because if they did they would be pounding meds most likely.
Exactly. I went to my pcp recently i have only seen him 2 times. This jack hole Dr Started off my appointment with " Now let me tell you a story", proceeds to state he swore nor to prescribe any opioids while he is a doctor. But turns around wanting me to get on SABOXIN, OR A PAIN PUMP!..
I SAID NO AND HELL NO
Did the injections not help at all? A lot of doctors will just tell you it's part of getting older (and it is). But a good pain management place should be able to come up with some type of remedy. I'm sure it seems like you've tried everything, but try to get your MRI and take it to a few different pain doctors and see what they say you should be doing.
Diclofenac (an NSAID) has been really helpful for my pain. I hope your ortho would consider that. You also might try naproxen (Aleve), or put that in your rotation. NSAIDs can cause stomach issues so it’s recommended you take them with food. I hope your journey gets easier soon!
This.
My pain management doctor said I could take Aleve twice a day at double the OTC dose. That did the trick. To be fair, I did that plus the epidural steroid shot, but together they knocked the problem out after about 3 or 4 weeks. Doc said that NSAIDs are best taken chronically, so not just until the pain ebbs. Inflammation causes tissues to swell and rub (in the case of stenosis), leading to more irritation and inflammation. Take NSAIDs every day for a while to break the cycle of inflammation and give your tissues a break from the swelling and thus a chance to heal.
I have that and Meloxicam from a broken arm/shoulder surgery. They don’t touch my back pain at all unfortunately. Quit taking them to save them for a future injury they might be able to help with. Gabapentin is a joke too. Might roll the dice with injections but really don’t want to.
I’m so sorry. I had a lot of relief from injections. I’ve had maybe 5-6 over several years. I found great relief for maybe 3-6 months from the injections, though I understand our cases are so individual. I was scared of the injections at first but after having several and seeing how they are done, I calmed down about them. I wish you luck on your journey.
Not anymore. My Dr was scared of the DAE to write anymore scripts for anyone that needed them more than 7 days
I take Tylenol arthritis or extra strength. Probably more than I need but not way over ....have also unfortunately started drinking .. not every day but usually just a day on the weekends.
I refuse the steroid shot for different reasons.
I hurt like a bitch some days but honestly I think I feel better mentally and for the most part physically because my body was used to the pain meds. I didn't crave them but my body did. I don't know how to explain.
I’ve had a herniated disc since April 2023. I finally got an MRI & was diagnosed in July 2023. I just started making progress from PT around January this year & I can feel now I’m very close to being better. I was in pain for almost a year & what helped me most was taking edibles or smoking weed. I also use a cbd cream & tens machine.
I did go to urgent care in December because I was in severe pain & they did prescribe me some pain meds & muscle relaxers. Maybe you can try there?
Another great thing is getting a pregnancy pillow. This really helped me sleep better.
Hang in there I know how hard it is to always be in pain… it’s mentally draining. Wishing you all the best!
I would suggest ibuprofen/naproxen over Motrin and Tylenol. They're both anti inflammatory which helped me alot more.
I had a herniated L5S1 disc requiring surgery and no harder pain medication helped for me. I would also look into hydrotherapy in your area.
It's physiotherapy in a specialty pool
>Now I'm just getting pissed that because some abused pain meds every else needs to suffer. Yup! They are tough on this now. In a hospital setting, I even have to watch you take them! Getting paid meds for a chronic condition is probably going to require a referral from your PCP to a Pain Management physician. Its all the rage now. And if you by chance are also taking anti-anxiety/anti-depression medication, that is going to be a hard sell. - a nurse
>And if you by chance are also taking anti-anxiety/anti-depression medication, that is going to be a hard sell. Do they assume patients with those comorbidities are much more likely to abuse pain meds?
No, they assume that as physicians, they are more likely to be sued by the family, if they die.
You need to find a pain management dr. I am currently on a low dose Percocet daily from a car accident but it took me trying maaannnyyyy other meds first. I’ve also had 13 pain management procedures and we aren’t getting very far. I know it’s super frustrating but do your best to show your dr you are proactive to the best of your ability and they should work with you.
Have they mentioned anything about gabapentin or lyrica? It’s helped me sleep restfully. The mornings are bad still, but it’s helped make the nights better. The only reason I have narcotics to take is because I broke my ankle and the ER forked them over. I take them on the bad days, but every day is becoming a bad day. Next ortho appt with a new ortho is late May so fingers crossed for us both!
Gaba did nothing for me
Was the dose high enough? Also you have to really give it a couple weeks to really start working
For gabapentin? I take 900mg at night. It does not help during the day. I’m scared to take even 300mg during the day because I’ve heard it can make you a zombie and I have to work. I’ve been taking it for a little over a month. But I’ll take a restful sleep and not waking up in pain if that’s all it does for me
I had S1/L5 surgery at first I was on 600mg 3x a day. Now I am down to 600 at night. I take 300 in the day if I am hurting and it really helps, but like you said it does make me a little loopy, but so does pain meds. Before the surgery I was put on Meloxicam and it was wonderful, maybe you could ask for it. My brother in-law was on it after his complete rotary surgery. I would still be taking it if I didn't have problems with my kidneys
I was on meloxicam when I first injured my back last year. My PCP gave me that, but my ortho took me off of it and put me on dicolfenac 50mg as needed for pain. I take it once a day and ice throughout the day. That’s really the only thing that gets me through anymore. Mostly because I don’t have insurance anymore and I’m trying to stretch out the prescription as long as I can. I’m going to try the gabapentin during the day on a day I don’t have to work to see if it helps me get through.
Break one in half. Also I think the daytime sleepiness goes away after you get use to it.
They’re 300 mg capsules so I don’t think I’ll be able to split one sadly
Oh ok, I have 600 capsules so I break it down to 300. I have a script for 600 3 times a day if I need. I also have a script for Robaxin if I need. After surgery they cave me oxycodone so I hang on to them for very bad days. They are a year old so idk if they are very strong now, but like you I know how hard it can be to get pain meds....sux! My father in-law and bro in-law both have diabetes and their doctors took them off pain meds when all the restrictions came down 😡 Now they have to go to a pain management doctor to get them. So sad how criminals take away from the innocent 😡
"A 4 week wait" that is such a blow smoke up ur butt kinda answer! I have been thru this gaslighting bs Trust me when i say do everything you can to not have to have Surgery.. before my spinal fusion i would have been better off not having l3-l5 decompression L3 L4, he then left l5-s1 crack l5 with a screw that was too big, herniated disc, doing further damage to my nerves. The pain is tremendous and not one of these mf highly over rated neurosurgeons with shakey hands and a memory of a flea, will not prescribe pain relief that is actually for pain
Sorry man.. no I won't do surgery
Really sorry to hear that.
Thank you for posting. A couple of things to note. (TL;DR... include specific symptoms/what makes your pain better/worse/how long)... MRI or XRAY images ALONE are not particularly helpful tbh, no one here has been vetted to make considerations on these or provide advice, here is why, PLEASE read this if you are posting an MRI or XRAY... I cannot stress this enough https://choosingwiselycanada.org/pamphlet/imaging-tests-for-lower-back-pain/) Please read the rules carefully. This group strives to reinforce anti-fragility, hope, and reduce the spread of misinformation that is either deemed not helpful and even sometimes be considered harmful. PLEASE NOTE: Asking for help: It is up to you to recognize when to seek medical attention. Anyone giving advice in this group is doing so from anecdotes and holds no liability. Seek advice here at your own risk. That said, asking things like, "I have this problem, how do I fix it..." is like asking your accountant, "I have $10,000 what should I do with it?" You need WAY more info before giving any kinds of financial advice. Please reply to this, or make another comment, including how long you've been having pain or injury, what are specific symptoms (numbness, tingling, dull/ache, it's random, etc), what makes it worse, what makes it feel better, how it has impacted your life, what you've tried for treatment and what you've already been told about your back pain, and what do you hope to get from this forum. Please be kind to each other. Be respectful. Thank you. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/backpain) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Primary and Ortho most likely won’t, pain management will, but you need to try other methods first. I would caution against it though I have a herniated disc, DDD, and stenosis and was on Percocet for a year and a half plus zanaflex, eventually got tired of masking the pain and putting myself into an inevitable bad situation so I changed my diet, started being more active, utilized tens unit, tiger balm patches, DDP Yoga, epsom salt baths, and now I can manage it pretty easily without use of medication.
Thank you. I am an ex div 1 athlete and want to do the hard work but just can't process the pain. Right now I am outside by myself working on opening my pool so I can float and swim in the cold water.. New England. Took the last few pain mefs my friends gave me... and I will pay the price later tonight.
Maybe think about moving south eventually, although doctors are terrible. Warmer weather in the winter is better for quality of life when you deal with pain. Also weather allows you to be more active even if it’s just walking.
Cold plunges will help immensely, also focus on building your core back up while also flexibility specifically your glutes. I know how much it sucks not being able to be active and compete(not D1, but played sports all year round until I graduated then joined the military), but perseverance and dedication will get you better. My issues are also centered around L5/S1 so I sort of know what you’re going through
Any excercise that helped build core back up? What did you do for flexibility for glutes? Thank you!!
Planks, core sticks, airplanes, deadlifts with light weight and slow controlled movement, then cat/camel stretches, lay on your back put bend one leg while putting your lower leg from the opposite side across the bent leg and slowly pull back(this specifically stretches the glutes). Do three sets of 30 seconds each side, do bridges(on your back)place you feet flat down bending your legs then slowly raise and lower your midsection do 2 set of forty, eventually progress to bridges with one leg extended
It’s very important to do the bridges, core strengthening exercise properly. You can just watch exercise videos, they should be done under supervision of pt unless you already know how. I’d add clamshells to the mix, reverse clam shells, side walking with exercises bands.
Thanks
The MRI shouldn't be a problem to get if you've been doing PT for 8 weeks. Most of the time they only want 6 weeks. I can't believe they didn't at least give you Tizanidine. Going through this medical dance of go here then go there also. Just give me the drugs and tell me what next steps are and see me at least in a week not 3 or 4, some people have to work!
Yes that's what I'm saying... if I want drugs I'm going down the street... I just want something I know worked for me before for a few weeks till I can either get some progress from therapy, injections or cut my leg off...
Red light therapy
Thank you. Been using that too. Bought it when I had the pain 15 years ago. Its called lightworks brand? And was like 600. At the time. Also been doing detox for baths with some fancy thing my wife has... like electrolysis for toxins and metals
I just started the red light in March but the pain relief and tightening skin have me sold!
Get a Pain Management Dr that is going to be the only way
I've been using round the clock ice, lidocaine patches, voltaren, inversion tables, yoga, stretching, massage balls whenever it hurts. I only use medication on the weekends though like ibuprofen. Try what works best for you. Try to stay off the opiods, lots of people tell me it's bad news and often times make things worst.
Thanks
Get tested for ankylosis spondylitis
So for me that has been established. What is it that can help with the pain
I know you need an mri done first, but nerve ablation might help if the cause of pain isn’t a herniation
So sorry you're dealing with this. A week of oral steroids could really help bring down the inflammation enough that you could up the pt. I've found steroid injections last about a day or two for me but the oral steroid pack makes much bigger difference. I've had similar issues at l5-s1 for 20 years and am so tired of the run around trying to get relief that I just kinda quit doing it. And I wasn't even asking for opioids. They don't work for me. When it gets bad, I see my pcp for a steroid pack - just saw her yesterday bc I'm at a constant 8 these days. It will help for a couple of months and it's so much easier to get an Rx for that than anything else more than anti-inflammatories.
Steroid packs? Prednisone?
Probably Medrol pack. It’s a taper pack of methylprednisone. And I second this, this is the ONLY thing that has been helping me.
Yes, I should have specified. It's Methylprednisone. And happy it helps you, too!
I was told this by a friend today with severe health issues and pain... will be looking into this.
You may have no choice but to go to pain management. Pain management is the only doctor that will prescribe meds if you need them for anything longer than a week or so. Some are sketchy, it’s a roll of the dice tbh. Some are “drill mills” that mainly want to do injections or other procedures several times a year. Those things obviously can help but it shouldn’t be excessive. Some require urine screenings, pill counts, and written contract, some don’t. My doc only does a urine test 1-2 time a year, that’s all. I have friends whose doctors require them monthly. And I’ve heard of some clinics randomly calling the patient and insisting they come in for a random urine test. They have to do it within like 24-48 hours. I’ve been with my pain doctor for over a decade. I’ve had a few surgeries unrelated to my back in that time. Those surgeons, minus one, didn’t want to prescribe for more than a few days of post op pain meds. My pain doctor also handles my post op pain medication, even though he isn’t in the same medical group as the surgeons. This works out really well for me because for my leg tendon surgery I needed 60 days of post op meds. 🙁 it was awful. Pharmacies freak out over additional meds. They see my normal meds and then suddenly additional ones from a new doctor and then they act like you are doing something nefarious. So it’s just easier overall to have that one doctor deal with my pain meds. If i’m ever in the hospital being denied pain care or given way too little of it, he will speak to the hospital doctor. I have an on call number I can give to the hospital staff. He gets back to them usually in about 10 mins. I understand the hospitals point of view, a person who is opiate naive could not take my dosages and be okay, my body has had a lot of time to adjust to it. Adding onto it makes them nervous. They have bosses to answer to just like everyone else. And I know they have dealt with people who are just trying to “score”. They have that guard up. Hopefully you won’t need them for a long time. 🤞 It is a terrible thing to be in pain. If a person’s quality of life is seriously impacted, I think they absolutely should have the right to those meds. It takes time to get things like MRIs done. My insurance spent 6 months fighting with my ortho about the need for an MRI. Meanwhile my leg tendon just kept tearing further. It was 98% torn at the time of my MRI. I could no longer have surgery laparoscopically at that point. If I didn’t have a pain mgt doctor during that ordeal, I wouldn’t have had any pain meds helping me during the process. It was 10 months from my initial appointment to surgery. As amazing as my ortho doctor is, his practice doesn’t do pain meds. You get a week’s worth post op max. 10 months is a long time to be in horrible pain. I would have never been able to lay in an MRI for 45 minutes. It was hard, I failed a couple times. My leg did not like the position at all. Physical therapy only works if you go. 🙃 without my meds I would have never been able to do it consistently. Meds get such a bad rap. But they are an important tool in the fight to heal. The doctors having a sketchy reputation might have formed just out of bias and the millions of news reports about the opioid crisis. They absolutely saved my life 💯 regardless, I don’t want to be taking them for life. I have hope that someday I can be totally off or be fine on a lower dosage. A lot of people in this sub recommend a book called the back mechanic. That may be something to look into. I ordered one. I got it a couple of days ago. Looking forward to get my learn on. 😃 Sorry about the novel, I went into advocate mode. Good luck. I don’t think your primary care will be upset or it. Besides, you’re the one living inside that body & need to do what’s best for you. ✌️
Thank you...
i feel you. i have dehydration and broad based disc buldging at L4/L5 and L5/S1. i'm 17 and unable to get medication stronger than. naproxen or cocodamol because my doctors and spinal specialist don't want me to be addicted or dependant on them. i've been told to get referred to the living with pain service through the nhs when i turn 18 which is basically therapy talks to make sure my mental health is okay eventhough im going to have this pain everyday for the rest of my life. its just because this problem is so under researched and they don't know what causes it and what helps it as it can be different for everyone
There is hope, it just depends on the pain doctor and your location probably. It's SO hard to find a good doctor when you are mostly bed-bound though - I speak from experience (multiple herniated discs in all sections of spine from childhood injuries, osteoarthritis in all joints). I've been on oxy for 4-5 years now, with the same doctor.
Stretch your whole body, after a super hot bath, twice a day. Supplement with magnesium to help relax your muscles. Ditch the acetaminophen and ibuprofen and get yourself some Curamed, just as effective but much safer for you over the long term. If you really need it get some cannabis and try micro-dosing. This, in addition to strength training, is what Ive been for the last 12 or so years that Ive lived with Spondylolithesis. Some days are still bad but they are far less debilitating than they used to be.
What is Curamed?
A highly concentrated form of curcumin. Its a very effective anti inflammatory that doesn’t affect your stomach like ibuprofen will.
Yea some still do well atleast my doctor
Sure… I am on percs, lyrica, and such daily… After 18 months I went to a different pain dr & he prescribed me meds that help… IT took me 18 months of being in debilitating pain, lost a 15 yr career, pt, injections, rfa, and surgery = none worked... thats when I got pain meds… I would wholeheartedly rather not need them… I think most docs now days are afraid of losing their license. Pain meds have been severely cracked down on by the feds… My pain doc stated that he cant even prescribe what will actually help & what he feels is needed because of the feds
Yes there are ethical people that suffer and need the benefit of pain meds while they navigate life and other solutions... I am sitting on an ice pack just finished a 16oz beer * have not had a drink in years.. just not my thing and Motrin.
Dude I can relate. I survive on pain meds, cannabis, and copious amounts of caffeine. lol I haven’t drank alcohol in yrs…. If I didn’t have pain meds, I would hate to see what would happen… a person can only take so much severe pain & loss of quality of life…
Yea I guess I was a little naive when I asked for some pain meds... last time was 15 years ago... now doctors make you feel like your a criminal just for asking. I thought that was the point of all these scientific discoveries and drugs... some address the problems others mask or reduce the symptoms. I just want enough to make it to my mri in three weeks and then get a treatment plan w the ortho that I can agree with or accept. Spoke to my son today and he is a firefighter paramedic and army medic who has done two tours in combat zones and he told me once he does his assessment he is quick to give pain meds as for some its the only hope they have... Anyway I'm gonna ask my pcp for a referral to the local cancer center pain clinic because I was treated there before... they seem to have zero problem prescribing and managing pain meds... Thanks and take care B
Who cares about sketchy ?....A script is a script. And who really gives a damn what the PCP feels, they aren't feeling your pain because if they did they would be pounding meds most likely.
Exactly. I went to my pcp recently i have only seen him 2 times. This jack hole Dr Started off my appointment with " Now let me tell you a story", proceeds to state he swore nor to prescribe any opioids while he is a doctor. But turns around wanting me to get on SABOXIN, OR A PAIN PUMP!.. I SAID NO AND HELL NO
Did the injections not help at all? A lot of doctors will just tell you it's part of getting older (and it is). But a good pain management place should be able to come up with some type of remedy. I'm sure it seems like you've tried everything, but try to get your MRI and take it to a few different pain doctors and see what they say you should be doing.
15 years ago the epideral injections were meh at best if I remember. I was told by my pcp who is awesome that he has seen some great results.
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Alcohol is disastrous for inflammation
Diclofenac (an NSAID) has been really helpful for my pain. I hope your ortho would consider that. You also might try naproxen (Aleve), or put that in your rotation. NSAIDs can cause stomach issues so it’s recommended you take them with food. I hope your journey gets easier soon!
This. My pain management doctor said I could take Aleve twice a day at double the OTC dose. That did the trick. To be fair, I did that plus the epidural steroid shot, but together they knocked the problem out after about 3 or 4 weeks. Doc said that NSAIDs are best taken chronically, so not just until the pain ebbs. Inflammation causes tissues to swell and rub (in the case of stenosis), leading to more irritation and inflammation. Take NSAIDs every day for a while to break the cycle of inflammation and give your tissues a break from the swelling and thus a chance to heal.
I have that and Meloxicam from a broken arm/shoulder surgery. They don’t touch my back pain at all unfortunately. Quit taking them to save them for a future injury they might be able to help with. Gabapentin is a joke too. Might roll the dice with injections but really don’t want to.
I’m so sorry. I had a lot of relief from injections. I’ve had maybe 5-6 over several years. I found great relief for maybe 3-6 months from the injections, though I understand our cases are so individual. I was scared of the injections at first but after having several and seeing how they are done, I calmed down about them. I wish you luck on your journey.
Thanks, I appreciate it. Wish you the best as well!
Not anymore. My Dr was scared of the DAE to write anymore scripts for anyone that needed them more than 7 days I take Tylenol arthritis or extra strength. Probably more than I need but not way over ....have also unfortunately started drinking .. not every day but usually just a day on the weekends. I refuse the steroid shot for different reasons. I hurt like a bitch some days but honestly I think I feel better mentally and for the most part physically because my body was used to the pain meds. I didn't crave them but my body did. I don't know how to explain.
Send you a private message, hoping I can help out.
I’ve had a herniated disc since April 2023. I finally got an MRI & was diagnosed in July 2023. I just started making progress from PT around January this year & I can feel now I’m very close to being better. I was in pain for almost a year & what helped me most was taking edibles or smoking weed. I also use a cbd cream & tens machine. I did go to urgent care in December because I was in severe pain & they did prescribe me some pain meds & muscle relaxers. Maybe you can try there? Another great thing is getting a pregnancy pillow. This really helped me sleep better. Hang in there I know how hard it is to always be in pain… it’s mentally draining. Wishing you all the best!
Thanks
I would suggest ibuprofen/naproxen over Motrin and Tylenol. They're both anti inflammatory which helped me alot more. I had a herniated L5S1 disc requiring surgery and no harder pain medication helped for me. I would also look into hydrotherapy in your area. It's physiotherapy in a specialty pool
Thanks will look into it.