Tomorrow (well, today as it is past midnight), I get to find out if my pain management doc will continue to treat my pain or if he's cancelling it. And I feel so scared and apprehensive since I fear that he wont refill my prescriptions and I will go into withdrawals.
Every month I have to submit a urine sample when I see him. And according to him, I had one sample that came back from the month before he put me on hydromorphone 4mgs that showed traces of morphine in my urine. Then he said a second urine sample from the following month showed no traces of morphine but now it showed traces of hydrocodone. I have explained to him that sometimes I have to take 4 pills instead of 3 (specially when I'm passing a kidney stone which is about once a week) and I sometimes will run out of my meds early. Then I have to go through the medicine cabinet and find whatever I can from previous prescriptions, just to get me by.
Well, this has happened twice. The one test that showed traces of morphine before the hydromorphone really has me perplexed as I have never taken anything that wasnt prescribed to me, and I had never been prescribed morphine based meds until the hydromorphone. And I told him that I hadnt been to the ER that month either. I'm trying to be as honest as I can be with him, but now it seems that he thinks something else is going on.
I'm scared because he's the only pain management doctor my insurance will cover, and I cant afford the cost of it without the insurance. Also, I cant get to see a rheumy until February of next year, at least, the one that accepts my insurance, and my PCP has flat out told me that he is no longer prescribing pain narcotics. So if my pain doc decides to cancel my treatment, I will be in living hell, and that has me up this late, unable to sleep. I dont know what to do to convince him to not drop me. BTW, this is in Florida, where our great Gov. Scott, has made it hell for people who really need these meds to get them otherwise.
I have chosen, unless it's an acute type situation, to deal with pain without the use of medications. I had one pain specialist put me on something really strong, it did not show up in my urine, and he yanked me off cold turkey. I was taking the meds as prescribed for 4 months! Two other of my docs said I should have been put in hospital to detox. It was dangerous. My huge concern was that no one cared why it wasn't showing in my urine, and what did that signal health wise.
Some of us will often have labs come out odd, I do with other things like blood levels of this acid or that enzyme. And I get kidney stones too, so know how painful that can be. If this pain doctor is willing to listen and work with you, you are going to have to meet them halfway, and honor that contract. If you get in too much pain, and will make a phone call to them, at least talk to a nurse and have it documented. If they tell you to do an increase, you will not get in bad shape because of it. Otherwise, they may see you as "drug seeking" and a liability to the practice.
Please post back when you know where you stand with this? And if it's worst case scenario, ask to be hospitalized to wean off. Your health issues and resulting pain are enough to deal with, without a cold turkey loss of pain meds. I hope all of this is helpful somehow.
Thank you Louise. Unfortunately, my pain management is now over. I tried telling the doc that I would not take any additional meds and call him if I run out again, but he still said he couldnt continue treatment. I told him that anything that was found in my urine was something that had been prescribed to me, that he would never find anything that I had not been prescribed by either him or my PCP when he was still prescribing opiates. still he said no. He told me he was willing to wean me off, so he gave me 2 weeks supply of cymbalta and 60 pills of hydromorphone down from 90, and that was it. A one time deal. But is not the withdrawals that I fear as much (although I dont cherish the thought of going through it) but the fact that my pain will not go away. I will continue to pass kidney stones. The 3 cysts in my right kidney will continue to grow (one already measures 3.6 cm long. Kidney is 8 cm long), the cysts in my liver continue to multiply, my spleen still has a nodule on it, and I still have a small cyst in the upper right lobe of my brain. My joints will still hurt like their tearing, my legs will continue to feel at times like they're breaking.
In other words, my pain will be there always, but now my meds will not. No amount of weaning off will ever take away the pain that cost me my job in march of 2012, and prevents me from finding meaningful employment. I cant afford pain management without insurance, and most doctors in my area will not prescribe narcotics. I have tried just about EVERY single NSAID's and they dont even begin to take the edge off my pain. I have tried herbals, to no avail. I have tried so many things, and nothing worked. I cant explain to the doctors what is like to live life in so much pain everyday. Some even try to make me feel like a whimp, saying that is not like I have cancer pain or something like that. I even asked the pain management doctor today if he had ever passed a kidney stone, and he said no.
Still, I now have no further relief from pain... and that's scaring me, because I know what will come.
ohsoperplexed said:
Daniel, big hugs, and best of luck.
I have chosen, unless it's an acute type situation, to deal with pain without the use of medications. I had one pain specialist put me on something really strong, it did not show up in my urine, and he yanked me off cold turkey. I was taking the meds as prescribed for 4 months! Two other of my docs said I should have been put in hospital to detox. It was dangerous. My huge concern was that no one cared why it wasn't showing in my urine, and what did that signal health wise.
Some of us will often have labs come out odd, I do with other things like blood levels of this acid or that enzyme. And I get kidney stones too, so know how painful that can be. If this pain doctor is willing to listen and work with you, you are going to have to meet them halfway, and honor that contract. If you get in too much pain, and will make a phone call to them, at least talk to a nurse and have it documented. If they tell you to do an increase, you will not get in bad shape because of it. Otherwise, they may see you as "drug seeking" and a liability to the practice.
Please post back when you know where you stand with this? And if it's worst case scenario, ask to be hospitalized to wean off. Your health issues and resulting pain are enough to deal with, without a cold turkey loss of pain meds. I hope all of this is helpful somehow.
Hi Poobie, my pain is all over, but what causes the most suffering for me is the kidney stones that I pass every week at least, sometimes daily. Also, although I've been told that cysts cause no pain, I have several in my liver and 3 in my right kidney, the biggest one being half the size of the kidney itself. How can that cause no pain? anyways, spinal cord stimulator would not be an answer, and now that my pain management doctor has cancelled pain treatment, morphine pump is out of the question.
poobie said:
Where is your pain located? Are a spinal cord stimulator or a morphine pump an option for you?
Daniel, my heart goes out to you. Take as few of the prescription meds you were given as possible, to wean down slowly, the extra shock of morphine withdrawal you do not need. If you get into a tough place, and need someone to listen, I'm already in your friends list. Please feel free to private message me.
The condition is the same here, most doctors will not prescribe long term unless you have cancer. I have learned to deal with pain as natural as possible. Comfort measures, relaxation stuff, safe herbals that help with inflammation, and my faith get me through each day.
Once you are through this all, you are going to be alright. You have support and understanding here.
I have one suggestion to make, not to help the physical pain, but your work situation. Take a few deep breaths, and realistically look at yourself. Honestly. What skills do you have you could use to help with bringing in some finances, that would not increase pain, and allow you to feel productive as well as focus on something besides the hardships? That may sound very simplistic, but being productive in some way is helpful to us.
hugs, Louise
Daniel Muniz said:
Thank you Louise. Unfortunately, my pain management is now over. I tried telling the doc that I would not take any additional meds and call him if I run out again, but he still said he couldnt continue treatment. I told him that anything that was found in my urine was something that had been prescribed to me, that he would never find anything that I had not been prescribed by either him or my PCP when he was still prescribing opiates. still he said no. He told me he was willing to wean me off, so he gave me 2 weeks supply of cymbalta and 60 pills of hydromorphone down from 90, and that was it. A one time deal. But is not the withdrawals that I fear as much (although I dont cherish the thought of going through it) but the fact that my pain will not go away. I will continue to pass kidney stones. The 3 cysts in my right kidney will continue to grow (one already measures 3.6 cm long. Kidney is 8 cm long), the cysts in my liver continue to multiply, my spleen still has a nodule on it, and I still have a small cyst in the upper right lobe of my brain. My joints will still hurt like their tearing, my legs will continue to feel at times like they're breaking.
In other words, my pain will be there always, but now my meds will not. No amount of weaning off will ever take away the pain that cost me my job in march of 2012, and prevents me from finding meaningful employment. I cant afford pain management without insurance, and most doctors in my area will not prescribe narcotics. I have tried just about EVERY single NSAID's and they dont even begin to take the edge off my pain. I have tried herbals, to no avail. I have tried so many things, and nothing worked. I cant explain to the doctors what is like to live life in so much pain everyday. Some even try to make me feel like a whimp, saying that is not like I have cancer pain or something like that. I even asked the pain management doctor today if he had ever passed a kidney stone, and he said no.
Still, I now have no further relief from pain... and that's scaring me, because I know what will come.
ohsoperplexed said:
Daniel, big hugs, and best of luck.
I have chosen, unless it's an acute type situation, to deal with pain without the use of medications. I had one pain specialist put me on something really strong, it did not show up in my urine, and he yanked me off cold turkey. I was taking the meds as prescribed for 4 months! Two other of my docs said I should have been put in hospital to detox. It was dangerous. My huge concern was that no one cared why it wasn't showing in my urine, and what did that signal health wise.
Some of us will often have labs come out odd, I do with other things like blood levels of this acid or that enzyme. And I get kidney stones too, so know how painful that can be. If this pain doctor is willing to listen and work with you, you are going to have to meet them halfway, and honor that contract. If you get in too much pain, and will make a phone call to them, at least talk to a nurse and have it documented. If they tell you to do an increase, you will not get in bad shape because of it. Otherwise, they may see you as "drug seeking" and a liability to the practice.
Please post back when you know where you stand with this? And if it's worst case scenario, ask to be hospitalized to wean off. Your health issues and resulting pain are enough to deal with, without a cold turkey loss of pain meds. I hope all of this is helpful somehow.
this is the way the world is going and its frustrating me so bad. WHAT ARE U SUPPOSED to do as your bodys eating itself in an attack. another thing is you need to do both. You need to be drinking applecider vinegar with the mother every day. That will dissolve your kidney stones. Also tumerick and lots of raw foods. this change is crucial. Don’t feel bad about taking an extra one. WTF are you supposed to do. Tell him to up it you should always have extra. Im trying to find a pain speciatists in PA that EVEN PERCSCRIBES PAIN MEDS! I called TEN different ones! I wanna take all the drs that screwed me over to court. theres so many I want more than 40 mg of oxycodone.I want to take a pain med whenever the HECK I NEED and live my life while I Have it.