I have been on Tramadol for years. I am now having such pain it isn’t working. The PA at my rheumatology office said I can’t give you Vicodin the doctor will kill me. It makes me angry that she won’t get out of the chair to go ask him. So I am suppose to continue with pain. It makes me angry that they down play my pain.
Can’t you make an appt with specifically the doctor? I have read a number of articles citing studies that show hospital patients, after operations who are given appropriate pain medication recover much faster than patients who don’t take enough pain meds. I think that would continue to make sense with chronic pain, too. It may be that the PA isn’t allowed to prescribe vicodin without the doctors permission. I know doctors worry about misused prescription drugs, but they make the stuff for people who are in pain!
Ask for T3’s or find yourself a coo doctor who will listen till u.
I would talk directly to the doctor. Who cares what the pa says. Also there are other options for pain too including anti inflammatories and Lyrica. No reason to be in severe pain. We have to fight for ourselves. If they don’t listen fire them and find a good doctor.
There are new rules for pain meds…ask for the fentanyl patch to help your chronic pain…you have to be a squeaky wheel…make an apt…cry the whole time…tell him you cant live your life…do laundry…dishes…etc…good luck
Yes, get to the real doctor, not the PA.
In the meantime, I found high doses of aspirin worked better than Tramadol. I stopped Tramadol and take 8 aspirin a day, and add in some Tylenol if it’s really bad.
I use Prevacid and don’t get an upset stomach from the aspirin.
The rhuematologist here don't prescribe pain medications at all. My husband has rheumatoid arthritis and he gets nothing for the pain. Pain really ruins a persons life.
You can’t take Tramadol and Vicodin together. Together they’ll cause your heart to stop with No warning. You will need to be off the tramadol for at least 24-48 hours before you get Vicodin.
I know what you mean, my pain had reach an all-time high. My rheumy sent me for a neck x-ray in September after I told her my pain level had become so unbearable it was effecting my quality of life. The result, I have arthritis in my neck and recommended therapy. I am blessed to have a great rheumy. My problem is with the pain management doctor. Florida law changed in 2012 because of all of the pain pill mills here, my rheumy could no longer write me prescription for pain. I have only seen my pain management twice in 3 years. So once a month I must sit in the waiting room for a hour(on a good day) it much longer than that, when I make it back, pa ask me my main level, do I need a prescription refill then schedule me for another appt. All year I told them my pain had gotten work and the tramadol wasn't helpig and nothing was done. On my next apt I took a copy of my x-ray and discussed what my rheumy had told me. The pa was new didn't know my name and hadn't looked over my charts. So he didn't know my medical issues. Which he would have known if I read my charts. First thing out of his mouth, without discussing it with my pain management doctor,steroid shot in my neck. My rheumy told me this should only be done as last result. Anyway I have decided to fired my pain doc and get a referral for another doc. It was all by about the money and I suffer needless for almost a year. On your next appointment tell pa you want to see the doctor, they work for you not the other way around. You need someone to take your concern about your pain seriously.
Fentanyl patches are really great for severe, chronic painful conditions and has to be prescribed with another narcotic for breakthrough pain, it's definitely not a drug to be taken lightly . I take a 50 mcg patch with 15ml morphine and 50 ml tramadol for breakthrough pain but i have EXREAM bone pain and injury! Maybe it's time to change your disease treatment to something stonger?? Are your organs involved? ? "Pain "is really such a broad word with many possibilities .... Im very thankful my rheumatologist has always prescribed all my pain meds even living in a "pill mill " area like south florida.. i think the only reason i never had to plead for pain meds is because every MRI ,CT and xray clearly showed torn joints, ligaments, bone contusions and marrow edma. The patch keeps me out of my wheelchair most of the time and that's most important for my quality of life. Pain meds aside diet , physical therapy (whatever works for you )and emotional well being can definitely impact pain for better or worse . I think Dr's tend to minimize how bad a patient feels if there's no abnormal labs or scans to back the claim up,not saying that you don't have them. If you really like your rhuemy and feel he/she is invested in you than definitely skip ov the PA! Can you email the dr???
I guess I’ve been fortunate my doctor and my rheumy. It probably helps that my pain is in my highly visible swollen, bright red feet, which are beset by lupus. T hey look painful, and they are painful, even when they aren’t swollen. California has just decided that I need a written prescription for pain meds every single time I can refill my prescription. I’ve never heard of the b. fentynal patch
I know you must be so frustrated and feeling like they think you are just extragerating your pain. It is such a helpless feeling but known you have to be strong and speak up to your PA and tell him that you need the prescription to get up and go speak with the dr. Usually a,PA cannot write a schedule 2 RX but it is there job to help you. You are the only person who will be your advocate so speak up next time or make another appt and get the care you need. I live in severe chronic pain and I know personally you kinda get embarrassed for insisting or scared they think your just pill hunting but explain it and make them understand. It’s the only way. When I first began having this issue I used to feel embarrassed but I finally cried to my dr and explained how much pain I was in and I was not a pill hunter. You would be amazed how if you open up to your dr they finally get it…he then held my hand and said OK we are gonna make it better!
Hi everyone. I battle this battle every month with my doctor. I am a mother of three teenagers and want my energy to be an avaliable and active mom. Not to fight my pain. I always feel the doctors look at me like I’m crazy. It is a terrible feeling to feel your being tested everytime. Research, know the meds and how they work and talk to your doctor about it. We should not be treated as drug seekers when our illnesses are visible and obvious.
Just get a new doctor. Don’t put up with their crap. I would ask well what exactly they save Vicodin for if it isn’t for severe pain?
I am in the worst pain I have been on in 3+ years. I am so scared to ask for pain meds. Winter has started and that shoots my pain at a high but this is different. I work as a domestic assault advocate so I am bouncing around at hearings and meetings constantly- in 10 degree weather. I am scared to ask him, originally he was going to fill it on Friday when I go in for an infusion but today I could not get out of bed and I have no meds. I feel horrible for my son and hubby since we had so many good months and now we are back to square one. I think it’s partly work- which I love and am thankful to have after years of not being able to work. I think it may be a flare again, I’m scared, embarrassed and miserable. I don’t know how to explain this to him.