Re: Re:Caro's Appt/Steve/Pain

[Guest guest]

PAIN: The pain clinic I go to has the attitude there is no such thing as "addiction" to monitored, necessary pain meds. If one, If one, should become "addicted"....meaning one cannot stop taking the med w/o withdrawal....then that person is monitored to a lower dose, and in a week or so, there is no more "addiction" as such.

I'd never heard this talk before but this clinic is well know in our Portland area and I am very impressed with how they have helped me!

I was on 4 oxycodone/daily and because of building an intolerance it just wasn't working anymore. I've been on pain meds for years!

My previous pcp would not up the dosage or offer any other options. When I asked her directly, "What am I supposed to do....just suffer?" She was quiet a moment and then replied, "I guess so". I knew right at that moment I was, once again, with a wrong Dr.

Pain clinic put me on everything...even Morphine, which helps w/pain but the side effects for me were not worth it. I had hives, itching until I was nearly raw, and shallow breathing. We changed doses, more, less, something different and now I'm on 4>>>sometimes 3>>> Percoset daily. Fewest side effects and good pain control. I know longer worry about "addiction". So what!? I already know I'm dependant...as we are on other meds, like you said Bruce. And my Dr. knows I'm "dependent".

The point in sharing all this is to say that constant pain is not something we have to live with. No one else here should/could/would/or none of the above, take what I take. But I'm sure glad I was persistent and found a Dr. who is receptive to working with me.

Mama-Sher, age 69.IPF 3/06, NSIP 4/08 OR. Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!

Re:Caro's Appt/Steve

Sher/SteveI know others who have found Cymbalta very good. I'm defined officiallywhen it comes to psychiatric meds as "medication resistant" and so hadside effects from it, but I had them from 30 others too.As to pain, I understand them not wanting to use too much of certainmeds. But the better reason than dependence, in my opinion, is that youwill build up tolerance and then the same dosage will not be effective.That's one of the improvements for instance in many psychiatric andsleep meds that once you find a dosage, that dosage continues to work.But, the old meds, such as the tricyclides, Xanax, Valium, and many painkillers were additive in nature and you would find yourself needing moreto achieve the same effect. Requip is one that often is that way too, asyou'll need more but then its difficult to say whether its because youbuild a tolerance or because your condition worsens. It was when ineeded more that the side effects kicked in horribly (couldn't standwith my eyes closed without falling and couldn't walk down a hallwithout hitting both walls). Unfortunately, this is the case withoxycodone and most pain killers in many patients, that one may find thesame dosage no longer effective.Dependence? Addiction? Ok, for those I say, who cares. I'm dependent onevery med I take and don't have a single one I won't take for the restof my life. So if there were one more that would relieve pain and had noother negatives, I'd say more power to it. Like someone saying you'llget addicted to oxygen. I was addicted to oxygen 58 years ago, I justneed a supplement now to get the right amount. Doctors need to work withpatients to find the right balances on everything.There is one other catch 22 my pulmonologist warned of with oxycodone orvicodin. If they relieve lung pain and in so doing enable your lung tofunction better and easier, then your lung may become dependent and stopdoing as much on its own and become less able to function without itthan it otherwise would have. Now, I don't know how much validity thereis in that, but my pulmonologist did voice that concern.> > Bruce....I'll answer in the morning....gee whiz, AI is on!> > Mama-Sher, age 69.IPF 3/06, NSIP 4/08 OR.> > Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!> >> > ----- Original Message -----> > .> >> >> >> >> >> > Caro> > ASTHMA 1976,OSTEOARTHRITIS 2002, COPD 02/06, IPF 08/07, UIP 01/08,> RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS 03/08> > Mississippi> >> >> >> ----------------------------------------------------------\> ------> > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile.Try> it now.> >>>>>>> Caro> ASTHMA 1976,OSTEOARTHRITIS 2002, COPD 02/06, IPF 08/07, UIP 01/08,RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS 03/08> Mississippi>>----------------------------------------------------------> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Tryit now.>>>> Caro> ASTHMA 1976,OSTEOARTHRITIS 2002, COPD 02/06, IPF 08/07, UIP 01/08,RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS 03/08> Mississippi>>>----------------------------------------------------------\----> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Tryit now.>