Re: I FEEL AWFUL to Bob Potter

[Guest guest]

Bob,

I'm terribly sorry that you've adopted the attitude to do less, and

only those things requiring minimal activity because of your fear of

withdrawal from a better narcotic. You need to understand that the

withdrawal you went through coming off your duragesic patch, which was

" cold turkey " , is not what normally happens when a patient goes

through proper tapering off of a pain medication. You shouldn't let

this fear stand in the way of your having good pain control, instead

of the minimal pain control that you say you have now, that limits

your activities and prevents you from more activity.

I've been using a duragesic patch for over 2-1/2 years and have

reduced my usage down from 75 mgs. to 25 mgs. with absolutely no

withdrawal symptoms what so ever. This can be done easily if it's

done gradually under a physician's supervision. I choose to use the

duragesic patch because with it, it's been the first time since I got

CP that I've been able to maintain enough pain control to allow me to

function well, and not have to give up activities due to pain. For

the most part, except those times of an acute flair, I'm able to

function well and partake in enough activity to satisfy my physical

and social needs.

You're short changing yourself by accepting less, and I'm sorry that

you've chosen this regimen....you only have one life to live, and if

there's medication available that enables you to live it with

satisfaction and participation, it's a shame that you don't use it. I

hope that for your sake, you'll some day consider a more appropriate

pain medication that will allow you to enjoy your life more.

Percocet is not a good choice of pain medication for a chronic pain

patient for the long haul, since it contains quantities of tylenol

that can damage your liver with continual usage. My GI took me off

Percocet two years ago, for that very reason. If nothing else, you

may think about asking your physician to prescribe a pain medication

that doesn't contain any tylenol, such as oxycodone or methadone. At

least then you wouldn't have to worry about future liver damage.

Just my two cents.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

www.pancassociation.org/anthology#Heidi.html

Bluffton, SC

SC State & SE Regional Representative

Pancreatitis Association, International

www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/pancreatitis/

Note: All comments or advice are personal opinion only, and should

not be substituted for professional medical consultation.

[Guest guest]

Hi Heidi,

Thanks for the note!

(I am sorry to say this, but I swear that the people in the group show more

concern than my wife does. She says that it is like CP controls me and I

let it. Your post shows more thought and consideration than my wife's :08

second response when I am in pain. This group has been so helpful to me

because without it, I would feel very alone.)

The withdrawal I went through was bad, but not getting help for it was

worse.

Finding a doctor who knows something about pancreatitus is like getting the

winning lottery ticket. The doctor I have right now is reluctant to give me

anything more, and he is even making me come back week after week for a new

script just for the percocet.

With all the time I spent in the hospital, medical bills and lack of income,

I am in a no-win situation.

Isn't oxycodone much stronger than percocet? I am sure the doctor will boot

that, too.

It would be so helpful to have some sort of resource to use to find a doctor

in the Milwaukee area who specializes in CP. I have little confidence in

the one I have. He is a nice enough doctor, but he also wanted me to take

Crestor and the like which, thanks to this group, I got educated on real

quick.

My blood sugars were at 477 two days ago. I called him at midnight because

I was told to call if they went over 300. He said not to worry because I

had a sinus infection. Then he calls back 5 minutes later and says that he

should see me ASAP. So I call the next day and scheduling could only fit me

in at two times, both of which I couldn't make. I was willing to come in

first thing and wait for an opening but they wouldn't do that.

The blood sugars are still over 300. It is not from anything I've been

eating, I'm lucky to eat one meal a day and it isn't high in sugar.

I'd find a different doctor but I don't know where to turn within the

limitations of insurance. That is a process and in the meantime I've got to

move forward. So, I guess that is where the attitude comes in with do what

I have to do and pass on what I don't have to do. (I did make all my sons

soccer games!)

[Guest guest]

You don't have to eat foods that are high in sugar to make your blood sugars

rise......how about the types of carbs you are eating.....Have you considered

eating foods that are low on the glycemic index? I hope this finds you and

yours well......Mark

The blood sugars are still over 300. It is not from anything I've been

eating, I'm lucky to eat one meal a day and it isn't high in sugar.

[Guest guest]

Bob,

Didn't you say that your new insurance company was United HealthCare?

They were our insurer's until two years ago when U.S. Airways changed

insurer's, AGAIN, and sadly, signed up with BlueCross/Blue Shield. I

was crazy about United Health Care, they were so much easier to work

with and always so helpful. Could you call them up and ask them for a

list of the their in-network physicians in each specialty that are in

Milwaukee? They did that for me when they were our insurers. Then if

you want to find a new gastroenterologist, or a new endocrinologist,

you'll have that list to refer to. There's no reason for you to go to

a doctor who isn't fully knowledgeable about CP, and the many

different pain medications that can be used to help control it. Or,

for that matter, if this physician won't prescribe anything stronger

for you, he should refer you to a pain managment doctor who could.

Depending upon the type of coverage you have with United HealthCare,

they should cover a good portion of the physician's fees, even for

specialists. Did you know that United HealthCare is one of the few

insurance companies that will approve the TP/ICT without question?

How sad I was to learn that when they were still our insurer's and I

hadn't yet become diabetic.....sigh.

Is the same doctor treating both your CP and diabetes? What kind of

specialty is he, or is he just a GP? If he's just a GP, you really

owe it to yourself, (here I go again), well, you do, really owe it to

yourself to find two good specialist's, one for your CP and another

for your diabetes.

I presume the Crestor was for high cholesterol? Have you heard about

Vytorin? Unfortunately my cholesterol was high at my last checkup, my

LDL was 132 and my endocrinologist has started me on Vytorin because

he said that for diabetics it should be no higher than 100. I don't

know what happened, two and a half years ago it was 58!!!

Even if your insurance company isn't United, call your insurer's and

ask them for a list of the in-network providers for your area. They

usually break the list down by specialties, and you should be able to

find some better doctors with the experience you need to care for you.

You deserve it, and maybe if you could get a better pain management

regimen going, you'd be able to do more than just attend your son's

soccer games, you might even be able to be their assistant coach next

time!

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

www.pancassociation.org/anthology#Heidi.html

Bluffton, SC

SC State & SE Regional Representative

Pancreatitis Association, International

www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/pancreatitis/

Note: All comments or advice are personal opinion only, and should

not be substituted for professional medical consultation.