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Re: How do you talk to a doc about stronger pain meds?(long post, sorry)
From: anonymous (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Wed Apr 27 14:48:55 2005
First of all, morphine is a highly addictive substance and has nothing
to do with family genetics. Addiction to pain killers is not inherited
and certainly not passed between siblings. No, in fact, addiction to
pain killers usually begins with a doctor who carelessly writes
prescriptions for medications stronger than necessary. Often, people
who become addicted to pain killers do so because they have a
pre-disposition to be addicted to certain substances coupled with a
belief that develops in which they are certain they cannot get through a
day without the substance (drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, coffee, ice
cream, anything and everything can fall in that category.)
Secondly, your doctor, by refusing to offer you short courses of
different strengths and formulations of pain relief is not living up to
his hippocratic oath and his obligation to you, his patient. He doesn't
have to write a prescription for a 30 day supply - he can give you a
trial of 7 or 10 days to see if A) it works for you B) doesn't have any
bad side-effects as many pain medications are rough on the stomach.
Thirdly, you will often need more than a pain pill to alleviate the
discomfort, you will also need to pay close attention to your diet and
make changes that make your symptoms worse (lactose and other gas
producing foods often make the pain and cramping worse). You need to
make sure you get plenty of rest and exercise too.
To help your own cause, speak with your doctor frankly and openly. Let
him know you are an intelligent and responsible person with no desire to
become addicted to any substance and that you are interested in using
only the proper strength and formulation to give you enough relief to go
about your normal daily activities and obligations.
Good luck!!
At Wed, 27 Apr 2005, S.S. wrote:
>
>I have an odd problem. I live in a small town where everyone knows
>everyone else and all of them know my older brother died of a morphine
>overdose after 20+ yrs of addiction. I am 34 and have been taking pain
>medication (darvocet) since I was 18 for endo. I tried every hormone
>therapy out there, birth control, other stronger hormones which stop
>periods completely and my body just can't handle them. I'll die before
>I let any doc put me on another hormone!!
>
>So last year, my endo took a turn for the worst, spreading into back and
>leg pain as well. Luckily, I only suffer for about one week during my
>period, but I need stronger medication than darvocet during then. I
>have talked to my regular doc and my gyn, but both have said no due my
>family history. I have never had an addiction problem, but I do
>understand their fear because I saw what pain meds did to my brother and
>how he died. But on the other hand, I can't live like this anymore.
>
>There is another doctor I am going to see, but how do I talk to him
>about pain meds when he knows what happened to my family, too? I have
>been to several different specialists and had 2 surgeries and all agree
>that at this point, a hyterectomy is the only option I have left. I
>just got married and to me that is not an option.
>
>I have tried Ultram and it does not help. I was on Vioxx, then Bextra,
>in addition to the darvocet and now those meds are gone. I do not know
>what to do. I am desperate. I have learned to live with the fact I
>have endo, I can live with being so sick for one week a month, I have
>finally worked my life out to deal with those issues. But I can't deal
>with this pain, and I am nervous about talking to a new doctor about it.
>I am so afraid he will say no, too.
>
>Has anyone else experienced this? Any suggestions? (I had a root canal 2
>months ago and didn't take the hyrdocodone they gave me for that, even
>though it HURT it was nothing compared to a period, and saved it for my
>cramps. It worked pretty well. I am not seeking total pain relief, I
>don't think that's possible, just enough medication to stop the vomiting
>and crying. I think you all know what I mean!!)
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