ENDO Messages for June, 2006: Re: Pain killers

Re: Pain killers

From: JoCee27 (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Fri Jun 30 12:44:17 2006

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Hi there, Anonymous.

First off, Darvocet is the least likely of any pain meds to become addicted to. Like you, I worried about the medication being addictive, and I've had 4 doctors tell me that of all meds on the market this is the least likely to create a dependency; that and Ultram. My doctors prescribed Darvocet for me in the beginning with all of my pain because it is very mild. When I told my doctors that this was not working for me and that I felt like I had to take something along with it, or take it more frequently because it wasn't helping, I was taken off Darvocet and put on Vicodin 5/500. I am currently taking Vicoprofen, which to my understanding is also very mild and contains Ibuprofen instead of asprin to help with inflammation. You may want to ask your doctor about Vicoprofen.

I've never seen SEVERE PAIN typed on any of my prescriptions in cap bold print like that before. The most I've ever seen on my bottles were "Take 1-2 tablets as needed for moderate to severe pain," or "Take 1-2 tables as needed for pain." I don't believe I've ever seen anything like that on anyone else's prescription bottles either unless the person had a vision problem and couldn't read small print on their medication bottles.

If you are uncomfortable with your doctor's thoughts about your frequency of refills, ask him if he's uncomfortable with your pain issues, and request that he send you to pain management. If he says that he feels you are taking the excessive, remind him that 20 pills are for a 3 day period. The Vicoprofen my former OB/Gyn used to give to me was 20 pills and I thought that the pills were supposed to last all month, and I felt guilty when I would run out at the end of the week; but at the same time I knew I couldn't help it because I was hurting so much and here my doctor wouldn't do anything for me to make the pain stop! She wouldn't do a lap or a hysterectomy, but expected me to go to Pain Management for pain relief. How could I go to the PM clinic if she wasn't going to write up a referral? You can't just make an appointment and walk-in to those places without a referral. She knew that, but was putting me off because I was a "pay as you go" patient; I didn't have insurance. She, and her nurses, made me feel like I was requesting refills to the excessive. When my pharmicist explained to me that a quantity of 20 pills taken every 4-6 hours was only a 3 day supply of pain relief medication, I became very annoyed with my doctor for treating me, and making me feel, like the meds were supposed to last me for a month. A supply of 60 pills lasts 3 weeks. My current GP has me on 60 Vicoprofen and the medication is supposed to last 21 days. He knows I take them 1-2 every 6 hours, and that I am going to be like this until after surgery.

Ask your doctor to replace the Darvocet with something a little stronger, yet mild, like the Vicoprofen. If he or she wants to give you the "addict" speech or tell you that what you're taking is fine and should get you through the hard times, I would suggest looking for another physician to treat your Gynocological needs. Not all Gyn's like to prescribe pain meds. In fact, most of them prefer that your GP or a Pain Management clinic do it over them. You may want to discuss this with your GP and let him or her care for your pain issues. That is what my GP does. He prescribes all of my pain meds and oversees everything with that. He treats me with the upmost respect. He knows that I'm not there just to get the pills, that I have some real issues going on, and I've dealt with some doctors who live by the rule that "until I'm 35, I should deal with the pain until I'm old enough for hysterectomy". But like my GP says, "Since when do doctor's become our sense of pain and authority?

At Fri, 30 Jun 2006, Anonymous wrote: >
>I have been on Darvocet since January for mid cycle and period pain. The
>first month I was given 16 by the ER. Told to take 1-2 tablets every
>4-6 hours for pain. Then in March, I called my dr and asked him to
>refill it. He did and he had on there 1-2 tablets every 3 hours for
>pain. He prescribed 10 pills. In April, I called again, he was out so
>the midwife refilled it (He has me call in once a month and sees me
>every three months right now) for 10 pills. Except she changed it to 1
>tablet every 4-6 hours for pain. In mid May, I saw my dr. I told him
>that there wasn't enough pills to cover the midcycle and period pain. So
>he increased it to 15 pills for the month. The rx was 1 tablet every 4
>hours for pain. I didn't call till yesterday, but I go off of the bcp
>and progesterone on Sat July 1st. Being that it is a holiday weekend
>and I don't want to be caught when it turns severe, I called and asked
>for the script. Pain started early this time this past monday and is
>moderate now. It has been 7 weeks since I called for a rx for it. The
>nurse took my info. Then she called me back late yesterday and said she
>had called in the RX. Well I go pick it up, and now it has changed
>again. Same number of pills - 15. But the instructions say take 1 pill
>every 4 hours for SEVERE PAIN. Before it was for pain, but now he has
>in capital letters severe pain. I was only taking it for severe pain
>anyway as I can't chase the kiddos and take it at the same time because
>it makes me sleepy. He kept the number of pills the same as in May.
>
>I don't think I am overtaking them. I mean I have had 61 pills in 6
>months - averaging 10 pills a month. I was wondering if he meant
>something by that???? I only get them from him and have refused it for
>other things (torn tendon in knee from my pcp) I don't want him or the
>office to view me as some druggie. I don't want anyone to accuse me of
>dr shopping so I make sure my pcp and my obgyn know who has me on what
>and when. But the feeling I get when I call now is oh that druggie girl
>is calling me. I have not gotten that from him, just the nurses.
>Honestly, it takes the edge off of it but doesn't kill the pain. It
>allows me to not be doubled over in tears. He has refilled every time I
>have asked, but I wonder if he is taking it seriously. I also wonder if
>the next time I call he will be like nope no more for you. I don't want
>to end up in the ER. But I am worried that I will. Also, the package
>label says to use it for mild to moderate pain, but his instructions are
>for SEVERE PAIN. Yes just like that. I have used it to his
>instructions except the take one. Because I had previous scripts from
>him and the ER, I try to follow the 1-2 tablets every 4-6 hours because
>it is in the middle. If I take one and it doesn't help, then I follow
>it up with another. Then I wait 4-6 hours before the next.
>
>How do your drs do pain management?

-- ENDOANGEL JOCEE

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