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Re: Long-Term Pain Management
From: Marci (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Thu Nov 29 19:53:48 2007
At Wed, 21 Feb 2007, JH wrote:
>Nicole,
I am also 28 and have been dealing with this horrible disease since I
was 15. I am getting ready to see a pain management Dr. I currently
take percocet and tramadol (not together, very dangerous!) to help with
the pain, although sometimes even those barely help. I am nervous about
seeing a pain management dr, afraid he/she wont help and consider me a
junkie. I too have been to the ER many times and dont want to be
unfairly labeled. My family also frowns, except my Mother who also had
Endo so she understands. My fiance is also very understanding. If you
need to talk, I will listen. It's horrible feeling this way at such an
early age. I didnt notice when this message was posted as I just
searched for pain management and found your message. I hope you find
this. Was recently told to go on Depo Lupron and am going to say NO!
>I get a prescription for 30 vicodin every three months from my gyno
>which i think is very minimal. I ration them and save them for when my
>pain is an 8 or above-this means i am often in pain that is a 6 or 7 and
>just take nsaids which for me don't do crap. I joke I would get the
>same effect from waving the bottle of Motrin in front of my stomach as i
>do ingesting it. I get a scowl from my doc every time I request a pain
>prescription. I have not found a dr that is sympathetic to my personal
>choice not to treat w/Lupron or Depo. I was on different bcp and
>progesterone only pills for a decade and they stopped working for me a
>while ago. I made the decision to go off them as they were no longer
>reducing my pain, I would wake up in the middle of the night from the
>severe pain and the pain would even be in my nightmares.
>
>If Lupron was a cure for the pain I would sign up no matter the risks
>but as you all know it is temporary-IF- it works at all and the side
>effects are in many cases permanent and the long term effects as far as
>cancer risk are unknown. Why does the medical establishment push Lupron
>and other chemically castrating harsh chemo drugs on women when simple
>opiates which have been used for years would give better quality of life
>are withheld? I daresay economics and pharmaceautical companies are to
>blame. Someone has to pay for TAP Pharms lawsuit. I feel it is
>ridiculous. If a man has back pain they give him pain meds and treat
>him like a human being. My uncle has a genetic back condition and is on
>all sorts of daily pain meds. Has no problem getting them. Women with
>our condition are treated very differently.
>
>I have been told many times I won't let myself be treated (w/Lupron) and
>so they can do nothing. I understand. There is no cure for this
>disease right now but we should have access to quality of life with the
>proper pain medication and not made to suffer like dogs. Pets in pain
>are often treated better and more humanly than women with endo.
>
>I fortunately after three surgeries have more good days than bad at
>present and do not need pain meds every day but need them on hand as I
>never know when I can no longer walk/work etc because the pain becomes
>agonizing and unbearable. I wish I could find a dr who supported and
>understood my choice to not use Lupron or Depo. Perhaps in the future
>things will change for us.
>
>Although I do not wish suffering on anyone sometimes I wish the
>physician that is treating us could be in our shoes for one week-or even
>one really bad day. Then it would be a different story.
>
>At Wed, 21 Feb 2007, Nicole wrote:
>>
>>Is anyone on any sort of long-term pain management? I've had great luck
>>with finding a wonderful doctor who has been sympathetic to the
>>Endomtriosis pain. I mean...I went 10 years undiagnosed, and couldn't
>>get an ear anywhere to hear of my pain...Anyway...for the past two years
>>I've been in pain management. I use a duragesic patch and ocasionally I
>>take a pill(opiate and/or NSAID) when the pain gets really bad. All of
>>my meds are prescribed by a doctor and I take everything as
>>directed...However, some people (friends and family members) are
>>constantly on my back because I take painkillers. I guess they see all
>>those people who OD from painkillers or get addicted to painkillers and
>>I try to tell her that that's a myth, and the reality is that that
>>majority of pain patients taking pain medication DO NOT become
>>addicted...An that addiction is different than physical dependance. I
>>also take asthma medications but I'm not an addict because I HAVE to
>>take my inhalers and my cortico-steroids because if I DON'T them than
>>effects will be horrible...I know the pain from Endo for some can be
>>debilitating. I also know pain doesn't corelate with severity of the
>>disease. And that the pain can be immense. My last biopsy said that I
>>have dense fibroidic tissue, on my uterus and ovaries and God knows
>>where else/what has developed since my last lap (I've only had
>>2)...!Anyway I'm 28 and Endometriosis has been my faithful compainion
>>since I was 15. And I know that no-one else can try and quantify my
>>pain and tell me that I shouldn't take pain meds...(especially because
>>the pain IS REALLY AWFUL) Anyway, I'm sorry this is so long...I just was
>>also wondering is anyone else has had luck with pain management and/or
>>has been criticized by other for seeking out this route, especially when
>>our other options are all so limited...I've just hate the idea of
>>putting anymore hormones into my body, I've already done 9 years of
>>different types/versions of the same thing, I just hate the idea of
>>more. Thanks all, hugs....N
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