Pain Clinic question

[Inspektahdek]

I've officially been referred to my local pain clinic but my question ultimately is:

IS this a way to taper me off my current meds from my local doctor or is it to get me on a long acting regimen with a breakthrough med like MS contin with percocet 5 for breakthrough for example?

I've read a couple of things online on usenet groups about some people being put on methadone or oxycontin through these pain clinics and I've also read some people they tried to taper them off. Anyone know or can share a personal experience with one of these places?


Thanks in advance for replies~

[flipside]

I've officially been referred to my local pain clinic but my question ultimately is:

IS this a way to taper me off my current meds from my local doctor or is it to get me on a long acting regimen with a breakthrough med like MS contin with percocet 5 for breakthrough for example?

I've read a couple of things online on usenet groups about some people being put on methadone or oxycontin through these pain clinics and I've also read some people they tried to taper them off. Anyone know or can share a personal experience with one of these places?
Thanks in advance for replies~


The short answer is it could be either one. It depends on your doctor's reason for referring you. If you have no history of abuse and have a CP issue that requires more or stronger meds than your current doc is comfortable RX'ing this is probably why you were referred and is potentialy a very good thing..

Your doctor should have given you an explanation for referring you, if he/she did not, call and asky why. Or if you have a copyof the referral look and see what the referring diagnosis is.

That should give you your answer.

As for your appointment there is a lot of good info here already about what to do , not to do, as well as a lot of experience from others who have been through this ( including myself). Just type words like doctor appointment, pain management, into the search engine and you should find lots of good advice from a lot of people.. I think one of the threads was "paragoric kids seven days and counting thread, not sure if he was the thread starter but sure about the thread name, and PG does have a similiar thread if that's not it. If you cannot find what you need to know just ask any other ? here and we'll do our best to help anwer them.
Best of luck!!

[insaneike]

I've officially been referred to my local pain clinic but my question ultimately is:

IS this a way to taper me off my current meds from my local doctor or is it to get me on a long acting regimen with a breakthrough med like MS contin with percocet 5 for breakthrough for example?

I've read a couple of things online on usenet groups about some people being put on methadone or oxycontin through these pain clinics and I've also read some people they tried to taper them off. Anyone know or can share a personal experience with one of these places?


Thanks in advance for replies~


Well they would probably not btoher sending you to a pain clinic if the goal was to taper you off of Narcotic Opioids man. Thats not the point of a pain managment center! They could very well put you on long acting opioids(methadone, or other time released meds like msContin, OxyContin, morphine or Fentnayl patches, and the like) and maybe something for breakthrough pain. Though this is not either the point of a pain clinic. It seems like you're totaly misinformed as to what a pain managment centers purpose is man! Their goal is to adequetaly emdicate you(IF neccisarry to perform daily tasks) so that you can go about your day pain free to an extent, and to give enough releif so that you arn't literaly suffering. Plus pain clinics are for long-term opiate use. Such as for life or many years. Like me, I'm going to sadly be on opioids the rest of my life(no, i don't want to, but i have no coice cause the pain is so bad).

They could give you Ultram and Ibuprofen if thats wha tthe Dr. desires for brekathrough pain even. ou're not auto getting narcotics cause you're refered to a pain clinic like most think. As back when i was 18 or 19 and my first time in a pain clinic they only gave me four god damn Lortab a day! 120 a month, that was ALL! Now I was in very bad pain, so much I could only get 4hr sleep at a time MAX(literaly) couldn't sit for shit, just all around in bad pain... i've also only been given Ultram and Hydros form antoher clinic... so you may not get shit man. Plus they piss test you randomly(usualy maybe only like 3-4x a year).

Now as far as tapering goes, you would not eb refered to a clinic to be weaned off of opaites man, if so, it'd be the first i've EVER heard of someone being sent to a Pain Managment Center to be weaned off fo narcotics! That is not what they do man.

Now after a few scripts, and the Dr. has any reason to beleive you may be taking more than you're prescribed, he can start weaning you off immediently, but if your doc didn't want to wean you, that is not the case, and you deff wouldn't be in a pain managment clinic for weaning!!! The only time a pain clinic will wean is when one of their already patients is suspected of narcotic abuse, and then they can even send you to an in patient detox clinic if they want!

Hope I helped atleast some man. I wish you luck!oh, and be honest as hell with them, like if you say your pain is an 8/10 and in reality it's a 4-5/10, they WILL be able to tell you're BS. As an 8/10 pain is literaly yelping out and hurting so bad you'd have to almost be carried into the ER. The 1-10 scale is sooo over exagorated these days from waht I hear. and if you're walking in and out and shit almsot perfect, you're not in an 8/10, they can tell this stuff EASILY. So be honest, be very honest, as these are usualy no BS docs. Be hoenst with them and they will do there ebst to help you(usualy!).

later

[vaxn8]

unfortunately, some docs don't understand how to get someone off narcotics and do send people to pm docs for exactly this reason, i would hope they would have at least been upfront and told you that though!

[insaneike]

Damn, I've just never heard of someone ebing sent to a Pain Managment Clinic soley for being weaned off narcotic opis. Is it that hard to cut doses in half and continue to do so every month till you're off? :p

Unless the aptient is on very high doses of narcotics and/or been on for over 3+ years. Though my pain clinic states in the form shit that if the doc suspects you af anyhting illicit ro using meds in any manor other than directed, he will send you to an inpatient detox clinic :|

But ya, I never woulda thought they sned ppl to pain clinic to be weaned off opioids... ghey lol.

later

[SpecialGuy69]

Inspekta deck- I think you are in for a plesant suprise- I doubt that your doc would send you to pain management to detox you. Chances are, he isn't comfortable prescribing the level of opiates he feels you need to treat your condition, so he wants to pass the buck to a specialist. They also might try other things for your pain, depending on the source maybe electrostimulation, accupuncture, physical therapy, massage, trigger point injections, or other shit. All the other stuff is nice, and actually does help, but it definitely doesn't replace opiates. It's especially nice to have massages paid for by your insurance.

I wonder if it's possible accupuncture could be used to help with withdrawls, or maybe even they even have points where they can place the pins to get you high or trigger orgasms or something.

If you really need to know, just ask your doc if he is referring you for interventional treatment or medication management? That's the best way I can think of to phrase it.

[Inspektahdek]

Inspekta deck- I think you are in for a plesant suprise- I doubt that your doc would send you to pain management to detox you. Chances are, he isn't comfortable prescribing the level of opiates he feels you need to treat your condition, so he wants to pass the buck to a specialist. They also might try other things for your pain, depending on the source maybe electrostimulation, accupuncture, physical therapy, massage, trigger point injections, or other shit. All the other stuff is nice, and actually does help, but it definitely doesn't replace opiates. It's especially nice to have massages paid for by your insurance.

I wonder if it's possible accupuncture could be used to help with withdrawls, or maybe even they even have points where they can place the pins to get you high or trigger orgasms or something.

If you really need to know, just ask your doc if he is referring you for interventional treatment or medication management? That's the best way I can think of to phrase it.

Haha, nice, yea I've done the physical therapy an acupuncture would be a godsend as well as a rather large upgrade of opiates as well. I just spoke to them today and they said that I have to be taken care by orthopedics first AGH even after the referral since I already had ortho lined up they're going to try to do some surgery in the January timeframe for disc fusing. Anyone experience a few disc fusings and how painful was it and what was prescribed?

[insaneike]

Dude, you seem like you care about the meds moreso than you care about getting out of pain... you must not be hurting very bad... as getting high is the last(literaly) thing on my mind when I hurt the worst...
I mean I of course can't wait for the opiates in me for 'some' releif, but it's not for the buzz AT ALL, plus when I hurt at th owrst NOTHING helps, literaly NOTHING, not even smoked fent... I mean it KINDA makes it where I can stop from yelping out in pain but still doesn't help :(

Srry, oxys kickin in and I just gotsta talking.
..

Now for a fusion, god, I would HIGHLY advise ppl not to have that shit done!!! I say this cause mine went very wrong. They put a cage, 4 screws, rods, and fake bone mass in my L5-S1 sections(very lower back). and NOW my spine has grown TOGETHER(yeah...), I have severe nerve damage, I got THREE MORE buldging discs(L1-L3), a bone spure in a way my surgeon has never seen, and a nerve is growing around/on the bone spure and everytime I walk I can feel it.. like HARD and intense type pain with every single step I take, can't put any weight on my right leg without almost cringing up from pain.

So, I tell ppl that fusions = no no now! THough my doc says something like 60% of ppl who have them get better, or 70%? But now on this Medical website about back stuff says that like 78 or 88% of ppl who have fusions do not get better.

So, this is advise from ONE person who had a fusion and got much much worse then before.

later

[insaneike]

Oh, and what are you prescribed NOW for pain? cause chances are you won't get something much better than that after the proceedure...

Me, I was on Fentnayl 25mcg/hr(2.5mg total) patches, Soma 350mg 3x/day, Lortab 7.5-500 2-4x/day before the surgery... Keep in mind my pain was a good 8/10 CONSTANTLY(never let up even for 5min...). Now most ppl overexagorate the pain scale, as an 8 is like a yelping out in pain and almost having to be carried to move and so bad you cant do SHIT... just so ya know :p

Now AFTER surgery I was on the smae Fentnayl patch, same Soma 3x/day, and Morphine XR 30mg 2-3x/day.

and I've known this onelike 38yo dude(war vet too) who just got DARVOCET! after he had 2 discs taken out of his back and peices of one pciked out that was busted up. He only got yeah, FUCKING DARVOCET! and This one dude only got Percocet when he had a fusion(which made him turn to smack). and I know this guy who had a total hip replacment that only got Hydro 5s!

So, you can get anyhting from Darvocet/Ultram to Diladudas to Fentnayl and valium... it all depends on what you've been on and your LEGAL tolerance.

hope i helped some...

later

[earthenone]

If they are just fusing one level, ask them about a disc replacement, that is what i got, it is a little better as far as range of motion, but the pain level is variable, make sure to get 2 oppinions b4 u get cut on, my pain management doc said i shoud never have had surgery, cause my pain is worse now, but i do have better range of motion than a fusion would have left me. As far as pain management goes a lot of docs dont like keeping people on c2 pain meds for long periods of time so they send you to a pm clinic, you probably will be p tested sooner or later, so words of advice after you get your script take it as prescribed for a few days and pee in a 60ml container and put in fridge, to take with you to your visits in case you have used other recreational drugs, cause failing for blow, or other drugs will get you booted from pain management. Pee will keep in the fridge for a long time, just warm up for your monthly visits.:D

[Inspektahdek]

Dude, you seem like you care about the meds moreso than you care about getting out of pain... you must not be hurting very bad... as getting high is the last(literaly) thing on my mind when I hurt the worst...
I mean I of course can't wait for the opiates in me for 'some' releif, but it's not for the buzz AT ALL, plus when I hurt at th owrst NOTHING helps, literaly NOTHING, not even smoked fent... I mean it KINDA makes it where I can stop from yelping out in pain but still doesn't help :(

Srry, oxys kickin in and I just gotsta talking.
..

Now for a fusion, god, I would HIGHLY advise ppl not to have that shit done!!! I say this cause mine went very wrong. They put a cage, 4 screws, rods, and fake bone mass in my L5-S1 sections(very lower back). and NOW my spine has grown TOGETHER(yeah...), I have severe nerve damage, I got THREE MORE buldging discs(L1-L3), a bone spure in a way my surgeon has never seen, and a nerve is growing around/on the bone spure and everytime I walk I can feel it.. like HARD and intense type pain with every single step I take, can't put any weight on my right leg without almost cringing up from pain.

So, I tell ppl that fusions = no no now! THough my doc says something like 60% of ppl who have them get better, or 70%? But now on this Medical website about back stuff says that like 78 or 88% of ppl who have fusions do not get better.

So, this is advise from ONE person who had a fusion and got much much worse then before.

later


Nah, I care about both just that the pain isn't always constant and a little addiction has occured however the pain is there just not as much as yours I'm sure. I'm gonna go with the surgery because this shit is either really bothering me or its somewhat dormant but when it really bothers me it's an extreme hassle and I'm really uncomfortable and unable to sleep. Thanks for sharing your story though thats pretty harsh man.

[Inspektahdek]

Oh, and what are you prescribed NOW for pain? cause chances are you won't get something much better than that after the proceedure...

Me, I was on Fentnayl 25mcg/hr(2.5mg total) patches, Soma 350mg 3x/day, Lortab 7.5-500 2-4x/day before the surgery... Keep in mind my pain was a good 8/10 CONSTANTLY(never let up even for 5min...). Now most ppl overexagorate the pain scale, as an 8 is like a yelping out in pain and almost having to be carried to move and so bad you cant do SHIT... just so ya know :p

Now AFTER surgery I was on the smae Fentnayl patch, same Soma 3x/day, and Morphine XR 30mg 2-3x/day.

and I've known this onelike 38yo dude(war vet too) who just got DARVOCET! after he had 2 discs taken out of his back and peices of one pciked out that was busted up. He only got yeah, FUCKING DARVOCET! and This one dude only got Percocet when he had a fusion(which made him turn to smack). and I know this guy who had a total hip replacment that only got Hydro 5s!

So, you can get anyhting from Darvocet/Ultram to Diladudas to Fentnayl and valium... it all depends on what you've been on and your LEGAL tolerance.

hope i helped some...

later


Right now on hydrocodone 10s 3-4 times a day. Hope this increases since I've been on this regimen for close to a year now.

[hero 1]

i am with insane like do not let them cut on you most of my pain comes form failed surgerys and if I could do it all over agian I would do a search on just how many people have gotten ant type of relife from surgerys

[Inspektahdek]

still in somewhat of a contemplation since right now im covered under insurance for this but mid next year I will be moving abroad back to Germany and won't be covered for such things for a while so it's all speculation on this ahhh

how probable will a success be for a fusion? Supposedly this spine surgeon at ortho has done these many many times and has had fairly good success. any more input guys?

[flipside]

It really depends on the surgeoun and how you are feeling. I have had numerous fusions all with good sucess for a number of years. I did have one of the top surgeouns in the world though and had an orthopod and nuero guy operate at the same time.

I posted about it in another thread, I'll see if I can find the post for you rather than re-type it here.

Which levels do the want to fuse?? Are the doing any bone grafts? Implants ie: screws, plates

It's post number 57 under the Targeting Doctors which ones more vunerable thread. by TM420

My brain is still stuck on slow at the moment so I could not get the link to post here. In the post I also discussed pain management befor and after surgery.

[flipside]

Nah, I care about both just that the pain isn't always constant and a little addiction has occured however the pain is there just not as much as yours I'm sure. I'm gonna go with the surgery because this shit is either really bothering me or its somewhat dormant but when it really bothers me it's an extreme hassle and I'm really uncomfortable and unable to sleep. Thanks for sharing your story though thats pretty harsh man.


Pain is SUBJECTIVE and UNIQUE to each individual. Never apologize or minimize you own pain . If you hurt, you hurt!

[exitwound]

Pain is SUBJECTIVE and UNIQUE to each individual. Never apologize or minimize you own pain . If you hurt, you hurt!

Damn straight!

[Inspektahdek]

It really depends on the surgeoun and how you are feeling. I have had numerous fusions all with good sucess for a number of years. I did have one of the top surgeouns in the world though and had an orthopod and nuero guy operate at the same time.

I posted about it in another thread, I'll see if I can find the post for you rather than re-type it here.

Which levels do the want to fuse?? Are the doing any bone grafts? Implants ie: screws, plates

It's post number 57 under the Targeting Doctors which ones more vunerable thread. by TM420

My brain is still stuck on slow at the moment so I could not get the link to post here. In the post I also discussed pain management befor and after surgery.

L4 and L5 and December 18th is when they finalize everything if I decide to go through with it. That date should be my last appointment prior to the surgery so I don't know exactly if there will be bone grafts or not.

[Inspektahdek]

http://forum.opiophile.org/showthread.php?p=74880#post74880


click above for a continuation please~~~