Here's some Toradol! No? Howbout some Voltaren!

[Ickyuck]

This is a bitching thread about the rampant use of NSAIDS in the hospital *before* considering opiate therapy. Now I know and understand that giving opiates to patients isn't the first on the doctors list (we are talking about mild/severe pain cases, not like, limbs and pancreatic implosions [if there is such a thing]).

I go into the hospital every year, almost, for infectious colitis. It is painful, my insides cramp and hurt like hell, I have adhesions from a previous surgery basically fusing my intestines to a scar down my abdomen. Morphine does the only trick; it slows the motility of my gut (cause guys, at this point I cant stop shitting), and finially pushes the pain away. But no.
There is always one doc who says "aw here is some, ah, toradol, this should make you feel better". And NO IT DOESNT.
Same with voltaren when I saw a doc for nerve damage. Fine, sure, it helps the swelling. But what about that feeling of my shoulder being ripped open and stretched like guitar strings down my back? Ya think maybe voltaren will help that?!?!

Anyway I am just bitching.
Please, relate any stories here where your doctor handed you a NSAID and said "Have a nice day"...

[Papa Verine]

Just yesterday I was at my shrink's office and told him I've been having A lot of stress lately and insomnia almost every night. (Lie)

He recommended I go to counseling. Counseling for my insomnia? I was at least hoping for some Lunesta or something... the office is peppered with Lunesta advertisements.

He said "We don't want to drug you or anything like that."

We don't???

He must've had a mouse in his pocket because I do want to drug me.

[Ickyuck]

Counseling? I hate it how medical providers just assume a) your insurance can cover extra shit like that and b) you can find and go to a shrink just like that and c) they don't question you FIRST about your symptoms...

[hydro chris]

just my to cents... voltaren is a really old med, ime is a very good NSAID. that i had used years ago for some
stiffness around the right side of the neck..and it actually had a little calming effect (mind easing) before i went to sleep. this was way way before swim took opies.

[Narkotikon]

I went to the ER once for a very very VERY bad headache (and it was my fault, I took too many Blach Cohosh pills because I had read it has very mild mu-agonist activity). So, stupid me eats handfuls of them. I repeat, yes, it was my fault. It's mainly used as an herbal hot-flash cure for women going through menopause. But, nevertheless, it caused a fucking huge-ass headache. I took way more APAP AND Ibuprofen than recommended (yes, I know, very bad, but that's how bad the headache was), and I laid down in a dark, quiet room with a wet cloth over my head. Nothing worked.

So, I go to the ER. Now, this is the hospital that EVERYONE in the city goes to without insurance, because if you don't have insurance, the others just won't see you (unless, of course, it's a massive emergency where you might actually die in the process of going to the other hospital). Now, I had gone to this ER two and a half months prior in opiate w/d, and was very honest with them. I told them, look, I'm an opiate addict, I'm in major w/d, can you please give me something to help the w/d. I told them I wasn't expecting narcotics, I wasn't expecting anything addictive. When I went that time, they drug tested me (why, I don't know, because I was honest about being an opiate addict, and sure enough, I tested positive for opiates...big surprise). I also got an IV bag of fluids, and one .1mg Clonidine pill, and treated VERY badly by the staff and doctors. I mean, looking back, why bother going at all. I could have taken some Immodium, drank a cup or two of water, and then spent my time at home, not to mention saved a thousand dollar hospital bill. But, anyway, because I went there in w/d and was actually honest and looking for help, of course I was red-flagged.

So, when I go back later for this headache, I was--again--treated very badly. I remember this fucking red-haired doctor who flat out said I wasn't getting any narcotics, so don't even ask. This was even before I told him what was wrong. I just looked at him with a shocked face, and said "I don't know what you think of me, but I don't appreciate that." He wasn't pleased with that. He listened very briefly of my symptoms. I told him about the headache. He ordered an expensive MRI that was unnecessary, and when that didn't show anything wrong (because why would it?), he wanted to do a spinal tap because he was convinced that I had meningitis. Now, granted, I did not tell him I had taken a handful of Black Cohosh pills, and that's what the headache was from, because I figured I'd get the same bad treatment, or even worse. So, I just went along with the headache story, which was true. I mean, he didn't need to know how I got the headache. Just that I had one.

But, when he said the spinal tap thing (and I've never had one before, but I know from other people that they are very very painful), I asked him what they would do for the numbing. He said nothing. Now, I know from one of my sisters, who's a nurse, that they use some kind of topical anesthetic or whatever to numb you. They don't just stick your spine with a fucking big-ass needle. But, again, he said nothing. At this point, I said "listen, I know you've got a preconceived notion of me because I was in here two and a half months ago in opiate w/d, which I was honest about, and was only looking for help. I realize that most likely after that, I was red-flagged as a narcotic seeker. Do you actually think I'd be stupid enough to come back in here looking for narcotics?" He just grinned, and said "sure I do, others do all the time." And then he said "again, you're not getting any narcotics." And I said "again, I don't expect you to give me any narcotics. I'm not stupid, despite what you think, but I know that there are other medications that you CAN give me that aren't narcotics that would help for the pain of a headache, and also topical creams for a spinal tap." I mean, he could have given me Zomig or Imitrex, or a beta-blocker like Propranolol, or a calcium-channel blocker, or even the NSAIDS like all of you are talking about (although I guess since I told the nurse during admission that I had already taken Ibuprofen, that that's why that wasn't given). All of those are NON ADDICTIVE and can be used during the headache to help it. And there's no reason they couldn't have used a topical numbing cream for a spinal tap procedure.

Instead, he gave me a fucking shot of Reglan, which I hate, because 1.) I don't think it works, and 2.) it gives you a nasty metalic taste in your mouth. Plus, it's a nausea medication, and also works for motility (making your intestines move faster--something great for an opiate addict, even though I had been sober for about two months when this occurred, but you know how your GI is still out of whack a little bit even after the initial acute w/d ends). Now, I know that some nausea medications can be used for migraines in some cases, but come on, I highly doubt they work that well. This certainly didn't work. Then, ten minutes later, when he came back, and asked if my pain was gone, I just looked at him and said "um, no, it's not." It wasn't gone. At that point, he started again--for the third time--on the "no narcotics" speech. At that point, I said, "listen I didn't come here to be treated badly by you and your staff because you have preconceived notions of what i must be because I did the right thing and was honest with you about my opiate addiction two and a half months ago." I then said I want to sign myself out, which of course he tried to talk me out of, because I'm sure it doesn't look good for him, but I did anyway. I signed myself out AMA, and I've never been back to that hospital since. Fucking red-haired asshole. Ginger cunt.

This is why I think it's necessary to lie to medical staff about addictions. You get treated worth shit. Granted, I wasn't there seeking narcotics. I didn't expect to get shit. But, I mean, they could have used another non-addictive migraine med, and even if they did use narcotics, heaven forbid they give you a shot of something in the hospital. It's not like you can take it home with you. I guess they figure you'll keep coming back for more and more, and that's 1.) why they don't use narcotics, even if it's warranted in a situation with a patient with a narcotic's past, unless it's absolutely necessary, like a car accident and you've got a severed limb or something; and 2.) why they have such a nasty attitude with known addicts. You just don't get adequate or proper treatment if you tell the truth and do the right thing. And they wonder why addicts lie. Yes, I'm sure some do lie to get drugs, but I'm also sure some lie so they can actually get adequate treatment. The only time now that I'd tell a medical staff I was an opiate addict would be like now, because I'm on Subs, and would have to have a higher-dose because of the blocking effect of Subs. And I'd be damned sure I'd have my Sub doctor (when I find another one) call to make sure they were actually treating me properly, and also have my family (probably my nurse sister) make sure too.

And before some people start in with the "what do you expect, you did it to yourself by eating the herbal pills and brought the head-ache on yourself" shit, that's NOT THE POINT! The point is that I got inadequate care. I don't care if you're an addict, you still deserve adequate medical care in a hospital. That's the point. The fact that I caused the headache is moot. Yes, I caused it, but does that mean I don't deserve medical care when I need it? Hell no! Using that logic would be like saying that someone who tries to kill themself by shooting a gun at their head, but messes up, doesn't deserve treatment in an ICU to try to save their life. Yes, they did it to themselves, bu they still deserve treatment. Or, it would be like saying that someone who OD's on heroin doesn't deserve Narcan because they did it to themselves. I don't care if you do it to yourselves. You still deserve treatment, and treatment without the attitude from condescending medical staff and doctors with an ego-complex.

[OpiXPO]

I cant help but to wonder how much of this is pushed by the DEA versus just the conservative nature our society exsists in having to do with drugs.
I'll be honest, I can understand (and agree with) when a doctor doesnt want to prescribe opiates to a person who is flat out known as an addict currently, and is afraid if he/she gives them what they actually need to deal with their problem then the DEA will come take their licence.

I dont understand why doctors give shitty treatment because their on a high horse and are looking down on your habbit. Even more so because (just guessing) most opiate addicts fall into the vortex from a ligitmate problem, not because they woke up one day and said "Hmm, I feel like getting addicted to opiates today". It pisses me off even more because of the shitty treatment could lead to undiagnosed conditions that ends up killing you because the doctor has a stick up his ass! I mean say you start having very recurring migraines thats landed you in the ER several times with dilaudid shots, and then you get flagged. Rather than getting to the bottom of the problem, they give you Toradal and send you on your way, with a growing brain tumor. And they dont care because they THINK you are an addict.

damn, that little rant is somewhat ruining my buzz from my last dose from my little discovery.

[clinton]

Here did all the "croakers" go?

[DarthStoner]

Once, when I was working as a cook in a hotel restaurant, I accidently dropped my lighter into the deep fryer oil and pretty much blew myself up...

Let me clarify (though I'll still look like a total idiot). It was toward the end of the night shift, maybe an hour before closing, and really fuckin slow - so the other cook and I decided we'd get a head start on closing.

Being a total pothead, I decided to go out back for a cigarette, and smoked one... after I smoked a fat joint of some really really chronic bud.

I put my cigarettes (with a couple more Js in the box) along with a lighter into the front pocket of my chef's coat. Went back in and did most of the cleaning... all that was left to do was the deep fryer, and we didn't have a machine or anything, it was drain through a strainer into a giant pot, wipe the inside, rinse, and pour back in.

So I drained the oil into the pot, cleaned the inside, flushed with oil to rinse excess garbage out, and was about to pick up the pot of oil to pour back into the fryer. I totally forgot about the cigarettes and lighter in my breast pocket, and plop, they both go into the fryer.

Well, as previously mentioned, I had a couple of joints in that pack of cigarettes, and they were floating atop the hot oil. So I tried to get them, which was hard cause the oil was really hot. So I grabbed the tongs, and fished them out. The second I started pulling away from the oil, BOOM the lighter, which had fallen to the bottom of the oil, explodes.

Hot oil hit the ceiling, and pretty much drenched my coat, and my entire right arm, as well as part of my face and neck. Needless to say, I went to the ER.

Now, I'm not all that sure what an NSAID is (I could UTMFSE, but I assume it is an opiate-free painkiller), but after waiting for like 2 hours in the ER, I finally get to see a doctor.

My entire right arm is dark red and very sore, and there was a light peeling of skin - white loose puffy skin on my forearm - which I thought would form a giant blister, but didn't. It looked pretty bad, so of course, I'm hoping for some good drugs - at that time I thought Vicodin was good - but all I got was some prescription Motrin or something similar, and a prescripton burn gel.

What a bummer... though I guess I kinda understand, they probably thought they were doing me a favor, since someone stupid enough to blow themself up at work probably isn't smart enough to take a narcotic painkiller w/o somehow endangering them self.

This was definitely the most BONEHEAD thing I've ever done... oh well, live and learn, I guess .

[TigerFan]

It's funny, when I was doing opiates (before december) doctors never seemed to give me anything good. I ALWAYS got the 800 mg ibuprofen bullshit. I would be so pissed too. I would plan on getting hydrocodone after oral surgery etc. and never get it. Tell the doctor "but it REALLY hurts!" Doctor: "I know - that's why I am giving you prescription strength ibuprofen!"

NOW, that I have not been doing any opiates I ALWAYS get offered scripts for vicodin/percocet and I have to ask for the 800 mg ibuprofen (I've had a lot of work done to my teeth in the last year). They must not even bother to read those forms you fill out in the waiting room because i said I was on suboxone. Life can be ironic sometimes.

[Suboxstitute]

Originally Posted by TigerFan

It's funny, when I was doing opiates (before december) doctors never seemed to give me anything good. I ALWAYS got the 800 mg ibuprofen bullshit. I would be so pissed too. I would plan on getting hydrocodone after oral surgery etc. and never get it. Tell the doctor "but it REALLY hurts!" Doctor: "I know - that's why I am giving you prescription strength ibuprofen!"

NOW, that I have not been doing any opiates I ALWAYS get offered scripts for vicodin/percocet and I have to ask for the 800 mg ibuprofen (I've had a lot of work done to my teeth in the last year). They must not even bother to read those forms you fill out in the waiting room because i said I was on suboxone. Life can be ironic sometimes.

That is so weird, since I've been on suboxone, I too have been offered narcotics more often (major dental work, etc.). Since I am a patient in a big clinic/hospital system they immediately pull up your medication record and the first drug listed on mine is suboxone. I simply do not think they know what it IS.

I just spent 30 minutes a couple weeks ago explaining it all to a registered nurse, who had never heard of it nd was very interested. She was calling for pre-op for a minor procedure (which I ended up delaying, I'm such a procrastinator).

She was really nice, but she said they had NEVER (NEVER????) had a patient on bupe come in for outpatient surgery at this HUGE hospital....., and then said she'd have to talk to the main (big) anesthesiology dep't and see if THEY ever had a patient on suboxone. I found that really surprising. And I felt like the only addict (in treatment) within a 100 mile radius....

Anyway... don't know why the offers of percocets and hydro now, when before (you're right!) it was the 800mg motrins. Since I have spent the better part of two years on sub, and am now tapering down and off, I wasn't going to blow it by accepting the scripts, but it wasn't easy to say no. But I guess I'm not "flagged" throughout the system, since a couple of times they've even read my med list back to me to verify and they haven't made a comment about sub, just whether or not I was still on it and at what dose. I even had to remind my primary doctor, who I've had to see this past year fairly often, that I am on sub.

Sue

[resorcinol]

Luckily I've not yet run into anti-narcotic nazi docs / nurses (I HAVE run into pharmacists like that though).

When I was in the hospital for acute renal colic I was given a whole bunch of morphine no questions asked along with the toradol drip. The doc even let me have it before 4 hrs had passed since the last shot if the pain spiked. These horror stories scare me though .... makes me glad I didn't get on bupe b/c of docs somehow finding out (it was in another thread).

I did play all the games (SUPER sweet and charming to the nurses ... had my boyfriend at the time sit with me and hold my hand [which I did genuinely feel comforted by... but the fangirl nurses probably thought it was OMG kawaii!!! ... thus increasing my chances for more frequent doses since the nurses can tell the doc "he really needs more, I can tell"], flattered the doc by telling him that he had an incredible memory for remembering that he couldn't use pethidine with the maoi I was on at the time, etc), so that might have played into the comparatively large amounts of drugs I got. I also wasn't "hooked" yet at that time so I probably didn't send off any drug seeker signals.

I've seen friends and family treated TERRIBLY in the pain relief area, though --- by opiophobic docs.

[Indy]

Originally Posted by Suboxstitute

She was really nice, but she said they had NEVER (NEVER????) had a patient on bupe come in for outpatient surgery at this HUGE hospital....., and then said she'd have to talk to the main (big) anesthesiology dep't and see if THEY ever had a patient on suboxone. I found that really surprising. And I felt like the only addict (in treatment) within a 100 mile radius....



Sue

not sure if you're in the same state as i (WI) but it's mostly alcoholics out here, who are too drunk to do drugs. but god help you if you're one of those filthy junkies...or even worse, POTHEADS!

[antifox]

I have had eleven surgeries in the past four years and I have never had a single doctor, resident, or GI specialist know what suboxone is.

[The_Highwayman]

I have a great story with Toradol (sp)...

A couple years ago when I was using Buprenex as my DOC, I had run out and wanted to try to use an Urgent care to see if I could score some, so I went in complaining of two ganglian cysts I have on my wrist. Well, I get the doctor and he sees them and tells me that they look very bad and I tell him that they are casuing me pain. He said all he could do was try to drain them and I said sure, when he left to get a syringe I said can I get anything for the pain, and he said "with all them tattoos, you can take pain" from then I knew Iwas screwed, anyway he got a GIANT needle and drained the first one and it was ahrd because the fluid inside is the viscosity of jelly, and when he got to the 2md one a much bigger one, he pulled back on the syringe too hard and POP!!! the pluger pulls out and he ends up ramming the 18g needle deep into my wrist, I really WAS now in pain, I had tears streaming down my face. He was speechless, besides an "ohhh, jeez, sorry about that, wow that must have hurt" so he then decides to cover his ass and tells me he's going to give me a shot for the pain and give me a script, so even though I was now in real pain, I thought well maybe this wasn;t so bad..he comes back with a rig and tells me to drop my pants for an IM shot in the ass, and I ask what it is and he says Toradol, I had heard of it before and knew I was screwed, then he wrote me a script for perc 5's but I asked him if he could give me buprenex instead, he said he didn;t know the dosage to prescribe for bupes so he said it was the percs or nothing, I just told him I would be fine without them (dumb choice) then I left and the next day I drove my normal hour to score some buprenex from a friend..and the Toradol didn't do SHIT!!!!

[The_Highwayman]

Not sure about Suboxone, but I rarely found a pharmcist or doctor who knew what buprenex is...I am sure that some patients oon bup going for surgery have not disclose they are on suboxone ot their doctor for fear of being in pain and not getting precribed the proper narcotics due to their doctor's fear/prejudice