What to ask my Dr. for breakthrough pain

elusive2u
Posts: 6
 Joined: 2008-06-11

Currently I'm taking 10/650 Lorcet x 2 per day.  However once in a while I have breakthrough pain from yardwork, sitting in car for long periods of time etc etc.

What and how should I ask my doc for to prescribe for times like these when my legs are numb and my Lorcet 10's aren't working. 

During times of BT pain I end up taking 3 or 4 a day.  But that leaves me short at the end of the month and my pharmacy won't refill unless it's 28 days or longer since last refill even though doc put 3 months worth of refills on it at a time.

 


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Submitted by elusive2u on July 4, 2008 - 2:11pm. login or register to post comments

KK
Posts: 83
 Joined: 2007-05-01
Maybe suggest to your doc

Maybe suggest to your doc about going up on the quantity. 2 a day is nothing when they are usually Rx'd for every 4-6 hours. Or maybe a long acting med like Oxy's or even the Duragesic Patches. Just explain it to him like you did here. What's the worst he could say? "NO!"

Good luck.............KK 


July 4, 2008 - 2:30pm login or register to post comments

elusive2u
Posts: 6
 Joined: 2008-06-11
thank you

Thank you for the advice. Due to the nature of my job as an outside salesmen I'm afraid of Oxy's due to their effects.

My doc is a D.O. and he won't write more than 60 tabs of narcotics. I understand the whole mess with the way things get diverted but I have one doc and one pharmacy. I was on 60 of the 7.5 lorcets per month and kept taking 3 per day. So he wrote 60 of the 10's and told me to break them up if I have to.

Lorcets do not make me loopy...just makes the pain go away.

I guess I'm afraid he'll say "NO" then tell me he's going to cut me cold turkey.

I've thought of doing the self imposed scale back where I cut back to 1.5 tabs per day and load up on extra strength tylenol (keeping in mind the 3000mg daily max). Then get down to 1 tab per day if possible. Then work my way back up again.

I'm not addicted, I don't divert, but I do admit that my tolerance like with all narcotics has gotten bigger.

I have documented proof that two of my discs at 50% or more degeneration and one that is completely gone, plus spondolesthesis in several vertebrae. All from car wrecks and genetics.

The worst is that no matter how many painkillers I take the numbness in my legs doesn't go away.

Thanks as always for the advice.

(edited) 



July 4, 2008 - 2:39pm login or register to post comments

Flyer1976
Posts: 205
 Joined: 2008-03-24
I would suggest

I understand the fears you have concerning your doctor but if you are doing nothing wrong, then why fear? And anything else about self medicating seems dangerous. I mean seriously no one knows our body better than ourselves, but given the variables such as general health, weight, height, etc.. are all taken into consideration by a professional who should be helping you with the amounts and types of medicines you take. The current controversy is surely hurting patients in pain however, we have to make sure that as the public, that we aren't relying solely on the internet to replace a doctors 8+years of med school and hands on training. You touched on a very true and very dangerous topic of the 3000+ mgs of acetaminophen a person develops toxicity in their blood stream. That info alone should tell ya to be careful with self medicating. I am not a doctor but that is what I am writing in my book about my experience with having chronic pain and insurance and hospitals and..... and.... Take care man!!!!

 

Remember: Be as honest with him as you just were with us and if you dont like him.....Whats wrong with going to pain management??? Besides, it doesn't sound ethical to give someone who is in distress LESS help than before...



July 5, 2008 - 12:56am login or register to post comments

Nancie
Nancie's picture
Posts: 54
 Joined: 2007-01-01
BT meds

Hi I agree w/Flyer.What you take is usually considered BT meds.Duragesic is a good med but hard to keep on the skin in the summer but I did use tegrederm(sp?) tape to keep it on. I think your best bet is an Extended Relief med such as Duragesic, ms or oxy contin.There are many options and a good PM doc is a Godsend.I am on methadone for ER and oxy ir for BT and so far so good.Good Luck and keep us posted, Nan


July 5, 2008 - 8:28am login or register to post comments

So many questions
Posts: 35
 Joined: 2008-07-06
I Find That

i find that when it comes to pain oxycodone works really well. if you ask him about that you never know..... i took it for  a while and it worked great


July 6, 2008 - 4:09pm login or register to post comments