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I don't know why doctors put you on meds, see that they are working and then get scared and try and take you off. Why even bother being in the Pain Mngmt field if you are going to let the DEA constantly get on your back. Most PM docs prescribe without worrying about the DEA. They feel it is there ethical duty to help CP patients and worry about all other things secondary. That is a true pain doc. I was surfing the internet and came across the case of William Hurwitz the VA pain doc who was extremely gullable with regards to prescribing meds but truly cared about his pain patients and it cost him his practice and his freedom.. This was a hugely controversial case and if you get a chance read about it. All chronic pain patients should read about this guy. It's really a sad state of affairs that docs are more worried about the government and laws then managing a legitamate pain patient's pain. Good luck to you, sorry for the rant.

What I meant to say is that most of the docs I've seen aren't too worried about prescribing for someone who is in obvious pain, however there are a few, and I have read about many on this site, that are very reluctant as a direct result of DEA regulations.  They worry more about backlash from the government than the positive outcome with thier pain patients.  Sorry for the confusion.  This is a tough room sometimes.

I've been around for a couple of weeks now and I have noticed that you have helped me out on a couple of occasions. You helped me figure out how to make urls shorter and given me some advice as well as called me out. Anyway, for that I thank you. This site has been really helpful on so many levels. It also gives me the opportunity to help someone else out where the case may be. Weather is getting cold and painful, looks like I found a winter home.

and it's really nice there especially in the winter.  NY is cruel in the winter.  I just found out I may be reloc to CO.  Not sure if it's much better there.  Maybe a little milder.  Guess I'll find out.

in NY, South is any where past Maryland, where the weather gets milder. These NY winters are killing me. I notice cold and damp are not my friend. Can't wait to get my Tens Unit. Am I just being silly to think something can make that big of a difference? If I am not mistaken I think it was you that just got a new one and posted a pic. Is it helplful?

I looked up Dr. Huwitz after reading your post.  It sure sounds like he was put through the wringer.  I didn't read all the articles that I found, but it sure makes it easier to understand why doctors are afraid to prescribe pain meds.  Doctors are all so different from what I have experienced.  My PM doctor is very caring and works with me to keep my pain down, and is working with me to get off the meds so I can get pregnant safely.  I have a friend who has a PM doc who does not really seem to care about my friend as a patient, but just sees her as a money maker.  He writes scripts to her all the time, but hardly takes time to talk to her and find out how she is really feeling.  That is a little scary to me, because I think she is getting more drugs than she really needs.  This is the kind of doctor who I think makes it harder for PM patients especially if he has complaints brought against him or criminal charges. On the other hand, there are some people who really need the pain meds, and they are not able to get them.  I sure don't have the answers and I am lucky to have a caring doc.  I know that not everyone is as lucky.  Maybe more doctors really need to get back to their oath, and help to heal the patient, not just see them as a source of income.

No offense but doc Hurwitz deserved the original 25 year sentence he got and he is real lucky he only got 5 on appeal.  I know for a fact he prescribed outrageous amounts of oxycontin among other opiates to everyone and anyone and is responsible for about half the people in VA with opiate abuse issues.  He wasn't gullable, he was greedy and unethical.  He is an extreme case, as I agree the DEA wrongfully punishes legitimate doctors making it hard to get pain management that is worthwhile.

Check with a licensed MD before you take any suggestions!

If I were you I would just go to a different clinic who believes in the miracle of pain meds. There is no question that Opiod analgesics are the most successful course of treament for us chronic pain patients. Don't let doctors or anyone tell you different. Also there is no shame in this course of treatment and if it works for you there is just no need to change anything. If you are dealing with a doc who doesn't believe in this type of treatment find one that does. You should never have to compromise your comfort simply because of one docs philosophy. There are hundreds of Pain Clinics out there staffed with compassionate Pain docs who will treat you with respect and compassion of which you deserve. Find one and never look back. Good luck and let me know how it all turns out for you.

I have found through my extensive hx of back pain, that there seems to be only two groups of pain management clinics/MD's: 1. those who support your use of narcotics for pain management when used properly, and 2. those who are vehemently opposed to any use of narcotics and want to get you off of all meds asap even though you still have severe unresolved pain issues.

After a long story of back pain from falls, etc., I went through 2 IDET's, a discectomy at L4-L5, then a fusion at L4-L5 (using my own bone graft from my hip), and this is where they found I actually had a fx facet joint on my vertebrae that never showed up on any scan, be it xray, MRI, CT scan, you name it. So it was actually a good thing I had the fusion, so they could find this problem and fix it, as they said the fx piece of bone was severely compressing several nerves, and almost "digging into" my spinal cord. After I finally healed from that surgery in 2003 (don't EVERhave them harvest your own bone from your hip - that is inhumane in the amount of pain it causes you!!), I was back to a "functioning" level with my back pain - it was never healed totally. On Oct 31, 2005 as I was walking doing trick-or-treating with my kids, I noticed I was having more and more pain with every step. I went to my PCP who did an xray, to find that my spine NEVER fused at the level where I had the fusion! He sent me to a new neurosurgeon who was great, but also said that I had to have a revision of my fusion immediately, as I was walking around with an unstable spine. He did the revision in Dec. 2005, this time using cadaver bone, and the spine fused beautifully, but the pain was worse that ever. I was on Oxycontin and Oxycodone for the pain control post-op, but as time went on and the Dr. wanted me to start weaning, I found I couldn't because the pain was so intense. This is when my quest for a pain management doctor began. My neurosurgeon said he would continue to write the scripts until I could get an appointment somewhere.

My point in chronicling all of this for you is to point out 2 things. First, I went from doctor to doctor, not because I was "doctor shopping", but because it took me a long time to find a doctor who would hearwhat I was saying. I had my share of practices that told me I would have to immediately start weaning off of the drugs, and try things such as massage, hot tub therapy, acupuncture, etc. I would tell them that I was all for trying alternative therapies, but at the same time I knew my pain was real, and that massage alone wasn't going to cut it. I also told them it's not like I was wanting to stay on these high levels of meds for the rest of my life (in my late 30's), that I also wanted to proactively continue to look for a reason as to whyI was still having this pain. I finally found a doctor who agreed that the pain I was having was real, and validated that I did need the meds, however he was an hour drive each way! Lucky for me, me sister had a family picnic for both sides of her family, and I got to talking with her father-in-law who also has an extensive back hx. He was raving and raving about his pain management MD, so I asked where he was out of, and it turned out he was only 20 minutes form my house! I called Mon morning, found out he accepted my insurance, AND was taking new patients!! I got in 2 weeks later, and decided I loved him 2 minutes into our meeting! He agreed with my previous pain MD about staying on the meds, and also heard my cry about finding the cause so perhaps I didn't have to stay on these meds forever. After a very thorough exam, he asked if anyone had ever questioned whether I had a problem with my sacro-iliac (SI) joint. Bewildered, I said no. That's when he said he really thought that's where most of my pain was coming from, and that's why I didn't get any relief after the 2nd fusion. After doing some testing, he was right in his diagnosis. Unfortunately, because mine went for so long misdiagnosed, I have some real damage there, so treating it isn't going to be as easy. That's the 2nd thing I wanted to point out to you. First is to ask you - has anyone ver considered that your pain might be coming from your SI joint? If you've already ruled that out for you, then my second point is to keep trying.Just because you go to another doctor in search of the treatment that's right for you, doesn't necessarily mean that you are "doctor shopping". I think you ultimately know what you need for your body - I think we all do _ but sometime get intimidated by these doctors and think that if we insult them, they won't give us what we need.

In terms of pain management, unfortunately there are health-care providers in that field that believe that if you need narcotics for managing your pain, then you are automatically "addicted". I know I've dealt with a few of them. Just because we need the pain meds to help us combat our pain doesn't mean we are addicted. I've had this talk with my new doctor (my new best friend!).  Sure, physically our bodiesare addicted, meaning that if we stopped taking out Percocets, Oxycontin, Vicodins, whatever, that our bodies would physically go into withdrawal. But if we are taking our pain meds responsibly and our taking them as prescribed, that doesn't necessarily mean we are emotionally addicted.

My advice to you is to keep looking for another doctor/APRN until you have found the one who will truly hear what you have to say. There is someone out there for you, and I know how frustrating it is to find the appropriate person who has an appropriate plan. It took me 2 years to find someone for me! Also, don't forget to keep searching for the REASON you still have so much pain. That too took me 3 years to find the reason, and even though we ahven't found the right treatment yet (that would have to be a whole new thread!!) it's taken a lot of weight off just knowing that we finally know what the cause is!!

Good luck!

You can still take opiates while on suboxone. It is not advised because most people are taking it for addiction maintenance. It does take a lot more than you normally would take because the bupenorphine binds more tightly to the receptor than whatver opiate you introduce into your body. When I was abusing opiates back in the day I have personally taken 4 or 8mg of suboxone and still taken opiates a couple hours later and they worked.