Author: boxer
Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 6:05 pm
J
Hello,
I am new to this forum, and wanted to take a moment and tell you all some things about me.
I was in a bad car wreck in 95′ and as a result was totally disabled from it. I broke my C-3 vert., ruptured disc(s) @ l3-l4, displaced and destroyed the patella at right knee, broke right foot and tore the ligaments that move my toes in that foot also. These injuries caused me to lose my job, and after four years of trying to find work w/ any success, I signed up and now receive SSI benefits.
Just after the accident, while going through rehab, I was being prescribed demerol 100 mg 3x/dy, percocet 10 4 x a day and a pain patch, and muscle relaxers, etc…
I continued to use opiates for many, many years of various types, even oxycontin when it came out. The a plague of od’s in this area caused my primary doctor to stop prescribing oxies, and he put me on Percs, and a Duragesic patche(s), 2-50 mg patches at the same time and Avinza for break through pain.
As the years passed, and my chronic pain was being contolled with those meds, my doctor referred me to a pain clinic, which was then about a 2 hour drive away, one way. He liked to use epi shots in addition to lower strength pp’s. If you tell this doctor that the shots were not helping was your wasy out the door as he dismisses any patient that refuses or says they are not helping or are even late for or miss an appointment. At this clinic it was cash for the doctor visits and fortunately my Part D prescription insurance paid for the meds.
I got tired of driving so far for such a strict doctor who seemed more interested in money (the shots are very expensive)than his patients, I got in with a Pain Mgt. Doctor closer to me. Cash for visits there also.
I will be the first to admit that the opiates become less effective after using them for so long, and my doctor counted my meds every month too and I was always short on them. We had discussed many visits b4 how that I was having to use more and more of the meds to be able to function.
So, he wanted me to try Suboxone for well documented chronic pain. I had not heard of it being used for CP, but listened and he went over the less is best info, and so I agreed to try this sub. tretament for CP.
I started this new PM regime just this last week:
He prescribed me 15 Subutek to get the opiates out of my system. 84 8/2 mg Suboxone SL Strips, 1/2 a strip ea. 4-6 hours as needed for pain, Clonazapam, 1 mg 3 x/ dy and neurontin, 300 mg, 3 x / day.
I took the Subutek and started the Subuxone.
While taking the Subutek, I coulnd’t really tell I had even taken them, for the first 3-4 days, and then I started getting sick and hurting. I started the suboxone and the first couple days had a headache and some stomach issues. Today, I felt some better and it seems to be helping some with my pain, but I have been taking Tylenol too.
The biggest thing other than some sick feelings, is that the psychological cravings for the opiates are still here. I had to hide any "opies" I have so I will not even see them when I go take a leak. That helped some.
The other thing that is bad is that who I thought were friends are 1 by 1 started to call way less, when they do come by and I tell them the regime I am using now, they don’t stay as long as they did. It was undescribably difficult to say "no" thanks today when one of my long time friends came by and offered me a 30, and I had to say, na’, this med I am taking has an opiate blocker in it. Some of us usually watch a football game on Sundays, now I am here alone….ok….
Anyway, seems the Suboxone may be good for chronic pain, it does as I stated seem to be helping with the pain, and as I am certain you all know, -zeroz- euphoria though. No problem.
The thing that does concern me some is what about an injury, surgery, etc since my PMD says since I have been taking opiates for so long and have a history of abuse I may need to take the Suboxone for life. I know could talk to him about a taper to wean off the sub., but then I will be back to cp, which is bad enough that OTC’s alone have very little effect for my pain relief.
Any positive comments, etc will be appreciated.