Off-Shoot: How much DO your pain meds help?

[Katie]

On reflection on the post regarding how little pain medications actually help, I was wondering if you could give some feedback on how much they really help everyone here?

Personally, they have taken me from a 9 out of 10 on the pain scale, to about a three on average. If I take on more than I should, activity wise, then the pain rises of course.

But patients often say that their pain level is at an 8 or 9, and I'm wondering if that is with or without their pain medications. I assume without, as when there is a lapse between doses. Because if patients consistently say that their pain is 'up there', then maybe the doctors who are writing those articles are getting the idea that the narcotics are not working from that.

I've had that argument used against me in my fight with the insurance. I stated that the pain was at the top of the chart, so they made the comment that the medications are obviously not working and I should be taken off them. I have to explain and justify every sentence.

So are they working on average? And has anyone built up a strong resistance and either had to change or up their dose substantially?

[ajj1001]

I work on a three level system, a good day to day background coverage whatever my pain levels are with no gaps, which means I am comfortable, a second level increased dosage if it isn't working or I;ve overdone it and a third level emergency regime with other medications.

[Katie]

I'm similar Alison, but with only two levels, as I haven't been able to find another drug to take over the 'emergency' levels, just use an increase in dose.

[lbanis]

I pretty much am on the 2 level regimin also. I have learned the hard way that if I am doing stuff I can easily hit a brick wall and then I am miserable and it takes a while to catch up. I imagine everyon has had that experience.

[ajj1001]

It made me realise how well managed my pain is when I had a vomiting bug and couldn't keep down tablets, it turned into a huge emergency with Doctors and suppositories (yuk). It then took 2/3 days to build up levels again and return to my own brand of normal (not the same as everyone else's but I've got used to it!).

[KBear]

Before surgery my pain (without meds) was a 9 or 10 on a daily basis. With meds, it would be about a 4. Now, my pain is about a 5 (without meds) and a 1 or 2 with meds.

[Cindylou]

Remember I asked to be taken off the Oxycontin so I am only on 2 Percocet a day, which frankly, is laughable in my situation. I'm still waiting to see if my insurance will cover the facet cauterizing, so hence, my limbo state. I would say my pain averages about a 6 roughly, with the 2 Percocet. I can sit relatively comfortably in my chair (from Relax the Back Store...zero gravity) for hours, with squirming and getting up and down, of course. Then, when I go to run some errands, it hits me. All I can think about is "can I get thru this next errand? How bad do I need this thing on my list? I just need to get home." That's when I know I can't continue to live like this. It's not normal to sit in a frickin' chair all day! That's why I think the cabin is so important to me. I break up my home routine. And when I am fishing, I have a lawn chair naturally to sit on, but I have to get up and down and walk the dock when I have a fish on the line, and I swear to God, it distracts me. It has truly been an emotional life line for me. I am normally a huge people person, but I find myself doing more solitary activities so I can moan and groan when I need to. There is alot of acting going on when I am at a group function, and after awhile I just can't keep up the facade anymore. I can no longer stand in place at a cocktail type party. I have to pull up a chair. After awhile, you start saying to yourself, "why bother?" And so I digress........