How long before you got your pain under control?

[Katie]

Just wondering how long it took for you to find a doctor and/or the right combination of meds that got your pain under control? Not necessarily gone, of course, since almost no one can manage that, but at least lets you function for an hour or three out of the day.

It took over a year to convince my doctor that I was hurting enough to warrant much of anything, and then it was only Tylenol 3. I was lucky enough to have a veterinarian friend who knew someone in the medical community, and they gave me the cell phone number of my now pain management doctor. If I hadn't had that 'friend of a friend' connection, it would have taken at least another six months on a wait list to get anything.

Getting that relief was the only thing that gave me the strength to proceed with my appeal with the Insurance. Even with that, we went through about six different types before finding the one that worked. It was a long haul.

[Justin]

Just wondering how long it took for you to find a doctor and/or the right combination of meds that got your pain under control? Not necessarily gone, of course, since almost no one can manage that, but at least lets you function for an hour or three out of the day.

It took over a year to convince my doctor that I was hurting enough to warrant much of anything, and then it was only Tylenol 3. I was lucky enough to have a veterinarian friend who knew someone in the medical community, and they gave me the cell phone number of my now pain management doctor. If I hadn't had that 'friend of a friend' connection, it would have taken at least another six months on a wait list to get anything.

Getting that relief was the only thing that gave me the strength to proceed with my appeal with the Insurance. Even with that, we went through about six different types before finding the one that worked. It was a long haul.

Hey Katie,

Finding pain relief this time around took close to 8 months. I was on NOTHING for 8 months with a constant pain level between 7-8 out of 10. I have an extremely high tolerance for pain, but I truly felt I was suffering for no good reason. I'll tell you it was a very long, pain-filled 8 months.

I can't imagine it taking over a year to find pain relief like in your situation. How are you feeling currently?--what's your pain like day-to-day?

Good luck with the appeal nonsense--it can be an incredible headache.

[Terry Newton]

Pain can be such a debilitating condition. It robs you of your humanity by sapping you of your body, mind, and spirit. It robs you of the people closest to you because, they cannot feel what you are feeling. It becomes so easy to lash out at those around you and, make their lives miserable as well. Plus, chronic pain impedes your body's ability to heal itself. Finding a good pain management doctor is essential to finding relief. You see a specialist if you have cancer, stomach issues, etc. so, why would you go to a regular physician to deal with chronic pain? A pain management specialist is someone who is board certified and specializes in dealing with getting pain under control. They have all kinds of effective tools in their arsenal to deal with pain when it comes to the spine. They can use epidurals, nerve blocks, facet injections, medications, etc. They will also refer you to a psychologist who is useful in treating the mind in ways that help get pain under control as pain is a psychological issue as well. I have a very high tolerance for pain as well and typically need very little in pain medication to get the pain under control even when the pain is massive. I had four ruptured discs and walked with a cane for almost a year and the highest amount I got up to was 20 mg of Methadone for pain relief. I also used Lyrica to deal with the nerve pain. Some of the most effective pain relief came from my bicycling and endorphin loading. Good aerobic conditioning will help with the brain's ability to produce it's own pain medication.

Pain is nothing to be ashamed of. Here's to good pain control.

We should all petition Justin to choose pain management as his career choice when he becomes a physician.

I can see it now; "Justin's Pain Control Center." For Proper Pain Relief See Justin. Million's Served.

[Justin]

Pain is nothing to be ashamed of. Here's to good pain control.

We should all petition Justin to choose pain management as his career choice when he becomes a physician.

I can see it now; "Justin's Pain Control Center." For Proper Pain Relief See Justin. Million's Served.

Terry, you're too funny! I've really been considering different specialities including a Pain Medicine Fellowship just based on the last year of my spinal hell. There are many more doors that are open now...the hard part is trying to pick which one I ultimately want to do for my entire career.

BTW...the smilies are going up today...the few we have are driving me nuts!

[Terry Newton]

BTW...the smilies are going up today...the few we have are driving me nuts!

Awesome. We'll have the most fun spinal forum around. Just because we're in misery doesn't mean we have to be miserable.

[Katie]

Smilies! Wooo hooooooooo! And can we put more than four in our messages??? It's been annoying when I get carried away and use half a dozen or ten, and then have to decide which ones to delete...it just changes the tone of the message so much

Justin, thanks for asking about me...that's very kind of you. Pain, well....I wake up with a 7 or 8, as my morphine is short acting and I can't seem to use anything else that works instead. If I keep on top of things, it will stay at a 3 or 4 most of the day, but I often forget and then it takes awhile to get it under control again. Suppertime seems to be the worst time, and about noonish and eight at night the best, for some reason.

I have abdominal pain as well though, probably from adhesions. I had a hysterectomy in March of '03, with a post-op infection, and after I complained about ongoing pain, they did a laporoscopy in January the next year. I was told that my bowels were totally enveloped with the scar tissue, and they showed me pictures that looked like my belly was filled with spider webs. They cut through as many as possible, but said that they could not do any more, to just live with it.

Sometimes the pain feels like labour contractions and doubles me over, and last year I had an ultrasound to make sure my appendix was not infected. All this is breakthrough pain even though I'm on over 300 mg of morphine a day. Of course I'm told there is nothing they can do, as they will just grow back if they go in and cut them.

I guess it is possible that there is referred pain from my spine and we'll find out when I have surgery. I refuse to say 'if'

Although I called the insurance office today and they said they are 'still working on it.' It shouldn't surprise me, but it is starting to annoy me just a bit.......I was told I would have an answer by tomorrow...and I did remind them that this is classed as urgent. They'll be hearing from me morning AND night if it isn't done soon. Squeeky wheel and all....

[trkdoc714]

Terry,

We're already the most fun spinal forum on the internet. We don't have to look over our shoulders for those medical tour guide companies or their sales people anymore!

But the emoticons will make it even more fun. Do you think Justin included any "R" rated ones?

Bob
Bob

[Katie]

Bad bad bad!!!!!

[Justin]

BTW...the smilies are going up today...the few we have are driving me nuts!

OK, I decided to spoil my wife today--our last day in Munich. She has been so incredibly selfless, understanding and has stood by me every single day over the last year of what I call "Justin's Spinal Hell, Volume 3." In short: no new smilies, yet.

I'll try to have them up early next week. I travel back home to the States tomorrow. Bob, the "R" rated ones will be included.

[Katie]

OK, have I missed those x-rated ones or just don't recognize them when they are staring me in the face?