I saw my doctor this morning and asked him for pain meds.

[zanne]

Yikes! I've never asked for pain meds before and I didn't realize what a huge deal it is. I've been diagnosed with a lumbar disc rupture and one is degenerating. I was told that surgery wouldn't help in my case because the pain is in the center of my lower back, not radiating down my leg. The pain is excruciating when I'm just standing up and walking around. I've tried physical therapy, non-narcotic pain relievers, lidocaine patches and injections. Nothing helps. My doctor told me I'd have to go back to the Pain Management Clinic to get pain meds. I found out that I'll have to join a therapy group and sign a statement promising not to abuse the meds. If I do, I can be reported to the police.

I really don't want to put myself through that kind of degrading treatment. I've never been addicted to any pain medication; I only use it for a day or two after surgeries. I just might wind up in a wheelchair instead! Is getting pain meds this hard for everybody?

[Warpy]

1. That "degrading" treatment is for your health and safety

and prevents you from ending up deaf as a post like Lamebawl or with a burnt out liver from taking too many combination drugs.

All pain docs require contracts from their patients. The DEA monitors pharmacies and any patient who doctor shops and gets multiple prescriptions from multiple pharmacies will eventually be caught and prosecuted, contract or not, unless he's a fat Nazi propagandist on AM radio.

The group exists primarily to get you out of the house and talking to people, since chronic pain patients tend to isolate.

Please get treatment. Untreated pain can be fatal as it leads to social isolation and depression.

[zanne]

2. Thanks for your post, Warpy.

That gives me something to think about.

[DiverDave]

3. It IS??

I see you have the same mindset as all the idiots that think my chronic pain is an excuse for more dope.

I wouldn't wish chronic pain on anybody, but people like you make me want to rethink that.

There is no reason for you to be mistreated by ANYBODY!, keep looking for a compassionate Dr., and ignore the idiots that tell you that being treated like a drug addict is "good for you".

I have a life, and pain management is a part of it, and if ANYBODY treats me badly, I give it to em...educate yourself, I wish others would.

[Warpy]

4. Excuse me?

I explained the rationales for the contracts and the groups. If you find that mistreatment, I would hazard a guess that pain isn't your problem.

[hedgehog]

5. We really need much better research in relieving pain. My mother was crippled

for several years by a painful hip and she did the rounds: pain clinic, X-rays,cortisone injections, lidocaine injections, even acupuncture trying to determine the source of the pain or at least relieve it. Finally she found a physical therapist who really studied anatomy in college. He rotated her hip back into the socket and gave her the exercises to keep it there.

I have other family members living with daily pain that can't be diagnosed or resolved.

[Warpy]

6. I live for the day when we have pain medication that relieves pain

with absolutely no side effects. Until then, Ultram is going to have to do it for me.

Yes, I jump through all the hoops to get it. I know why they are there. I'm just grateful something like Ultram exists and I don't have to go though life snowed.

I hope your family members can find help. Untreated pain is fatal.

[hedgehog]

7. Untreated pain has turned my father-in-law into a grumpy old man.

He can't sleep, he can't move without pain.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

8. Same.

Tramadol is a life-saver for me. I don't have any reactions to it, and I don't rebound from it, Migraine-wise.

[onecent]

9. find a doctor who is familiar with pain. I have had shingles which is very

VERY painful and they handed me pain pills like candu. I lost my husband 2 years ago and I believe I could get anything.

Actually I don't ask for much because I have two sons who are chiropractors (long way away) so I try to limit my drugs, but some people I know get tons and tons....I don't know how they do it....but if a doctor won't give you pain meds...FIND someone else if you can.

I don't happen to look like an abuser...but I think I could be...this 750 mg vicodin sure comes in handy and I need to back off of it. They may have to wean me off of it,...I'm beginning to think I have fibromyalgia, but I don't believe that's the problem...I think I'm just tFLAT DEPRESSED.

Well these days depression isn't treatable...they just give you more or different pills.

Good Luck to you...ask to go to a pain management clinic...they know what pain is...