being disabled....

[The Oopster]

It's been ages since I've read this book but found it reassuring and inspirational at the timne I read it:


The Alchemy of Illness by Kat Duff she is a counselor in private practice that has chronic fatigue syndrome.

[always2late]

Originally Posted by softness

so..does anyone else have problems getting pain meds from their Dr? I swear my Dr is so paranoid! I ask for pain meds twice a year. I ask for maybe two weeks worth of meds at a time. Wow. Some addict I am. And I ask only for enough to help me sleep..not 24 hour coverage. YET...my Dr refuses to give them to me! I have to read her the riot act and go in, show her how damn crippled up I am, break down into tears, which makes me feel like I am at her mercy instead of a grown up to be trusted, before she takes me in earnest. After treating me for almost 3 years, why cant she just take my word for it?

THIS is why the little green plant has become my friend at rare times

This enrages me! I have two herniated discs...and I'm a nurse. I work 12 hour shifts where I am on my feet for most of those hours. Yet, when the pain gets bad enough that I can barely walk and I go to my Dr....he looks at me like I'm an addict! MORON!! Look at my medical history!! Do you SEE an abuse of medication?? Thanks for making me feel like my pain doesn't really matter when you see that I can barely walk or stand upright. I swear, compassion is sorely lacking in healthcare. Note: Like softness...I only ask for the pain meds when it gets really bad...MAYBE twice a year, and only enough to get me through a week or so until the pain subsides enough that I can function...yep, if I'm an addict I'm sure as hell doing it wrong!

[DomnNC]

I understand about the frustration of getting pain meds. I've had 2 cervical fusions and one lumbar fusion with all sorts of hardware. I have permanent nerve damage due to waiting too long to have anything done about these things.

The DEA is cracking down hard on Dr's who prescribe a lot of pain meds. My PCP sent me to a pain Dr to determine what the extent of damage I had. The pain Dr made a recommendation as to the type, amount and dosage of pain meds. He put this in writing to my PCP and said he would prefer that my PCP write the prescription each month or every 3 months so that one Dr was prescribing all my meds and would know everything I'm taking. I don't know if any of ya'll having issues with getting pain meds have been to a pain specialist or not. If not, go to one and have them make the recommendation back to your PCP and have it put in your file, that way the PCP's butt is covered in the event the DEA pays a visit to their office or makes an inquiry.

You can go to the American Pain Foundations website and go to the PainSafe tab, there is a section for Dr's on pain treatment with opiods, print out some of it and take it to your Dr and have an open honest discussion with them about it. Here's the link:

http://www.painfoundation.org/

[DomnNC]

Originally Posted by Daywalker

I take Ultram 50mg and Flexeril for break
though pain. Ultram is a non-narcotic. Perhaps you can get your
Doc to look into the Ultram, and perhaps gradually get
you on the Ultram ER (extended release 200mg)

I hate to break it to you but Ultram is indeed a narcotic, it is a synthetic opiate and it can be addictive, tho they claim the incidence of addiction is far less than most opiates. There are lots of people who have gotten addicted to it and withdrawals from it are hell for some people. My Dr prescribed it to me at one point but it did nothing for my pain level.

"While Ultram is technically a narcotic or opioid pain medication, it is different from typical narcotics in that patients do not build up a tolerance with extended usage and there is a very low incidence of addiction. With other narcotics there is a general tendency to escalate the dosage of the medicine with time and a chance of addiction. The narcotic effect of Ultram is not as strong as the narcotic agents in other common pain medications, such as Vicodin (hydrocodone) and Oxycontin and Percocet (Oxycodone)."

Full text here: http://www.spine-health.com/treatmen...-pain-reliever

Check out these people's experiences with Ultram:

http://www.drugs.com/forum/featured-...l-22123-2.html

[Corkey]

While I seldom take any pain meds, as I am allergic in icky ways to the stuff, every now and again I have to have them, and just acknowledge that the side effects are gonna kick my ass. That said I cannot take opiates, my PCP knows this and has no issue with prescribing Hydrocodone for me. He also knows I am not a drug seeker and have mind managed my pain levels for 30+ years. Having a good PCP is paramount to good pain management. Self education of medicines and their uses and counter indications is helpful when having these discussions with your Doc. I cannot take Ultram because I take Meloxicam for the arthritis, it is counter indicated.
Be aware, be proactive, be informed, it is your in your best interest.

[scootebaby]

i never really considered myself disabled...even after 1st time i hurt my back. Even though afterwards i couldnt do as much rough housing or goofing off or chasing my kid...we just adapted...till this last injury--the L5 came out and is laying on my S1 nerve--after realizing i am wore out after a shower,or cant walk or ride for more than 20 mins at most...if i go in pool i have to just float,my son would love for more activity...he has again adjusted to my diasibility---now i gotta learn how...most of the time i get upset by it,wanna push thru it,but between my g/f and my son i dont bc in the long run i dont want to have to sit on the sidelines for everything...at the moment i am on dilaudid...b4 that i was on hydrocodone,flexeril and restoril to sleep..i still use the restoril but it takes a long while to kick in...the dilaudid is taking pain away but i refrain from it unless pain is really bad....suddenly the hydrocodone seems to upset my stomach

[Rockinonahigh]

I take ultram 50mg and flexerill 5mg to help me with pain,my doc has prescribed me the meds knowing im takeing meloxicam for my arthritis,I will check with my pharmacist tomorrow to c if I should see about some kind of change of meds.Sofar I havent had a prob with anything,but have wondered about if I could have a prob.If it wasnt for the ultram and flexerill I prolly wouldnt sleep most nights or get thrue many days,sofar its the onlything that really works without knocking me flat out..wich I hate.

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by Rockinonahigh

I take ultram 50mg and flexerill 5mg to help me with pain,my doc has prescribed me the meds knowing im takeing meloxicam for my arthritis,I will check with my pharmacist tomorrow to c if I should see about some kind of change of meds.Sofar I havent had a prob with anything,but have wondered about if I could have a prob.If it wasnt for the ultram and flexerill I prolly wouldnt sleep most nights or get thrue many days,sofar its the onlything that really works without knocking me flat out..wich I hate.

I asked my Doc, he said if I didn't have any side effects I could take the two together, ...I had side effects many years ago with them together. Your mileage may vary as with all meds, but know your risks and your body.

[Daywalker]

Originally Posted by DomnNC

I hate to break it to you but Ultram is indeed a narcotic, it is a synthetic opiate and it can be addictive, tho they claim the incidence of addiction is far less than most opiates. There are lots of people who have gotten addicted to it and withdrawals from it are hell for some people. My Dr prescribed it to me at one point but it did nothing for my pain level.

"While Ultram is technically a narcotic or opioid pain medication, it is different from typical narcotics in that patients do not build up a tolerance with extended usage and there is a very low incidence of addiction. With other narcotics there is a general tendency to escalate the dosage of the medicine with time and a chance of addiction. The narcotic effect of Ultram is not as strong as the narcotic agents in other common pain medications, such as Vicodin (hydrocodone) and Oxycontin and Percocet (Oxycodone)."

Full text here: http://www.spine-health.com/treatmen...-pain-reliever

Check out these people's experiences with Ultram:

http://www.drugs.com/forum/featured-...l-22123-2.html

Holy Crap

LOL

Well, I take a 50mg about 5 times a week.

Unfortunetly anything stronger than Motrin makes me feel hella icky.

Throws mah balance/equilibruim sideways; compare it to
being in the yuckiest part of a drunken state...and
yer stuck there for like 2 hours.

Woozy, but not the good kind.

See, I was told that the Ultram 50mg was classified non-narcotic.

I'll have to decide how I feel about
all that later, for now Imunna marinate.

[DomnNC]

Originally Posted by scootebaby

i never really considered myself disabled...even after 1st time i hurt my back. Even though afterwards i couldnt do as much rough housing or goofing off or chasing my kid...we just adapted...till this last injury--the L5 came out and is laying on my S1 nerve--after realizing i am wore out after a shower,or cant walk or ride for more than 20 mins at most...if i go in pool i have to just float,my son would love for more activity...he has again adjusted to my diasibility---now i gotta learn how...most of the time i get upset by it,wanna push thru it,but between my g/f and my son i dont bc in the long run i dont want to have to sit on the sidelines for everything...at the moment i am on dilaudid...b4 that i was on hydrocodone,flexeril and restoril to sleep..i still use the restoril but it takes a long while to kick in...the dilaudid is taking pain away but i refrain from it unless pain is really bad....suddenly the hydrocodone seems to upset my stomach

I totally know where you are coming from, that's the last surgery I had, L5-S1, fusion, rods, pins,plates and screws down into my hip bones. I waited too long to have anything done. Like you I just pushed thru the pain and made the best of it, little did I know I was doing more harm to myself. I now have permanent nerve damage in my left foot and calf. If I walk to long now my left leg goes totally numb up into my hip, at times I just lose my leg and down I go. Listen to your girlfriend and son, let them help you right now until it is decided how to proceed medically. I wouldn't hesitate to say there is more going on than the herniated disc. My neurosurgeon said he couldn't believe I was still walking cuz I had all kinds of infection and inflammation going on in the nerves and disc as well as the herniation and had structural damage as well. But ask anyone that knows me, I don't let it stop me from doing things I want to do now. I don't let my "disability" define me in any way and from what I can see you won't either. It's good to have that inner strength and toughness, it will see you through. Good luck and if there's anything I can answer for you please don't hesitate to ask, like I said, I've been there, done that, lol.

[Rockinonahigh]

Im up paceing the floor cause Iam hurting from pain in my lower back,with it comes the twitchy itchy feeling in my left leg..just took a tramadole 50mg with flexerill 5mg.I really dont like to take any kind of meds,for years I have pusede thrue pain and just did what I had to do,I also have lidoderm pain patches I use when I cant take anything or dont want to take pain pills but over time they irritate my skin so I use them spareingly.Hopeing the meds kick in soon,I am really tired,I fell asleep fitfuly but woke up to many times.Tramadole is suposed to be a subtasute for ultram..I dont know if it really is just know it works.

Sorry to remind you guys but the OP asked for fonts in size 5 or bigger..

[Sachita]

Originally Posted by softness

so..does anyone else have problems getting pain meds from their Dr? I swear my Dr is so paranoid! I ask for pain meds twice a year. I ask for maybe two weeks worth of meds at a time. Wow. Some addict I am. And I ask only for enough to help me sleep..not 24 hour coverage. YET...my Dr refuses to give them to me! I have to read her the riot act and go in, show her how damn crippled up I am, break down into tears, which makes me feel like I am at her mercy instead of a grown up to be trusted, before she takes me in earnest. After treating me for almost 3 years, why cant she just take my word for it?

THIS is why the little green plant has become my friend at rare times

change dr. this is bs

[scootebaby]

Incubus thanks for the reminder....it was late,waiting for pills to kick in,and wasnt thinking. Dom--thanks for your response...i am hoping that surgery is only an option not a have to case...when i first injured it affected my right side...i would come home in tears after working a 12 hr shift...in 2007 the disc bulged and just touched the nerve...i took PT and had 3 epidurals...lived on ibuprofen because they said nothing else could be done...so i let it go up till about 5 months ago when i couldnt stand it any longer..they put me on loracets and flexeril 10mg...fast forward to almost 3 weeks ago....the disc went,but this time it affected my left side initially...dilaudid was prescribed..the last few days from my hips down both legs tingle,gets feeling of numbness,and aches so bad i cant sit still....it really sucks not being able to move around...watch my g/f work herself silly everyday with her work,the home,and me...then there is the fact my store is hanging by a thread bc my people cant seem to get their egos thru the door!

[JustJo]

Originally Posted by scootebaby

...watch my g/f work herself silly everyday with her work,the home,and me...

I'm silly anyway honey...you know that...

I think it's important to not "tough it out" but to take it easy, see what's happening, and insist on the care you (and that's all of you) need from the doctors. Too often it's the insurance companies making the decisions, based on money, and you have to be an insistent and determined advocate for yourself.

[Toughy]

Vicodin is hydrocodone + acetaminophen (tylenol). Vicodan is hydrocodone + aspirin. Hydrocodone is an opiate.

Percoset is oxycodone + acetaminophen. Percodan is oxycodone + aspirin. Oxycodone is an opiate.

MS Contin is morphine in a continuous release formula.

IF you take Vicodin or Percoset on a daily basis, you should ask your doctor for 'plain' hydrocodone or oxycodone. Or you could ask your doc for the formula that has aspirin instead of tylenol. Tylenol can cause permanent liver damage and an overdose of tylenol can kill you (yes kill you dead of liver failure).

ALL of your drugs should be filled at the same pharmacy no matter what doctor orders them.

[amiyesiam]

Originally Posted by Incubus

Sorry to remind you guys but the OP asked for fonts in size 5 or bigger..

Actually thank you for saying this. Some of us have a hard time saying things that need to be said.

[Spork]

Originally Posted by Incubus

Sorry to remind you guys but the OP asked for fonts in size 5 or bigger..

Also, check out how to make your own browser adjust font sizes for you. That way, it doesn't matter if someone forgets to do it for you.

http://www.disabled-world.com/disabi...izing-text.php

Also: http://www.ehow.com/how_4877692_adju...font-size.html

[Soft*Silver]

tramadol is a waste of energy to open my mouth to even take it. it does nothing, nothing, nothing for me. I get sent home with a script for it like its suppose to be my miracle drug. I would rather drink again that rely on that shit. Seriously. Self medication is better than dealing with doctors in denial about my pain.

My surgery is Monday and I was told I am going to get an epideral drip and that they dont kid around with pain.They sent me home with a script for liquid oxycotin. Damn. And yes they know I am in recovery. They asked me if I am responsible. Hell yes. Finally. FINALLY.

While I like my PPC, after this surgery, if my level of pain doesnt go down, I am done with her. The past two years have been traumatic. When I look back on it I cant imagine how I survived the shit I went thru and endured the level of pain I had. It looks like a grainy old black and white film when I think of it...sad...depressing...I dont want another day like that in my Here and Now. I was put thru a bureaucratric crime war to get on SSDI...I feel like I was released as a POW.

[DamselFly]

i apologize for taking so long to get back here. i now have a new-born orphaned foal in my life that depends mainly on me sometimes. that has turned life upside-down and sideways, in a good way, though. despite the toll that lack of sleep takes, seeing Nickers's sweet strong spirit while he learns how to use his body and explores this new world makes everything worthwhile. *smile* watching him is better than any drug, and the effects of loving him long-lasting!
i have been reading all of Y/your posts and am amazed at Y/your spirit and determination to live life to Y/your fullest! thank Y/you for sharing Y/your stories, books that inspire Y/you, and information on meds, dr.s, and other things medical. a special thanks to DOMNC for info on meds!
by the way, tramadol is "just" the generic for Ultram. i don't like the automatic substitution that insurance requires of generics for brand drugs. i've found, that despite claims to the opposite, generics are NOT the same chemically for the most part as brand drugs. sometimes that difference can have dangerous effects and/or interactions with other medications. i REALLY dislike that medicine, esp. for those of us on medicare/SSD and/or medicaid, is dictated largely by the insurance companies, instead of by medical professionals. i also wish that medicare and medicaid did not differ so state by state, thus making the quality of medical care available largely dependent upon where you live. surprisingly, i'm finding that the general quality of medical care i received in WV is superior, esp. when it comes to PCPs. though i have access now to the best eye clinic in OK, i have been told nothing that my optho dr in WV did not say and offered no better solution than his. i.e., i am going blind; now the rate of optic nerve deterioration has increased, and the dr.s can offer no solution other than eye drops to try to hold on to what little vision i have left. apparently, i don't have enough optic nerves left to try anything else. in addition, i'm having to go through the whole process of "proving" i have MS, despite being diagnosed in the past by 3 neurologists. i'm so tired of having to do this every time i move. why do i have to do this???
for my book contribution, i can recommend The Migraine Brain, can't remember the authour-female MD based in NYCity. excellent book that explains migraines as a whole-body neurological disease and has things to take to Y/your dr. to explain what is needed by a migraineur in general. has A/anyone ever taken lidocaine shots for migraines? i am going to start them thursday (from the same neurologist making me prove i have MS). i looked this treatment up online and found that this is a treatment given for cluster headaches, not migraines. since i've tried everything on the market for migraines (and some alternative treatments), i'm willing to try this. but i don't like this neuro-he has the same god-complex i've run into before in many neuros.
Taoism/Buddhism gives me strength and the ability to do what i can to give back to others. compassion and loving-kindness are the basis for life for me, and i try my best to offer what i can to all sentient beings, be they animal, people, insects, plants, whatever. meditation helps greatly. re a partner, i had given up on the possibility but now do not close myself off to that any longer. whatever my medical status, i am still me and have much to offer to the right person, plus i make a wonderful friend, the foundation for any kind of relationship! so believe in Y/yourself; be kind to Y/yourself and others, and the rest will follow. Tao moves as Tao moves, and karma DOES affect this life as well as future incarnations.
i hope and think that W/we have the foundation and beginning of a community here. please keep posting and let U/us support one another!
namaste, my friends! (and i appreciate Y/your efforts to post in larger fonts!)
DamselFly