Medication and general care concerns

[Daz75]

Hello to all.

I was diagnosed with having a degenerative disease of my lumbar spine back in July 2011. Which has been life changing. When I say I have had all treatments I really have. I have been through and exhausted the pain clinics on two occasions. I have had extensive Physiotherapy, Accupunture, Chiropractor, I have also attended strategy sessions that being the Biopsycosocial model which has helped slightly. I have also had a Specialist review of my levels of medication requested from my Doctor at the time.

My concern is of pain management control. I have been on very high doses of Oramorph, MST Continus, Codeine. My course was eventually agreed by the Pain Management Specialists. On my own fruition I reduced my medication as I was very conscience of the medication I was taking. I worked extremely hard in doing so. Subsequently, I have changed Doctors due to moving which was no problem. I was then sent back to the Pain Management Spelialists for Specialist input and review. My medication was then agreed as a maintenance dose. Unfortunately my Doctor retired leaving me to see a different Doctor who had a difference of opinion with my dose. I will get straight to the point. I suffer with chronic back pain and spasms on a regular basis but it seems like the whole attitude on medication has changed. The concept of pain all seems to be to do with the psychological approach to pain. Its all in the mind! Doctors have come to a consensus that 120 mg of Morphine is the maximum you can be given daily. This is purely academic with no proven scientific proof behind it. Yet you can go to other Doctors and they will perscribe more which seems absurd. I believe in seeing one Doctor so that rapport and trust can be built up to work collaboratively. The old saying "to many cooks spoil the broth" comes to mind. I feel is very true. Recently I have been suffering pain and spasms which has had a further effect on my quality of life I am a 44 old man without the lifestyle to match. If I cannot go to the Doctors and get relief from my pain and spasms which is causing me to loose sleep. Then what is the point in having Doctors. Many people have given me bad advice and said smoke cannabis. One I do not smoke, never have, a second its illegal in the UK. I am past the point of frustration or is this what the Doctors want you to say so they can go down the route of saying your depressed which doesn't help and changes alot. I am unable to change Doctors surgeries as I live in a small community so I am out of the catchment areas for other surgeries. I'm sure I'm not the only one but this has to stop. If they signed the Hippocratic Oath or not they have a legal duty of care towards their clients. I feel that Doctors have unfortunately turned into accountants more these days. I would be grateful to hear other stories similar to mine.

All the best

Darren

[Del123]

Hi Daz and welcome,

Well it looks like you've been following me , except mine happened to me when I was 28yrs old which is now over 30yrs ago😖. In very short detail, I had a prolapsed disc and had to have keyhole surgery the next day after seeing the specialist the night before. That's when he told me 1 in 100,000 go wrong so don't worry & of course you sign a disclaimer before any op, so you can't sue them.

You guessed it, I was that one where he nipped the spinal chord by mistake 6 months later had to have a spinal fusion, after that I was diagnosed with degenerative disc syndrome. Three more ops later I told them not to touch me anymore as it's getting worse all the time and the only thing that would relieve it (but just for an hour) was Oramorph which I drank like lemonade, but I ended up after a year like a zombie, a shade of my former self. I too spent my previous time living in a gym every morning and evenings most days and used to look great and always tanned with trendy clothes. How life can change, I've tried every pill under the sun, taking 13 asst in the morning & 13 at night some with horrific side effects but I didn't care just wanted to get out of pain. People told me to take cannabis oil, EVEN THE HOSPITALTOLD ME TO TRY IT, I felt so sick after and swore never again...

Then finally I was sent to The Walton Neurological Hospital in Liverpool (way outside my area) were I stayed for the next 7 weeks fitting a Medtronic morphine pump in my abdomen pumping Diamorphine into a catheter in the back which drips into the spinal chord, what a relief, it numbs the the whole area and instantly took 50% of the pain away. But the brain is very clever, it only concentrates on the pain your in and forgets the pain you were in!

Anyway I'm still in a lot of pain as they have replaced 4 discs now with plastic fibre discs and down to just 12 pills a day. I can only sleep around 4 hours a night as the pain kicks in again after night pills. I don't bother with the doctor anymore accept for more pills, they are useless and can only spend a max of 15 mins a client, besides as you say they're not doctors anymore.

So I know exactly where your coming from but can't really give any positive feedback or help in anyway as everyone is so different & they all tell you something different, they all think they know pain😂🤣😅

Keep as well as possible..........

[Daz75 in reply to Del123]

Hi Del123

It seems like you've been through alot which I can certainly empathise with. I wish you also the very best in the future. I have not followed you before. This is the first time I have aware of you. However its been nice meeting you and hearing your story.

All the best my friend

Darren

[Outsidergal96 in reply to Daz75]

I’m not sure about the UK but the United States is in a war against Heroin people are dying left and right but no one is grasping the fact that the reason for this is because how the government is handling the crisis. Everyone says it’s because of pain medication Pain medication is the gateway for heroin so they are kicking people out of pain management who wants the pain gone not the high and by taking away pain medication so people are now in pain and withdrawal the only recourse they have is rehabilitation or heroin. Opiates are so scarce now and hella expensive on the street so people are basically being forced to self medicate with heroin and then they die i truly believe the opiate crisis is due to the DEA attacking pain doctors and throwing them in jail and their patients are now sick and desperate but people who don’t suffer from dehabillitating illness like the government don’t understand the pain is so great people need medication all my doctors helped me I didn’t go over I did everything I was supposed to do with dosages and then the dea swoops in and says stop prescribing pain medication or lose your license now their patients are out scared and no good drug addicts and out of desperation they have to go on the street it disgusts me how people with chronic pain like myself gets treated like a damn junkie like I woke up and said I want to be on drugs and throw my career I love away it’s ridiculous

[Daz75 in reply to Del123]

Hi Del123,

I apologise for the mis-interpretation when you mentioned following you in my other reply. I thought you meant on here, on the site. I now know what you mean. This is a what happens after self isolation and being unable to get a proper nights sleep and adequate rest. Maybe the cabin fever has taken effect. 😁😂

All the very best and keep well as possible yourself,

Darren