Pain Specialist : I've been struggling... - Advanced Prostate...

Advanced Prostate Cancer

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Pain Specialist

Zetabow profile image
13 Replies

I've been struggling with pain for quite a while. Mets in every bone, both Femurs, Right Ribs and recently lower back pain, Femurs it got extensively into the Marrow.

Oncologist and GP has been trying various pain drug combs to no effect. Last week Oncologist prescribed Morphine (to no effect) and referred me to a pain specialist. The Lower back pain I guess has been caused by months of Rib pain, my right shoulder has dropped to protect the Ribs and put my body out of balance and hence the back issues.

I saw pain specialist in Hospital today she has upped my Morphine and also prescribed muscle relaxants and sleeping pills etc. I really hope they can get on top of this now, 9 months of this pain and I'm just about at the end of what I can take.

I had my Pet scan last week, GP told me it says a reduction in Mets but I'll have to wait until I see the Oncologist for a more detailed report, some good news at least.

Photo is what I picked up today, glad it's subsidized, cost me 10 Euros.

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Zetabow profile image
Zetabow
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13 Replies
HOPEFULSPOUSE profile image
HOPEFULSPOUSE

Are you in a country where medical marijuana (or recreational) are available? My husband found it very helpful for pain.

Zetabow profile image
Zetabow in reply to HOPEFULSPOUSE

No but I tried CBD oil, it had no effect apart from helping anxiety

HOPEFULSPOUSE profile image
HOPEFULSPOUSE in reply to Zetabow

the indica strain works for my husband. The pharmacist at the medical marijuana pharmacy here in NYC told us that for pain relief - the benefits are cumulative and for many can take as long as 4-8 weeks to buildup in the system. He said that is true for both CBD and THC.

Believe me I know what it feels like to have no place to hide. My pain control breakthrough was to treat the inflammation first, as that is what causes the pain. When the problem is low, I use 25mg of Diclofenac twice daily (up to 50mg 3 times a day). A step up from there is Celebrex/Coxleon (Celecoxib) in 100mg and 200mg, which takes an hour to kick in, then lasts about 8 hours. Add 500mg Paracetamol as needed. A step up from there is Vit C via IV can suppress inflammation for a few hours and give a lot of relief, but that is followed by about 12 hours of extra pain as the corpses of the killed cancer cells cause inflammation, but a net gain as that wears off . I found most "usual" pain killers of limited value, and they hammered my kidneys and brain. Many times to get some sleep I got into a recliner chair with a loud TV going as a distraction.

Zetabow profile image
Zetabow

I woke up so much better this morning, 95% reduction in pain, no fuzzy head and my body can move freely, it brought tears of joy to me, after 9 months of torture, to feel this moment of peace was emotionally overwhelming.

Schwah profile image
Schwah in reply to Zetabow

What did you do differently Brutha ?

in reply to Zetabow

What was the magic bullet. I too have significant pain in my ribs and back. I take extended release morphine and Dilaudid. It gets me to about a pain level of 2 sometimes.

Kaliber profile image
Kaliber in reply to Zetabow

Good for you compadre ! Hope you can hang onto that for a while.

TEBozo profile image
TEBozo

Our best wishes for your recovery

Sorry you are going through this. Although it's quite difficult, you could try a therapeutic keto diet. I went on that after my cancer dx, and it has really reduced pain due to degenerative joints (they light up just like the cancer in pet scan). But, I still have pain at site of pelvic ramus met; maybe pain would be more substantial without the diet.

This article has some information on the diets effect on pain:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

MeliaQuinn profile image
MeliaQuinn

Like you, my husband has significant pain. He is taking OxyContin and oxycodone for break through pain and his pain is so much better. He did not tolerate morphine very well and it made him agitated, etc. Do you have palliative care? Palliative doctors can help a lot with pain medication. Best of luck!

2dee profile image
2dee

The only treatment that got MY extreme pain under control is 100mg of full spectrum CBD (hemp) a day for the last year or so. It tackled abt 70% of MY pain and I could finally sleep. I added it to Norco but again EVERY 6hrs and slowly weaned Norco down to 3 pills a day.

About 25mg CBD 6hrs around the clock. I used drops on 1/2 oyster cracker under tongue. Vape probably better but not a smoker.

3 different friends dying of cancer each found significant pain relief following this protocol. Does not help with arthritis.

I added about 40mg of full spectrum THC a day in the form of lozenges or gummies handled the remaining 10-20% pain.

Pain not completely gone but at least tolerable.

2Dee

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n

Zetabow

18 hours ago

This is Alpha calling Zeta.......... You're 95% better.... that's terrific but tell us what is your secret... REGARDS,

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 07/03/2019 6:57 PM DST

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