Pain patch advice

[ladytelita]

Silly question, but how do I ask a GP for pain patch?

My regular GP is off on extended leave due to ill health so I have to see someone else. Keep putting off making an appointment as I really don't know how to ask. I've been very stressed and unwell of late. I was in hospital with pneumonia a short while ago and have ongoing issues with my chest/lungs/asthma.

Once the worst of the pneumonia was over, the fibro kicked back in of course.

I'm currently having acupuncture once a week at the hospital but it's too early to know if there's any improvement there. I currently take Nortriptyline at night to help me sleep (guess that's not working so well, lol) and to help with pain levels. I'm also on Tramadol as necessary. I don't take enormous amounts as it makes me itch and if I take two at the same time, I'm pretty useless and have to stay in bed.

Codeine, paracetamol and ibuprofen are no goes as far as pain is concerned sadly (ibuprofen also makes my asthma worse).

I'd really like to try using a pain patch as I'm terrible for forgetting what pills I've taken and when.

Can anyone give me some advice please? ☺️

P.

[RayB]

I don't think there is any hard fast rules about how one asks their Dr about anything.

Sometimes admittedly there is things you mean to ask and forget be it brain fog or whatever so it may help to make some notes and take them with you when you go.

Just explain how your feeling and ask if they may be of help,, I think they may be against you using them with ongoing chest problems.

Again just talk to your Dr and see what he says.

Remember the notes.

Best wishes, Ray

[TheAuthor]

Hi ladytelita

I am so sorry to read that you are suffering so much and I genuinely hope that you can find the answers that you so desperately desire and deserve. I agree with RayB as there are no fixed rules on this so why not just ask? If they say no then see a different GP and ask for a referral to a Pain management Clinic whereby you will have access to Specialists who may write to your GP recommending pain patches if you ask them too?

I want to sincerely wish you all the best of luck with this.

Ken x

[blondwitch]

Hi, sorry to hear about your problems with pain at the moment. Firstly if you have asthma, you really should NOT be taking Ibuprofen, and any GP and pharmacist should be aware of that, unless you bought it over the counter. It can affect some people. I cannot take it as have Asthmas also, and it brings on an attack. To help me remember my tablets, I use Dosette boxes, like the elderly use to put their daily pills in; mine are weekly ones and I have two. It's the only way to remember what I have taken every day. Ask your pharmacist to show you one ( get one that covers a week, and two if possible, as you can then put out your weekly allowance of regular pills), and write down in a DAILY diary what pain meds you have taken and when. Stick to the times you should be taking them, carefully. If you can find out about your present available GPs', get to see a GP who has trained since mid 1990's, as they hopefully know more about Fibro. Explain what you are going through and ask for a pain patch, low dosage at first, with minimal side effects, to counter the problems you are having with other pain meds. I am sensitive to Tramadol, Amitriptyline and a few others, and have only been taking Co-Codamol, OR MST ( which is Morphine, specially coated for slow release) and as it makes me feel nauseous, I take an anti emetic with it. You must NEVER take MST with any other pain killer; stick to one only at a time.

I have been prescribed a three day pain patch, but it causes drowsiness, and I have to drive to appointments, so I am going to ask for an alternative that does not have the drowsy aspect if possible.

Try and get support from any other health care officials like Nurse Practitioners at your surgery who may be able to help. Don't give up finding out who is available to help. Good Luck.xx

[ladytelita]

Thank you for your replies. Ray B, it could be that you're correct and they don't want to fiddle with medication at the moment because of my chest problems.

Ken, I'm currently on the waiting list for the pain clinic. I suspect the wait could be a long one. The only person I saw earlier this year regarding the pain clinic said they don't prescribe any medication now, it's just about pain management. He even stated that he was not allowed to prescribe medicine as he was not qualified to do so.

Blondwitch, I don't take any ibuprofen. You'd be amazed how often GPs have asked about it though. I react badly because of my asthma.

I will make an appointment today and see one of the GPs that were involved with my pneumonia recently as they have, at least, seen me in some aspect.

P.

[TheAuthor in reply to ladytelita]

I am so sorry to hear that, but I want to wish you all the best of luck, and I genuinely hope that you can get some medication from somewhere that really works for you? And without too many side effects.

Good luck

Ken x

[tiff74]

Hi sorry to hear of your pain , I have tried tramadol and other meds to help me sleep, I found amatriptlyn works well for relaxing and sleeping, I take slow release patches one a week, they work ok but will irritate the skin, I have square patches perminatly on my skin but that'sthe price you pay iI suppose. Ask about alternative medication rather thant ramadol, gabapentin is a good neurological medication with little side effects good luck at the drs x

[rosewine]

Been reading all the comments they all give good advice. I too use a pill organiser for my general pills and then out the maximum amount of pain killers I can take in a day in another one so I can't overdose.

I am also on a Butrans patch which is good as you only need to change that one once a week and i have got in a routine about it which seems to work as long as I am not going out that night and then I admit it often goes to pot! I have to be honest here by saying that the pain relief for me was not any better than the DHC continus it replaced but I preferred the patch as it cut out 14 tablets a week which was a relief as I was already on so many others. Mine was suggested by the Pain Clinic. They don't themselves give out the medication but they write to the doctor suggesting that it might be a good thing for me to try.

I must admit Itoo was reluctant to ask my new doctor for any more pain relief as when he took over from my old doctor he has been on courses about pain medication addiction and seemed to think that everyone was on unnecessary pain killers and was medication seeking. His attitude did seem to soften when he reluctantly agreed for me trying the pain patch instead of the DHC Continus and kept on emphasising the fact that he wanted me off it asap and I stopped it within 2 weeks. I think he had expected me to keep on taking both as long as i could and it was only then that he realised I was just seeking a relief from my pain and was not interested in more painkillers just for the sake of it.

Let us know how you get on at the doctors.