I went to see my useless GP this morning as I needed a medication review (who came up with this anyway) for my Lyrica.
It was prescribed to me for my vulvodynia back in June but I didn't take it until I had a relapse a month ago.
My GP, a woman ! proceeded to scream at me saying I shouldn't be on Amitriptyline and Lyrica because they are the same thing (what a moron). She kept going on and on that Lyrica is addictive (who came up with this idiocy anyway?).
So INSTEAD of asking me about my horrendous symptoms (I have paresthesia, allodynia and pain) she went on for about 10 min about the dangers of Lyrica. I explained to her that my pain consultant back in 2014 had no issue in prescribing me this combination. She also kept saying I should take paracetamol or IBUPROFEN to manage my pain !!! Is she retarded ? Has the GP world gone completely mad ???
Ibuprofen for nerve pain ??!!!!
I wish to make a complaint, I completely disagree Lyrica is addictive, it is actually Amitriptyline that is a nightmare coming off of. I have no clue who came up with this idiotic idea, I am getting sick and tired of knowing everyone in London is doing drugs whereas pain patients have zero relief and are completely ignored !!!
You should have slapped her cheek and the the head but, right on to her, my Drs expect me to teach them about my own Body, One actually asked me, How is it are your still alive? Lmao, they listen to me now because I know my body and they don’t. Lol. Give them hell when you next see them tell it to them straight.
Lyrica is additive if you take it long term. The GP assumed you have been on it for nine months.
Different drugs have different effects on different people. What the GP thinks depends on the information they have been given or read or obtained from other patients.
Chronic pain needs a multiple variety of treatment regimes. Most of which are not available on the NHS.
You say: "'Screaming' at a patient is not (as far as I know) one of the variety of treatments."
This is difficult to answer because one does not know what is meant. The English language meaning varies from peer group to group. It also varies because one wants to use a word to describe something and no word to describe what happened exists.
We also do not know the full context of what took place and what was the intent of the people engaged.
On more than one occasion I has been accused of shouting at people. On all these occasions I had no intention of shouting. There is a problem which exists. One gets tense. The hearing ability drops because of the tension and the voice raises in intensity to bring the voice heard by the speaker to the same level. This effect can be seen on people speaking on mobile phones. The person speaking has no idea how loud their voice can be. The effect can be seen in arguing couples.
Doctors can get very exasperated at times. This will affect their hearing ability and they can speak louder than intended as a result. They may not be aware that they are speaking louder than intended.
When voices start to get raised all one can do is stop. Allow a short period of time for tensions to change (hopefully drop) and start again.
Maybe along with the "Screaming " discription, she meant to add the "Sarcastic" tone as well in which the doctor "Screamed " at her in! Trust me, "Been there, done that!" Some doctors (not all) are just darn right rude and arrogant! Fortunately for me, I have only came across a few of those. For the most part, I have courteous sympathetic doctors.
I did reply to this but my response seems to have disappeared. My post was intended to be light-hearted. Sometimes I think a little smile to trigger those lovely endorphins is a welcome distraction from our confusion and pain. I get that doctors and patients get frustrated and voices can be raised etc (I've lived a long painful life). There really wasn't a need for the eloquent response as I didn't ask a question ("This is difficult to answer")
This probably ISN'T 'In Your Nature' BUT....You can refer a 'Specific Complaint', to PALS- the 'Patient Advice and Liaison Service'. They can 'Take Up' your Cause and are Surprisingly Good. My own Mother, who does NOT have an Autonomic Disease- unless you count Gluten Intolerance- was being given 'The Run Around' by HER Useless Surgery. PALS Stepped In and, Strangely Enough, an Appointment was Made- I'm 'Absolutely Sure' that there WASN'T a Connection, aren't you?
I don't know about your Condition/ Drugs specifically, I'm a Vasculitis Patient, I just saw your 'Post' and knew that I had to comment. The way that you, are being Treated, is beyond F....g Ridiculous! Do you have a Good Hospital Doctor/ Consultant, that you can 'Talk' to? There Influence is NOT to be 'Sniffed' at, in many, many ways. Even a Good Pharmacist can offer Sound Advice. In any event, please do, take care of yourself Mary.
Hi there, docs are cracking down on pain relief. Although very disruptive it saved my life... I had been on citalapram max dose for over 5 years and Amitriptylene as well as codeine phosphate. The doctor said there had been a number of deaths with patients on this combination they wanted to do an ecg. No big surprise a had a very long abnormal QT interval... I was given the choice of dying with instant death syndrome or dying in my sleep with asphyxiation. Not the best Xmas present last year... now on duloxatene max dose and tramadol slow release max dose... I got the sign off on these drugs yesterday as this was my ninth consultation on the matter. Over 3 months of hell with side affects, chronic crippling pain at the same time as holding a full time job. Still alive though, Yay?
Hi there, I to take pregabalin and amitriptyline for nerve pain . no other meds help. it took some time to get on this duo of meds. I also had a review of my meds not so long ago and the doctor always asks why I am taking these. if they just took the time to look at my medical records they would see why. I have nerve damage since 2012 and the pain is the worst ever I have experienced but taking these two meds really help and I have quality of life so dare they try stopping these
Pregablin and amitryltyline are not the same thing and we all know that so how come she doesn’t?!
I have extreme facial pain and I take both nortryptyline and Lyrica together
No doctor or neurologist has ever said it’s a problem taking them together.
My mother has been on Gabapentin for ten years and it’s savwd her life. They’re not addictive just hard to come off when necessary so it has to be done slowly
Hi there, scream away yourself, the pain treatment has become a fiasco, now they think going to pain management groups & taking paracetamol purchased over the counter is the long term answer to chronic incurable pain. Make a complaint, I have as my painkiller cost is cheaper than pain management companies. I had an accident two years ago which got better , recently I have had constant back pain but it was put down to past injury it could even be ovary cancer how can they say if they don't check all possible causes, plus painkillers will mask the pain. I hope your complaint is successful, treatment is supposed to be based on whats best for the individual patient to spite the risk of addiction. Every best wish to get your pain down to a bearable level even if the drugs are risky in your case, do let us know how it goes.
Right there with you, I just got a txt from my go surgery asking me to call up for a medication review, they have been pretty good until now, but dreading it! See if you can get hold of a copy of a BNF (British national formulary) it has all the side effects safe doses etc in it, give you something to go back at them with.
Sorry you are being treated this way .Lyrica kills the nerves yes it is a dangerous drug .My poor mother has fell that many times & can’t swallow solid food due to nerve damage from a vitamin b12 deficiency.Your pain too could well be due to nerve damage occurring.Ask for active vit b12 as Serum is inaccurate ,folate,MMA,homocysteine,vit D ,iron,ferritin,rbc magnesium.Unfortunately Drs are not trained in nutrition;or recognising symptoms of vitamin def.View videos on b12 awareness.org to see the devastation a def causes.
I am in the U.S. but it is the same over here. I finally went back on Lyrica a few months ago and what a difference with my vulvodynia. I had taken it for years in the past along with many other prescriptions. I have many painful conditions, mostly nerve related. I take nortriptoline cause the amp made me all jittery and nervous. I also take pain meds. Without all of this I would be in my bed in the fetal position crying and screaming in pain. Yes, GP's as you call them, here they call them Internal Medicine Dr's or GP's also.
It is a nightmare what is going on. I speak up whenever given the chance and on my own also. We have to or we will be left that way for the rest of our lives. What kills me is everyone worries about animals being treated inhumane, but we are humans and we can be treated inhumane. It's my new argument to the medical community. Don't get me wrong, I love animals.
Hi there, I am on pregabalin too. I rang the chemist for a repeat prescription and my daughter collected it yesterday and it has now been classified as a controlled drug. Before I always got 2 boxes of 84 tablets each (100mg) but due to the new classification I could only get 1 box. I rang the chemist who explained the new classification and said as I was down as 3 per day I could only get 1 box per go as that is 1 months supply. I explained that I varied the dose as per my needs which was as per my pain specialist hence the 2 boxes per go. But there was nothing he could do obviously so I will need to get in touch with my Dr on Monday.
It’s just so annoying, thanks to druggies those of us in real need are the ones suffering the consequences.
With regards to your GP’s appalling behaviour I would certainly file a complaint.
Controlled substance? Which. Idiot on the NhS decided that? I will be filing several complaints! This medication does not make one happy, relaxed or addicted! I am so sick of doctors! I have no respect for them
Unfortunately due to the high wages GP’s get it attracts in a lot of cases the wrong people. On top of that universities first of all look at the Alevel results and choose the best exam passers. They supposedly are looking at more emphatic people now which was quickly observed by the applicants and I know of a guy who took an after school job in an old people’s home just so he could say he loved working with needy people.
They should change the system and if you qualify for the course then your name goes into a hat and the required number of places for uni gets pulled out as I am sure just straight A passers are not always the best people for the job.
I've been in & off that many meds it's done my head in (thus the need for 60mg Ebdep for depression). I'm on fentanyl (plus other meds) & now they are making it near impossible for my doctor to prescrube that. It is the only painkiller that allows me to leave the house - some days I even manage to stay out for 2 hours!!! Don't know what ti do if they finally deny me this tiny bit of 'life' in the real world. And the support of the doctor coukd be a wee bit stronger. I'm only on fentanyl as he ran out of ideas on what to give me. My husband told him that his mate was on fentanyl - so my GP prescribed that for the fibromyalgia/arhritis/sciatica/bulging discs.
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Where to get help??
Why won't my GP listen to me!
Hi. I have 30 years of back pain... Amitriptyline "they made me worse" now has your GP or pain Dr talked to you about 'Nerve oblation'. 
Ever heard or tried Nefopam? 
