My doctor won't prescribe me pain relief medication

[stewhunt]

My doctor won't prescribe my any pain relief medication only diclofenac and ibuprofen which do not work I'm thinking about the dark net as a can't handle this issue. I have sciatica and nerve damage due to diabetes. I have try exercise, stretching, hot and cold treatment but to no avail I got some tramadol from a friend which worked fine but the doctor said they don't help I'm also on 150mg of pregabiln and handful of paracetamol any one have any suggestions?

[Konagirl60]

Hire a lawyer and tell them you’re being neglected and dismissed. Nerve pain is dreadful.

[Chleo11]

Hello Stewhunt. Is it a GP or specialist you're seeing? You need at least a specialist. GPs don't know much, I believe. If your doctor doesn't want to give you more med, why doesn't he/she give you further help, such as referring you to a pain clinic or something like this? You may need to ask for a second opinion, or potentially complain to the surgery if it is a GP.

All the best!

[stewhunt in reply to Chleo11]

My surgery you cant get an appointment even before the covid outbreak. this is a new trial for the nhs which has been ongoing over the last year or so. They only have 2 regular doctors with a patient list of over 25000. They use locums so basically every time they call back you speak to someone else who does not know your history. This is the only medical centre in my town and they are forever in the media over poor practices.

[wombleizer in reply to stewhunt]

If you're in the UK and if you've been having the pain for six months or longer then it qualifies as "chronic pain" and you should by rights be referred to a pain specialist. Ask your GP about this. Even a locum can initiate the referral. Tell them to send all of your records/test results etc song with it. (Sometimes they forget and the whole thing is rejected and no one tells you anything and you end up having weeks wasted....)

It might be a rather long wait for an appointment with a consultant. I know from bitter experience.

Best of luck.

[Patient007]

Disgusting being ignored like that. Get a second opinion! Good luck.

[katieoxo60]

Hi Stewhunt, hope you are having a good weekend. The drugs your GP prescribed are about the average for pain control. Some of us can't take certain drugs for pain and often have to try others for maximum releif. Painkillers need to be taken on a regular basis to maintain lower pain levels. Tramadol is addictive if used on a regular basis but often works well with paracetamol, however it has many side effects in larger doses. Pregabilin is supposed to be good but also has bad side effects on some people. Diclophenic is not supposed to be used for long term pain releif. As yours is a mixture of different nerve pain, maybe you need specialist pain assessment, sciatica often keeps returning with a vengence, and can effect mobility vastly during flare up. There is no simple solution and doctors steer clear of expensive addictive drugs early in treatment. Hope this helps you to see another perspective, have you tried Amytrptyline as they say this can help too manmy take it on a long term low dosage basis for pain. Sadly there is no miracle cures just individual outcomes by trying and testing.

[Lavender26]

Hi Stewhunt

Have you asked your doctor about him referring you to a pain clinic. I have had sciatica for 4 years I have tried different medications for the pain I am currently on 400mg of tramodol a day to be fair I know the NHS is very good but sometimes you have to be more persistent with them . I wish you all the best I hope you get some sort of pain relief soon.

[stewhunt]

Hi, thanks for the info, been on to nhs 24 on Saturday and the gave me two days worth of codine which helped. My brother gave me some tramadol a week ago which also helped. I have been up since 3 in severe agony again phoned nhs24 who told me to contact my gp.

I will again battle with them to get a referral and some sort of pain killers,

Thanks,

Stewart.

[Queeniz]

Snap... I know how you feel, my GP won’t help me (long story).... pm me 😻

[stewhunt in reply to Queeniz]

been up since 3.30, had tramadol, pregabilin a few drops of cbd oil now resting with a hot water bottle on my back starting to get a bit of relief. my knee has been buckling a lot and today was the first time its gone compleatley and i ended up on my a**e ! sorry forgot to ask how are you?

[Marshall64]

I have neck pain from a bulging disc and spinal stenosis. I have talked to chiropractors, physical therapist, rehab specialists, pain management doctors, a neurosurgeon, and an orthopedist. The pain management doctor gave me two sets of shots in the neck and it cost me $4,000 out of pocket (I'm in the US). I was a candidate for surgery but everyone except the neurosurgeon advised against it. My primary doctor knew the path I went through with doctors so he prescribed me Vicodin (a lot cheaper than the shots).

Fast forward to now, my doctor left his practice and I had to find a new doctor. My old doctor warned me that other doctors won't prescribe opiods and would refer me to pain management. I wasn't going to get a loan for that again so I was going to get surgery. Someone recommended a D.O. so I gave it a shot. Between him and a different physical therapist, I'm finally getting relief. They gave me 50 mgs of tramadol and Meloxicam. Right now I'm just taking Tylenol. Once in awhile I'll have pain but I'm trying to work through it.

I heard sciatica is extremely painful. I hope you find relief. It is sad that people who need pain medication are being denied because of others abusing them.

[Anxiolytic1]

Following the widespread press reports about patients being turned into drug addict zombies the medical profession had their usual knee jerk reaction and have near enough banned painkillers. They say they have discovered they no longer work. That is just not true - they do and the only people to benefit from this new found zeal on the part of the docs are the pushers. Sooner or later it will balance out again but in the meantime we have to suffer in pain. But that is much much better than a visit to the pusher for sure!

[vivikin]

Hi will they not just increase the dose on Pregablin i have nerve damage in my back and that causes constant pain in both legs i take 600mg Pregablin 8 co-codamol and 75mg of Amitriptlyline, originally i saw a consultant in the pain clinic who sent an email to my GP who then took over and prescribed this medication and adjusts the amount up or down according to how much pain i am in maybe i struck lucky with such a caring and kind GP, If i were you i would insist on a referral to the pain clinic if you haven't already been there or ask if he or she can increase the dosage of the Pregablin at least. Good luck

[stewhunt in reply to vivikin]

Hi,

Thanks for the information I have a phone interview with a skeletal /muscular specialist tommo. I'm on 150mg of pregabiln only got upped last week I'm now buying tramadol from a drug dealer but I have no choice 😐

[vivikin in reply to stewhunt]

Hi please be very careful taking both Tramadol and Pregablin together I was always under the impression that you had either or, I was originally prescribed Tramadol but it made me very depressed and suicidal luckily my GP has known me a long time and noticed that I was depressed and stopped the Tramadol and exchanged it for Pregablin, but also don't just stop the Pregablin in favour of Tramadol as you are very likely to have severe side effects, sorry if this sounds a bit garbled but i was quite worried when I received your message please stay in touch and let me know how you get on.

[stewhunt in reply to vivikin]

I only got one strip of tramadol i only take one first thing in the morning as this is when the pain as at its worst. speaking to the specilist at 9am so fingers crossed!

[Truffs in reply to stewhunt]

Although I don’t think you should be buying Tramadol it can be used with Pregabalin, they’re 2 different types of drugs. My main concern about the Tramadol is what are you actually buying? Some cocaine mixed with talc in a capsule....so please please be very careful. In this day & age you should be able to be treated by your Dr for your pain, feel so sad for you

[NJeffers]

Hi

I would ask your GP to refer you to pain management at your local hospital as you are entitled to the referral to be seen as by a specialist, as your GP is just that, a General Practitioner and is not a consultant specialist. He/She cannot refuse to.

If they try to fob you off, just insist that you want the referral. If you do not hear anything from the pain management team within 6 weeks, I would write a formal complaint to your practice manager giving details of the date you saw your GP, what was discussed between you and your GP and the outcome agreed on the date of the consultation and they are obliged to take your complaint seriously.

You can also speak with PALS (Patient Advisory Liaison Service), free and confidential advice usually within your local hospital - or even try to contact via phone or even email. They are there to advocate for patients, not hospital employees or GP’s etc..

I hope this helps and you get the pain relief you deserve!

[stewhunt in reply to NJeffers]

Hi I have a telephone interveiw with a specialist at 9am

[NJeffers in reply to stewhunt]

Great news! Fingers crossed all goes well for you.

No one should have to live with chronic pain, especially with analgesia/pain relief we have today 😊

[MSTKing]

Hello, I'm sorry about this, please be careful there are a lot of fake and dangerous drugs online.

I'm in a similar position, I needed my Severdol for breakthrough pain. I only get it when I need it, maybe two or three prescriptions a year. When I phoned up I got a doctor (not my regular one ) who said you're already on a lot of opiates. After a lot of negotiatiating I eventually got Oramorph which is nothing compared to what I usually get. I think they are tightening the net. My advice would be to write to your surgery - this is what I have done and list why you need this medication.