Hi I've seen my orthopaedic consultant and he has arranged an MRI scan for my back and also writing to my GP about my pain medication, that I need some more.Also went to pain management consult who has arranged some injections into my lo wer back..she didn't seem interested in putting me back on strong painkillers.
So these are 2 different opinions ,what do people think of this?
There is quite a discussion in med circles about appropriate pain medication.
Post op pain types needing short term treatment, and chronic pain needing long term cover.
The feeling is that strong painkillers are not best for chronic pain. We need to be looking at other treatments - tens, physiotherapy, mindfulness and so on.
A lot of painkillers do not have a good effect on our bodies long term.
Something to keep in mind.
Good luck.
Hi, Personally I'd go for the MRI to help delineate the exact cause of the pain and continue the pain killers for now assuming they are helping. Injections if still deemed necessary can then be given. Depending on the result of the MRI other approaches can be considered. Best, etheral
Pain medication was initially used for cancer patients at end of life. They were never intended for long term use. However at the time their use became widespread for chronic pain sufferers and increased, or changed to stronger ones, as pain increased or conditions deteriorated. That was 40 years ago
UsA had a big problem with non users getting hold of them, selling on black market, and people becoming addicts.When used correctly they are fine.
So....UK looked seriously at their use and many were either withdrawn or heavily restricted.
Soinal injections are more widely used but only every 6 months or so for other reasons.
It is hard for us sufferers to get the help and treatment we may desperately need
Acupuncture can help but where it used to be carried out under the pain clinic....money or lack of it means most people have to go private.
We also used to get TENS machines which uses the body's own endorphins but again I believe these have to be bought
I think spinal epidurals are your best option
x
I agree , have been on many painkillers since I had an emergency decompression & fusion for Caude equina almost 10 years ago . Have been given 2 injections by pain management which worked amazingly well . Now I've been signed off & need to go back to my GP to be referred again . It's a complete nightmare as now I have both lumbar & cervical stenosis & a few more prolapsed discs . GP will not prescribe strong painkillers . I have a Tens machine but unfortunately it only takes the very edge off the pain . So after a life time of farming I'm just left to suffer xx
painkiller are non existent. Any form of pain relief meds should be used in conjunction with other methods. hey will help but never kill pain completely.
Your GP is not allowed to prescribe any more but pain consultant can
Was it spinal epidurals you had? How far apart and why only 2?
x
It was 14 or 15 yrs ago so don't remember really.the pain consultant said yesterday that they wanted to try more injections first.How do you know they can prescribe pain killers?
Apparently only allowed to give you 2 then referred back to Gp . Don't know what on earth is going on . I had the injections 3 months apart & yes they were spinal epidurals. My spinal consultant & neurologist have said there is nothing else that can be done except for epidurals. So now I'm stuck with not only unrelenting pain , but loss of feeling in my hands & feet.
Were the injections into your spime under local anaesthetic? Done by pain consultant who is always a qualified anaesthetist. ?
I have studied chronic pain for too many years. My husband had a spinal injury whilst in the Royal Navy which eventually caused complete disintegration of his spine.
I have worn sacroiliac with bone on bone due to crooked spine so understand chronic pain
Unless things have changed completely your GP could not change meds prescribed by your pain consultant. Consultant is far senior to a GP. That's why keeping up with pain clinics is so mportant. Our pain consultant, wonderful man, was our best friend!!
x
x
It's all changing here due to the cost I am told . My spine was damaged due to heavy work on the farm , 7 days a week . Pain management consultant was lovely but she says her hands are tied & she has to refer me back to my GP after 2 lots of injections. He can then refer me back to her ,but all this takes so much time. From one who never stopped & who walked miles in a day ,I've got to the stage where I can't walk more than a few steps & this with a stick . BTW I know they're not " painkillers" just how we say it up North. But they can take the edge off the pain xx
I guessed it was all change. Our pain consultant was only allowed then, 8 years ago, to see his pain patients one say a week. The rest of the time he was the anethetist in theatre
It was falling apart even in Scotland
x
Have been under various spinal consultants for over 20 years at our local Orthopaedic hospital, was seeing pain management consultant there but that's all changed ,now under pain management group . They want to do a series of 26 injections into my spine to burn off the nerve endings thus stopping pain signals reaching the brain , no thanks ,well that ended that ,not seen pain clinicians since now I get a phone call every 3 months from a therapist who says I need more sleep 🤔 Have excepted now there's nothing more to do to my back n pain relief is all I have left. Spinal injections work for some n not for others ,it's never given under anesthetic unless having the nerve burning . Chat to someone who knows you best ,their advice is invaluable. Good luck 🤞
Hi there,
As one who has had the treatment you describe, I’ve had Radiofrequency Ablation numerous times & it works brilliantly for over a year for me, RA is not always given under sedation, unless you’re having numerous levels & usually both nerve roots treated. I’ve had all the levels of the neck ablated so many times and I’m certainly glad that I had sedation last time, it was a breeze compared to the former. Now I need 3 levels of my lumbar spine ablated - my neck & back have always been effective POST surgery not before.
I’d say give it a go, if it works fabulous, even taking some of your pain away. They’ll not do all 26 nerve roots in one, even if you pay privately as I’ve had to do each time.
Regards,
Mitch
Thank you for taking the time to reply. Am so glad you get benifit from your treatments, being pain free even for a short while sounds good to me . Like you both my neck and lower lumbar need the treatment, I never realised that it would have to be repeated and if I'm honest ,scares me even more . Had the spinal injection of steroids ect and lost the use of my legs for over 2 hours ,that seemed like a lifetime, I've avoided it ever since . Coward 100% . Thank you again ,I will do some more research and have a good talk to myself 😉 Long may you stay pain free 🤞 xx
Hi there,
I’m not pain free at all from the treatments, it reduces nerve pain at times, helps with muscle spasms, helps with Cervicogenic headaches, reduces throbbing pains etc, it just makes me better than I would be ordinarily and that is enough for me to have the treatments. In my experience there has only been surgery & RA that has helped along with the large list of medication that I take, including Oramorph & Fentanyl etc. My entire body is affected by my injuries, I’m even having nerve pain in my face which is possibly Trigeminal Neuralgia but that needs investigating. Anything helps & you take it when so badly affected by pain, including severe & unrelenting CNS pain!
You’re not a coward, these treatments can be scary, are painful & have unwanted side effects at times. Having needles pushed deep into your spine & having electricity used to deaden the nerve is not for the faint hearted but we often have to grasp the nettle & do whatever is necessary to improve our health. I did lots of research prior to any of my treatments & nothing worked other than RA. I wish you all the best & please let me know how you get on.
Kind regards,
Mitch.
Thank you ,I really do appreciate your insight. I sure will let you know of my decision and any improvements. Good luck to you, sounds like you could do with a change in wind direction❤️ love n luck x
some pain clinics are not really plain clinics as they used to be. Focus much on psychological factors - even when little evidence of such factors at play.
Go for the best painkillers you can find/obtain.
I agree on focusing on psychological factors even when there’s little evidence of them.
As I had to realise the mind & body are so strongly intertwined in relation to chronic pain that even if you believe your mental health is strong, there are often signs to others that you are having problems. I’ve had severe chronic pain for 19 years because of cervical & lumbar spinal injuries requiring numerous surgeries & treatments, along with 9 knee surgeries. I had to retire from my career whilst in my 30’s because of someone else’s fault in a road traffic collision.
I couldn’t see that I was struggling even though I knew life had changed and finally after an amazing therapist helped me to make my mental health strong via CBT which was 9 years ago, I have never dipped even though I have mobility issues that have got slowly worse etc and rely on using a wheelchair for certain distances.
Painkillers are ok but don’t take all your pain away, try meditation, yoga, acupuncture, tens machine, hot baths - great for relieving muscular pain, heated throws, cold spray, exercise, having a chat with a pal, anything to take your mind of of the pain, read a book etc, etc .
Regards
Mitch
im in the same predicament. pain management consultant told me my back is now irreparable and i have mechanical back failure, plus every disc in my spine have degenerated and theres nothing they can do, he told me "its only going get worse, and i will have to get used to the pain...and it is getting worse, and to make matters worse i fell about 3 week ago and broke and fractured my back. was in hospital for 8 days , now i cant barely move without getting spasms and feeling like my back is going snap. the pain is horrendous, surely there is something to help me cope. im on 70mg morphine, 600 mg pregabalin, 15mg diazepam, clomazepan, 3x3 tablets a day on nefopam , venlafaxine and duloxetine. theyve told me they cant give me no more as im on a very high dose of opiates , but surely theyve got an opiate which is very strong and take me off the other tablets
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