I can't do this anymore

Published on November 16, 2005 By dharmagrl In Misc

I've stopped using the duragesic patch.

The whole time I was on it had a vague feeling of nausea. Sometimes enough to make me actually barf, most of the time enough to make me not want to eat. The pain control that it was giving me wasn't as good as I thought it should have been - I still needed to take Pyroxicam and Ultram on top of the patch, which bothered me.

I weighed myself yesterday for the first time since I started the patches - I've lost 7 lbs.

7lbs is a decent amount of weight to lose, but the method of losing it...not so good. It's basically been starvation.

So, I talked to my family doc and I've discontinued the patch. It kinda sucks because now my pain level is going to be worse, but....I've got an appointment with a pain management doctor right before Christmas and hopefully we'll be able to figure out something to make my days and nights more tolerable.

I stopped the patch 2 days ago. Today I have chills, sweats and an upset stomach. It's called narcotic withdrawl, and whilst I don't like it, I know that it will pass and in a couple of days I'll be alright. I'll take a couple of days feeling rough over weeks upon end of nausea, vomiting and weight loss.

I'm not sorry that I tried the patch - at least I gave it a shot. Now I know that the side effects of it negate any pain relief I might have got from it, so I'll press on and we'll try something different.

Part of the problem I'm having is that it's not just the herniated disc that was giving me grief. I also have other degenerating discs, I have arthritis in almost all of my L vertebrae and down into my S vertebrae, and I also have scoliosis that the good old NHS failed to diagnose or treat. It's too late to do anything about it now....but it's the scoliosis that caused a lot of the degerneration in the discs and in the bones. The way the surgeon explained it was this: when he went in and fused my spine, he straightened that level out. It's not used to being straight, and level above and below it are still part of the 's' shape that constitutes scoliosis. So, it's having the straight part in the middle of the 's' that's causing some of the pain, and whilst that's going to get slightly better over time it's never going to go away totally.

So, that's the prognosis. Pain, in some degree or another, for the rest of my life. I'm always going to have to keep an eye on my weight, because gaining too much is going to aggrivate my back. Still, it could be worse. I could have a terminal illness, or like my friend Art, be a paraplegic and in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. I'm relatively lucky in that I have free healthcare, and, as long as Dave stays in until retirement, I'll have free healthcare for the rst of my life. I could have this condition and have NO healthcare at all....that would really, really suck.

It's not so bad really. I still have hope.

Comments

greywar

on Nov 16, 2005

There is a class action lawsuit pending against the Duragesic patch.

dharmagrl

on Nov 16, 2005

Thanks, Grey. I'm going to go and look at the lot numbers on my box.

I know that it's dangerous if you misuse it. Apparently junkies are taking the stuff in the patch and shooting it up - that's the leading cause of death.

MarcieMoo

on Nov 16, 2005

Oh Karen, I wish I c ould offer you some kind of comfort. My mom is in constant pain from her arthritis, and really, its no way to live. I wish I could give her just a day's relief from all of it. I wonder what my mom would be like if she could be mobile and stuff.

I hope you're feeling better soon, dahling. Take care of yoU!

Tova7

on Nov 16, 2005

((((D))))

I am sorry you are hurting.

I am not overly familiar with your accident besides glimpses I've read on your posts, I haven't made it back to your beginning in the history files...shesh, you write a lot!

I am sorry you are in pain. I almost can't believe it because you are so sweet in your posts. When I am in pain I am mean as a snake. I don't know how you do it, the pain, the kids, the tdy husband.

My hat is off to you.

And my prayers include you.

t

dharmagrl

on Nov 16, 2005

Have you asked about the Dorsal Column Stimulator yet?

That's why I'm going to go see the pain management doc. He's an anesthesiologist, so I would imagine he's a pretty good chemist..

Reply By: little_whipPosted: Wednesday, November 16, 2005
From one opiate dependent to another, will you send me your leftover patches? I'll trade ya some Vicodin for 'em

I'm sure we can come to some kind of agreement...

I am not overly familiar with your accident

I had a head on collison with a semi. I hit a patch of black ice on an interstate overpass, tried to control the skid so's I wouldn't go off the overpass and die, and ended up in oncoming traffic - got nailed by a semi doing about 65, according to the cops. I remember the entire accident and had bad dreams about the sight of that truck coming down on me for almost a year afterwards. I called for help, then called my husband in Greenland to tell him goodbye. I knew that I had hurt myself, and I thought that I had ruptured my aorta and was going to bleed out and die before anyone got to me. Turns out I had dislocated both my shoulders, cracked my shoulderblade and 3 ribs in the back, broken my collarbone, fractured some ribs and a knuckle, herniated a disc in my back, torn tendons in my neck, almost ruptured my bladder and had both cardiac and pulmonary contusions that caused me to belld around my lungs a little. In addition I had lacerated my knees when the dash had splintered form the force of the impact. According to the ER doc if I didn't have an airbag, I'd be dead. The highway patrol officer said he thought he'd find a corpse, and so did the paramedics. So, I'm pretty lucky to be alive to feel this pain, and some days I actually realish the hurting because it means that I'm alive. Pretty sick, huh? Hehe...today is a lot like the day I got hurt, weather wise, and that plus writing this has reduced me to a blubbering wreck. So, I'm not as over at as I thought, but I'm a damn sight better than I was this time last year.

My mom is in constant pain from her arthritis, and really, its no way to live

It's not and I really do feel for anyone that has bad osteo or rheumatoid arthritis. It's an awful thing, especially when it's cold and damp.

dharmagrl

on Nov 16, 2005

We are going to look at pups again today, dharma, but if you wanna give me a call after 7 or so, we'll be around...hint, hint

No problem.

Texas Wahine

on Nov 16, 2005

*hugs*

I'm sorry you're dealing with this, dharma. You're in my thoughts.

KarmaGirl

on Nov 16, 2005

Pain sucks. ANd, it's so personal. Two people with the same medical problem will not feel the same pain. Pain management is key, but it take a *long* time to really get something that works. And, sometimes, just taking the edge off is all you can safely do without causing more problems for yourself.

I keep trying new pain drugs, but they usually cause something else bad to happen. My standby is meditation and teaching my brain to forget pain. The downside is, that if you get really good, you ignore pain until it becomes unmanageable.

I hope that you get relief soon. Pain can raise blood pressure and heart rate as well as cause other medical problems. And, well, it drains your life.

Tova7

on Nov 16, 2005

DAMN Dharma.

That is alot of things wrong for that little body of yours!

I am so sorry about your accident. I bet that is one phone call your husband will never forget.

Wow, I am sitting here and all I can think of to say is wow.

I'm glad you made it, for your kids, for your husband and for yourself.

Wow.

BlueDev

on Nov 16, 2005

Pain is awful. It is different for each person, it is debilitating, it just sucks the monkey.

I am so sorry you are having to deal with this. I hope that you can find some solution that works for you. Best wishes Dharma.

dharmagrl

on Nov 16, 2005

You're in my thoughts

Thank you, and thanks for the hug too.

hope that you get relief soon. Pain can raise blood pressure and heart rate as well as cause other medical problems. And, well, it drains your life.

Yes, it does. Some days I'm tired all the time, and I can't wait to see sundown because then I know that the day is almost over...that I'm going to go to bed soon and that tomorrow might be better.

I'm glad you made it, for your kids, for your husband and for yourself.

Wow.

Thank you, and that's a common reaction. I was telling someone the other day about what had happened and what I had broken, and when I was done he was quiet for a while and then he said "I'm sorry. I can't think of anything else to say.". It was really quite funny.

I hope that you can find some solution that works for you

Me too! I'm so looking forward to seeing the pain management guy.

Dr Guy

on Nov 16, 2005

i am sorry Dharma. But what scares me even more than pain, is the withdrawals you are talking about. And that was for short term use.

I understand the desire to relieve pain. But sometimes the cure is worse than the sickness? It sounds like it in this case. I hope they can do something for you! I am sorry for your pain.

And I will say a prayer for you, in Zensunni.

MarcieMoo

on Nov 16, 2005

Oh, lets not forget the soul-destroying fatigue. That's always fun.

Are you whipped all the time, too? I haven't done much research on my mom's condition, but she's ALWAYS been a sleepy little camper. I guess I never really attributed it to pain or her arthritis. Duh, Marce!

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!