Pain is back at nearly a 10, though I take my meds

I've continued to take my meds as normal.

In fact, since that 'extradosing' incident where I gave myself 3 doses of most things by accident (we are assuming they were there and I took them), I don't do anything with the meds buttake them; my wife fills the containers and hides the bottles from me.

This last week or so the pains throughout my body have slowly come back in full force. I've been kinda ignoring them best I could, since it was a slow return. Maybe taken 2 or so 'extra' morphine (I am actually prescribed for 'up to 6' and generally take 3 and once in a while 4, so 1 extra is still under my prescribed level).

Yesterday the pain came back at a full 10, with drops down to 8 or so. I've still not taken a large extra dose of morphine to combat it. I was able to get an appointment with the PA for my PM at 3pm today. I'm hoping to be able to describe everything and she will know what to do based on my past and most recent dose, and that's why I've held off the 'extra' morphine.

However, I thought I would check the huge knowledge reserve here to see if there were any ideas or suggestions that I might try, or that I might present to the PA.

Ideas or suggestions, anyone?

And thank you sincerely for reading my latest story. Your interest is appreciated.

EDIT: One thing did coincide about 2 days prior to the pain's recurrence -> I started a new anti[infection agent] (sorry, my brain can't think of the word); pills to kill an infection.

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Wife: Liz, the choice of a lifetime
Dogs: Koshka Prayer & Chomp Prayer

Post Edited (TonyMcGuire) : 4/17/2009 7:44:00 AM (GMT-6)

 

 

Tony,

I know how you feel...I just switched over to Morphine from Methadone this week and I am having GREAT PAIN issues.. Pain I haven't felt in years... I take 60 mg. Morphine ER 2x a day along with Oxycodone 15 mg. up to 4 x a day...and the Morphine is sending me into a tailspin.. Not only am I having pain issues, but now I am having withdrawl issues.  I have a call into my DR. and I am waiting to hear what he wants to do.  How long have you been taking Morphine?  Has it helped?

 

Me.

---

 

^{We are all in the same boat...unfortunatley it seems like it's sinking...}

Post Lamenectomy Syndrome

Hemi Lamenectomy/Spinal Fusion(Lumbar)

60 mg. MS Contin 2Xdaily/15 mg. Oxycodone as needed

High Blood Pressure: Lisinopril HCTZ 10 mg. daily

Type 2Diabetes: (March 16, 2009)

Metformin 850 mg. twice daily (so far)

ME. (Rhonda)                                                                    

 

I've been on Morphine all along - July of 2008 or so.

I take Morphine WITH Methadone.

---

Wife: Liz, the choice of a lifetime
Dogs: Koshka Prayer & Chomp Prayer

Post Edited (TonyMcGuire) : 4/17/2009 7:48:05 AM (GMT-6)

Tony,

You might be in a pain flare. In fact you ARE in a pain flare.

My suggestion: Stay calm and very slowly right down what you want
to say to the doctor.

If you get in the office and you are in pain, you mind will go out the window.

Write that down NOW, ok?

Good luck,

Pamela

"We all live in a yellow submarine..."

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Wife: Liz, the choice of a lifetime
Dogs: Koshka Prayer & Chomp Prayer

Oh, Tony, I am so sorry that you are feeling so rotten!! You know - you'll have to forgive me - I don't even remember where your pain is. Is it your esophagus or is that just another issue? I wish I had some ideas for you, but I don't. Unfortunately, there usually isn't too much you can do during these flares - just pray that you can get through the day, and quickly. The only thing that I could suggest would be to call your doc, which you did, great! By now you've seen the doc, so I hope that he was able to provide or suggest something to help you with your increased pain!

We're all here for you, keep venting all you want! We'll help get you through this.

Pain is an ugly monster.

hugs,
Skeye

UniquelyMe: Why are you switching from Methadone to Morphine?

I use them both to great credit to each. What kind of pain do you have, where?

Methadone doesn't stop the pain reliever in Morphine; just the 'high' of Morphine, as far as I am aware. Like me, you could get away with a very small dose of each and your system would probably be satisfied.

And, I would imagine, that the smaller the doses, the slighter the negative effects LONG TERM.

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Wife: Liz, the choice of a lifetime
Dogs: Koshka Prayer & Chomp Prayer

Hi Tony:

I'm sorry you are hurting so badly, I hope that you are feeling better soon.

Lorie

Tony,

Been thinking of you and Rhonda ...
I'm not doing so great myself.
I know what will help me. Sleep.
I'm sending healing thoughts your way.

Pamela

Hi, Tony,
I signed on too late today to catch you before your appointment. How did things go?

I hope you got some help, and are doing at least a little better!

PaLady

Sorry I too signed on too late ot be of much help but wanted to say how sorry I was for your pain issues.

I did post something in the methadone thread that might help if you feel like reading it.

Also wanted to say you might want to google the anti-infect as it may be reacting in some way with some of your meds. Also want to point out that they kill not only bad bacteria but good as well and can make you far more susceptable to other secondary infections and virus in saying that you may pick up small things like flu,virus,colds,any number of illness that might generally not bother you.

I am waiting to see what your Doc said and please discuss that one time a day dosing on the methadone and see if it can help the lag time on the morphine and maybe give it more boost.

Hi Angel,

I take 12 Methadone a day in evenly divided doses.

Would one time a day dosing on Methadone help the "lag time" on Morphine
for me.

My pain doctor is open to suggestions from me. I take 3 Morphine.

I think the difference between me and Tony is that Tony takes a light dose
of Methadone.

Pamela

Are you up with pain? It's 4:38 AM. You could be in Australia which would
make that question kinda ... not bright.

---

MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Osteoarthritis all levels of spine right down to Coccyx,Spondilytis,Myofascial Pain
Fibromyalgia,Bulging Discs,Spinal Stenosis,Scoliosis,Osteopenia,Chronic Constipation
Carpel Tunel Syndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder,
Depression & Anxiety

Methadone for Pain, Xanax for Anxiety, and more, of course.

No not up with pain Pamela just up for my meds, LOl recall I take my methadone at 5 a.m so by this time today it has been 24 hours and the levels have dropped enough for me to "feel it"

Yes I am a firm believer in the one time a day dosing and most folks I know that are CPers take it like that so it allows their rescue meds to work more effeciently and it makes perfect sense really. What doesnt make sense is trying to drop a morphine in with a methadone and wondering why it isnt working up to its potential. The given way that methadone is composed in chemistry is going to make sure it cant.

Take for instance a heroin addict that was dosed in clinic and still could get anything out of a heroin jag? Do you suppose they would stay off the H? Not likely in my book. The difference in being here we are trying to treat pain and it has got to be an even therapy for us to be able to maintain some kind of semblence to living and if our rescue meds has the chance to kick in without the methadone stamping it down we have far better pain coverage.

If you take it one dose it isnt going to peak for at least 12 hours and in the meantime we are taking rescue meds and that nonpeak levels are allowing it to have a chance to work, hope this is making sense somewhere for you.

What I think your going to find in the end if you and your Doc are willing to work together is lower doses of methadone being needed and a stable dose of your b/t med being used or possibly not requiring a b/t med at all after awhile such as I do.

I am stable and maintain on one dose of methadone per day without the use of rescue meds with the exception of a excedrin for headaches I am bound to get. It took a years or so to find and get to this point but once I did it was such a relief not clock watching not trying to make sure I was home when I needed meds not getting out somewhere and getting in such dire pain I didnt think I could get home and then waiting for the darn stuff to kick in! So so happy I am not there anymore and to think of all the life I missed just makes me sick.

I say talk to your Doc and see what he is open to and just remember it may take a little getting use to once a day and not in terms of being in pain but the larger dosing one time seems to make some folks a little nauseous and nod off so be careful with that until your body gets use to it. I tried night dosing and found it kept me up all night,and mid day made me tired so the 5 a.m works well and lots of times in the begining I would take it go back to sleep and an hour later awake to a great day with no nausea no droppies and the best pain refief I had ever had for the most hours in a day.

Good luck to you.

Oh I wanted to add there is a web site that has loads of info about methadone and it is a forum but there are lots of addicts there but they have so much more ability to share their experiences with meth then CPers,if you google methadone.com you should be able to find it and if you do nothing more then lurk you can find some great info and experiences and they will welcome you even if you are a CPer and gladly answer whatever questions they can.

Tony, I'm sorry too it took me so long to answer! Geeze a #10? I'm so sorry, thats awful. I hope your Doc gets you fixed up w/ the right meds today! On the subject of methadone knocking out the effects of other narcotics, I only have had one recent experiance which I posted about after I got home from my neck surgery. When I woke in recovery, the pain was worse than anything I can remember. Of course we don't remember pain levels very well from the distant past but I was at a #10 and screaming for help! They gave me morphine and it did nothing at all! Then dalodid? and the same results, nothing! They called my Doc and he said that I take methadone and thats why the other meds didn't work. I asked for percocet telling them thats what I take for b-t pain so they gave me some. To my astonishment, it helped! Maybe my receptors were used to getting oxi & methadone together? I don't know but for the rest of my stay they gave me my usual dose of methadone and my choise of IV-morphine, IV-deladid or oral percocet> I took the perc's every time! Crazy but true! Maybe everyone is different and the same rules don't aply to everyone, I don't know. All I know is what happened to me when I was in the valley of the #10> A very bad place to be!!
I'm prayin for you Tony!
Pete

---

56 years old, Surgury, Radical Prostatectomy 8/20/03, PSA 6.6, Gleason 3 + 3 = 6, Adenocarcinoma extent (moderate) Stage & Margin:T2NOMX, No Metastases, Organ Confined, bone scan: Neg. 3 1/2 years of depression after surgery prior to Hypogonadizm DX, Testosterone Theropy> new 2/6/09> 400mg injections every 2weeks . 56 and so glad to still be here to see my two sons grow up to be fine young men. They are both serving in the US Navy, one on the aircraft carrier USS John Stennis in port in Thailand and the other on a Gator Freighter USS Bataan stationed in Norfolk, Va. I am one very proud (what they call me)> Big Pops! 

Thank you, Pete.

I appears that my PM's PA was AT LEAST partially right.

Yesterday I improved as the weather did, after about 1:30pm or so.

Today I'm getting 'rough' pain around the edges.

Every time I try to do anything I get pain (walking up and down the stairs to the basement wasn't much fun), but I'm not sure my wife believes it. That's OK. She's put up with so much as a result of this pain stuff that I think I can suffer a little for her for a change.

And please, what is Gleason 3 + 3 = 6? A skit?

---

Wife: Liz, the choice of a lifetime
Dogs: Koshka Prayer & Chomp Prayer

Tony,
I wish it was a Jackie Gleason skit! I haven't changed the bottom of my signiture yet. I posted for years on the prostate cancer forum and still do. Tha Gleason score is a mesurement of the agressiveness of the cancer. Lucky for me mine was in the middle and not as agressive as some. I got a kick out of the skit thing though! Thanks for the laugh, I needed it!
Pete
PS>> How old are you? If over 40, get your PSA checked! The A-hole government says over 50 but that's BS!!! Go to the P.C. forum and look at how many gutys in their 40's have it and some are dying from it way before 50! They found mine when I turned 50 and said I had it for a long time! It was just about to break through the prostate capsule, I was very lucky unlike my Father who died from it at 51!!!!!!!! back in 73'.

---

56 years old, Surgury, Radical Prostatectomy 8/20/03, PSA 6.6, Gleason 3 + 3 = 6, Adenocarcinoma extent (moderate) Stage & Margin:T2NOMX, No Metastases, Organ Confined, bone scan: Neg. 3 1/2 years of depression after surgery prior to Hypogonadizm DX, Testosterone Theropy> new 2/6/09> 400mg injections every 2weeks . 56 and so glad to still be here to see my two sons grow up to be fine young men. They are both serving in the US Navy, one on the aircraft carrier USS John Stennis in port in Thailand and the other on a Gator Freighter USS Bataan stationed in Norfolk, Va. I am one very proud (what they call me)> Big Pops! 

{{{{{{{{{{{TONY}}}}}}}}}}}}

I agree with other this is Pain Flares.  They suck!!!!  I had them late lastnight during the baseball games.  My doctor says usually something triggers them.  He told me to look at anything that I might of done differently.  He even told me it can be inhanced with mental issues.  No not saying your crazy...

If anything has changed emotionally, a little disagreement with the wife, a friend, a relative?  Did you sit to long?  Maybe stand up to long.  My doctors says it could be something so small that you might of ate to much dinner.

I know it sounds strange but it might be why the pain is flaring up.  If you have an extra pill a day I would take it thats why its prescribed that way.

I wish you so much luck

Plus all I need now is a large box to send off your books...    I'm being slow this week but so much has went on.

---

Chronic Kidney Stones, PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease), Chronic Kidney Failure, Severe Hypertension, Urological RSD

Skeye: My pain is from my knees down to the tips of my toes, when on meds and when off; a lot better controlled on of course. During B/T and if I don't take meds, I'm at a 10 everywhere.

B/T, I've been in the 8,9,10 lately. Nasty business, that. I just try to stay busy, but typing and retyping the same thing over and over again wears me out.

And I can't walk much either on or off the meds, so what am I supposed to do, exactly?
(This last was asked rhetorically. No anger or blaming or anything.)

Hope that answers your questions, Skeye.

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Wife: Liz, the choice of a lifetime
Dogs: Koshka Prayer & Chomp Prayer

Post Edited (TonyMcGuire) : 4/19/2009 2:14:09 PM (GMT-6)

Tony,
about all I could suggest is that you discuss all this with your doctor. Either some new problem needs to be identified (and treated), or if there's no new problem, it sounds like you may need an adjustment in meds.

I apologize for not being able to remember all the details of the posts in your thread. Maybe there is something I have missed. I also get the sense at times you might wait for too long to take your meds, or to use your B/T meds. That can make pain much harder to treat.

Again, I apologize for missing some details you might have already mentioned.

Hugs,

PaLady

PAlady, you are spot-on with the 'wait too long' comment. I'm not very timely with taking my meds, and often miss doses altogether. Often.

It is so much nicer when Liz is home, since she keeps me on the straight and narrow with both meds and food.

But I think I am wearing down and she is wearing out. I hurt all the time, and she is tired of me seeming to fight her wanting me to take the medications on time and consistently.

Working on it...

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Wife: Liz, the choice of a lifetime
Dogs: Koshka Prayer & Chomp Prayer

Tony,
Ok. Make pretend something. Make pretend you live alone like I do. There is no Liz to help. Then you have to decide are you going to figure out how to take your meds in a way that helps you manage your pain the best, or fight taking the pills until the pain gets so bad your prescribed dose doesn't cover it?

Just make pretend for a few days.

Oh - Chomp and Koshka can help! LOL

Hope you don't take this harshly, but sometimes it's a wake up call to realize what it's like living alone!

PaLady