Drug seekers?

[Sue Pendleton]

Has anyone had problems or felt they might have with doctors thinking they were seeking pain meds as addicts or to sell?

I've been going through an acute pain thing because of a bad sprain and some torn muscles and 4 days in while my foot and ankle was still the size of a watermelon I was getting a referrel to a pain clinic and talks about RSD. I haven't touched narcotics except for 1 shot in rehab the second time and methadone and others the first rehab trip while being treating by a pain specialist in patient. I don't live in the kind of area this is a major problem so I'm just wondering. I can't deal with the side effects so I normally tough it out. I mean I sleep 20 hours a day on percoset.

Has anyone else gotten the feeling they were profiled as a drug seeker? Shesh, if anything I'm the opposite. Glad this wasn't my physiatrist.

[cheesecake]

Sue, We do live in such a region...Baltimore and DC surrounding us. The number of SCI around here due to drug dealing and gun violence is unreal. I see this attitude alot, especially at Hopkins.

I hate narcotics and had a boat load left after my recent surgery so I flushed them. It was hard to get anything weeks later when my spaticity and RSD flaired. And I don't exactly fit the profile of a drug seeker either.

On the other hand, it is super easy to get oxycontin around here. Go figure?

[Sue Pendleton]

Yea, what is that with the oxycontin? At low dose it's nowhere near as good for pain relief as oxycodone. I actually turned that back into my primary care doc to dispose of when he refilled my oxycodone. I don't want the bottles anywhere near my house. Workmen see that name and we are next on the burglary list. But my specialist called back today. NO KNEE DAMAGE on the MRI!!!! Still hurts like hell and the foot and ankle are still swollen so we lowered my dose and he said to stay off it until the pain and swelling are gone. But no permenant damage. Good thing he works in a pain clinic too.

I knew about DC and Baltimore but thought we were far enough away. Guess not.

[daBobber]

I've suffered with chronic pain since the early 80's -- though the leg pain isn't so bad since the spinal infarct that paralyzed me in late '00. But as far as "drug seeking" is concerned, it is true -- there are people who go into emergency rooms seeking to score.

BUT -- the vast majority of people seeking narcotic relief are sufferers of chronic pain. Research from as early as '92 from Johns Hopkins show that people in chronic pain, while they become dependent on the drug, do not become addicted. In other words, they don't need higher and higher amounts to acheive the same result. Nor do they "get off" on the stuff. I have a morphine pump pumping dilaudid into my spinal fluid, I take 60 mg of oxycontin daily, and I am as clearheaded as a judge. A clearheaded juddge, that is! Yet, the addiction myth persists. Back in '95, I asked my state senator to sponsor an "intractable pain law." He did -- I testified before the committee -- and my former home of N. Dak. now has a law that prevents doctors from being harassed by silly investigations should they be adequately treating the pain of their chronic, intractable pain patients. And patients are no longer given "the hairy eyeball" by pharmacists who decide "you've had too much of THIS stuff!" So long as careful records are kept by the Dr., and a diagnosis of intractable pain has been arrived at, the law applies.

I honestly feel the drug war has taken the chronic pain community hostage! Say the word "drug" and folks don't think "relief" or "cure."

Don't be afraid to re-educate folks. "Narcotic" does not equal "illicit." It quite often equals "liberation."

Just my thoughts

[alan]

Oxycontin is a wonder drug for people who need it, who have pain that responds to it. Milligram for milligram, it's stronger than MSContin (long-acting morphine.) Like all narcotics, with long term use, tolerance develops, and the dosage has to be increased. Check out some pain sites and newsgroups.

The furor over Oxycontin is ridiculous. Just because some assholes abuse it (and a few of them die), the media and politicians go crazy. There are plenty of people abusing valium and similar drugs, but there's no frenzy about them, and patients who need such meds aren't put through the wringer to get them.

[daBobber]

Folks, I was a journalist for 17 years, both in radio and in newspaper. And maybe it's my own bias here, but I believe the words "Television" and "News" should never be used togehter in the same sentence. TV News isn't so much about informing the public as it is about pulling in viewers by sensationalizing news stories.

A few apple-headed morons grind up oxycontin, snort it and die. Whoops! Guess they were drug abusers, and drug abusers sometimes die!

TONIGHT AT 11 -- OXYCONTIN! THE NEW TEEN DEATH DRUG! Are YOUR kids at risk???

Like I said in an earlier post -- when folks hear the word "drug" they don't think "cure." They think "abuse."

Oxycontin is a wonder drug, with its time release capabilities, and has helped SO many more than it has hurt.

You know ... water, if taken in huge quantities, can actually POISON a person!

TONIGHT AT 11! WATER POISONING! ARE YOU AT RISK???

Jeeze... http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/eek.gif

[cheesecake]

Sue, Where do you go for your pain clinic? I am guessing at a military facility but I am currently looking for new options. I use Union Memorial because that is where my surgeons are at but am in the process of seeking a second opinion. I would appreciate it if you could post info.
Thanks!

[Sue Pendleton]

Hey Cheese, I see a physiatrist at Reed who is also a member of the pain clinic there. So my primary care doc feels better if he handles the "mega drugs". Problem, as you know, is getting into the clinics there in under a 2 month wait.

When I was in National Rehab the first time they brought in an anesthesiologist who specialized in pain control to deal with the burning skin thing that was driving me nuts. I think Hopkins has a pain specialist as part of their MS clinic. Union Memorial should also have one on staff or on call. Have you asked your surgeons for suggestions? If they don't or can't recommend anyone I'd call Hopkins Critical Care and Anesthesiology Departement for an appointment either in departement or in the MS clinic.

[This message was edited by Sue Pendleton on January 06, 2002 at 11:42 PM.]

[craig]

Originally posted by daBobber:

Folks, I was a journalist for 17 years, both in radio and in newspaper. And maybe it's my own bias here, but I believe the words "Television" and "News" should never be used togehter in the same sentence. TV News isn't so much about informing the public as it is about pulling in viewers by sensationalizing news stories.

A few apple-headed morons grind up oxycontin, snort it and die. Whoops! Guess they were drug abusers, and drug abusers sometimes die!

TONIGHT AT 11 -- OXYCONTIN! THE NEW TEEN DEATH DRUG! Are YOUR kids at risk???

Like I said in an earlier post -- when folks hear the word "drug" they don't think "cure." They think "abuse."

Oxycontin is a wonder drug, with its time release capabilities, and has helped SO many more than it has hurt.

You know ... water, if taken in huge quantities, can actually POISON a person!

TONIGHT AT 11! WATER POISONING! ARE YOU AT RISK???

Jeeze... http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/eek.gif


Right on with your whole post !!!!

My local channel's news director blocked my e-mail because of my opinion of his coverage of oxy.

I wrote to the station owners and the news director now gets my mail, delets it maybe ? ..lol

Anyway, I agree with you. http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif TV news is funny, not real.
http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[cheesecake]

I saw my doc on Wed and was offered oxvcontin...LOL. I declined. I started Zanaflex for the severe spasticity as a way to start decreasing some pain (hopefully). I am schedualed to see an anestheologist for a ganglia block( I think that is what they call it).

Sue, you are right, there is quite a wait. I took a pass on JHU and will be going to Union or U of Maryland. Union is a bit faster.

Has anyone here ever had these procedures for pain/RSD? If so, I would appreciate all feedback.
thanks http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Sue Pendleton]

I've never heard of a nganglion block. I had a ganglion cyst that hurt like hell in my wrist. Had most of it aspirated and it hasn't been much of a problem since. Maybe it's a phenol block? You might want to cross post this to the care forum, Cheese. I was evaluated for one because of the early on pain I had due to my contracted hand. I understand the phenol can cause permenant pain if it gets into the medial nerve of the arm/hand. I think they use botulitim (Botox) now for blocks. If this is the procedure I'm thinking of you'll get an EMG before hand to identify the effected area and/or a lidocaine injection to see if the block will work. The nurses are probably more aware of this stuff.

Where is your RSD located? I couldn't believe my primary care doc was worried about that while my foot and ankle were still in the swelling up stage. Doctors, can't live with them, can't.... http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/tongue.gif I'm trying to do standing transfers again and my knee still wants to give. And by evening my ankle is still swollen some. How long does a sprain take to heal?

[cheesecake]

Sue,
I think I used the wrong word for the nerve block.I have had a ganglian cyst drained from my hand als, but this is different. It is a block at the C6/7 level to control the neuropathic pain to my right arm as well as to get some control of the spasticity. I haven't met the anestheologist yet, so I don't now what "cocktail he would use.

I had a crush injury to my right arm (I was assaulted while teaching...I resigned!) and my arm was trapped in my platform crutch. My arm went behind my back, I fell on the arm and the 200 lb kid slammed on top of me. The brachial plexus was pulled at the nerve root and is affecting the radial,brachial, median, and ulnar nerve. I had a triple crush injury and have had the ulnar nerve transposition and an open wrist decompression. They call this hand shoulder syndrom but the RSD is causing me to faint, have temperature fluctuations in the arm, abnormal persperation and flushing. Add to that the neuropathic pain. I am not happy but such is life.

I have been told that I may develope Horner's syndrome from the injections as well as worsening pain and other symptoms. The EMG shows clear and severe damage to all 4 nerve paths with the surgery providing some relief.

How do I cross post this question? Basically, how have others dealt with RSD, have they tried blocks, and was it worth the try? Can you cross post as a moderator Sue? I am open to all suggestions. http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

[chipper]

Sue and Cheesecake, I am a patient at JHU's pain center, and for the most part they suck. I have finally found a wonderful doctor there who actually takes time to listen to me and think through the best course of treatment for me, but this took years to find a good one. The rest of the clinic is a zoo, though, filled with red tape, inefficiency, and downright animosity.

You have to sign an opiate agreement to be treated there, which is cool, but now you have to be seen every month to get refills. Which means you have to call ahead (it can take 15 minutes on the phone just to get an appointment for refills), go to the Outpatient Center, wait an hour or more to be seen by a nurse , and for this privilege they charge you $45.00. I work full time, so this is really inconvenient for me. I've been a stable patient there since '95, but I still wouldn't complain about being seen monthly if my care was actually reviewed by anyone during my visit.

When I complained about these new procedures, I was told that it was due to the fact that oxycontin is overprescribed and that this allows JHU to make sure that patients aren't selling the stuff on the street. When I pointed out that this is the doctor's fault for prescribing to the wrong people, they didn't have an answer. I don't even take oxycontin!

Where do you go for your pain care here in Maryland?

[cheesecake]

I see aphysiatrist at Union Memorial. He was formerly the head of the pain clinic at UofV Richmond. I will be seeing an anestheologist at Union also as my nurse casemanager has had nothing but horror stories at JHU. I will post to let you know what I think of the anestheologist. I like the physiatrist, Walter Roche. I see him in an outpatient clinic in Bel Air.