Phentonal?? Mispelled probably

[Broknwing]

Derek-
Don't quit discussing your pain & issues b/c one or two people have gotten the wrong idea about why you're taking the meds. PLEASE continue to discuss the issues that you're having. Hopefully someone will have some insight or be able to help...Even if no-one can help, in the future what you've gone through may help someone else going through similar issues.

Unfortunately sometimes the fentanyl patches do not work for the pain...one of my friends went through that for a long time, absolutely NOTHING worked for his pain....You are very fortunate in that you've got a pain mgmt dr that is so willing to help you find something that works and help get your pain under control....Sometimes that's the biggest hurdle that you've got to encounter in order to work towards pain relief.

I do wonder if some of the pain you are having might be neuro pain that's not being controlled by the Neurontin...Neuro pain manifests itself in a lot of different feelings, so it may feel different in one area of your body than it does in another...Neurontin worked some for me, but not well...Topamax works MUCH better w/out evil side effects that I had with Neurontin. It wouldn't hurt to try an additional or different med for the neuro pain, you may learn that the Neurontin isn't doing as well as you think it is(I did)...

Please continue to update on how your pain is doing....I hate to see that your pain is increasing, I hope that it gets better and you find the med that works best for it....

[darkeyed_daisy]

I just read my post and you are exactly right Derek. I didnt word it right. I am sorry to have made that sound the way that it did. Rib pain is excruciating.......I thought you were talking about your back pain that was getting worse. I am so sorry you are having to deal with this. It takes ribs a long time to get better. It may be that they need to try you on a combination of drugs and find the right combination that works to control this pain. I misread your post because I thought you said you were going to a stronger dose......anyway. It doesnt matter. What really matters is that you keep working with your doctors to find what does work.

None of us here think you are an addict Derek. I was just trying to explain that it is very easy to become one with the class of drugs you are taking. I think that was the concern of everyone who responded to your post. However you did need a scolding for drinking with all these meds......LOL

I think that we were all trying to explain what has worked for us. I take an antidepressant/Cymbalta in combination with Ultram ER and that relieves my neuro pain as well as my regular bone pain.

If all of your ribs were broken then I certainly understand now why you are hurting so bad. It wasnt clear in the beginning and I think most of us thought you were talking about your neuro and back pain. I hope the pain eases for you soon Derek.

[dan_nc]

I, for one, don't think Derek is just trying to "get high." I think it was sort of rude to imply that, but hey, CareCure is an open forum and we're all entitled to our opinions.

I know some people must not have as much pain as others. I wonder, though, whether patients with chronic pain from SCI might erroneously be labeled as having drug-seeking-behavior. I asked my doc for some medication to manage the pain, and basically was given some NSAID and was sent on my merry way. Obviously the NSAIDs aren't doing much for the pain (acupuncture is definitely helping, though). I don't understand why I'm not given something stronger for my chronic pain.

[darkeyed_daisy]

Dan
From working in the hospital viewing ER records......that is exactly what happens. I have had some docs tell me that I just had to deal with it the best way I can and then others who write scrips as freely as I can buy tylenol.

But it is a bad day when a drug seeker shows up to the ER and finds the doctor who will be treating him is in a chair with his own SCI. I have seen that same doctor go balistic on drug seekers..... If you read the records enough you begin to see patterns with some people. Also in my hospital we had a looney in a wheelchair who faked not being able to walk and stayed in the nursing home a month. It was the doctor in the chair who finally found her out and sent her on her way. I have never figured her out.....she had AFO's like mine too. Now she walks around town perfect. Ive seen her since. Her daughter played softball with my own daughter.

You need to find another doc if that is all he is willing to give. I don't like docs who push me to take meds but I dont like docs who tell me it is in my head either. I have experienced both in my 17 years with SCI. I find that for me female doctors work the best.

By the way I never said Derek was an addict!!!!!!!!! Although my sentence did run together in that paragraph, that is by no means what I was meaning.

[dan_nc]

But it is a bad day when a drug seeker shows up to the ER and finds the doctor who will be treating him is in a chair with his own SCI. I have seen that same doctor go balistic on drug seekers..... If you read the records enough you begin to see patterns with some people.

Stuff like that pisses me off. Just because the doctor has SCI does NOT mean he has experienced equal pain. It seems like there are a bunch of people with SCI are not in pain and don't need drugs to manage that pain. Those are the lucky ones. I've read too many posts where these lucky well-meaning individuals criticize those who actually need painkillers to manage their pain levels.

[darkeyed_daisy]

YOU are missing the point I was trying to make Dan. There are people who come to the ER seeking drugs.......back pain, migraine, toothache, pain in the foot...... those who work in the ER can recognize the patterns in these people. The doctor I was referring to is one of the best doctors around and he shows no mercy on those that just want to get high. He does have pain, bowel/bladder, and other issues. I am not criticizing anyone because they need medicine to kill their pain. But if you repeatedly show up in the ER complaining of pain and requesting Demoral/Percocet or whatever the drug may be then by all means you or anyone else with this behavior should and is labeled as a drug seeker. We are not talking about Derek here because is obviously under the care of a pain management physician which is totally different than going to the ER.

All I did in the previous post was mention that the class of drugs Derek is on is highly addicting and repeatedly expressed my concern. You automatically assume I am labeling him a drug seeker. Before you get all pissed off about someone not getting pain drugs just because they say they are in pain you need to know the whole story.

Just because some of us choose not to take pain meds does not mean we are not in pain. I know that I have a high tolerance for pain. I have not been able to feel an ear infection since I had my accident. I am talking about ear infections that burst both ear drums before I even know I have them. I dont know about you but most people feel ear infections. I am not giving anyone a hard time for taking pain drugs.

It is no ones fault but your own if you have a physician that won't give you anything but NSAIDS for pain........

[dan_nc]

Actually, I think we're talking right past each other.

I think there's a huge disconnect here. I am not missing your point; I'm trying to make a different one. You're clearly not understanding mine.

Not once did I say "YOU" or "DARKEYED_DAISY" in my statements/claims. If I had meant, you, personally, I would have said it. You are the one who has internalized and personalized the general statements I've made.

To set the record straight:

I'm not a medical professional, so I can't comment on whether or not Derek's behavior constitutes DSB. Apparently, you are, and of course, are you're free to comment on what constitutes drug seeking behavior.

But if you repeatedly show up in the ER complaining of pain and requesting Demoral/Percocet or whatever the drug may be then by all means you or anyone else with this behavior should and is labeled as a drug seeker.

I'm not sure who you're referring to here, when you say "you." I have never shown up in the ER complaining of pain. The only time I have ever visited an ER was the night I was driven then by ambulance, after having sustained a burst fracture of my lumbar spine and incurred spinal cord injury.

Just because some of us choose not to take pain meds does not mean we are not in pain. I know that I have a high tolerance for pain. I have not been able to feel an ear infection since I had my accident. I am talking about ear infections that burst both ear drums before I even know I have them. I dont know about you but most people feel ear infections. I am not giving anyone a hard time for taking pain drugs.

Again, I don't think you're one of the people I'm referring to when I mentioned the people on CC who piss me off for minimalizing the pain of others. From all your posts, you seem quite compassionate about the pain situation of others. Furthermore, I'm glad you have a high tolerance for pain.

That said, there are a load of guys I've talked to on CareCure who do not need any drugs to manage their pain because they simply don't experience pain[<--i'm not referring to you, darkeyed_daisy]. That's cool, and a blessing for them as well. What is inexcusable is for these people that do not experience pain to minimize the pain complaints of others. [<-- again, i'm not referring to you, darkeyed_daisy]

It is no ones fault but your own if you have a physician that won't give you anything but NSAIDS for pain........

I was simply curious why he didn't prescribe anything stronger. I wasn't assigning blame, or bitching, or anything else. But you're absolutely right. It's my own fault that I'm perfectly happy with my doctors and their prescribed course of treatment in the management of my pain. I'm currently going to acupuncture and massage therapy and neither take NSAID nor narcotics.

[darkeyed_daisy]

Well I do believe you are right about a disconnect......When you take a paragraph and quote it.......are you not referring to what that person said as in post #45 under this thread where you stated that it pissed you off. Im not internalizing or personalizing anything just reading what you wrote in response to my quoted words.

I should have used "a person" instead of the word you.

You don't have to be a medical professional to read "drug seeker" written on a chart Dan. By the way, I am not a doctor just an unimportant medical records person who can read.

I also never implied Derek was a drug seeker. I was and am still concerned about the chance for a very real addiction to Fentanyl for him. The high dosage is still not working or else he wouldnt be still seeking information.

[dan_nc]

Well I do believe you are right about a disconnect......When you take a paragraph and quote it.......are you not referring to what that person said as in post #45 under this thread where you stated that it pissed you off. Im not internalizing or personalizing anything just reading what you wrote in response to my quoted words.

No. When I take a paragraph and quote it, I'm responding to the words, not the person.

I should have used "a person" instead of the word you.

I probably should have left out the quotes. Sorry.

You don't have to be a medical professional to read "drug seeker" written on a chart Dan.

But to have access to the chart, you should be involved in the person's care (that is, a medical professional)

I also never implied Derek was a drug seeker.

My apologies. In reply to his post (in post # 33) you stated, "I think you are headed for a hefty addiction." I see the difference now.

I was and am still concerned about the chance for a very real addiction to Fentanyl for him. The high dosage is still not working or else he wouldnt be still seeking information.

I agree. The high dosage is still not working. I hope Derek finds something to help manage his pain levels better.

[darkeyed_daisy]

Dan most doctors do not recognize us as medical professionals......LOL we are pions.........