Re: PLEASE HELP ME HELP YOU
From: Hchalm@aol.com
Fri Jun 29 21:05:58 2001
>> 1. Have you recently been refused or denied adequate pain medication?
>> (by "adequate" I mean, are you on a prescription that is not relieving
>> pain but the doctor has told you it "takes time" or that he cannot
>> prescribe anything more potent).
>
No, not since I found the ASAP website over a year ago and found a wonderful,
caring compassionate pain specialist who believes in adhesions and believes
that they do cause pain. Prior to that, after my hysterectomy, I was told to
take 4 advil and deal with the pain, was given 20 tylox and was admonished
when I called back and asked for another prescription after 20 days (I was
allowed one tylox a day). I was told that I would become addicted and this
was noted in my chart that patient was advised that she could become addicted
to this prescription. I was made to feel like a drug seeker, I would lie and
cry about having to call, knowing I would be scolded, knowing I would receive
a curt answer, knowing he hated having me call, thinking that he thought that
I was lying. The frustration and anger I felt knowing how he was going to
treat me if I asked for another refill. Having to wait in pain all day for
the longest possible time I could so I could take that one pill and knowing
then it wasn't even going to take the edge off the amount of pain I was
feeling. I felt like dying, I felt so alone, I felt like there was no one
that would help me until I found the IAS site and I found the ASAP site - and
then I thought there was a God.
>
>> 2. What "excuse" did your doctor give you for not prescribing
>> narcotics/opioids? (fear of addiction, physical or psychological side
>> effects, etc) that I would become addicted, that adhesions don't cause
pain, they stretch and I would be fine.
>
>> 3. What medication are you currently taking for pain? (name, milligrams
>> per dose and how many times a day). Is it effective?
oxycontin 40 mg (2 - 3x a day)
tylox 20 mg (2 - 3x a day)
Valium 10 mg (2x a day)
Actiq - (oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate) 400 mcg - as needed for
breakthrough pain
Most of the time I am able to stay at a comfortable level. If I overdo it,
try to wash the floor, vacuum, paint, walk any great distance, I get
breakthrough pain, but the actiq helps tremendously at these times.
>> 5. Is your ARD related pain preventing you from being a productive
>> person? (able to work, take care of family, etc) yes, I had to quit my job
as I couldn't sit that long or I'd have to take so much medication that I was
becoming groggy and couldn't drive home from work. On the days that I
worked, when I got home I was unable to take care of my family, so I had a
choice to work and not take care of my family or stay home and be able to
take care of them. I cannot do the things with my children that I would like
to do; i.e., go to theme parks, go on field trips with them, play baseball,
soccer, volleyball. I cannot do the things that I used to do with my
husband; i.e., go out to a party, go dancing, and you all know what else.
Helen Chalmers
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