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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Christopher Farley on April 7, 2004, at 16:58:01
Hi Everyone,
My name is Christopher and I am new to this forum. I have to say I am a bit confused. I suffer from legitimate chronic pain and have so for 3 1/2 years. I have yet to find a doctor who will really treat this pain. I live in the New York area.
I have tried and tied to get a physician to understand that the pain debilitates me to the point of not being able to function, yet they are all terrified of prescribing what I need. This problem is so bad that I cannot spend more than 3 - 4 hours per week with my newly adopted daughter who I love more than life itself.
I have decided to take matters into my own hands and am looking to possibly going down to Mexico and seeing a physician down there.
If any of you have any advice or help for me, it would change my life.
Cheers,
Christopher
Posted by King Vultan on April 7, 2004, at 18:40:02
In reply to Chronic Pain, posted by Christopher Farley on April 7, 2004, at 16:58:01
What kinds of drugs have you tried so far? Some psychiatric meds do have some utility for treating chronic pain.
Todd
Posted by Christopher Farley on April 7, 2004, at 18:53:54
In reply to Re: Chronic Pain, posted by King Vultan on April 7, 2004, at 18:40:02
I am currently on a Duragesic ( Fentenal ) patch 100 micrograms every 48 hrs. I have been on Oxycodone, Percocet and various other geneeric pain killers. I have not yet been prescribed Oxycontin and probably couldn't here in NY. I am on Neurontin which has minimized the electric bolts going down my leg.
> What kinds of drugs have you tried so far? Some psychiatric meds do have some utility for treating chronic pain.
>
> Todd
Posted by King Vultan on April 7, 2004, at 19:09:57
In reply to Re: Chronic Pain, posted by Christopher Farley on April 7, 2004, at 18:53:54
The two tricyclic antidepressants that are commonly used for chronic pain are amitriptyline and nortriptyline. I do not believe they are as strong as what you have been taking, but they are not controlled substances, either, with no addiction potential and are also very cheap. I think your query may be somewhat outside the scope of this particular group, and I know little about powerful pain killers, but it seems reasonable to me that your doctors are wary of turning you into another Rush Limbaugh. You may want to ask to try one of the two drugs I mentioned to see if it might give you some relief, anyway. Nortriptyline is the less sedating of the two and has fewer overall side effects.
Todd
Posted by mistermindmasta on April 7, 2004, at 22:26:29
In reply to Re: Chronic Pain, posted by King Vultan on April 7, 2004, at 19:09:57
Some of the newer dual acting antidepressants like Effexor, Nortryptyline (sp.?), Duoloxetine, etc, have all been shown to blunt pain via enhancing serotonin and norepinephrine activity. However, if you show no response to antidepressants or opiates for pain, I suggest diet as a measure.
I am a firm believer that fungal infection problem may plague anyone with chronic inflammatory problems... certainly not everyone, but a small to moderate percent of people, definitely are effected.
Try a diet of close to no sugars for a week, and no fermented foods. Maybe an arthritic like condition is caused by a fungal infection somewhere in the body, probably the gut...
or... try eliminting gluten (rye, barley, wheat) and casein (dairy) for a week. These have been shown to worsen inflammatory symptoms.
Diet, if you're willing to bend in whatever way necessary, can be VERY VERY useful. I was willing to bend to whatever would make me feel better, and now I know my body very well. If you do the same... in other words, if you experiment with yourself, you may find some very interesting answers. We'd all be happy to hear from you.
Good luck... research antidepressants and / or dietary changes, and i think you can help yourself. Be sure to check back with us on how you're doing!! Good luck and we hope you feel good.. if not today than tommorrow! Eventually, the spirit of the earth (god, buddha, whoever) will take you to peace!!! Have faith and experiment with yourself, seeing as how doctors have no real answers! It is what we all are doing!
Posted by snapper on April 7, 2004, at 22:37:47
In reply to Re: Chronic Pain, posted by mistermindmasta on April 7, 2004, at 22:26:29
Hi Chris, has any doctor ever given you a reason for the chronic pain? The root cause? Have you ever considered the possibility of impinged nerves? just guessing. Certainly AD's can have pain reducing properties., but probably not to the degree you are looking for!
let us know
snapper
Posted by Flipsactown on April 8, 2004, at 0:30:08
In reply to Chronic Pain, posted by Christopher Farley on April 7, 2004, at 16:58:01
Hello Christopher,
I can totally understand what you are going through, as I was struck by a truck while riding a 10 speed bike in 1981. I have had two failed back surgeries, numerous injections, 3 years of continuous physical therapy (massages,ultrasound, heat, ice), including swimming, walking, back strengthening exercises, acupuncture, biofeedback, several TENS units, etc. Although the first surgery got rid of my leg pain, it did nothing to stop my back pain. I was forced to retire on disability due to my inability to effectively work full time. After 13 years of taking AD's, along with codeine or oxycontin for pain, I am currently in the process of switching ADs from Prozac, Remeron, Lithium, Lamictal, etc. to Nardil. I figured I needed to try some other AD other than the SSRI's as they all seemed to poop out especially after prolonged use--13 years in my case. Anyway, bottomline, is you will need to look after your own body. Only you know from first hand experience what you are going through, the pain not only from the chronic physical pain, but the pain of depression from being in chronic physical pain. I read in the Reader's Digest that chronic pain and depression is related in that when the body is in chronic pain, it is constantly using serotonin and of course when the body's serotonin level is too low, you get depressed. That is why taking the AD's help relieve depression by increasing and bring back the serotonin level to normal. BTW, I am currently home detoxing with the help of my pain doc as I have been on Oxy for over 2 years and decided that I did not like having to keep on taking Oxy so I would not have to go into withdrawals. Although, I am slowly replacing the Oxy, an opiate, with Tylenol with Codeine #3 another opiate, Codeine is the lesser of two evils and did not suffer from withdrawals when I would sometimes forget to call in a refill and run out. Hang in there and let us know how things are going.
FST
> Hi Everyone,
>
> My name is Christopher and I am new to this forum. I have to say I am a bit confused. I suffer from legitimate chronic pain and have so for 3 1/2 years. I have yet to find a doctor who will really treat this pain. I live in the New York area.
>
> I have tried and tied to get a physician to understand that the pain debilitates me to the point of not being able to function, yet they are all terrified of prescribing what I need. This problem is so bad that I cannot spend more than 3 - 4 hours per week with my newly adopted daughter who I love more than life itself.
>
> I have decided to take matters into my own hands and am looking to possibly going down to Mexico and seeing a physician down there.
>
> If any of you have any advice or help for me, it would change my life.
>
> Cheers,
> Christopher
Posted by Christopher Farley on April 8, 2004, at 11:54:20
In reply to Re: Chronic Pain, posted by snapper on April 7, 2004, at 22:37:47
Thanks for the reply. Yes, they have and I know exactly what the root cause is. I had a Lower Lumber Lamenectocmy (sp?) with a 4 inch incision and a 4 day hospital stay. All was well until two weeks later. Unknown to me, I had caught an infection at the spinal cord and my spinal cord started to leak like a sieve. I was in hospital for 5 weeks on 6 major doses of intaveneous antiboitics to prevent Spinal Menegitis. Those two problems led to 3 more major surgeries at the same spot, the final surgery was to close the wound which had been enlarged to an 8 inch diamond which was left open for about 9 days. Closing the wound involved reconnecting the muscle tissue layers they had to cut through to get at the other two prolems. Both my neurosurgeon and the surgeon who closed the wound were two of the most prominent physcians in the US and these problem were no fault of theirs. They did the best they could.
The problem now is that I have scar tissue pressing directly on the L5 Nerve Root which is why I have the pain I have. I got a second opinion from again one of the most prominent physcians in the US (The Head of Surgery for Brain and Spinal Surgery for babies at NYU Medical Center) and they all told me the same thing. The prognosis is that they do not cut out scar tissue as it will just return and that maybe over time the scar tissue will decrease in size of break up a little.
So I am left with the pain in a country that is terrified of prescribing narcotics because of the litigous society we live in.
I have seen 3 different Pain Specialists and the want to implant a device that send eletrical impulses to the Nerve Root. I am not going that route because there can be complications and I will go through no more complications. I have had enough. So I am now looking at alternatives to get the medication I need.
> Hi Chris, has any doctor ever given you a reason for the chronic pain? The root cause? Have you ever considered the possibility of impinged nerves? just guessing. Certainly AD's can have pain reducing properties., but probably not to the degree you are looking for!Cheers,
Christopher
> let us know
> snapper
Posted by snapper on April 8, 2004, at 16:53:00
In reply to Re: Chronic Pain, posted by Christopher Farley on April 8, 2004, at 11:54:20
Christopher, it does indeed sound like you know the true cause of your pain and I am sorry that I nor anyone on this board will likely be able to offer you an easy solution. Best of Luck to you
snapper
This is the end of the thread.
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