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Posted 8/15/2014 6:46 AM (GMT -5)
Have not posted in a while. I have a question for others with severe back pain. When do you either go to ER or call and say pain is so bad your current meds are not working.

I am in process of getting set up for radio frequency which I hope will help. That will not happen until Sept. The last week I have been miserable. After surgery I said I would very rarely use anything above a 5 or 6 as after surgery I know true unbearable pain. Right now I am sitting at a 5.5 to 6 afret 20 mg of oxycodone and 375 of SOMA. I just want some feedback on what to do, I so not want to look like a baby.

Post Edited (SyXx) : 8/15/2014 8:46:12 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/15/2014 6:57 AM (GMT -5)
If my increase in pains lasted more then 72 hrs without a break I notify my prescribing Dr. They don't much like you going to ER over an issue they were not notified of?

Being as it's Friday I would make that call as early as possible!
Posted 8/15/2014 9:29 AM (GMT -5)
Thanks nvr, I did not want to be a baby but since it has been a week I called and talked to his nurse today. She is going to get ahold of Matt (my doctor). She asked if I still had hydromorphine, I told her I decreased off that 2 months ago. She was going to talk to him to see if he wanted to bump me back up until I have the radio frequency. I felt great for about 2 hours on Wednesday.

Post Edited (SyXx) : 8/15/2014 8:47:09 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/15/2014 10:24 AM (GMT -5)
ERs are not a fan of treating chronic pain. If something happened to increase the pain, like a fall or accident, you might get some sort of pain treatment. Regardless, you should call your pain medicine dr or the one on call to let them know what is going on. Most pain contracts state somewhere that you will not receive pain meds for your current condition. If you are involved in a serious car accident, obviously that would be a different situation.

As most of you guys know, I have multiple issues, and I'm often inpatient more than out. My pain dr has told me I can go to the ER anytime, and when inpatient, I just need to call the office within 48hrs of discharge-unless someone from his practice sees me, or the hospitalist talks to him. Usually I go to the hospital where the clinic is located and they are consulted upon admission. I guess that's the good thing about being inpatient ALL the time. The Drs are familiar with me and know pain will be an issue. I wish everyone could have the same pain drs that I do. Love them:) Thank goodness they are pretty young so I won't be abandoned anytime soon.

Anyway-my point is don't suffer needlessly. You know your relationship with your pain dr and probably know how he/she would respond to an ER visit. I'm so glad you called the office. Don't be surprised if they say make an appointment. Most pain drs won't change a script without talking to you in person. I guess they want to see if it's all "for real". I hope you get an increase so you can have a better weekend. September is a long way away when dealing with pain.
Posted 8/15/2014 10:46 AM (GMT -5)
I do not have a pain contract with my pain doctor. The goal was to be off pain meds by end of September. So he has always just handled things over the phone because he is so busy. I just have to see him once every 3 months and come in to pick up scripts. Never had an issue like this, he wanted to keep me on hydromorphone but I wanted to go down and try something like oxycodone. It worked well for a month but the last few weeks I noticed it has not been effected, I assume my tolerance to the hydromorphone is doing that.

Anyways, with it being Friday there is no way I would get in today. luckily I did just see the pain injection on guy from the same facility on Wednesday and he noted my distress and sensitivity. However I got an hour of pain relief from the diagnositic injection.
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