Doctor Won't Offer Stronger Pain Medication

[larry104]

My workers compensation claim was made in the State of: Ga.
This is kind of a spin off of my Drugs vs. Pain thread.Tony if you think I should not have started a new thread for this & delete this I understand,it's just I got some new info. today.
Went to see my neurosurgeon today,just so he can see how I'm doing etc. ( even though I have not had surgery yet ).
I told him I have been in a lot of pain,especially my left arm(due to nerve impingement),I told him the vicodin is not helping me I seem to be in pain constantly.He told me vicodin is a strong drug & there is nothing else he can give me.Should I ask if I can go to a pain management clinic for my pain at least until surgery?
Also my wife made a comment to him saying she sees me in pain everyday,how I hardly sleep anymore-except out of pure exhaustion & she sees how depressed I am,& how she can see how all this is getting to me mentally.The Dr's response was if I was approved for surgery he would not do it because It's not good to do surgery on a person who is depressed & does not have a clear head.I took that as meaning the pain can't get to me mentally & until the pain does not get to me -no surgery.
I personally find this comment ridiculous,but maybe I'm just not thinking clearly

[larry104]

Sorry Tony I meant to put this on the medical issue forum,obviously I'm not thinking clearly-lack of sleep tends to do this to me.

[tony]

No problem, I'll move it for ya..
Tony

[GBGB]

Just the lack of sleep alone is going to make you worse overall let alone all the pain that adds to the depression. The statement is not entirely explanitory. BUT if you are going to have surgery, he wants you with a 'clear head' to understand what it entails, and also to have a clear head and no/less depression as it will aid in your healing process after surgery.

I would ask for sleep medication from him, and also request a stronger pain medication, if he won't give it to you and it's that bad, goto the ER when your dr is closed, and even leave a message with his office that you are in too much pain and are going to the ER, and give them (IC and dr) an awakening to the amount of pain you're in.
OR when you speak to him, say, well I almost went to the ER last night as it was so severe, and go from there and see what their response is.
Vicoden is equivalent to Pez for me. It did nothing to touch the pains.

If I learned ANYTHING through all of this, is that roughing it through the pain all the months I did with SEVERE disabling pain stuck bedridden, I wish I would have gone to the ER more often or had SOMEONE help me and find a pain med that would work for me. ITS NOT WORTH BEING IN PAIN. ITS NOT.

Bring your w/c info and claim number with you when/if you go.

I too was in agony that no drug touched from a back injury, and had no sleep and exhaustion, and then started to hardly be able to even inhaile from the pain and just had to goto the ER, by the time I got to the ER I was ready to vomit from the pain and also semi delerilous. My BF carried me out of the house as I could not walk.

Just what they gave me IV worked wonderfully, and I slept for 2 days at home for the first time in like 2 months. I had RELIEF for once.

[BvIA]

I too was/am having sleep difficulties due to 'pain'... I tried the Elavil/Ambien routine...nada...\

Go to OTC/over the counter Benadryl... 30 to 50 mg capsule...I take 100mg at night 'as needed'...and It works... you'd think it was simply an antihistamene (sp), but Beneydryl in liquid form can be used as a local anesthetic...that I have also had used as I have an allergy to 'caine' based drugs.

The thing is...if you can use a medication that is not 'Rx'... vs OTC... you are far and away better off.

If your PTP is not a PM doctor..he is not going to RX anything stronger than the Vicodan you are currently taking...in actuality, I doubt this doctor would give his wife/mother the Vicodan for ''pain''....

BTW... a good Pain Management doctor will tell you that ''pain'' in itself is depressing...and, there are no blue ribbons for 'pain' tolerance.

You are not likely to get a referral to a PM doctor...they generally don't take a patient until all other treatment has been attempted... treatment is intended to ''cure/relieve''... PM is intending to 'manage' where treatment is not an effective option.

[larry104]

Thanks for the replies.
BvIA would it be OK to take benadryl & vicodin.Thanks for the tip I will try the benadryl.

[GBGB]

I remember after googling on some of the pain meds I was on that to take antihistamines with certain pain meds are contra-indcations, I don't recall which ones, but I usedto (prior to injury) take Benadryl to help me sleep sometimes. Just google Vicoden and see what it says about it regarding antihistamines. It may be that as Vicoden is a sedative type medication, as is Antihistamines as they make you drowsy, that would be the contraindication.

Just check on it or call a pharmacist. Even thou I take Zyrtec for my allergies (antihistamine) and my pain medication as well as muscle relaxers and sleep meds and I have no problems with it, Zyrtec stays in your system for 24 hrs, vs Benadryl that is only 4-6 hrs.

If you are on any other sedative type drugs-ie- muscle relaxers/sleep meds, I would also def check with a pharmacist. Just FYI as I recall something regarding antihistamines and pain meds, but I've been on so many diff types with no help who knows which one(s) it had it in the write up on google about the med.

[BvIA]

Vicodan has a very low content of hydrocodone/similar narcotic base... very low, that's way you are not seeing relief.
The Benedryl should not be a problem... I take 8 Percodan/day, and 120mg Oxycontin....no problem. Ask the pharmacist, or even your 'doctor' before you take OTC medications is always a good idea.

[sadowcomp1]

A neurosurgeon is typically going to be hesitant to prescribe large quantities of pain medication. If a neurosurgeon feels that a person is a surgical candidate, the goal is obviously to get the surgery scheduled as quickly as possible. After the surgery, if the pain continues to be a big problem and recovery is not going well, then a referral to a pain management specialist by your authorized treating physician would definitely be appropriate. Depression is, of course, a normal byproduct of chronic pain. However, if a person is seriously depressed prior to surgery, a neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon, will be hesitant to operate because there is a greater fear of a negative outcome. It is kind of a catch-22. Good luck with your recovery!

Susan J. Sadow, Esq.
www.sadowworkerscomplaw.com

[NoMoreNursing]

I asked my WC/MD for something for depression, and he told me that he didn't want to have that on my medical record. He said that it would give my WC CM a base to claim "it is all in your head".

I went to my regular MD and he gave me Lexapro..and samples at that, so that there is no record anywhere of taking the med.

As a nurse, I can tell you that Benadry IS safe for sleeping. However, you might want to ask your pharmacist if it is OK with your other meds. They know far more than your doctor does!