I find the information I have for the use of my painkillers confusing and it worries me that I may not be using them correctly.
I have had an abscess at the root of my spine, have done my knee in, and had food poisoning. All of these were extremely painful.
I am not in that sort of pain 24/7. Not at all. It is much more of a nagging pain which gradually increases in intensity and is all over my body, especially my joints, and especially hands, feet and hips. My muscles feel as though I have been lifting weights 24/7. Meaning the soreness one gets after weight training when oen is not used to it.
Just sitting down and driving causes pain and sleeping does too, often enough to wake me as turning over isn't at all easy and it hurts. Sometimes the pain in my hips is enough to prevent me getting comfortable.I am also almost always tired, or rather fatigued.
Last night, I went to bed, and lay there reading and soon the pain I was in impinged on my reading and I couldn't concentrate. I couldn't even hold my book without it being uncomfortable. I lay there and tried to decide whether to take the drugs or not. As I lay there thinking about it, the discomfort in every joint, hard to describe but something like moving without being oiled, became louder. I got up and took the paracetamol and tramadol and gradually could feel it dialling down the pain. I was asleep before I was aware of the pain stopping altogether.
It rarely does so I doubt it did.
The morphine is meant for breakthrough pain. Now that is really not easy at all. I am not supposed to take it on top of the Tramadol according to the Dr but not according to the Chemist. However, I do not know if I need to take it until I have taken the other two drugs and they have not worked! I only take 5mg or 10mg.
The last dog show I was at, at about 3pm, my friend pointed out that I looked awful and she suggested I sat down. I did and then became aware of being in considerable pain. I then realised it had been 10 hours since I last took drugs. I took them I have asked John what he thinks and he thinks that if I have pain all over my body and am uncomfortable then it is severe pain and I need to medicate. To me severe pain is like when I broke my ankle and arm.(John and friends say I am 'grey' when it is clear to them I need to take the drugs.)
As I type this, my hands hurt, my hips and my legs. I took the paracetamol and half the tramadol 2.5 hrs ago. It isn't severe hurting but it is enough for me to be conscious of it. So does mean I ought to have taken the full dose?The only time I am comfortable is when I have taken all three drugs together but I reserve that for when I really have to.
Usually writing like this I get to my own answer but I am still confused. Oh, I might add that I can take my drugs 4 times a day, 8 of each.(not the morphine.) I have never done that. The most I have taken is 6 of each. 3 times a day.
I do have a hang up about drugs and taking them. Addiction is one reason. The other is taking them for the sake of it and not for need and it this latter that really confuses me. Most of the time do not know if I have a legitimate reason to be taking them.
6 comments:
I think you need for someone to clear up the confusion about when to take your meds. You should be able to get predictable relief. Is there any way you can get your tow medical profesionals to talk to each other and give you an answer? For me, I'd rather have reasonable pain relief in a steady way than the kinds of peaks you experience.
I have one question to you. Being in constant pain, for pain management, here people are referred to a pain specialist for exact the reason you stated here, to give you advice on how to take the meds in a way, you can feel comfortable with.
Is there something like this in your medical system?
Could you ask for a referral?
The pain specialists only deal with chronic pain and are really good with it, so I have heard.
My first encounter with one at the hospital will be the beginning of December.
And, I believe, the nerve pain is a different quality than the pain from Arthritis and other conditions, you have to deal with.
I wish you a good, informative talk with your doc(s) about this insecurities on when to take the pain medications and how to stagger or combine them for the best outcome..
Yes, for my pain relief I tend to take it on a regular basis, if I do miss then I am going to be an awful nag...Especially if I think of taking the dogs for a walk or something like that it's always med's first, wait half an hour then do what I am thinking of doing, same with driving, I need to take if I'm going to be driving for an hour or so, I was taught this at a pain clinic, and I must say it helps, then when you do feel better go and do something stupid? yes that's me... Hope you feel better soon, x
As an onlooker, I watch my 2 sisters deal with chronic and acute pain, I have to say, your pain tolerance is probably 10 times higher than an average persons. So, on a scale from 1-10, your level 3 is my level 6, well above where a nurse would give you a shot of morphine. And you are probably at level 3 20 hours out of 24.
What we have learned with the chronic pain, is that it really can sneak up on you. A low level 2, rises up to a 3, and then before you really realize it, you are in considerable pain at a level 5, at which point, the average person is in Emergency, seeking pain relief. The trick for you, is to acknowledge where your pain actually is, since it is always there, and is always fluctuating, and medicate before it rises to level 4, because then you are behind the curve, and it takes longer to get relief.
One sympton my sister has, is constant small movement. The more movement, the more pain she is in. She will wiggle her feet, then her knee, then her whole leg, and when that isn't enough, she can't sit still, and is moving her whole body. That is too late, the pain is bad. Learning how to read her pain signals has been a challenge.
It sounds like your signals aren't quite so easy to read, but they are there.
Good luck, and please give yourself permission to be as comfortable as you can be. No-one should ever be in constant pain, that is torture.
I was also going to suggest a pain management specialist, if that sort of thing is available to you. One thing I have found about pain is that the drugs work best if you can stay ahead of the pain. Once you start to hurt, it's really hard to catch up. If you can catch the pain when it's still mild, you can prevent it with a lower dose of drugs. But I agree with everyone else that you should be getting professional help with managing your pain meds.
Colin, the pain management drs I've been involved w/ here in the US tend to try to medicate you around the clock to "tolerate" your pain. That is, to keep a steady state of pain medication available in your body for the everpresent dull aches. Then you treat the pain "spikes" with the adjunct medications (morphine or other narcotic meds). There's also the suggestion as JK said, to "pre-medicate" w/ the stronger meds before engaging in the activities that you know from experience will increase your pain (my DH used to leer at me while saying "take your Lortab yet, little lady?" in a John Wayne accent before getting amorous w/ me. As far as addiction, pbbthbbppt!!! Get the pain relief you deserve to enjoy your life. You and your happiness are worth it.
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