Chronic back pain caused by congenital spinal stenosis. I need help relating to my pain medication.

Hi Sarah

I'm so sorry to hear about your unsympathetic Doctor. He really is not there to judge you full stop. He is supposed to help in a way that works best for you his patient. Yes Tramadol is addictive, as are in fact a great deal if pain control meds. My advice right now is to find a better Doctor.

Let us know how you get on.

Take Care

Anna

Hi Sarah i know how you feel,I have a same problem in Sweden,doctors here are really bad.

I bought tramadol 200 mg on black market now,and that is how I live now,because I have neck problem in 6 years after a car accident,but Doctors don't care! So if you want to buy some I can help you.

Best regards Iggy.

We can live without doctors to!

I am not sure which country you are in but if in Canada I would go to a pain clinic. They can help but you have to be clear and record your pain levels at their worst. My husband has a chronic injury and he had to take way too many perks as he built up a tolerance. He is now on perks and morphine. One can alternate medication so as to not building a tolerance. 

However my story is not so bright I appear to have an intolerance to ALL pain meds. So I have a big problem as I have a knee injury but since coming off Tramadol Months ago. I have almost all the symptoms of lyme disease. I thought at first it was the Tramadol withdrawal but it is so long now I cannot believe it is still withdrawal. 

I would add my husband tried tramadol and it did not agree with him and as he has a high tolerance for all narcotics this just proves how bad tramadol can be. I stopped taking Tramadol at the beginning of June and now it is October.

If one pain clinic is bad ask to be referred to another or another doctor. One doctor my husband had was terrible another was good!

Hi Sarah, sorry to say when I lived in the uk my doctors thought I was putting the pain on,gave me all sorts and in the end I can't remember what it was but my partner took me for a walk to help to get it out of my system. I thought the drs in the uk were very unkind and were not interested. I found physio no good at all.

I am now in Spain and what a difference the drs are. Cutting it short I have spinal stenosis, osteoporosis and 3 prolapsed discs

The watchdog for drugs is very strict even here and my pain manager sees 80/ odd patients in a morning after his other rounds.

When I arrived here there couldn't be anyone more in pain and this was after decompression in Warrington that I paid for. To stand at the police station to get my health paper I honestly was at screaming pitch and this was for 3 days. I then had to go to the towns Dr and she referred me to the hospital ...all this took 6 months so you can guess how I felt.

This is how I live......

Try this pazital. This tablet contains just 38%tramadol and the rest is paracetamol and with this I have lyrica which I know has a reputation like other pain killers but what else can you do!!! It might not be for you but I have found it a lifesaver as they won't operate, they say its too dangerous. But they say they will op if I am determined but I can cope with what i take

This is how I survive

I take first thing in the morning 1 lyrica and 2 tramadol I have problems with swallowing so sometimes i take half a banana with a drink. Next, after you take the tablets, get on getting ready for work or whatever, the tablets work better this way or do a bit of exercise like yoga. If you are interested in exercise I can tell you whast I do but afraid it only sometimes works.

Lunchtime about 1\2ish take the same and then take 2 lyrica asnd 2 pazital at bedtime.

This is UNDER the prescribed amount you can take and if at any time you are not getting anywhere with the pain take 1 lyrics + 2 pazital but be careful dont take this emergency dose a couple of hours either way from the normal dose time...this odd one out dose is only taken if I am absolutely beyond it all. you can buy Pazital over the counter but Lyrics is v expensive. Whatever we take it has to be something like this. Gabapentin is v similar to lyrics and pregabalin is not prescribed any more.

You can also have a cortisone injection 4 times a year. Can I ask is your pain sciatica. If it is and you are interested I can give you some exercises. Just two or three are ok One thing I have learnt, injections too sometimes dont work. But if you know where the pain is, press where you feel the pain and when you go to the Dr for an injection tell him where it is ..sometimes i mark with a pen.

Today for example.....I had my usual dose at 7 in the morning. The town where I live was celebrating Valencia Day until 4 this morning. I was really beyond anything and the band stopped and i slept till 7 when I took my first dose. I can tell you that they work quicker if you move about, make yourself a cup of tea, wash up just for about 10 minutes to get them into your system. You should be ok until your next 2 pazital and Lyrica The next dose is at ish 10 is and this one is 2 Lyrica and 2. pazital. and then we are back to thee morning dose. In an emergency you can take 1 lyrica and 2 pazital. It helps if someone is with you to get used to the doses.

If your problem is in yr thigh like mine is I never lie on th side that is painful.

I did survive the extra dose today. I had walked round Valencia for 5 hours so I really needed it. Two things I do exercise wise is yoga, the cat is good and you can sit with your head between your legs. Not elegant but good and i discovered the other day is stand facing the wall and put your foot on the wall as high as you can get it without falling over. Then press on your leg. It should be painful but does help eith the pain. Spine heakth has a lot of exercises you can do for sciatica

However if yr pain goes down yr leg or foot that is when I change my dr!!!

Oh I forgot, if you are at home a hot water bottle on the pain is fantastic.

Let me know how you get on and ask me questions.

Yes today has been a sh**y day for me. I did take my extra dose in the afternoon and am having an early night. I love Valencia but sometimes it doesn't like me!!