New (for me) Pain Tool

[Guest guest]

HI All,

I've told you all that I have been feeling much, much better since my pain doc switched my meds to Methadone, 5 mg 2x day and sent me for physical therapy which has been mostly acupressure and cranial/sacral therapy. Well, about 10 days ago, I had an awful relapse. I woke up one morning in much more pain than I had ever had in the morning. The pain was mainly in my right hip,SI Joint and I even felt it in the front of the ilium. Scared me a lot! I happened to have a PT appointment that morning and when the therapist slid her hand under my upper back just above my waist, on the right side, (between my back and the table) the pain was so bad that I screamed and sort of "jumped" away from her. I had never had any pain above my waist ever before.

I saw the pain doc a few days later, after the pain had subsided just slightly. We both thought the pain happened because of a new cushion I tried in bed or just the way I slept that one night. He said the ilium and SI Joint were inflamed. The important thing is that he again came to my rescue, with a cream that was made for me at a compounding pharmacy. The cream is made up of a muscle relaxor, an anti-inflammatory, an anesthetic and a nerve pain agent. Not necessarily in the correct order (I don't know which is which except that I know lidocaine is the anesthetic), the 4 components are Ketamine Hydrochloride, Ketoprofen, Lidocaine and Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride. I was told to rub the cream in wherever I had pain, 4 times per day. It worked!!! I am back to my normal, not even a week after starting the cream. Hope this info helps someone.

(For you newbies: I am 65, had flatback revision surgery in Dec 1997, and now I have SI Joint issues as well as some other pain from scar tissue, etc.)

Bonnie

[Guest guest]

Bonnie,

It is strange how the slightest changes in routine can yield such

painful results!

I am glad you were able to get this under control again. It is

interesting that your pharmacist had a " home made " rememdy to propose

that is the same (I think) as the one my pharmacist offerred to make

me before surgery. I am now suspecting it is a potion or recipe that

is widely available if you know what to ask for. I think I was told

that I had to ask my ortho/PCP for a 'script, but he didn't think

that would be a big deal.

Anyway, you also raise a good point: your local pharmacist might have

something to suggest if you are in pain and the usual OTC stuff isn't

working. They are actually part of our medical team, but often

overlooked....when they actually know the most (usually) about every

drug that is on our med list....as well as the spectrum of what might

work for us.

Hoping for a pain free New Year for you,

Cam

[Guest guest]

Cam,

Thanks for the good wishes.

Yes, this medication requires a prescription and needs to be filled at a "compounding pharmacy". This is one that has a special license/permission to actually mix drugs together to create a new "compound". The national chains, like CVS and Walgreens are not compounding pharmacies. There is actually a group called The International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists. I am guessing that these pharmacists require some extra schooling.

Also, I am reminded once again about the idiot pain doc who threw up his arms and said to me,"There's nothing else I can do for you". Since then, my new doc has tried medications and therapies that the idiot doc never thought of. The moral: Do not give up. Keep searching until you find help.

Bonnie

[ ] Re: New (for me) Pain Tool

Bonnie,It is strange how the slightest changes in routine can yield such painful results! I am glad you were able to get this under control again. It is interesting that your pharmacist had a "home made" rememdy to propose that is the same (I think) as the one my pharmacist offerred to make me before surgery. I am now suspecting it is a potion or recipe that is widely available if you know what to ask for. I think I was told that I had to ask my ortho/PCP for a 'script, but he didn't think that would be a big deal.Anyway, you also raise a good point: your local pharmacist might have something to suggest if you are in pain and the usual OTC stuff isn't working. They are actually part of our medical team, but often overlooked....when they actually know the most (usually) about every drug that is on our med list....as well as the spectrum of what might work for us.Hoping for a pain free New Year for you,Cam

[Guest guest]

Hi Bonnie, So sorry to hear that you are having so much pain, but

very glad your dr came up with something. That cream sounds awesome.

It sounds like you are doing well on the Methadone. The dosage

sounds very small. I remember you had posted you were on MS Contin.

Is the dosage for Methadone alot smaller than the dosage you were

taking of MS Contin? I am asking cuz I would really like to get off

the MS Contin. Now I am taking 2/3rds of the amt I had to take prior

to surgery but it upsets me that I still have to take it.

Diane B

>

> HI All,

>

> I've told you all that I have been feeling much, much better since

my pain doc switched my meds to Methadone, 5 mg 2x day and sent me

for physical therapy which has been mostly acupressure and

cranial/sacral therapy. Well, about 10 days ago, I had an awful

relapse. I woke up one morning in much more pain than I had ever had

in the morning. The pain was mainly in my right hip,SI Joint and I

even felt it in the front of the ilium. Scared me a lot! I happened

to have a PT appointment that morning and when the therapist slid her

hand under my upper back just above my waist, on the right side,

(between my back and the table) the pain was so bad that I screamed

and sort of " jumped " away from her. I had never had any pain above

my waist ever before.

>

> I saw the pain doc a few days later, after the pain had subsided

just slightly. We both thought the pain happened because of a new

cushion I tried in bed or just the way I slept that one night. He

said the ilium and SI Joint were inflamed. The important thing is

that he again came to my rescue, with a cream that was made for me at

a compounding pharmacy. The cream is made up of a muscle relaxor, an

anti-inflammatory, an anesthetic and a nerve pain agent. Not

necessarily in the correct order (I don't know which is which except

that I know lidocaine is the anesthetic), the 4 components are

Ketamine Hydrochloride, Ketoprofen, Lidocaine and Cyclobenzaprine

Hydrochloride. I was told to rub the cream in wherever I had pain, 4

times per day. It worked!!! I am back to my normal, not even a week

after starting the cream. Hope this info helps someone.

>

> (For you newbies: I am 65, had flatback revision surgery in Dec

1997, and now I have SI Joint issues as well as some other pain from

scar tissue, etc.)

>

> Bonnie

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Diane,

Yes, it is a small dosage of Methadone. I was on MS Contin for a while but the side effects bothered me. I was switched to Oxycontin, also a low dose. Then I moved to my new pain doc who thought I would do better on Methadone. He was so right! At the time, he commented to me that I was "grossly under medicated" on Oxycontin. So the Methadone I take, though a small dose, is apparently stronger than the dose of Oxycontin I was taking. It works for me.

Try not to be upset at the need for a narcotic. It's more important that you have the pain relief you need. That way, your body doesn't waste energy responding to pain when it can spend that energy on recovery. Also, I've never had a problem stopping any kind of med. Just do it gradually, like the doc tells you to.

Bonnie

[ ] Re: New (for me) Pain Tool

Hi Bonnie, So sorry to hear that you are having so much pain, but very glad your dr came up with something. That cream sounds awesome.It sounds like you are doing well on the Methadone. The dosage sounds very small. I remember you had posted you were on MS Contin. Is the dosage for Methadone alot smaller than the dosage you were taking of MS Contin? I am asking cuz I would really like to get off the MS Contin. Now I am taking 2/3rds of the amt I had to take prior to surgery but it upsets me that I still have to take it.Diane B>> HI All,> > I've told you all that I have been feeling much, much better since my pain doc switched my meds to Methadone, 5 mg 2x day and sent me for physical therapy which has been mostly acupressure and cranial/sacral therapy. Well, about 10 days ago, I had an awful relapse. I woke up one morning in much more pain than I had ever had in the morning. The pain was mainly in my right hip,SI Joint and I even felt it in the front of the ilium. Scared me a lot! I happened to have a PT appointment that morning and when the therapist slid her hand under my upper back just above my waist, on the right side, (between my back and the table) the pain was so bad that I screamed and sort of "jumped" away from her. I had never had any pain above my waist ever before. > > I saw the pain doc a few days later, after the pain had subsided just slightly. We both thought the pain happened because of a new cushion I tried in bed or just the way I slept that one night. He said the ilium and SI Joint were inflamed. The important thing is that he again came to my rescue, with a cream that was made for me at a compounding pharmacy. The cream is made up of a muscle relaxor, an anti-inflammatory, an anesthetic and a nerve pain agent. Not necessarily in the correct order (I don't know which is which except that I know lidocaine is the anesthetic), the 4 components are Ketamine Hydrochloride, Ketoprofen, Lidocaine and Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride. I was told to rub the cream in wherever I had pain, 4 times per day. It worked!!! I am back to my normal, not even a week after starting the cream. Hope this info helps someone.> > (For you newbies: I am 65, had flatback revision surgery in Dec 1997, and now I have SI Joint issues as well as some other pain from scar tissue, etc.)> > Bonnie>