Tuesday, September 7, 2010

What Works For You?

So.
Today was a big day for me.

I have been having SEVERE skin pain lately, to the point I'm constantly hitting 9/10 pain levels.  Everyone knows that my blog posts have been bordering on miserable as of late.

Thankfully, my mother always knows when to step in - and she did today.  I went and saw my psychologist, where we discussed my suicidal thoughts and my mass crisis state of over-sensitized living.  She actually thought some interesting theories regarding my psyche.  I have hopes that she will be able to help me develop some sort of strategy to limit my emotional disregulation, massive fear, and instability.

My mother called the pain clinic, as I couldn't.  I have been labeled a drug-seeker too many times over the last 12 years, and I just can't stand asking for more.  I got upped to using codeine contin twice daily, with extra codeine to take for breakthrough pain.  On top of that, they also upped my gabapentin for skin pain.

For the first time in recent memory, I am not in mass amounts of agony.  I can think (minus moderate sedation).  I am itchy, but that kind of comes with the territory.

It's so much more relaxing on the brain.  May my tolerance for it not rapidly grow!

What are your doctors (and you) using for your pain??  I always love to know what works for other people!

xoxo,
Annie

7 comments:

J said...

I don't have a pain problem (other than mental pain), but I also take Gabapentin...I take it for anxiety, though. What dose are you on?

J said...

I'm @Starrlitlove on Twitter, btw

Young Wife said...

My DH takes hydrocodone for his Psoriatic Arthritis pain, but he recently started on Lyrica which is used for fibromyalgia and diabetic nerve pain, and it seems to be helping. I hope the new pain meds you're on continue to help. Glad to hear your mother was there for you.

Diana Lee said...

Lyrica is quite helpful with my nerve pain.

Did you mom talk to the pain management center? I think that would be a good idea, too. She's such a great advocate for you.

Reformed Anon. Girl in Pain said...

I take 2 different anti-depressants for my nerve pain/fibro as well as 10 to 20mg of oxycontin twice a day. last night I was in extreme pain and took 30mg but it didn't help. I use ice more often than heat because I can't regulate my temp and tend to run hot and have no way to cool off as I don't sweat. I also use menthol/camphor patches called Salon Pas or ActiveOn rub (we call it the chapstick of doom because it looks like a GIHUGIC chapstick, I have to order it from drugstore.com because I can't find it anywhere in Ontario anymore, it lasts for a long time) but I need help (ackward!) from my housemate to use it because it's on my back and I can't lift my arms up past my elbows. but all those things are just distractions, my pain hasn't been below a 7 in 3 years, maybe someday!
I've tried lyrica and cymbalta but they didn't work for me, unfortunatly!

Anonymous said...

I take 300 mg lyrica for my nerve pain, 15 mg morphine sulfate for break through pain. Trying two new to me drugs: savella and nucynta. The savella is for my fibro-like symptoms, and the nucynta is to eventually, if it works, replace the morphine sulfate. When the pain in my jaw/teeth are really bad, I take 2 x 500 mg of naproxen.
Lyrica has made a big difference in my facial pain levels. I used to take 200 mg+ of morphine on a daily basis. I also take flexeril for my neck spasms, but not on a daily basis.
Hope the new protocol works for you. Your mom is a great advocate! Hang in there.

VeeVee "Vicki" B. said...

I take 300-450mg lyrica per day for nerve pain and 30mg of baclofen for severe muscle spasms and muscular pain.

both dont completly eradicate the problem but certainly made it bearable and could feel the difference... the only thing is both make you drowsy/dopey so too much and you sort of are no longer aware of "reality" so its having to be a case of putting up with pain if i still wanna be "there in the head"!