"Marie", has a new primary care "Doctor" now

Still trying to see a pain management doctor, now for a month.
They gave me Gabapentin but side effects of horrible, breathing, nausea no sleep!
Still taking Tylenol only now.
Seems the meds they gave us years ago now belongs to street drugs, since doctors don't seem to prescribe opioids.
No sleep , no relief since yesterday and that was short lived before the side effects kicked in.
I am not doing good, Jake is also having to go thru it ,no sleep for him either. he is really being good to me but he needs a rest.
 
Don Alaska said:
You could try Lyrica or Cymbalta. They are the same class of drugs as gabapentin but newer. I think there are now generic versions (pregabalin and duloxetine). Ask at the appointment.
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Just saw your post, and we just got back from appt. They set up a cat scan, and wanted to do an MRI, but said they don't think she could handle 45 mins on her back, and that the cat scan will only be 20 mins, so recommended that. He prescribed her new scrip gabapentin, tramadol, and told her to start muscle relaxers at night. Prescribed narcan, just in case she ever needs it. Will see what happens the 7th with her primary physician, she has all her info now, on her heart stents, and everything, the Dr today was telling her that her Dr had put something in their paperwork that she has going on with heart valves or something; so we will know more after 7th April. Thanks Don.
 
Jake Smith said:
Just saw your post, and we just got back from appt. They set up a cat scan, and wanted to do an MRI, but said they don't think she could handle 45 mins on her back, and that the cat scan will only be 20 mins, so recommended that. He prescribed her new scrip gabapentin, tramadol, and told her to start muscle relaxers at night. Prescribed narcan, just in case she ever needs it. Will see what happens the 7th with her primary physician, she has all her info now, on her heart stents, and everything, the Dr today was telling her that her Dr had put something in their paperwork that she has going on with heart valves or something; so we will know more after 7th April. Thanks Don.
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Sounds like maybe time for her to get an angiogram and echogram and check her heart valve out. I know once my friend that was in constant pain had the TAVR procedure, she rarely has pain and it isn't that bad when she does. A heart valve not opening enough, can cause serious pain and not always localized around the shoulders and neck. The lower back can also be affected. Certainly worth a visit to the Cardiologist.
 
Faye Fox said:
Sounds like maybe time for her to get an angiogram and echogram and check her heart valve out. I know once my friend that was in constant pain had the TAVR procedure, she rarely has pain and it isn't that bad when she does. A heart valve not opening enough, can cause serious pain and not always localized around the shoulders and neck. The lower back can also be affected. Certainly worth a visit to the Cardiologist.
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See what her new Dr says, 7th, maybe you're right, not sure what those tests are though. She; the Dr "requested", all her records from heart surgery, then put something about valves in paper work, and he was telling us about . Not sure.
 
Faye Fox said:
Sounds like maybe time for her to get an angiogram and echogram and check her heart valve out. I know once my friend that was in constant pain had the TAVR procedure, she rarely has pain and it isn't that bad when she does. A heart valve not opening enough, can cause serious pain and not always localized around the shoulders and neck. The lower back can also be affected. Certainly worth a visit to the Cardiologist.
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I completely agree that is is an excellent idea. Since Marie has already had treatment for blockages, it is quite possible that she could have arteries blocked in her back as well.
I was just reading an article about back pain, and that a high percentage is actually caused from blockages in the arteries that affect the spinal cord, and then cause damage when they are blocked. Even having a back operation does not necessarily fix the problem, according to what I was reading, and some people are worse afterwards.

My son had bypass surgery for heart blockage 6-7 years ago, and he also has a lot of back pain.
He did have a back operation, but said that the back operation didn’t help much; so when i was reading about the spinal artery blockage, I was thinking that might be what is causing his back pain to be so bad now. It is not likely that he would change his diet to help clear up the blockages, so he will probably end up living with the back pain.
 
We took another ride tonight, seeing if Marie would have to go to ER again, so up all night, it's really hard seeing her go on and on, through unbearable pain. We're back home now and she's asleep since 5 am, on the couch pull out bed, which I put the van bed foam on bed, to make the living room area more comfy for her. Tomorrow we have the primary care Dr. visit and I'm hoping this visit will help us get a plan that works to speed healing up. When she hits these severe pain times, she says; oh gosh, I don't know how much more of this I can take. I think we're doing all the right things; but can't help but think, what else?
 
It sounds like you are doing everything that you can, but until the doctors can find out what is causing the pain, there is not a lot you can do to actually stop it from happening, and just masking it with pain killers like she is doing is maybe all you can do right now.

Once they are done with the tests, you should know if it is all coming from the muscle injury, or whether it is caused by her arteries being clogged again like happened when they had to do the stents before.
It might be the peripheral neuropathy from the diabetes causing the pain, or a combination any of these , or something else that you have no idea about, that is making the muscle injury pain worse.

Hopefully, the tests that her doctor is doing will give you some good answers, and then they can help you guys plan out a treatment to stop whatever is causing the pain so she won’t need all the pain medication or be in so much pain all the time.

When I had the pulmonary embolism, I thought it was a pulled muscle injury my ribs from yard work, but instead of getting better, the pain just kept getting worse and worse, and finally, I could barely even breathe becasue of the spasms of pain in my side, and Bobby took me to the hospital ER.
When they did tests, it turned out to be a blood clot in my leg that had moved up into my lungs , and could have killed me if we had not gone to the hospital.
They gave me blood thinners to dissolve the blood clot, and then the pain went away.
 
Yvonne Smith said:
It sounds like you are doing everything that you can, but until the doctors can find out what is causing the pain, there is not a lot you can do to actually stop it from happening, and just masking it with pain killers like she is doing is maybe all you can do right now.

Once they are done with the tests, you should know if it is all coming from the muscle injury, or whether it is caused by her arteries being clogged again like happened when they had to do the stents before.
It might be the peripheral neuropathy from the diabetes causing the pain, or a combination any of these , or something else that you have no idea about, that is making the muscle injury pain worse.

Hopefully, the tests that her doctor is doing will give you some good answers, and then they can help you guys plan out a treatment to stop whatever is causing the pain so she won’t need all the pain medication or be in so much pain all the time.

When I had the pulmonary embolism, I thought it was a pulled muscle injury my ribs from yard work, but instead of getting better, the pain just kept getting worse and worse, and finally, I could barely even breathe becasue of the spasms of pain in my side, and Bobby took me to the hospital ER.
When they did tests, it turned out to be a blood clot in my leg that had moved up into my lungs , and could have killed me if we had not gone to the hospital.
They gave me blood thinners to dissolve the blood clot, and then the pain went away.
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So "true", and glad they finally figured your problem out; just in a nick of time. You understand our trouble; from "experience", I see. It's hard to have patience, after it drags on so long, like it is. I keep thinking about everything you posted, and agree with you. I still feel helpless. Can only imagine what she "feels"; like you did when you went through all that. Y'all have really helped her here mentally, being a friend, thanks.
 
We went to Marie's primary care Dr. at 9 am this morning, and Marie is doing somewhat better this morning, walked in just holding on to me instead of the walker, with me telling her to use the walker. After 20 minutes waiting, she was ready for that walker to lean on, so off I went back to the van, and got her the walker.

The pain management Drs. finally gave her a 5 mg med for pain, after we called telling how first meds don't work, then drove to their office and made them see her. As I've already posted we were up all night; the night before we went to them and complained. Then this morning she's already reading side effects. The first side effect she read was, warning of sudden "death",😲 so she had me cut one in quarters, and waited to try one while seeing her Dr., So she did and her Dr. laughed when I told her about that. Dr. said she may not even feel the med at all; unless she takes at least a half of one, or a whole one. :unsure:

She didn't say anything about heart valves at all and did her exam, offered shingles vaccine; and Marie said let's not do anything else right now that may cause pain, and She laughed and agreed. Dr. has a great personality, and I set an appt. with her too. We're back home now and ate, Marie's asleep over here beside me in her chair, so today is pretty good so far.
 
OH, also I "forgot", Marie was painting a rosy picture, to the Dr.,until I blew that ship out of the water. I told Dr., we were up all night, over 48 hrs the other night before I slept, because she was in so much pain it was making her cry, and she doesn't ever cry. I pointed to all the places she was having pain and how it comes on from nowhere all of a sudden.

After we were leaving Marie said you're gonna have to learn to shut up or I'm gonna have to hurt your feelings; telling you to shut up. I said just get well, and don't paint such a "rosy" picture for the Dr., when neither of us are getting any sleep much for six months now, and get well, I'll let you go in by yourself then and that way I won't be saying anything. :rolleyes:
 
Jake Smith said:
OH, also I "forgot", Marie was painting a rosy picture, to the Dr.,until I blew that ship out of the water. I told Dr., we were up all night, over 48 hrs the other night before I slept, because she was in so much pain it was making her cry, and she doesn't ever cry. I pointed to all the places she was having pain and how it comes on from nowhere all of a sudden.

After we were leaving Marie said you're gonna have to learn to shut up or I'm gonna have to hurt your feelings; telling you to shut up. I said just get well, and don't paint such a "rosy" picture for the Dr., when neither of us are getting any sleep much for six months now, and get well, I'll let you go in by yourself then and that way I won't be saying anything. :rolleyes:
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Good job, Jake! (Sorry Marie. Got to agree with Jake. ;)) The doctor can't help, Marie unless she knows all the symptoms. Marie needs to tell her everything and take the full dose of medicine that she is prescribed, if she wants the pain alleviated. If I have to take any meds, I try not to read the side effects of medicine until I have taken a few doses first, otherwise, it will you scare you so bad you won't want to take it.
 
I just deleted my post in the wrong thread.
I'm doing better today, still pain but not as intense or as often.
I will take an half Oxi 5mg in a few minutes. So far took a quarter pill this morning.
After reading side effects i was afraid to take one, said breathing problems or 'SUDDEN DEATH', What a side effect!
We told primary care doc this morning, she laughed.She said I don't think she will fell relief from a quarter pill.
 
OMG ..I’d be taking them with caution @Marie Mallory

Are the oxi the codene , like my hubby took after just his back fusion surgery …..he doesn’t take them anymore as I nagged …..I mean advised ….

a bit to much about getting addicted to them , they are a restricted prescription med in South Aust now days ( can’t speak for others states )
you have to see 2 doctors before they can write you a script .
 
Krystal Shay said:
Good job, Jake! (Sorry Marie. Got to agree with Jake. ;)) The doctor can't help, Marie unless she knows all the symptoms. Marie needs to tell her everything and take the full dose of medicine that she is prescribed, if she wants the pain alleviated. If I have to take any meds, I try not to read the side effects of medicine until I have taken a few doses first, otherwise, it will you scare you so bad you won't want to take it.
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Thanks Krystal, It's my job to keep her [on the straight and narrow]. She always wants to read the side effects; and I always say [ all of them have side effects. ] She's really been through it the last six months; I'll be so glad when she's healed.
 
Kate Ellery said:
OMG ..I’d be taking them with caution @Marie Mallory

Are the oxi the codene , like my hubby took after just his back fusion surgery …..he doesn’t take them anymore as I nagged …..I mean advised ….

a bit to much about getting addicted to them , they are a restricted prescription med in South Aust now days ( can’t speak for others states )
you have to see 2 doctors before they can write you a script .
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I stopped taking the Oxycodone the first day, made me feel like I was having a panic attack ,weak dizzy and not good at all, didn't touch the pain whatsoever.
Now just Tylenol 'again' sometimes Gabapentin. I'm so frustrated with it all. I thought the stronger drugs would help since they did when I was having C[setions in the 60,70s.
Kate Jake had 3 fusions too in 2003 after back injury changing a truck frame.His back is full of metal,
 
Marie Mallory said:
I stopped taking the Oxycodone the first day, made me feel like I was having a panic attack ,weak dizzy and not good at all, didn't touch the pain whatsoever.
Now just Tylenol 'again' sometimes Gabapentin. I'm so frustrated with it all. I thought the stronger drugs would help since they did when I was having C[setions in the 60,70s.
Kate Jake had 3 fusions too in 2003 after back injury changing a truck frame.His back is full of metal,
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Marie, it is not the 60s or 70s and you are not having c-section recovery pain. It is impossible to tell what was the trigger for your current pain by your postings here. The medication and self medication and self adjustment cocktail not to mention your apparent unwillingness to share with your doctor what is going on will not bring an end to it. Write down as much as you remember, make an appointment and be upfront. A medical doctor does not use a crystal ball to find out if you are fibbing. For your own sake and that of your loving husband.
 
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