I am wondering if I am taking too many, too few, or the wrong medications for the pain I am having.
I am really at a terrible low, sleeping 12-16 hours per day, and when I am awake I can't get motivated to get out of bed.
I have in the last few weeks slowly stopped going to my yoga classes, gym, walking my dog, and even cancelled my hairdressers appointment this morning. Sometimes I am not getting out of bed for 3 or 4 days. Don't even want to see anyone, and it's getting worse!
I have tried talking to my GP, but he is always rushing his patients through. Even booked a long consult to no avail. I will get to see my oncologist in two months, but I don't know what to do in the mean time
Is it depression or my meds?
I'm currently taking
Oxycontin (oxycodone) 200 mg mornings
Neurontin (gabapentin) 300 mg night
Mirtazapine (Remeron) 30 mg night
MS Contin (morphine) 20 mg daily twice
Am I taking to much? All above was prescribed by my GP as I have terrible pain.
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Tori - Name: Victoria
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: June 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Am I taking the right pain medications?
Tori,
I'm not an multiple myeloma patient, but I do have troubles with constant pain. Does your cancer center or local hospital have a pain management specialist on staff? If so, I'd try making an appointment with them. GPs are not always good at managing pain.
With pain, its especially important that you take your meds as prescribed so that you stay ahead of the pain. If the meds are working, it can be easy to forget to take them, but when the pain comes back, it can be harder to get it under control again.
Good luck.
Lyn
I'm not an multiple myeloma patient, but I do have troubles with constant pain. Does your cancer center or local hospital have a pain management specialist on staff? If so, I'd try making an appointment with them. GPs are not always good at managing pain.
With pain, its especially important that you take your meds as prescribed so that you stay ahead of the pain. If the meds are working, it can be easy to forget to take them, but when the pain comes back, it can be harder to get it under control again.
Good luck.
Lyn
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Christa's Mom - Name: Christa's Mom
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: September, 2010
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: Am I taking the right pain medications?
Hi Lyn,
Thank you for your comments.
Saw my G.P. today and he has referred me to the pain clinic at the hospital.
He doesn't seem to think it's my medication, as I have been on these high doses for a long time.
We are also going to arrange an appointment with a psychologist who specifically deals with pain sufferers, as we are both in agreement that my depression has worsened and I am going to try a new antidepressant.
So hopefully after seeing the pain clinic, the psychologist, and the new meds, plus some extreme effort to stay positive on my part, things should improve!
Thank you for your comments.
Saw my G.P. today and he has referred me to the pain clinic at the hospital.
He doesn't seem to think it's my medication, as I have been on these high doses for a long time.
We are also going to arrange an appointment with a psychologist who specifically deals with pain sufferers, as we are both in agreement that my depression has worsened and I am going to try a new antidepressant.
So hopefully after seeing the pain clinic, the psychologist, and the new meds, plus some extreme effort to stay positive on my part, things should improve!
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Tori - Name: Victoria
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: June 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Am I taking the right pain medications?
Hi Tori,
I hope these suggestions offer you some relief
My thoughts are that pain killers cover up the real cause for pain, and should be avoided or used occasionally until you can heal or find and fix the real source of the pain.
If your myeloma is now under control, the chemo treatments should have reduced a lot of the bone pain, and the pain that you now feel when standing, sitting, or walking is from the lingering bone damage. Like being in a car accident, the myeloma gave you a new body that feels crappy and looks like it was in a train wreck, so you need to work at getting it back, and not let powerful pre-surgery pain medication / anesthesia like fentanyl or ketamine prevent you from recovery.
I would have a whole body MRI or at least an MRI of your spine, ribs and hip) to reveal if you have ...
... nerve pain from disc or vertebrae compression putting pressure on your nerves or spinal cord; these may feel like a sharp intense stabbing pain, or if under the effects of pain killers, it might feel like a burning pain.
A neurosurgeon would be able to address this after an MRI.
... bone pain from bone lesions that cause local areas of pain and weakness (a dull aching soreness kind of pain, like a bruise).
Radiation can address this.
... muscle pain all over your body from muscles that become weak or tense from over working to support you when standing (generally feeling of crappy, fatigue, achiness, or soreness).
Stretching and light exercise will address this.
... pain from loss of height with spine compression.
Kyphoplasty can cement fractures and add structural support to add relief. Crutches used to support your back or align your back when standing up will help.
If you are as unlucky as I was, you might have all of the above. The good news is after I had the fixes I mentioned, I got my life back after being in pain everyday for 1.5 years. I seem to have finally gotten to the point of being pain free most of the time without the use of any pain killers (no foggy head, fatigue etc.), although I admit I feel sore at the end of day and some days are better than others.
I lost 6 inches (15 cm) from spine compression, and the kyphoplasty to cement my spine added structural support and prevents future fractures or compression. I also had 5 days of radiation to zap away bone lesion pain in my spine and sacrum. I admit all of these should have been done sooner. I’m on bone building drugs, calcium, and vitamin D3 supplements to help strengthen bone, and I am now gradually and slowly working up to a more physical regimen every day to strengthen as well as loosen my tense muscles.
As often as possible, I am using the techniques I describe in these postings here in the forum:
I hope these suggestions offer you some relief
My thoughts are that pain killers cover up the real cause for pain, and should be avoided or used occasionally until you can heal or find and fix the real source of the pain.
If your myeloma is now under control, the chemo treatments should have reduced a lot of the bone pain, and the pain that you now feel when standing, sitting, or walking is from the lingering bone damage. Like being in a car accident, the myeloma gave you a new body that feels crappy and looks like it was in a train wreck, so you need to work at getting it back, and not let powerful pre-surgery pain medication / anesthesia like fentanyl or ketamine prevent you from recovery.
I would have a whole body MRI or at least an MRI of your spine, ribs and hip) to reveal if you have ...
... nerve pain from disc or vertebrae compression putting pressure on your nerves or spinal cord; these may feel like a sharp intense stabbing pain, or if under the effects of pain killers, it might feel like a burning pain.
A neurosurgeon would be able to address this after an MRI.
... bone pain from bone lesions that cause local areas of pain and weakness (a dull aching soreness kind of pain, like a bruise).
Radiation can address this.
... muscle pain all over your body from muscles that become weak or tense from over working to support you when standing (generally feeling of crappy, fatigue, achiness, or soreness).
Stretching and light exercise will address this.
... pain from loss of height with spine compression.
Kyphoplasty can cement fractures and add structural support to add relief. Crutches used to support your back or align your back when standing up will help.
If you are as unlucky as I was, you might have all of the above. The good news is after I had the fixes I mentioned, I got my life back after being in pain everyday for 1.5 years. I seem to have finally gotten to the point of being pain free most of the time without the use of any pain killers (no foggy head, fatigue etc.), although I admit I feel sore at the end of day and some days are better than others.
I lost 6 inches (15 cm) from spine compression, and the kyphoplasty to cement my spine added structural support and prevents future fractures or compression. I also had 5 days of radiation to zap away bone lesion pain in my spine and sacrum. I admit all of these should have been done sooner. I’m on bone building drugs, calcium, and vitamin D3 supplements to help strengthen bone, and I am now gradually and slowly working up to a more physical regimen every day to strengthen as well as loosen my tense muscles.
As often as possible, I am using the techniques I describe in these postings here in the forum:
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Bob_D - Name: Bob_D
- Who do you know with myeloma?: me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 59
Re: Am I taking the right pain medications?
Hi Tori,
I hope things start to improve for you after your appointments. I know from personal family experience that ongoing, unresolved pain can contribute to depression. Seeing the psychologist familiar with pain could be beneficial, in addition to the other physicians.
Best wishes,
Chris M.
I hope things start to improve for you after your appointments. I know from personal family experience that ongoing, unresolved pain can contribute to depression. Seeing the psychologist familiar with pain could be beneficial, in addition to the other physicians.
Best wishes,
Chris M.
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Chris M
Re: Am I taking the right pain medications?
I would echo what the others have said about having a whole body MRI.
I was in severe pain for over a year and then the MRI revealed a 90% compressed L3, which was the cause of 100% of my pain. I had the spine cement placed in my L3 and a fusion on Christmas Eve. Within two weeks, I was walking. Now I have no pain in my spine.
I wish you the best and I hope they find the cause of the pain. The pain killers only mask something going on inside that is the root of the pain.
AC
I was in severe pain for over a year and then the MRI revealed a 90% compressed L3, which was the cause of 100% of my pain. I had the spine cement placed in my L3 and a fusion on Christmas Eve. Within two weeks, I was walking. Now I have no pain in my spine.
I wish you the best and I hope they find the cause of the pain. The pain killers only mask something going on inside that is the root of the pain.
AC
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Aclinkboca - Name: AC
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Dec 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 46
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