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cweinbl

Joined: 02/05/2010

My Story:

Born with congenital central canal stenosis. Disc herniations began at age 17. Three disc herniations and four failed surgeries forced me into retirement at age 51. Osteophytes, osteoarthritis, advanced fibrosis, collapsed vertebra, bone damage, multiple areas of radiculopathy, nerve root impingement and nerve necrosis. Participated in two comprehensive pain management programs. Conduct research into alternative treatments, including molecular pharmacology and interventional techniques in the management of chronic spinal pain.

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Reply: Severe Chronic Pain Lowers Life Expectancy

I've been using Fentanyl for more than 15 years and it has been a godsend. Initially,...

Posted by cweinbl

75 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Severe Chronic Pain Lowers Life Expectancy I've been using Fentanyl for more than 15 years and it has been a godsend. Initially,...

Reply: Severe Chronic Pain Lowers Life Expectancy

What do you mean, "hooked?" Less than 3% of chronic pain patients become addicted to...

Posted by cweinbl

75 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Severe Chronic Pain Lowers Life Expectancy What do you mean, "hooked?" Less than 3% of chronic pain patients become addicted to...

Reply: Severe Chronic Pain Lowers Life Expectancy

"Dgranny," I can't help but wonder if you might be misunderstanding the difference between...

Posted by cweinbl

"Dgranny," I can't help but wonder if you might be misunderstanding the difference between dependence, tolerance and addiction. You say that you "go off the medication to avoid getting hooked on it." If by "hooked" you mean addicted, then your fear is probably misplaced. The rate of addiction among chronic pain patients using narcotics is between 1% and 3%. In fact, the latest government research reveals the addiction rate at 0.27% (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20091598?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=1 ).

Addiction to narcotic pain medication is a psychological disorder, characterized by people who take too much medication, run out too early, obtain multiple prescriptions from different physicians, who steal it, buy it illegally on the Internet and (most importantly) who use it for other reasons than for pain.

Dependence is a physicial condition in which an individual becomes accustomed to using a drug (not just pain medication) and must taper it off gradually when (if) it is no longer required.

Tolerance is another physical condition in which larger dosages of a medication are required over time in order to achieve the same effect.

Dependence and tolerance are unimportant to the patient because they can be easily dealth with under a physician's care. For example, I'm happy to be dependent upon a pain medication. If I ever stop using it, all I'll need to do is taper it off slowly.

Tolerance is also easy to deal with. The physician will prescribe higher dosages to achieve the required pain relief. When one reaches the highest safe dosage and becomes tolerant, you simply rotate to a different mendication for a couple of months. Then, you can return to the original medication with peak effectiveness.

I hope that this helps you understand that you don't need to stop your pain medication for fear of addiction. Unless you have prior addiction disorders, it will likely never be a factor for you. Keep using your medication and continue feeling better with no concern. Your fears are most likely unfounded.View Thread

Posted bycweinbl

75 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Severe Chronic Pain Lowers Life Expectancy "Dgranny," I can't help but wonder if you might be misunderstanding the difference between...

Reply: Severe Chronic Pain Lowers Life Expectancy

Dee, screw your extended family who consider you a "drug addict." The next time they are in...

Posted by cweinbl

Dee, screw your extended family who consider you a "drug addict." The next time they are in chronic severe pain, they can be a hero and buck up (or, in reality, watch them beg for medication). Why remain in needless pain just to serve the ignorance of some family members? Do yourself a favor and disregard the ignorance.

Considering your damage, I'm not surprised that you are in chronic pain. And, it's likely that your condition will become degenerative.

One of the best ways to manage your situation is with a comprehensive pain management program. There are dozens of treatments short of surgery, including injections, traction, decompression, exercises, Yoga, meditation, systematic relaxation, accupuncture, PT, TENS, kinesiotherapy, biofeedback, hypnosis, combinations of medications, spinal cord stimulator, intrathecal infusion pump, etc.

In terms of medication, the key is to discover which combinations of medications work best for your unique body chemistry. The operative word is "combination." This can include both long and short-acting narcotics, along with an anti-depressant (to maximize Seratonin) and (in your case) an anti-convulsant, to inhibit neuropathic pain. More often than not, chronic pain patients respond best to using a long-acting narcotic as your mainstay (Kadian, Oxycontin, Fentanyl Transdermal, etc.) and also a short-acting drug (Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, etc.) for breakthrough pain. With chronic pain that has neuropathic and nociceptive components, three or four medications used together can far outperform any of the drugs used alone. To accomplish this, you require a physician willing to let you try many different medications.

The key to managing chronic pain is with the complete arsenal of treatments. The slight benefit obtained by one or two options can become multiplied into significant relief with the use of several added options. Discover which treatments and medications work best and manage your pain better. Good luck.View Thread

Posted bycweinbl

75 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Severe Chronic Pain Lowers Life Expectancy Dee, screw your extended family who consider you a "drug addict." The next time they are in...

Severe Chronic Pain Lowers Life Expectancy

Previous research has demonstrated a clearly negative influence of chronic pain on health....

Posted by cweinbl

Previous research has demonstrated a clearly negative influence of chronic pain on health. Now, a new study portrays a profound link between severe chronic pain and death; inflicting nearly a 70% greater mortality risk than even cardiovascular disease.

Even after adjusting for various confounding sociodemographic factors and effects of long-term illness, patients with severe chronic pain had a 49% greater risk of death compared with all-cause mortality and a 68% greater risk of death compared with all cardiovascular-disease-related deaths.

The most critical information to take away from this research is that withholding appropriate pain medication is a virtual death sentence. Physicians who "don't believe in" using narcotic pain medication must read this comprehensive new research study. By withholding appropriate treatment, these physicians are sentencing some of their patients to an early death.

Secondary to this, families and friends of severe chronic pain patients must never try to dissuade the patient from using all appropriate treatments and medications to reduce pain. Convincing such a patient to avoid narcotics, if and when they are appropriate, is equivalent to pushing them into an early grave.

Instead, physicians and families must encourage the chronic pain patient to employ each and every possible treatment, including comprehensive pain management programs and powerful pain medications. It is no longer a matter of making someone more comfortable. It's a matter of life and death.

This new research is comprehenisve, vetted and validated. The methodology is convincing. The group sizes are well over minimum levels.

Read the entire article here: http://updates.pain-topics.org/2010/04/severe-chronic-pain-is-killer-study.html

REFERENCE: Torrance N, Elliott AM, Lee AJ, Smith BH. Severe chronic pain is associated with increased 10 year mortality. A cohort record linkage study. Eur J Pain. 2010(Apr);14(4):380-386 [abstract here >.View Thread

Posted bycweinbl

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75 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Severe Chronic Pain Lowers Life Expectancy Previous research has demonstrated a clearly negative influence of chronic pain on health....

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