Does anyone have an answer for chronic pain issues?

Question

I was involved in a serious motorcycle accident 1 1/2 years ago that has left me in chronic pain. My neck was broken in 3 spots, back broken in 2 spots, left shoulder fractured, left knee and left foot were shattered. I've tried just about everything and the only thing that seemed to help were the harsher narcotics, which the docs are reluctant to keep giving because of tolerance and dependancy issues.

A friend of mine suggested marijuana and I've done some research, but am a little leary. Right now I'm ready to try anything for relief, but prefer not to have to resort to buying stuff off the street. And I don't want to drink booze to make me feel better, either. Tried it but nearly ended up going to AA meetings.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated, and please don't tell me how lucky I am just to be alive after those injuries. Sometimes I wish I hadn't survived just because of the pain.

Just realizing there are others out there that understand what it is like is a help in itself. And yes, chronic pain can cause depression. That, along with not being able to be self sufficient, caused me to be hospitalized, and am currently still being treated for depression.

Thank you all for your input and keep 'em coming.

Answer 1

The THC pill is called Marinol. It's usually prescribed for nausea in chemo patients and to stimulate the appetite of HIV patients. My pain doc just prescribed it to me a few weeks ago because I was having a miscarriage of twins, and the pregnancy was making me horribly nauseous.... I tried every other prescription anti-emetic out there and nothing was working. It's extremely expensive, but it works very well... it doesn't make you stoned like pot does, but it does help with nausea, muscle spams, and pain.

Answer 2

Chronic pain can make people do some pretty crazy stuff trying to escape the pain. Pot does help in some ways, muscle spasms, better sleep, helpful for mild pain, helps with nausea(I get nausea from my pain).I smoke daily, but I also take Methadone for my pain. There are alot of rules and regs you have to follow, but the Methadone has made it so I am able to enjoy life a little more. Yes, it is a narcotic, but I've taken just about everything in between and my relief was getting shorter and shorter. Now, I have longer periods of time where my pain is lessened, not gone, just less. You will never be able to fully escape the pain, no matter what pain med you take. Heating pads, rice socks, massage, those are all short term,feel good for the minute treatments, but the Methadone lasts throughout the day. Discuss this with your orthopaedic's, your general family care doc can monitor the Methadone for you, so you don't have to keep going to the high dollar doc. Depression is also a big problem with chronic pain sufferers. I know I have had some pretty horrid thoughts go through my head wishing the pain would go away for good. I would recommend you take an anti depressent as well. This too will help ease some pain, and keep your mind where it should be. Good luck in your journey.

Answer 3

Have a good idea where you are coming from being a sufferer of a chronic pain condition myself for over 10 years. I do know the feelings of frustration, and the wishing you weren't alive because of the pain. But, although I have those feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, I have too much to live for. Kids do that to you...

Currently I'm on morphine...oxycontin didn't work for me, and the morphine isn't much better, except for the fact that the morphine is really rotting my gut out and causing other digestive tract problems. I've started seeing a pain specialist and he has me on a new drug called Lyrica. Expensive but that is one of the necessary evils for a med that actually seems to be working for me. I'm weaning off the morphine now...

There is a drug that you can get that is basically THC in a pill form. You don't get the stoned feeling (according to my convo with the pain doc a few days ago) that you get with pot, only the muscle relaxation that is usually needed when accute pain occurs. And yup...I've smoked...and it has helped. And he has offered to give me a "ticket" so I can possess certain amounts. Not sure where you are located...but in Canada you CAN get a "prescription" for pot. Apparently the government supplied stuff sucks because of a much lower THC level then the usual street or homegrown stuff though. And with the 'script you can also grow a certain amount of plants yourself...not sure how many at the moment though.

Anyway...contact me via email if you want more info. And yes...it WILL get better...you just have to believe that and have the proverbial "guts" to follow it through.

Answer 4

I know what you are going through. I am 39 and needed a knee replacement that no doc was willing to give me because of my age. I was put into pain management and was given large does of narcotics. I became very addicted and almost lost my family because of the addiction. I had to come to terms with it and ended up having to go to detox to get off the meds. I have now had my knee replacement thanks to a very understanding doctor. I take ultram for the pain and it is working out really well. I did try marijuana for the pain(I have a 22 year old college student for a daughter) so I did not have to go to the street. It did not help the pain but did help the nerves. I think that you will have to decide if the pain is making your life suck and if it is then go to a pain mangement doctor and ask a lot of questions. I just took the medication without asking anything. If you do not think that you can watch out for the addiction on your own, take someone with you that will tell you how it is even if it will hurt you. Please don't let the pain mess up your life but you must watch out for yourself because no one else will..... Good Luck I will be thinking about you.