What do you do when your pain medication isn't working?

Question

I know it's getting late but I thought I'd ask and see who's still up. I suffer from chronic pain and I've taken my meds but they haven't been working too well. I'm sure other people have been in this situation before so what do you do to help ease your pain when your meds aren't working? I want to go to sleep so bad but the way I'm feeling now I know there's no way I'm going to be able to.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

I should probably add that I do go to a pain management specialist and lately I've been rotating medications fairly frequently. Right now I'm on dilaudid and methadone and I stick with the dosage that's on the bottle (2-3dilaudid every 4 hours and 2-3methadone every 6 hours). Applying heat is sort of hit or miss with me but I'll give that a shot.

Answer 1

u r on alot of REALLY strong meds. r u terminally ill? Oxycontin 12hr /immediate release may be a good medication 4 u. you r about to max out on the current medications. you should be very caredul to not OVER medicate or to SELF medicate. I hope u r taking the amount that is prescribed, because those r really dangerous ones 2 mess with. please be careful. PLEASE. alot of the answers r 2 relax, hot baths and massage. I tend to totally agree. please do not over medicate. good luck!

Answer 2

I know how you feel. Pain meds only go so far. I hate pain and I do not deal well with it at all. When my flares happen and my meds are not helping like they should I do one of tow things-neither one right-one, I will curl up in a heated banket in front of the tv or computer and take in the warmth. Two-certainly not the right way but works at times-I drink just enough to take the edge off the pain so I can go to sleep.

One way that is better and right is to see a pain management specialist. I know ost of them are pill pushers. But, when you find the right one they can help. Sometimes I think it is just easier to curl up in a warm blanket and relax as much as I can.

Answer 3

I also suffer from chronic pain. Try not to overmedicate. Relax your body and do some deep breathing, relax all your muscles. Ask a loved one to give you a nice massage. Take a how shower or use a heating pad.
Try to put the pain out of your head and rest....

Answer 4

General suggestions: Go to the drugstore and ask a druggist. Try Omega-3 fish oil to help, try some magnesium pills to help, try cold compresses or hot baths, Rent a movie that makes you laugh. Look up accupressure and try that, get a massage, listen to soothing music, try self hypnosis

Answer 5

Biofeedback and meditation are organic remedies you may want to explore.

The goal is to train your mind to deal more effectively with pain, which is what the drugs were supposed to get it to do. Brain chemistry is not at all an exact science, and pain remedy usually require a combination of altered behaviors.

Answer 6

Go to urgent care and explain your problem to them. They can either give you something more for pain or give you something to help you relax so your meds work better and you can sleep.

Answer 7

Try reflexology, massage your pains away, simple and harmless.
Ice works miracles also.
or magnets...put a magnet on pain (neg side against skin)
Or fill an empty pepsi bottle with hot water and put on pains.
http://www.reflexology.com

Answer 8

If you were to say what kind of pain medication you are taking and the amount, I could make suggestions, but since we do not know, I will not give you my opinion.

Answer 9

It might be in your head. Try hypnosis. Some people will break there hand or create another pain less severe*not advised*.

Answer 10

try pain clinic i have endometrosis and nothing but vicidon worked but it can be addticted. and then the drs givr to you then just stop. going trew withdrawals is horrlble . god bless you . try a hot bath a walk. heating pad ,