angry with my G.P + C.C.G they are lowering my meds

Waylay

@steve51 Would love to hear about your research on opiates! Scared, as this seems to be happening moire and more...

ellie_mae

I have also been advised by my GP that opiates have lost their licence for use long term for managing pain and now can only be used short term. Research apparently shows opiates lose their effectiveness long term and other medications have proven more effective for long term use.
He advised me off the record, so to speak, that actually so many people are now sueing Go's for opiate addictions, prescribing of these drugs has become untenable.
 So this is a national ban, not just local.

Waylay

@ellie_mae Eek! In the UK?

loopy_lou

Thank you for this information it wouldn't have felt such a blow if this was explained properly + if the G.P actually offered another medication for the pain but I've not been offered anything how do they expect people like us in this situation to cope on a day to day basis who's in severe or chronic pain without a substitute from the opiates 

ellie_mae

I am now on Gabapentin, which is a Neuro blocker, it seems to be doing ok for me in combination with my other meds. It may need a bit of tweaking but overall I am managing.
Having said that I appear to have a pretty high pain tolerance level as I was hobbling around with my hip socket detached and up in my pelvis for several years undetected. It was when my femur joined the socket that I was finally  hospitalised.
Like you I have a combination of pain inducing issues,mostly arthritis but also damage to nerves in both back and thigh and severe degeneration of every bone in my left foot
You are not alone and I hope this helps.

loopy_lou

Oh gosh you've defiantly got a high  tolerance of pain mine is rubbish I'm also in my late 40's I had prolapse disc that basically  exploded damaging my sciatic nerves can't walk drag my left leg like it's concrete I have this dull constant ache in my spine I get these lightening  bolts that are so painful it makes you feel sick I'm on a nerve  blocker as well pregablin I've also had 6 lots of spinal injections over the past 7yrs they was nerve blockers too but they wasn't any help then I was told there's nothing eles they could do for me apart from manage the pain best they could but you try + get through each day the best you can I'm so sorry for what you have been through I wish you hopefully less painful days + thank you for sharing with me I appreciate your help x

Waylay

Oh God. So scared now. 

@loopy_lou , your condition sounds very similar to mine, except that I don't drag my leg much, but I do get horrid back spasms...

Waylay

@ellie_mae
I take over-the-counter meds, venlafaxine at max dose, lamotrigine (some effect on chronic pain) and gabapentin. I've had an epidural, multiple sets of facet joint injections, and a radiofrequency denervation, multiple courses of physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropracty, medical massage, hydrotherapy, occupational therapy and have been in a long-term pain management programme. I also use relaxation exercises, mindfulness, stretching, pacing, heat, TENS, etc. etc. 

Even with all that, I end up having to take tramadol 1-7 days a week, sometimes reaching the max dose/day, owith ral morphine if tramadol isn't enough, diazepam/clonazepam for serious spasms, CBD, pot, and very occasionally (when desperate) a couple of shots of booze. Without the tramadol/morphine and benzos, I'd be homebound most of the time, bedbound and/or in serious pain much of the time, and in agony some of the time. A&E, here I come.

I was on codeine for 6 years (w/ benzos), then tramadol/morphine and benzos for 4 years. I only switched from codeine to tramadol because the codeine wrecked my stomach, and I was ending up at A&E multiple times/year because codeine wasn't controlling the pain of my severe spasms. I've never increased my dose, only ever asked for a prescription early when travelling, going through benefits f*ckery (mental health gets really bad which makes the pain worse), and once when I somehow lost the box of tramadol. It works the same way for me that it always has.

I'm a researcher, but in this case, **** to the research! Opioids keep working for some of us long-term.