why did you go off? can you try some other pain med? what about methadone, I dont think you have tried that, or are you against it? take care.

I was thinking the same as honour, I thought you just went on and they were working for you. I would put it on and wait till the week end even in a small dosage they are pretty powerful and I am sure you are experiencing withdrawal.

There would be no way I could work and go through withdrawal and it is going to get worse before better, sorry to have to tell you that but I want you to know what is ahead so you can plan.

Take care my friend

hope your feeling better cherry hugs xxx

There are times I have tried to stop taking the meds. But even the NSAIDS take away enough pain that it is really hard to function with them.'

isnt it sad that we live in this fear?
Do you think there will ever be a time when it feels like it is "worth" all this suffering?

Jeepers, aren't you going to be on ANY pain meds? Why did you wean off? Vicodin is pretty useless for me too.

I think I'd call my doc and tell him that this isn't working!!! That you have to work, and the pain is just too severe! See what he'll do for you.

Best of luck -- it sounds awful! God bless. Hugs, Lee

I had my last appt with a doc I've been seeing for about three years. I explained to her that I wanted to go back to my old clinic in town because I can't do the 25 minute drive in snowstorms and she is so difficult to reach. Sheunderstood and I signed a record's release, left with a script for 2 weeks worth of Vicodin (I already had an appt. for 2 weeks later with a new NP) and a script for 5 12mcg. patches. I told her the Fentanyl was causing too much trouble with my digestie system forthe negligible amount of relief. She was happy to see me trying to take fewer narcotics.

So I had the appt. at he local clinic and found that my records had not been sent. The NP was great, but couldn't prescribe anything without being up to date on my care...grrrrr. She had her nurse call immediately to get this taken care of. This lack of response is the real reason why I left!

On my second day without even the 12 mcg. patch, the pain really hit me. Yesterday afternoon, I put one on since I had 2 left. My pain is more tolerable today, but working is still going to be miserable.

The NP had me make another appt. for 2 weeks away and hopefully my records will have arrived! I only have one more patch and hate to call so soon to ask for a script, but I might need to stay on a low dose, afterall.

This pain management stuff really bites. I hate that I need meds, but have to work. Grrrr

Hugs,
Cherry

We had a doctor who wouldn't forward our records so we told her we were coming to get them ourselves and gave her 3 days to get them ready.

She too left out a lot of the pages, only put test results and a couple of diagnosis.

It was a mess to say the least.

I hope you get better results. They are your records and you are allowed to have a copy for yourself. They can charge a certain fee per page, but not if they send them to a doctor's office.

They hold us hostage, that's the word I have been looking for.

I would go get them and just deal with the drive one more time. No need to be unnecessary pain.

I offered to get them, but the new NP thinks a call from her will make it happen...she obviously isn't familiar with how that clinic is run! I have an appt. tomorrow with someone who works with CP patients on ways to deal with it. The new NP set this up.

I'll ask if my records arrived when I'm there. I think I need to stay on the low dose of Fentanyl.

Thanks, everyone.

Hugs,
Cherry

Sometimes a call from another doc works wonders.

My kids were seeing an orthodontist. He used rubber bands to move teeth?????

One child worn the bands the other did not. And I "covered" treatment plan, the doc calls me in to tell me my kids are "non-compliant". Future appts are necessary. They will be billed at double and ins will not pay.

I complained to my wonderful dentist. How can BOTh be non-compliant? It does not make sense. He made a call.
Suddenly, the child who never wears the rubber bands teeth move too far. Do I think it had anything to do with the bands? NO WAY!

That jerk is still ripping off the parents of some of my kids friends. IN COLLEGE!

It was the call from my dentist that saaved my kids years of pain and being ripped off.

Hang in there. It is always darkest just before the dawn. (That is really because once you see light you suddenly realize how dark it was. LOL)

Wow, Sunny! What a rotten crook. Glad you got him!

I'm glad I'll be at my clinic tomorrow so I can check on records and ask for another script for the Fentanyl in the smallest dose. I do feel better today because of it. I never thought it would hit me as hard as it did yesterday.

I just finished a busy morning of work...so I'm hurting again. Oh well...getting used to it, I guess.

You have a legal right to look at your own file. They cannot keep it from you. You'll have to read the file while you're there, so leave yourself enough time to go through the whole thing. Good luck Cherry.

Cherry,

Why did you stop using the patch? If you did this without medical advise, you can go into withdrawals, and besides, a Doctor has to do the wheening with you, doing it without a Doctor is a dangerous thing.

One thing, I don't understand how the Fentanyl is affecting your stomach, the patch goes directly into your bloostream and it bypasses the liver and GI systems, so maybe something else is causing your stomach issues, and not the patch.

Cherry,
I admire your wanting and successfully lowering your narcotic intake. I will be following your post about your withdrawal so that I can learn about your experience.
I'm agreeing with you that you need to be on the lowest level of Fentanyl a little longer.
I'm curious about the someone that helps you deal with CP. Is this like a psychologist or social worker? This new doctor sounds very thorough.
Wishing you the best of luck

I got a call that they had to cancel my appt. with the person who helps you cope with CP. They did, however get my records! They want me to come back Friday for another appt. with the Nurse Practitioner I just saw on Monday...hmmm. She must have some ideas?

I'll talk to her about staying on the low dose of Fentanyl since I found out that it does seem to make a little difference. I was weaning off under my old doc's supervision. I know better than to mess with this stuff by myself.