oh my god i could seriously hug you right now. i'm dealing with army docs too, and they do *not* like giving any meds other than something stupid like tylenol. i feel like its probably all doctors, but i know exactly what you're dealing with army wise. the gyno i was seeing told me to see my PCM for a referral to see a pain specialist. long story short, i saw a doctor and they didn't want to give a referral to me "since i'm so young" (20 wtf) and "you'll become addicted and maybe one day get pregnant then your baby will be addicted and you won't stop.."etc. its ridiculous. i have another appointment to see another doctor (can't see my stupid PCM because he's on leave) who hopefully will write me a prescription, or give me a referral for a pain specialist.
i have a bottle of hydrocodone too, and its slowly running out. it works the best for me though! i put it as, i use the medicine i have, try to get more, and in the meantime if i run out, hospital here i come. and they can deal with my bitchy-ness and pain! haha.

not everyone is a drug addict. some people (like us!) legit need pills that strong. so far, i haven't been able to find a doctor that understands. i wish you all the luck in the world :)

Wow!!! Glad to know I am not alone in this!! That is crazy that they would say if you get addicted yer baby will suffer and yer life will suck. Haha. It is rediculous!! My PCM just keeps sending me to the gyno....oh yeah, and since I am in Germany, for any type of specalist we have to drive an hour away to near where Ramstien AB is!! So, it is not very convient to go. My doc just doen't have a CLUE what Endo is, & I miss a lot of work having to drive all that way for the gyno to suggest yet ANOTHER birth control!! I should ask them about seeing pain management. It is funny how you mention when you run out you have to go to the hospital...I do the same thing, but this is why that option SUCKS: if I have a day where I am out of meds, I go to sick call. They say there are no appoitments. I go to a German hospital...Germans do NOT give you ANY form of pain medication!!! I went in for a cyst that burst & they gave me saliene solution! WTF?! Painkillers are illegal in Germany. SO, if I actually need pain meds I have to drive that hour to get to the Army hospital, and who the heck wants to drive that long when yer hurting that bad??? I cannot WAIT to be back in the states! Thank you for the support-again, glad to know someone is in the same boat who understands the lack of common sense in the Army. Haha.

I am not feeling great, and now this post makes me want to go pop a pill (lol) I have a little stash that I am hoarding as I know it will be hard to refill the script.
Interestingly enough, my hubbie is writing legislation (for his company) to limit people's ability to receive pain meds. Did you know that there are more deaths in the US from overdoses on pain meds, then car crashes? My dad reminded me that some probably got hit by a car first...sick sense of humor I know.
So the laws are getting tough. In addition, there have been a number of studies that show that long term use of Vicodin for chronic pain actually makes the pain worse. I am not saying not to use them, just be cautious. Also, know why the docs are so nervous...if only they were better communicators. Your baby will be addicted? MF.
Don't they know endo is supposed to decrease in intensity after we are prego (giggles).

That is ironic that your dad says you are more likely to get hit by a car!! Just my luck lol. I have been on & off just about every kind of narcotic, nerve number, muscle relaxer & everything in between because of that arm. I have figured out a great way to relieve the pain with potentially addicting pills without getting addicted...don't take them everyday! I usually break them in half and I don't take them when i am chilling on my couch on the weekends...they are really only useful when I am at work. Heck, one time I found a whole bottle of percocet leftover from one of my arm surgeries & it took me like 2 months to use them lol!! I am glad you posted about the effects of addiction, because (especially for people like us who are screwed with Endo pain!) there is a real risk of becoming addicted. I figure if I use them as a last resort (and during those dreaded peroids) I am doing better than actually relying on then 24/7. That can go bad. Actually, after my 2nd arm surgery, I was dating a guy (idiot of a guy) Jonn. Jonn liked to borrow my pain medication. For god's sake, I JUST had surgery & he was begging me for a pill!! Well, I broke up with him 2 and a half years ago (thankfully I have my amazing husband Clint!!) and now he smokes oxycotton...SMOKES it!! I am super happy I have NEVER gotton to that level =D

Also, good point on being preggo...the Endo is supposed to be 'taking a break'no pain meds needed! Plus, if you get preggo while have Endo, I highly doubt yer going to be poppin' pain killers knowing the extreme danger to the little one...it is half a miracle for some of us to even get pregnant!! Lol.

oh yeah trust me i know. the doctor was a total bitch. she just looked at me, immediately decided that i was lying and a drug addict, or that i would become one, if i was to get pregnant id stay addicted and kill my child. yeahhhhh right... on a positive note that doctor no longer works at the hospital :D &i ration the hell out of the pills i have, because i know soon theyll be gone and itll probably be hospital trip time for me.

I am in a somewhat similar position, but not really, because it's not as dire as your ladies' positions. My doctor is out of town for two weeks, and I'm running really short on my medicine. My pain is horrible, so I really need my medication. I am waiting to hear back from the nurse at his office to see if another doctor will write out a short prescription for me (four phone calls later I've finally made progress) but obviously going to the ER is always an option.

I'm just wondering, if I did end up going to the ER, what would I even tell them? I'm out of my pain medicine, are you able to give me some? I would probably bring my empty bottles with me, I just have a strong feeling that the doctor would see me as an addict and kick me out. Though the other staff at the hospital (where my doctor is) has never really given me a hard time about my medication, I just hear so many horror stories about doctors and medication.

I truly hope you guys find relief very soon. There are good doctors out there. Don't forget about your diet and relaxation, and trying to take control of the pain before it takes control of you. I know that sounds way easier that actually doing it, but our minds are very powerful and we can provide some relief for ourselves when we don't have our medicine that we absolutely deserve to take down our pain. Thanks for sharing your stories and being so supportive :-) I'm happy to have this place.

shesbittersweet: What a bitchy doc! Good thing she is no longer there. I do the same when it comes to rationing the medication.

betseylove: I feel you!! I would think when you go to the ER, tell them you have Endo and you are having a really bad flare up, and say your pain level is a 9 or 10 or something like that. Then if they say what meds are you on tell then what you are out of & say that it usually works. Just make sure you emphazise how bad the pain is!! I would imangine if they know what Endo is they won't think your a crazed drug addict =D & I haven't tried that meditation thing-it has worked for me when I did competive shooting to slow my heart rate down, so I would imangine you can make your body think you aren't in pain with the same technique...thanks!!! Good luck with yer doctor!

UPDATE-got an appoitment tomorrow!!! That was a super lucky chance here! NOW, if I can just get my doc to listen to me...wish me luck that I won't have to be in pain until the gyno visit next week!

I am glad I saw your post. I had a laparoscopy (second one in 2 years) last week and I am allergic to vicodin, tramadol, poppy seeds, codeine, anything related to opium. I tried to work a full day yesterday and paid for it at 4 am when I woke up with sharp pains in my right ovary and lower ab area. I felt like someone was stabbing me with a knife repeatedly in that area. I cried and about puked. I finally got a hold of a pharmacist who said that Demerol would not likely cause anaphylaxis, so I'm trying to convince my doctor to rx. it for me... I have found, because of my allergies, that a few herbal things can help- anything with wild lettuce leaf in it works like opium (vicodin)- like Revitalizing Sleep from health stores, which contains wild lettuce leaf. Also try turmeric w/ botsweila extract, pau d' arco bark (make a tea w/ it, steep for 20 min)... these things CAN help mod to severe pain. And I know Germans love natural health stores- that's where a lot of the studies on these products were conducted. But when it's that near suicide severe pain, docs need to be compassionate and have a heart! I'm 26 and have heard the same adages about addiction over and over again. I hope you get your meds and feel better- I am going through the same thing, state side here in Michigan.