dont_know
Stranger
Reged: 02/23/05
Posts: 14
|
|
Hello, first post here, been lurking around for the past few weeks. Basicly, I have a few questions on if I could get any sort of treatment from any of the online sites. Basicly, I'd like to just give a rundown of my medical history quick and see if anyone thinks my records would suffice.
There is two problems that I have suffered from for quite a long time in my life. The first one is lower back pain, which I have had since I can really remember. It is something that I have gone to the doctor off and on when I was much younger, also went to a chiroprator from age 14 until about 16. Now I am 21 and have not gone to the doctor about this problem for about two years, in which I had x-rays and a basic doctor visit, where my only advice was to excerise more (some help).
The other problem is frequent migraines. This also has been a problem for me for a very long time, about ten years now. Only recently did I ever go to the doctor about it, about two weeks ago. I get them about three times a week now, so very frequent. My doctor put me on imitrex and inderal, immitrex didn't help so he had me try zomig, that did nothing so he told me to just take asprin..
Are these the kind of things I could get any help on? Also I have never had a prescription for any type of pain medication for this, only time I did was when my wisdom teeth were pulled and i had a script for hydrocodone, which obviously helped the rest of my problems but I doubt this counts as much meaningful information to a doctor.
One final questions, and I know this post is lengthy already.  I just got off the phone from my local hospital on getting my medical records, she told me I wouldn't get them for about 30 days. Is there anyway to get a script for a month and then present the records after? If not, that isn't too big of a deal, curious nonetheless though.
Thanks for any help
|
TXR
Member
Reged: 02/27/03
Posts: 108
Loc: East Coast
|
|
You can use a no records OP and get hydro -- which is what I assume you want.
If you want to go with a records OP and get cheaper prices, refills and higher pill counts, you'll need recent (less than a year usually) records showing you've seen a doctor for your pain.
I would strongly suggest going the back pain route. Migraines in my experience (particularly with Imitrex, Relpax, Maxalt etc. out now) are not a surefire way to get a doc to write for hydro or other narcotics. And frankly for me, the triptan drugs work better anyway on migraines than do the narcotics.
So go see a doc about your back, get a copy of the records showing the exam and the pain and use Your Online Doctor, Norcoworldwide or another ROP.
And you can forget about the wisdom teeth thing -- saying hey it helped me out.
Point is this -- you need records that show you were seen by a real doctor fairly recently for a specific serious pain issue -- back is very convincing normally.
Edited by TXR (02/28/05 12:55 PM)
|
Markb98
Stranger
Reged: 01/08/05
Posts: 12
|
|
NWW will send 1 scrip with consult over the phone then you nsend your records and a picture id
|
lincoona
Enthusiast
Reged: 11/24/04
Posts: 251
|
|
You are so young, I would try to stay away from the serious narcotic painkillers like hydrocodone unless all else fails. I know migraines can be debilitating, and have no help to offer there, but perhaps other sufferers will have some suggestions here besides hydro. You can get really hooked quite quickly on hydro, then it becomes an expensive habit.
For the lower back, exercise really will help, low-impact like walking and stretching. Naproxen works really well for my back pain and I use Tramadol for breakthrough pain. You don't say how you hurt it, but your PCP should be able to refer you to an ortho for an MRI and diagnosis.
I'm not being judgmental here, but I ask you to reconsider your choice to self-medicate with hydrocodone. It can be hell.
|
Markb98
Stranger
Reged: 01/08/05
Posts: 12
|
|
I totaly agree with you on staying off hydro if anyway at all possible me been on them since 96 I hope you consider another route to take
Mark
|
dont_know
Stranger
Reged: 02/23/05
Posts: 14
|
|
Thanks for the advice, I never really decided a route to go one way or another, that was just the only thing I had really tried as far as pain relief goes. Any other suggestions then that would still do the trick but not as strong/addicting?
|
Steena
Stranger
Reged: 01/21/05
Posts: 11
Loc: Deep South
|
|
You say that you have migraines--did your doctor say what type? I suffer from those too and narcotics usually give me a rebound headache.
However, my husband suffers from cluster headaches. You can set your watch by them. They come at the same time of day usually for several weeks, and then they stop. Your doctor telling you to just try aspirin is unacceptable. YELL at his sorry butt.  It sounds like you need to see a neurologist, because they will be willing to help you. There are so many medicines to try, don't give up, and your stupid doctor shouldn't either.
I agree with the others about using the back pain for a diagnosis with OPs. Like I said, a lot of docs don't like to give narcotics for headaches because it causes rebound--even tylenol can do it.
There are several NROPs that will send you meds without records, but they cost more than a Records OP.
Send me a PM if you want to chat about headaches. Unfortunately I've become an expert. Hope yours get really better soon. 
|
dont_know
Stranger
Reged: 02/23/05
Posts: 14
|
|
Thanks for the reply Steena. I get classic migraines, the one with the aura that is quite a pain in of itself. Not being able to see worth anything for a good thirty minutes is pretty bad, and seems to come at the worst times, ie driving. I've heard from quite a few people around me that I should try a neurologist, which I will some day, but I do not have any insurance at this point and I can imagine that would be quite costly. Thanks for the advice though, I do appreciate it.
|
curious
Member
Reged: 03/14/03
Posts: 190
|
|
I don't know if this will help but my friend gets migranes pretty often and does not like to take the medication prescribed for her because of the side effects so for the most part if she can catch it before it gets to bad, at the onset she takes 800 mgs. of ibuprofen and she says it sometimes helps but not always so that's one thing to try. Also, my daughter gets migranes occasionally and the doc prescribed Imitrex. She took one pill and freaked out, she said it felt like her face was melting so since then as soon as she feels one coming on I give her exedrin and it seems to do the trick, the only thing is is that I'm not totally convinced that her headaches are actually migranes even though the doctor seems to think they are. Can't hurt to try before you get started on something that you may regret. Also, my stepsister gets migranes accasionally and the other day she felt one coming on so she took 1 Norco 10/325, when that didn't help she took another and the migrane continued to get worse so she took another and the next thing you know she was in a full blown migrane so the hydrocodone only seemed to make it worse. Just thought I'd share that info, hope it can be of use to you.
Curious
|
vic7
Member
Reged: 01/17/04
Posts: 136
Loc: Buckeye Country
|
|
I guess I am different, I went to Urgent care one saturday morning with a terrible Migraine HA and was prescribed Percocet and it helped quite a bit. I followed up later with my normal Dr. and she said Percocet was a bit much for migraines, but said Vicodin is well tolerated and is prescribed a lot for Migraines. After several failed attempts at other meds; She scripted Hydro 5/500 and Ultram when not as severe.
I went to another Urget care months later one weekend and I took the empty bottles to show the attending Physician what I have took and what worked. Imitrex, Midrin, and various OTC's did not do much at all for me. He looked at the bottles and after talking a bit said the best thing would be to refill the medication that worked before. But to my surprise instead of another Hydro 5/500 he scripted Percocet. Surprised I asked him if it was the same as what I took before; he replied " Yes they just have many different names for these medications" Surprised indeed diferent names yes but Hydro and Oxy ARE different; I am not sure what he was thinking but at least it helped my pain though it did cuase more nausea so I would have preferred the Hydro...
Anyhow I find Hydrocodone to work the best for my Migraines, and knock on wood I really havent experienced the rebound effect others sometimes experience.
|
Steena
Stranger
Reged: 01/21/05
Posts: 11
Loc: Deep South
|
|
When I was in my late 20's, I had to go to the ER each time I had a migraine. The pain was so intense and would make me throw up for hours. They would give me a shot of something and send me home. Luckily I don't have to go to the ER anymore when they come on, but I still feel like I'm going to die. They totally wipe me out!
I had one ER doc tell me not to drink any diet drinks or use equal, which has helped. My hubby also found an herbal remedy called Feverfew which helps sometimes. One thing I have learned is that everyone is completely different when it comes to migraines. My Mom had them in her 30's and would totally lose her vision, but didn't have pain--talk about weird.
Go with what works for you, and fight for it with the docs, that's all that I can say. Good luck to you, Don't Know.
|
lmay769
Member
Reged: 03/14/04
Posts: 160
Loc: beautiful Rocky Mountains
|
|
I saw a neurologist for about 5 years for my headaches, both migraine and cluster, and depending upon how often you get migraines they can put you on a daily medication(prophylactic) to prevent them. I was on elavil for several years which made them fewer and farther between and imitrex. However, I also suffered from Basil migraines (if you've ever had one of those you know what hell is really like) and Imitrex or the equivalant is not recommended for this type of migraine so he prescribed Xanax and Fiorinal to take at the very first indication of this type of migraine. For my cluster headaches he prescribed Darvocet but said not to take it too often because of the rebound effect that the others have spoken of. Luckily these headaches have pretty much subsided other than the occasional one so I know longer see him.
|
lmay769
Member
Reged: 03/14/04
Posts: 160
Loc: beautiful Rocky Mountains
|
|
Replying to myself I would definitely recommend seeing a specialist because I don't think most PCP's realize how extreme the pain of these headaches are or how much they can affect your life.
|
Diamondice
Newbie
Reged: 12/21/04
Posts: 28
|
|
Don't know,
I know where you are coming from with the back pain at such an early age, Mine started when I was 21, don't know how it started, might have been my obsession with riding horses (and being thrown off, trampled or what have you lol, been there done that) at age 8 until a few years ago, (41 now)but I wasn't treated properly at that age.(ie: MRI, Cat scan etc) because my doctor/doctors just didn't think at that age I should have back pain? I went to several doctors, Urgent cares and emergency rooms throughout the years, never ONCE did anyone precribe those much needed tests, I had insurance, that wasn't even an issue. I'm sure doctors take back pain more seriously though now than they did 20 years ago or are more knowledgeable. I am not sure what an X rays can even show for back problems. My regular doctor, a scary hungarian man with a heavy accent LOL would bend me over, give me two shots in the lower back and say, Okay, touch your toes, touch your toes, you're all better now and frankly I was worse when I left because of those Toe touches when I could barely stand up straight to begin with. Eventually the pain got better through bed rest and a heating pad with a damp towel wrapped around it until the next time and this continued for the next 16 years,(There were times when I could not even lift my eight pound babies and my last child, now 6, basically has never had a mom that could lift her after she turned a year old) but I stopped going to the doctors because I feared I would hear the same bull.
If your back pain is severe enough, or even just a bit troublesome more days than not please DEMAND these tests. My back is so messed up now and I believe maybe, just maybe if I had been treated properly all those years ago it wouldn't be as bad as it is now and I might not have needed those surgeries because I indeed made it all worse with my physical Job as an Equine Assistant all those years and all my horse back riding activities. As a result of all those doctors telling me I "pulled a muscle" or what ever their prognosis was at the time I am now pretty much in hell with the back pain even though I have had several surgeries to "correct" all the different issues> Those doctors never prescribed anything more than a motrin and I DO thank them for that, because I couldn't imagine having started taking a narcotic at that young age and possibly becoming dependant. Get a proper diagnosis before you take any action on your own as far as self medicating for your lower back pain. Just trust me on this one. Try anything else first, but get those tests done hon! The pain we suffer is bad enough, The [censored] we have to go through to get the medication is another and then our bodies need for it after being on it even for short periods of time is yet another. Everyone is different in that aspect. Not to mention our regular doctors/my specialist/surgeon, even though they SEE your Cat scans, they know your troubles, they have done the surgeries but STILL give you a hard time about refilling our Hydro. Man, Its doggy dog! After all these years I have yet to find a good doctor that cares about his patients and their quality of life when living with Chronic pain. I would give almost anything for one, just one pain free day.
|
dont_know
Stranger
Reged: 02/23/05
Posts: 14
|
|
Thanks again for all the replies. So many helpful people and I always like to hear the suggestions. From PMs and posts it seems the verdict is I should try to keep going the doctor route, and I think I will do just that. However it will have to wait a month or two, when I should have insurance again. (somewhat inbetween jobs, have one but a [censored] one without any real benefits)
Again though, thanks for advice and help.
|
4Now
Member
Reged: 07/24/02
Posts: 138
Loc: USA
|
|
Please, I'm begging you! Don't get started on opioids!(hydro)...Please find another solution...I've read that this will not help your headache, and could possibly increase your pain!...(addiction free is the way to be, just look at pitiful me!
|
dsmmcm
Old Hand
Reged: 11/08/03
Posts: 411
Loc: southwest US
|
|
I can only address the headache issue. I, thankfully, don't have any back pain issues.
For serious headaches, as other have said, forget about PCP's. But if you're not getting relief, you really need to see a headache specialist. These are neurologists that are experts in headaches. You will be amazed at the difference between a regular neurologist and a specialist. If you goal is to get hydro, forget my advice. No reputable physician will treat chronic headaches with opiates. They are not a viable long term solution. But a good headache specialist CAN help get things under control. There are literally dozens of drugs that can be used. Unfortunately, you really have to be in a major metropolitan area to find one of these specialists. I wish you all the best. I was totally incapacitated by a 24x7 headache, but I now back on my feet because I found a really good headache specialist.
|
bnhawk
Stranger
Reged: 02/08/04
Posts: 1
|
|
I've suffered from chronic cluster headaches for over 20 years. I've tried more drugs than I can count including opiates. Last spring my neurologist prescribed zomig nasal spray. It's a triptan like imitrex and it worked for me.
It costs about $20 a snort but when the headaches come, it's worth ten times that much.
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit 
Reply 
Quote 
