Expert: Caroline West - 12/14/2008

Question
Hello,

I am a 29 year old who really has more health issues than a 70 year old. I have had 13 surgeries and the more serious ones were 3 years ago with 2 back surgeries in one year with the last one leaving me with plates in my back, another is 2 shoulder surgeries, and about 6 months ago I had no choice but to get a hystarectomy. Needless to say I have been on every pain killer there is and my doctor said I will be probably forever due to my back and now having another herniated disc in which cant be repaired.I live in pain daily and with all the rehab shows I thought I would email you what I take daily to get your opinion.Sometimes people tend to overperscribe and I wanted to see if I should be worried about any of these.Let me say also that I am bi polor or that is what they said, but I really think it could do more with all the surgeries I have had going up and down with moods.Anyway here is what i take:

~Morphine Sestained Release 15mg ~1x daily
~Percocet 10 as needed during day (usually take about 2 a day
~Effexor Xr 150mg ~1xday
~Seroquel 400mg 1xdaily
~Klonopin (used to sleep & as needed for panic)1-2 x day
~Levoxyl .50mcg 1xday
~Benedryl (to help with itching from pain meds up to 4 a day

That is all. I wanted to see what you thought about the meds and doses. Understand that I am in a very serious amount of pain daily.Thanks for any help.

Beth


Answer
Hi Beth,my heart truly goes out to you and I will answer your questions with honesty and draw upon personal experience and learned knowledge to help you the best I can. I am not a doctor but as I said I do have experience and any advice I give you,if need be you must talk to your doctor first.

To me the medicines your taking that you listed are definitely right for you and your various conditions and I don't think you are being over medicated as each has a special function.(which you know so I wont list them one by one).

Regarding Bi-Polar-yes it could be linked to your on going pain and the doctors would not diagnose you if they did not believe you have it. Taking Effexor and Seroquel is right and the Klonopin is right also. They are all helping relieve the symptoms of Bi-Polar which I will mention can usually only be controlled with drugs as its created by chemical imbalances in the brain. Yes the ongoing pain may have been a contributing factor along with genes-Its complicated but don't worry and I assure you that you are on the right meds.

You said that you had an Hysterectomy so taking Levoxyl is again the right thing to do to help stabilize your hormones.

For the pain:I just want to quickly add that taking Benedryl is just an anti-histamine to relieve itching which opiate based meds cause so I wouldn't worry about that one. You are on probably one of the highest forms of pain relief and I am glad they have given you two different ones as each will act slightly different to the other.Now please check this with your doctor but what I found with pain medication is that the body eventually becomes tolerant to it and it starts having less effect and what I found was to swap pain meds around(only by your doctor)for a while and then go back onto what you were taking before-PLEASE CHECK THIS WITH YOUR DOCTOR.

So as for your medication I think you are taking exactly whats right for you and I will advise,which you probably do.is keep in regular contact with your healthcare professionals.

I want you to look up on the Internet for additional,natural,non medicine,pain relief treatments. I'm sure there are organizations that can offer this type of help. It could be things like doing regular relaxation exercises(and they do help)and meditation.Find out about Acupuncture(again check first with your doctor)Ask questions when you next see your pain management doctor.Get proactive as you have done by writing to me,look things up on the web,find out about alternative treatments etc...but please only enquire about your pain and not the Bi-Polar.Your pain unfortunately wont go away but there are little things you can do to help ease it-meditation is really helpful and I highly recommend it.Get CD's off the web,type in meditation in the search engine-it can help.

Just to summarize-my opinion is that you are on all the right meds,keep in regular contact with your Doctors,show them this reply if you like regarding all the points I've outlined and recommendations and keep asking questions and keep being pro-active.

You are a brave lady and I salute you for all that you have been through and your still fighting. I wish you nothing but the best and if you want to ask anything more I am more than happy to help you. Take care and keep going.

Peace and best wishes, Caroline