Pain Meds - dosage reduced without discussing

Fionne

I have spinal stenosis, have been in a lot of pain for about 15 months now. I was initially on Difene, then switched to Solpadol and Naprosyn in February. When I collected my last prescription, I'd been given only 40 Solpadol for the month instead of 60. I take 2 in the morning so this meant I'd have only enough for 20 days out of the 30. When I rang my GP and he eventually rang me back, then asked "Why are you taking those?" as if he couldn't read my file and see why, he told me that they are under pressure to get people off them. When I said he might have checked why I was on them and discussed with me the idea of reducing the dosage, he said "Don't be getting excited, I'll send the prescription through for the other 20" and hung up. To say I was furious is an understatement.

I am barely managing to cope with taking the 2 in the morning, they mean I can get out of bed and get dressed and, if I'm lucky, last me as far as lunchtime at work. After that, I'm often in such pain I end up kneeling under the desk. (My spinal stenosis means I haven't been able to sit without pain since July 21).

I'd love to not be on pain meds! I get no kick out of them, believe me.

My phone alerted me this morning that I'm due to order my prescription. I really don't want to have to deal with the same issue again. I'm facing surgery on my back on Friday next and an emotional wreck over it as it is. I don't think I can handle another confrontation with the GP. It's been 11 years since my precious back surgery but I think they sent me home that time with pain meds and I've enough to keep me going until Friday if that's the case. I'm having to be done as a day case due to lack of beds so will be discharged after 4 hours according to the nurse who did my pre-op assessment on the phone last week. No Covid test required either. Surely they will send me home with pain meds since normal procedure for this surgery would be to keep me until next morning or would I still have to get them via GP?

Graces7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058267830/pain-meds-dosage-reduced-without-discussing

((HUGS)))nBeen there and been treated like that many times and it causes terrible angst and pain.

There is a thread on codeine here? It is that they are stopping.

Yes it is opioids abuse they are being pressured to cut. But they need to ensure and differentate between legitimate need and abuse. For me codeine is the only pain meds that has any effect and enables me to stay mobile as with you

I am on Tylex, equivalent to Solpadol and every now and then thsi has happened. with no clinical evaluation. Then they attibibute our upset to withdrawal.

An dwith no contact with previous GP. ie no clinical input.

Last time this happened I Made A Fuss . It was when I had moved and they had not bothered to even contact my previous excellent GP ( I have CFS /ME, and various very painful problems with muscles and joints and need effectvie pain relief to stay mobile. YOU know)

it took months to sort it and I was buying solpadeine etc.

Then I managed to contact my previous GP who had retired and all was well. I needed to upgrade to 6 a day and no real problems now, although I dread asking for my next prescription every month.

I did along the way make a formal complaint to HSE. Little overt reaction but things got easier then. Effective pain releif is a right and a human need. it is worth exprssing your concenr in writing.

Tell the hospital your concerns. and maybe a letter to your GP?

And all good wishes for your surgery. And if you want to pm I am here.

Fionne

Thank you. I am beyond frustrated with how my GP has behaved on this and so many other issues but I'm stuck with them because nobody is taking on new patients it seems.

I wonder if they had a week of feeling the kind of pain we have if they would be as quick to cut off the pain meds.

Graces7

I know. And what your GP clearly does not seem to know is that codeine needs to be tapered .. The main concern is that it is being abused by folk seeking a "high" which is why even the lesser solpadeine has to be questioned in pharmacies. Same formula but far less codeine

My new GP when I came here and needed to renew chanted!" I will prescribe paracetemol,, I will not prescribe opiates"

Without referring to my notes which he did not even have.

My former GP was excellent. Used to give me three months scrips and when I started asking a few days early just upgraded without being asked. He did see me trading at the street market in town and knew my mobility issues..

they can be so blind where our suffering is concerned.

Way back before I came to Ireland my GP suddenly told me they were stopping all pain meds as he had read a paper saying that pain meds caused headaches,,

I quietly asked what I was supposed to do about pain - and all was OK.

TherapyBoy

Surely they will send me home with pain meds since normal procedure for this surgery would be to keep me until next morning or would I still have to get them via GP?

Tell them you’ll need enough to tide you over & get a script from the Doctor who discharges you. Don’t assume this will happen naturally, until you get the drugs/script keep asking for them.

Graces7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119763188#Comment_119763188

Excellent advice.

apache

Yeah make sure you have a prescription before you leave. It's going to be rough going home the day of your operation. You should really be staying overnight. Best of luck with it. Let us know how you get on.

Fionne

All went well. Had the op at 9 or at least that's when I was last conscious and woke around 11.30. Had my tea and toast about 1, god it was yummy.

So far, pain is OK. I got a prescription for Keral which is an anti inflammatory and Oxycodone but only to take that if I absolutely need to. So far, I haven't needed to. (It's now 2am so 15 hours since I woke up)

I left the hospital at 5pm. Walking is a bit stiff and I did find getting in and out of the car difficult as it was hard to work out how to do it without pulling on stitches or twisting but the good news is I already have no pain when I sit down which has been my main issue since July 2021.

apache

That's great news FonE. Glad everything went well. Try and stay away from the oxy. I had a terrible problem with them after my spinal fusion.

Graces7

Excellent news! You were not forgotten here.