How to tell a Pain Doctor you need stronger meds

General
1

Its seems like alot of NL have told me that pain meds dont help Chiari. They believe I shouldnt even be on them. However im taking 3 5/325 Perocets a day. 3 Flexril 10mg a day. Also on Gabapentin 600mg 3 times a day. Nothing is working and the VA finally allowed me to see a doctor outside the VA and pay for it.

My question is how you tell a Pain Management doctor that you need stronger Meds without looking like so called Pill Head. I need something way stronger than what I am on. Hopefully he agrees that Chiari Pain is real and it will be easy. Are there ways in speech to approach a doctor and let him know that you really need something stronger. Thanks

2

I would say be upfront about it. The reality is that the longer your on them the tolerance gets built up. I started at 5mg of Vicodin and over months of that I now take 10/500 of those 3 times a day and have the 10/325 Percs for when the lortab doesn’t help. Granted I’ve been with my same primary dr for 10 years and she knows I am very honest and straight forward with my meds. It might not happen on your first visit but if you keep going and do what the dr suggests and if it isn’t working it isn’t working. Or simply say you’ve been on th same dosage for however long and it isn’t cutting it any more.

I just got mine upped a few weeks ago but again, I’ve been on the samething for a year now. I talked to the nurse and said that I was taking them as I am supposed to but there have been days I needed an extra and I have come close to running out. So they upped the quantity.

Good luck! We all know it sucks! :slight_smile:

3

I just randomly came across this article after I was treated like a "pill head" on a recent trip to the ER. It has some good advice about what doctors look for in drug addicts looking for a fix.

http://patients.about.com/od/painkillerlegalandsafety/a/Pain-Drug-Seeker-Behaviors-Claims-And-Characteristics.htm

Another thing that has helped me is I've been seeing my GP for several years and we've built up a really good rapport. Be kind, ask nicely, come up with alternatives from your own research, and doctors usually respond in kind. :)

4

I have great pain Dr's that understand Chiari and Spine pain and have never had a problem telling them something didn't work. I have never been treated as a pill seeker. Just ask them upfront if they understand Chiari pain and how difficult it is to control Chiari pain and tell them what you have tried......usually new pain Dr's go overboard with pain meds for me.