I NEED SOME HELP PLEASE!!!!

[Waydwnsouth1]

Tonight was a horrible night at home. When I got home from working a 10 hour day my DW was FURIOUS with me for going to my GP to get an in between script for my pain meds until my pharmacy gets my usual pain med in. This morning while I was trying to sit and get some rest before going to work the pain in my legs was so bad I was nauseated. I couldn't think straight and I knew I wouldn't be able to work with that kind of pain. I knew then I had to go to my GP.
My DW proceeds to tell me tonight that she is tired of being married to someone who is always taking some kind of narcotic. I tried to explain to her how severe the pain is and that the med I take is the only thing that will control it. I guess at this point I should say I take MS-Contin. 100mg up to 3x a day. But anyway, she was so angry she wasn't having any of the explanation.

I GOOGLED for articles to describe just how severe MS pain can be but I could really find anything. Oh, I might add this comes on the heels of her talking to my Neuro about my pain and the meds I take for it just YESTERDAY!! He explained to how severe it is and her suggestion of a Pain Management Clinic would be a waste of time and money.
I hate to make sound like I have a hateful wife because I don't. I know she is just concerned but her way of talking about things is with anger.
So, my question is does anyone know of an article that gives a good description of just how severe MS pain can be? My pain is restricted to my legs only. I'm hoping of I can find an article for her to read she MAY have a better understanding. That's my hope anyway. Thanks for bearing with me and this long post. Any help will be GREATLY APPRECIATED!! I'm at my wits end. Thanks.

[HobbitHead]

Does your doc give you anything besides the avonex?

[HobbitHead]

I guess what I wanted to ask is if there might be other drugs that can help with the nerve pain, so you wouldn't have to rely so heavily on the rest?

Is there a reason why she is against you taking pain meds? Maybe there is an underlying reason.

I would suggest that she read one of the interviews with Montel Williams where he talks about his leg pain being so bad that he contemplated suicide. The down side of that is she will probably want you to juice every vegetable in sight and expect you to feel better.

[trevvian]

Most of what I've read about MS pain seems to downplay it...which is too bad.

Is there a deeper issue here? I believe you mentioned thinking about whether she might need some additional support & maybe this is a good example of that.

It seems like there might be a larger issue than proving you're in pain, especially since the neuro talked to her about it.

Is she concerned about dependence on pain meds? Or do the side effects of them have other impacts on your life that she's concerned about?

I had a counselor once who used to say, "hurting people hurt people." Maybe she's hurting, seeing you in pain & doesn't know what to do. I know I react with anger sometimes when I feel helpless.

I'm not sure if that made any sense or was helpful. You're in a tough spot...hope it gets better!

[rdmc]

Who usually prescribes your pain med? If your neuro usually prescribes it, and you went to a different doc in between in order to get more than your GP usually givess you for a month...then I could see how that might bother her.

Why didn't you call the neuro for more pain med if he neuro was the one who usualy prescribes? And if the scenario is that you went to the GP when the neuro usually prescribes the med, then you need to tell your neuro that you didn't have enough pain med to last you a month.

Dr's are under a lot of pressure these days prescribing pain meds, and pain clinics take up the slack when Dr's feel they can't manage your pain.

Your wife was probably just concerned.

As to your pain, what kind of pain is it. If it's neuropathic, pain pills may bot do the trick...you might need a different type of pill to help with the pain. Something like neuronti. If it's from spasticity, maybe a higher dose of anti spasaticity or a baclofen pump night help.

I know MS causes pain, and that pain needs to be treated...I also know that if you're having to go to a different doc, in between your prescription being refilled, you may need another approach.

Hope you find a way to manage the pain.s

[AnneLouise]

my DW was FURIOUS with me for going to my GP to get an in between script for my pain meds until my pharmacy gets my usual pain med in.

My DW proceeds to tell me tonight that she is tired of being married to someone who is always taking some kind of narcotic. .

Why would she be "furious" for you getting pain meds til your pharmacy gets a new supply? If you're in pain, you need relief. Maybe she's worried you will become addicted? I don't know what MS-Contin is. A Pain Management clinic might be what you need. They might have more ways of managing your pain. And keep a closer eye?

Personally, I would be concerned if my spouse said "tired of being married". In any sentence, about anything.

[Waydwnsouth1]

Thanks for the replies. My GP writes all my scripts. The only reason I had this script filled is because the pharmacy was out of my normal meds. I have tried everything before resort to the heavy stuff. I have been on Baclofen, Neurontin, even tried lathes doses of Magnesium all to no avail. I would love nothing more than to stop taking any meds for the pain. The meds don't have any affect on my daily life I function *** normal. I don't know what the answer is. I'm about to start Tysabri so hopefully that will help. Here's to hoping for the best.

[KateA2]

I think there are intracathal (direct to spinal fluid) pain medicines if nothing else works, but they require a pump be installed surgically. First try or perhaps carbamazepine + gabapentin combo. When I have TN that is intractable, high dose gabapentin and a tiny amount of OxyContin (5 mg!) works wonders...it can take a few weeks to build a therapeutic dose of neural pain meds, perhaps go to a pain specialist and see?

[Jules A]

The meds don't have any affect on my daily life I function *** normal. .

Unfortunately opiates have not been shown to be effective in managing chronic pain or improve function long term and they absolutely do affect daily function regardless of how legitimate and severe the pain may be. At the very least the use of these medications is causing marital strife and I would imagine there is a reason that your wife is upset.

A GP is not the provider, imo, who should be prescribing a complicated pain regimen. At some point, they almost always will drop the patient as they realize there is a problem as the patient starts "running out" of medications early and insisting on needing more. Eventually the GP will become scared, as they well should, and dump the problem they have created on another provider either a psychiatrist or a pain specialist or sometimes attempting a taper and firing the patient.

An ethical pain specialist would be a better option before it gets out of hand. Counseling either individual and/or couples therapy might be helpful also.

[Waydwnsouth1]

Let me say I NEVER run out of my meds early. I am always right on time or even a few days after just depending. Just in this case I was out in time and the pharmacy was out of my meds.
My GP and Neuro happen to be friends and they communicate about my case regularly. My Neuro knows every med I'm on and why. He will usually write the script fax a copy to my GP and my GP will refill since he is more convenient for me. So I am not doing unethical or wrong. I am very cautious about my medications. I take each and every one of them as prescribed.
Since my post she and I have had a wonderful talk and we both have a better have a better understanding of where we both are coming from and how we feel. Thank you all for the replies and suggestions.