Pain pills not enough. What can I do?

[Daina]

I would like to know what other ICers do when the pain is so bad that pills don't help. Do you go to the doc and get a pain shot or go to the hospital and get admitted? I am having one of those days. The last shot I got from my gp was mostly phenergan. It put me to sleep but when I woke the pain was not any better. Please help!!

[ICNJess]

I think if your pain gets worse a trip to the e.r. might be good. Tell them that the shot didn't help, maybe they can give you something different. Also, do you have a UTI possibly?

When my pain meds don't cut it, I curl up with the heating pad or go to the e.r. Sometimes I find that I am very dehydrated and drinking more water seems to help.

Good luck, I hope you feel better soon!

grouphug grouphug

[CoyoteMystro]

Well for times like now, I just wait it out unless it becomes so bad I can't take it anymore, than I just go to ER and see if they can do anything, which they usually don't, they just give me a shot in the arse.

Sorry pills are not working for you, I know what you mean. My 10MG Lortabs don't even touch my bladder pains anymore.

[ICNDonna]

My first step would be to call my doctor. And if he's not available, go to emergency room or an urgent care office.

Sending an encouraging hug,
Donna

[yorkiegirl]

Have you tried a pain clinic? They are usually better at treating chronic pain than my gp. (maybe you already have, sorry if I'm off base!) Also, whenever my pain is unbearable, I get checked for a UTI--which is about monthly it seems. Sometimes I do have one, sometimes I don't. If you have a UTI, be sure to get a follow-up culture done after you finish each round of antibiotics to make sure the treatment worked. I have found on more than one occasion that it took 2 or more rounds of antibiotics to get rid of the infection that showed up only on the culture. I have gone to ER, but the shot they gave (morphine) only lasts a few hours and then I'm back where I started from which is why it's important to find a treatment that is on-going. But if you're desparate, go for it! (I did!) I'm not very savvy at giving advice like this, but hope this helps a little. Best wishes and keep trying!

[Iris]

Hi, I agree with Donna, I would try my doc, then my nurse practitioner, who takes care of me in between my urologist visit, and then last, but not least the ER to get some sort of relief. Hope you can get some relief soon, there is nothing more miserable than dealing with pain 24/7. Let us know how you are doing, gentle hugs, Iris grouphug grouphug

[Amber O.]

Hi there!
I have been going to a pain clinic since Sept. They are pretty helpful @ trying different drugs to help me. I am weird though. Hydrcodone has always been the one that actually helps me. I have been taking 20mg (Vicodan has 5mg) every 4 hours for months. They don't seem to help much anymore. I guess they do help...w/ out them I couldn't move, but I still feel a lot of pain. There are these patches called Duragesic Patches & they work well for alot of people maybe those would help you. The medicine is time released for 3 days. They didn't work for me for some strange reason. Dr. says they work for most. I was on Oxycontin 3 years ago & never abused it only took them 1 every 12 hours. It worked well for my pain but the withdrawls were horrible. I swore I would never let a DR. prescribe it to me again but now I am actualy thinking about talking to my Dr about them. He wanted me to go on them again because they worked. I am just rambling sorry. blah There are more alternatives out there. I think a Pain Clnic is a good place for someone w/ IC to go. My Dr. is male and totally wants to help ease my pain. He knows about IC & just tries to help 'cuz he knows how hard it is to live w/ constant pain.
Good Luck!
Love,
Amber grouphug

[Katrina]

I hope you feel better soon. I alternate between cold and heat and try to keep the musscles around my bladder as relaxed as possible. Sometimes I will do immagery as visualize my bladder with owee's that heal. I will use topical analgsicis and what ever I can to help. The smell of cat nip helps with pain and helps me to relax..being one who won't risk drinking the tea I just smell it. God Bless you...let us know how things are going. grouphug grouphug

[auntiedeb]

I agree with Donna and Iris, a call in to the drs first and then a trip to the er. You may have an infection. Hope you feel better soon. Sending gentlehugs and healing thoughts your way. grouphug grouphug

[dminton]

I know the feeling (see my post under instillations). Two Vicodin do not even touch my bladder pain. I am going to call one of the doctors I work with Mon. a.m. and ask him what he can give me that is stronger. I have also heard good things about Duragesic, sorry they don't work for you. I really hope you find something soon! I am very fortunate to have found a doctor who is not uptight about prescribing pain meds, I just found him and we'll see what happens. My uro "does not treat pain", period, and another pain specialist I was referred to just looked at my chart notes (not me) and told the referring doctor that I needed a sacral nerve implant and that he didn't want to see me because he does not do them. Can you believe it? Anyway, best of luck and keep us posted! Diana.

[tigger_gal]

Hi Daina,
I have many trips to er for a shot of tordoral (sp?) I find if you take the pain meds then a warm bath and the heating pad helps and urised/prydium.. I would let your uro know the pian you go thru I am one that has bladder pain often. I hope you feel better and the pain goes away.
Brat

[Daina]

Thank you all sooooo much for your concern and help. I ended up going to the ER. Seems I have a kidney stone. They gave me a shot, sent me home with a strainer and told me to follow up with my regular doctor on Monday. Did that, but since I was not in really bad pain at that time he was not real concerned. Just refilled my meds which by the way he cut me back on without talking to me about it. I gotta find a different doctor. We are really short on finances so it may be a while. Thanks again. You are all very special people. Hope I can help someone sometime. Hugs. Daina

[ICyuck]

Daina, I've had three kidney stones in the last few years. Each time, they would get stuck in the junction bewteen my bladder and ureter. It seems the ureter narrows at this point and that's why a stone that makes it through the ureters can still get stuck there for awhile.

The last uro who treated me for my last stone, had what I think was an excellent idea. After my stone refused to come out after a whole week of pain, he gave me a short prescription for prednisone (to reduce swelling of the tissues around the stone so they would "let go") and a blood pressure med of some sort, just a few pills. Turns out that blood pressure meds work by relaxing the blood vessels, and they have the same effect on ureters too. So between the prednisone reducing the swelling and the blood pressure pills widening my ureter, the pesky little thing finally popped out. Maybe you could mention my story to your family doc and see if he thinks that would be a good treatment to try on you if the stone doesn't come out soon.

Love, ICY

[Hangin' Tough]

I have had 13 of the little rascals (kidney stones). I am male and seem to be a prolific stone former. I have threatened to make a necklace out of mine. They are never fun or easy.

[MissMary]

Hey Mr Hanging Tough ! grouphug You must be one tough guy !!