Any doctors/pharmacists please??

[falkster]

Around 4 weeks ago I slipped a disc and the first doctor diagnosed me with muscle pull/trapped nerve, gave me some diclofenac and told me to take it with paracetamol. A couple of days later neither my mobility or pain has improved so I phoned the surgery and the doctor said to take co-codamol 8/500 instead of the paracetamol. After a couple of days I phoned the doctor as the pained had got worse.
The doctor was concerned as my feet were very cold, I had numbness in my bottom and tingling I may have had slipped a disc and putting pressure on a cord?? So he performed an internal examination (which was nice). He changed my medication to co-codamol 30/500 aswell as the diclofenac and sent me on my way.
Another couple of days later the pain was still no better so I went back and he added Diazepam 5mg 3 times a day to my meds to relax the muscle and as I wasnt sleeping due to the pain he added amitriptiline 10mg to my cocktail. I also asked him to refer me to physio as I want to see if I can do as much as I can to speed my recovery. (I might add I am doing all the excersises that I have been given and as much more as I can due to pain).
I had another appointment the following Monday I told the doctor I still am feeling an amazing amount of pain (having never suffered from anything in my life and only been to the doctors about 5 times in 35 years I wasnt aware how I should feel after medication). He decided to change the co-codamol for tramodol 50mg (2 every 4 hours) aswell as everything else.
I had my second physio on Monday an asked the therapist if I should still be in so much pain and she said that was for my GP to deal with. She did say the disc in almost back in place and is 'bulging' slightly but the pain I have is from the nerves that are causing all the muscles to go into spasm.
I saw a different GP that afternoon and explained the entire story to him and he said, although these things take time, I shouldnt be feeling the pain I am with the medication I am on.
He then prescribed me 10mg Oxycodone to be taken every 12 hours, he changed my amitriptiline to 25mg once a day, kept me on the diazipam 5mg 3 times a day, an analgesic muscle rub aswell as 150mg of diclofenac.

After reading how strong these Oxycodone are I am concerned that I am now in as much if not more pain then I was before, should they take a couple of days to start working or am I going to be some weirdo that nothing works on??

[Paul Dishman]

Can you tell me if you've been given Oxycodone as Oxynorm capsules or Oxycontin modified release tablets?

[falkster]

Paul Dishman said:

Can you tell me if you've been given Oxycodone as Oxynorm capsules or Oxycontin modified release tablets?

They are oxycontin prolonged release tablets.

[Paul Dishman]

falkster said:

Paul Dishman said:

Can you tell me if you've been given Oxycodone as Oxynorm capsules or Oxycontin modified release tablets?

They are oxycontin prolonged release tablets.

OK. These are designed to release the drug over a 12 hour period so it will take a couple of days for the Oxycodone to reach adequate levels to give you pain relief.

If you aren't taking any paracetamol (either alone or as co-codamol) then you can take two paracetamol 500mg tablets every six hours in addition to the medicines listed in your previous post. Taking pain relief on a regular not intermittent basis is the key ie take the tablets even if you are not in pain, don't wait for the pain to return then take the tablets

[falkster]

Thank you very much, hope it does the trick.
Chris

[Bill]

falkster said:

I had numbness in my bottom and tingling I may have had slipped a disc and putting pressure on a cord??

How are you getting on now? Particularly in respect to this bit^^

[falkster]

Bill said:

falkster said:

I had numbness in my bottom and tingling I may have had slipped a disc and putting pressure on a cord??

How are you getting on now? Particularly in respect to this bit^^

Im no longer having numbness or tingling - its more of a stabbing pain.

Whilst I was waiting for the advise from my first post my doctor telephoned me an authorised me to double the dose of the Oxycodone but I feel quite dizzy and light headed now.

[Bill]

falkster said:

Im no longer having numbness or tingling - its more of a stabbing pain.

And you're not getting any problems with going to the toilet? (Or erectile dysfunction??)

Basic management is to take as much analgesia as necessary, to try to keep mobile and look after your posture when you're sat down.

[parapaul]

falkster said:

I had my second physio on Monday an asked the therapist if I should still be in so much pain and she said that was for my GP to deal with. She did say the disc in almost back in place and is 'bulging' slightly but the pain I have is from the nerves that are causing all the muscles to go into spasm.

Alarm bells..... Unless she was looking at an MRI scan there is no way she could know that.

Anyway.... How you getting on now?

[Bill]

parapaul said:

Unless she was looking at an MRI scan there is no way she could know that.

Well, yes. And in the absence of clear nerve compression she couldn't be sure any bulge was causing symptoms.

[falkster]

Bill said:

falkster said:

Im no longer having numbness or tingling - its more of a stabbing pain.

And you're not getting any problems with going to the toilet? (Or erectile dysfunction??)

Basic management is to take as much analgesia as necessary, to try to keep mobile and look after your posture when you're sat down.

I have had a touch of constipation but no real issues.

As for the other issue, I have had no labido (sp?) for the same amount of time as I have been taking the tablets so no need for an erection but not sure if I could get one!

[Bill]

Just checking because a central disc prolapse can compress the spinal cord causing pins and needles around the groin, urinary retention and loss of anal tone (hence the, er, intimate examination). If that happens it's considered a surgical emergency and you need to be in A&E PDQ.

But it's not, so keep taking the pills and keep active.

[falkster]

Bill said:

Just checking because a central disc prolapse can compress the spinal cord causing pins and needles around the groin, urinary retention and loss of anal tone (hence the, er, intimate examination). If that happens it's considered a surgical emergency and you need to be in A&E PDQ.

But it's not, so keep taking the pills and keep active.

My GP ruled that one out pretty much straight away. Ive never had anyone stick a finger up my bottom and ask me if that feels normal!!! Strange time and place for it but I had to laugh.

[falkster]

parapaul said:

falkster said:

I had my second physio on Monday an asked the therapist if I should still be in so much pain and she said that was for my GP to deal with. She did say the disc in almost back in place and is 'bulging' slightly but the pain I have is from the nerves that are causing all the muscles to go into spasm.

Alarm bells..... Unless she was looking at an MRI scan there is no way she could know that.

Anyway.... How you getting on now?

Obviousley not knowing a great deal of what she was saying and only picking up on so much (especially with the tablets) and she did say bulge after prodding around the affected area.

[The_Doc]

falkster said:

parapaul said:

falkster said:

I had my second physio on Monday an asked the therapist if I should still be in so much pain and she said that was for my GP to deal with. She did say the disc in almost back in place and is 'bulging' slightly but the pain I have is from the nerves that are causing all the muscles to go into spasm.

Alarm bells..... Unless she was looking at an MRI scan there is no way she could know that.

Anyway.... How you getting on now?

Obviousley not knowing a great deal of what she was saying and only picking up on so much (especially with the tablets) and she did say bulge after prodding around the affected area.

Perhaps with some manipulation and a pecuniary evacuation she could pop the disc back into place...