Chronic Pain Patient With Severe Anxiety And Panic Attacks (Page 2) (Top voted first)

I'm a patient going to pain management receiving OxyContin for chronic lower back pain and nerve damage in my feet and legs! I'm also seeing a psychologist who has diagnosed me with severe anxiety issues and ADHD disorders! I have hardware in my lower back (plates and screws), back fusion from S1 through L5 L3 L2! I've been disabled for 14 years! My question is, can my pain management dr tell me I have to pick and choose which meds I need the most? She's telling me I can't receive my pain meds and my Xanax too! I have a contract with a comprehensive pain specialist. Can she kick me out of pain management because of the new guidelines in Tennessee? I'm going through a divorce and I've lost my son in a car wreck! I'm in constant pain and I'm having a panic attack right now! I'm scared to death and don't understand what's going on! Please help me?

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I think since you need to follow the rules, and also you're under contract with ur pain management group. It is extremely important to follow their rules. I would think to manage ur anxiety would come second...& since you kinda have a med to help calm you, I'd remain there & follow the rules! Ask the pain management group if they can recommend or refer you to a psychiatrist or teg pc doctor, that will prescribe you an anxiety medication that is not xanax! There are a couple, well a lot that work like xanax and will help your anxiety, and wont have the same feeling that xanax has. But yes, the same effect, that will help your anxiety! It is called buspar & it is common and has been around a long long time! You have to take it a couple of times a day, I think, till it gets in your system, kind of like an antidepressant! & it works. Two of my family members took it and I was on it back in the 90s! Good luck! Don't mess your contract up... I'm sure the pain medicine is very important to ur well being, & to get you through every day with your back pain issues!

If there's somebody nice that you can talk to at your pain management clinic, like someone else besides the nurse and doctor like a "Case worker" or a manager that can help you with this question, I would talk to them. But in the meantime, look up anxiety medications that are not xanax! Okay have a good one. I hope you feel better!

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Re: Vinny (# 10)

How can you say to someone there are other ways to deal with pain and anxiety? Are you that person or do you know what they have been through? There are to many dying from overdoses and things need to change, but why judge someone based off a couple of paragraphs. When you have chronic pain it's not unusual for anxiety and depression to have an impact as well.

Being someone who has chronic pain daily I get upset when others just assume anyone who takes pain meds/anxiety meds are druggies. My chronic pain comes from a genetic disorder that causes large/recurrent kidney stones. For the last 11 months I have passed at least 1 kidney stone everyday. Most days I pass 5+ and have had several days where I "showered stones" (meaning I passed 20+ stones at one time). My worst day was a month and a half ago when I passed 85 kidney stones in 1 day. My close friends and family know about my condition (my sister passed from it in 2015) but I've been judged for taking pain medicine and anxiety/depression medication. Someone who doesn't know why I take these medications has no right to assume that because I take pain medication I am just a druggie.

May I ask what you would suggest for someone to do when they are limited in natural remedies and they are in constant pain? The depression and anxiety just get worse with each stone, because I know the damage will ultimately kill the one kidney I have. So again a suggestion on what to do since "back in the day narcotics weren't needed."

TN has one of the highest Opiate prescriptions in the nation. Benzos aren't far behind. I would suggest talking with your PM doc and see if it's just that they don't want to write a script for both or if they will drop you as a patient if you stay on both. I personally can't find a PM doc that will treat me, because my kidney issue is very rare and no one wants to accept the responsibility of handling my meds. With laws in TN and all the new changes my urologist is limited to writing a script to cover just a week at a time. It really sucks that all the overdoses and misuse of meds have made it so difficult for those that really need them.

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Re: Vinny (# 10)


I honestly don't have much to say to you man. You're not worth all the words I would write! Bottom line is you're extremely ignorant so you shouldn't even comment! You should be logging off and stay off of this site because you're not helping anyone making that type of comment.

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Re: John (# 34)

To Vinny: I'm sure you have more compassion and empathy than you seem able to verbalize or demonstrate but please unless you know of someone's else's pain don't demean them. Everyone's pain threshold is different so there is no right or wrong to it. Let's take your genetic disorder, isn't passing a stone like giving birth? Millions of women do that daily. Are we suppose to be supportive of you? Please be compassionate; offer positive feedback and well wishes or don't respond. On a positive note I'll pray for you both as both conditions are bad. Good Luck and GOD Bless to you both.

P.S. My point is my statement is off base and lacking emotional affact as I don't know all your case history or you. Don't be that kind of person.

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Timothy I'm real sorry to hear about all the stuff you're having to deal with right now... The last thing you wanted to hear was your Doc telling you that you have to make a choice right? Wow brother, I feel bad for ya.. I live in TN also, and I moved here in March. I've been with PM doctors for 6 years in 3 states, but it wasn't until I moved here that I was told that I couldn't be prescribed Valium with the pain meds I'm on.. That was 5 months ago and I'm still having a hard time without the Valium... My PM doctor here has set me up with an appt. with a psychiatrist who will be able to write me an Rx for Valium, but I have to wait until November, and even then I don't know if I'll be able to fill it.. I'm on 30 mg Hysingla er and 15 mg oxycodone x 4.. Did your doc have any suggestions for you? Did they just tell you that you'd have to pick?

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Any suggestions for pain, anxiety and deep depression? I take Xanax and Wellbutrin, when I have gotten oxycodone I sleep pain free but they won't prescribe. Anything over the counter is a joke! Also how do you find a psychiatrist on your own that will take medicare?

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Re: Elam (# 1)

Yes Elam! She told me I had to pick and choose! It's happening everywhere! Good luck bro!

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Re: Jim (# 11)

I live in NY. I do a search for psychiatrists in my area and then check out their credentials and insurance. Call if I have to verify. I prefer the older doctors.

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Usually if a psychiatrist or another doctor prescribes anxiety medications, pain management doctors don't have as much of a problem with it. Pain Management doctors do not treat mental health problems. But, it is up to each pain management doctor to set their own rules.

If you have Medicaid each state has their own rules regarding what Medicaid will pay for and what Medicaid doctors can prescribe Medicaid patients.

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Hi Timothy, I'm truly sorry to hear of your situation. I too live in TN and underwent back surgery with your same synapes of symptoms. It is unfortunate about the laws across the US regarding the opiates, however, TN, FL, KY, AL and other southern states were somewhat lax in there prescribing methods and the government is cracking a little harder on those states as examples. As to your question, I WAS on xanax and oxycontin but have since been weaned and removed from the pm drugs. Basically, you have 2 separate medical issues and they have to be handled separately but cojointly for the betterment of your health. Your psychologist will need to submit a CMN detailing the necessity of your xanax while you seek alternate medical treatment for your back, leg and neuropathy pain., i.e., Tai Chai, Accupuncture, Physical Therapy. Also you have to be weaned off your medications and not abruptly stopped. I hope things work well for you and I will put you in my prayers. On a positive note, I know it doesn't seem like it now but less medications and you will feel better but you need to get through the withdrawl period first. Good Lucky!!

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New FDA rules ..guidelines. Restrictions. On pain meds. Combined. With. Hypnotic benzo"s xanax ..restoril

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Re: Jamie (# 33)

I came across your post and noticed you have a lot of kidney stones! I have lupus and was dx 4 months ago but I get stones a lot too and my daddy, uncles, aunts and sisters do as well. I have 4 small ones but never large. I guess the pain is all the same but what I was wondering is did you get a nagging pain like someone stabbing you in the kidney area? My psi is different from before and I have the protein, leukocytes & blood on my U/A. It's worse whenever I walk so I've stayed in bed and made my son run our family business the past week Bc my gosh it is weird how that stabs me and hurts to touch. Did you find anything out about what causes yours? And your right about the person who commented on pain meds so rudely as if they have all the answers to something they know nothing about! I bet if he/she had a few stones they wouldn't say that!!! Anyways, I hate that for you! Their beyond painful and I get them about 2 or 3 times a year so I couldn't imagine how you function. I think it feels like labor (back) pain or worse!!!

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Hello
I'm a little confused why your doctor won't help you with some type of anxiety medication like your Xanax. There's something you're not telling. Most doctors are not just going to pull you off of your Xanax or your anxiety medicine out of the blue. Just not going to cut you off of Xanax or Klonopin or Ativan they know better than that. Because if they would cut you off like that and you would have a seizure or possibly die they could be in so much trouble. You can have seizures and other horrible side effects. Sounds to me you didn't take your medication right and you were busted and they refused to give you any more anxiety medicine because the doctors really do not feel like losing their license and it definitely sounds like they had given you more then one chance. I'm sure they warned you more than once . I'm sure they tried to ween you off as well and you didn't do that right. So before we can reach out and help you, you need to be honest with us. But if you're going to talk about it you need to tell the truth. I've lived in many States and I have never ever been turned down for my anxiety medication ever. Good luck to you. Just take your medication the right way.
Of course I don't know you but if you're not taking your medication the right way you will end up being a statistic in a morgue somewhere. Happy holidays.

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Wow!
The medications that you are on are so dangerous. With the medications you're on your brain is up and down up and down it doesn't know what to do. You should definitely be weened off of your Xanax. Xanax is a horrible Dangerous Drug. Maybe they should try another type of anxiety medication for you.. Just please be careful. Pain is real and it hurts. But it's not worth dying over.
Try yoga meditation it does work. It truly does. Good luck to you. My neighbor was on Xanax for years and I don't have to tell you what happened to her. Just try to cut back on some of your meds. I'm not preaching because I as well take medication for anxiety and pain. But you're on a lot of stuff.

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Re: Dogs Rule (# 20)

Why are you so rude. Do you really think someone going through any type of this situation needs for you to be a total jerk and rude I think not. Maybe you should get off of this thread and never come back.
Karma will find your address for just being a jerk and rude. No one has time for your rudeness. I just wasted 2 minutes of my life responding to you. That I can never get back.
Mr, Jerk shame on you.

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Re: Elam (# 1)

Yes Elam! She told me I had to pick and choose which medication I needed the most which I need both my pain meds and my xanax because of panic attacks and severe anxiety! I don't know what's going to happen when I go back on the 28th of this month! If you have any knowledge about what I'm going through I would certainly appreciate any advice you have for me! Thanks bro! Good luck to you too!

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Re: Timothy (# 2)

I live in Oklahoma and I was also told that. I picked to stay with my pain meds since I need them the most.

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Re: Timothy (# 2)

Were you in the same situation as Timothy? He sees 2 doctors, A PM doc and a psychologist. They're 2 different doctors, so I don't know why they would want him off of Xanax when they're not writing the Rx's (the PM doc) My PM practice has a psychiatrist on the staff to help people like myself, that can write me an Rx for diazapam without interfering with the PM doc who is Not allowed to write it.

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Have you tried to use CBD Oil? It can help with anxiety, feet, legs and back pain as well as headaches. It also has no THC. Just a thought. Hope things will work out for you. Good Luck.

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Unfortunately, yes, she can do that. Doctors are allowed to set their own requirements and they are not obligated to continue treating anyone, unless they are in life threatening danger. This is the way things stand under current U.S. law.

The FDA warns that these medications carry the risk of being habit forming and may cause side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, headache, constipation, and dry mouth.

I know my providing such details on the law is not very helpful, I am just telling you the legalities, at this time. I really hate to see anyone suffering and I know it is very frustrating.

Timothy, have you considered seeing a psych, if this doctor will no longer prescribe everything you need?

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