Brenda,
I am so sorry that I handled things roughly with you...regarding your having more surgery. I don't like treating people without using my gentle touch, but sometimes I feel that it is necessary. That was how I felt in this situation.
As for pain medications....if you are placed on a high dosage of neurontin with another drug for break through pain it works tremendously. The thing I learned from the hospital pharmacist was that very few doctors start you out with a dosage anywhere near adequate. After consulting with my physician he raised my dosage to 900mg four times a day. I could have gone much higher. It was working quite well, but when my kidneys shutdown I was taken off the drug...apparently it has a side effect that messes with your kidneys.
I have also been on the duragesic patch...another drug that can work very well, but in my case it suppressed my respiratory system and I wasn't getting enough oxygen. I was on a 100 patch every three days when they took me off.
Now I am on MS Contin...60mg three times a day. Initially I was started at 15 but that wasn't working. I did some research and learned that the smallest dosage should be 30. I was on 30 for a little while and when it wasn't working during one really bad episode I started doubling what I was taking all on my own. I happened to have been out in California on vacation where I ended up in the hospital...but it was probably the best thing that happened to me. I was hospitalized at the Travis AFB hospital where they realized that my blood pressure was very out of control. They felt that it was because my pain was so out of control. So they put me on 3 doses of 60mg....and added liquid morpine for breakthrough pain. My physician at home did not particularly take to the idea that they had increased the amounts...but for the most part he left it alone. He doesn't want me taking the liquid morphine, but has allowed me to continue since I haven't really used it much. I still have half a bottle eight months later.
What I would suggest you do once again is to educate yourself as to your rights. Too many doctors are afraid to give you the proper mediccation....not wanting you to become addicted. The truth is that any chronic pain sufferer will not become addicted. They may become dependent...but there is a difference. Please visit the site I am sending. It will give you very explicit instructions on dealing with your doctor. Don't be afraid to listen. Make photocopies of everything. Good Luck! http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/asap/
-- Karla