Thanks for the long vs. short meds responses

From: Joyce (jcleveland26@charter.net)
Thu May 1 07:24:47 2003


Hi everyone, I just wanted to say thanks for all of the replies on the short vs. long acting meds. I asked my PCP about it and he did not think it was time for that just yet. I am making improvements on my back pain by going to physical therapy. I have an exceptional physical therapist who spends a lot of time stretching the area of pain in my back. She is wonderful. (Note: I've been to 4 or 5 other physical therapists who just gave me low back, lumbar area, excercises to do. And my pain is left side flank pain, the thoracic area, around t9-t10. So it goes without saying, the low back exercises did not help, if anything, it made it hurt more.) I feel like the p.t. is helping my original back pain, but the pain I got after my nerve block is what has been bothering me so bad lately. It hurts to even touch my side. It caused pain around my ribs on the left side. I'm even swollen under my rib cage and it's a bluish color. My PCP took a good look at this yesterday and I think he went and called the pain doc who did the nerve block. His office was right next to the room I was in and I heard him talking about my condition. He was on the phone about 10 minutes and was getting louder and louder. I'm not sure what that was about, but he came back with some lidoderm patches (lidocaine) to wear in the areas of the nerve block pain. The pain clinic kept telling me that it was impossible for it to hurt worse after the nerve block.... I'm so glad my PCP takes me serious. He is really great! Anyway, the patches do really help the pain I started having after the nerve block, but it does not help my original back pain. But I really do think it's getting better so maybe my PCP is right that I don't need the long-acting meds just yet. I do appreciate all of the responses. I got some great ideas and I see now how they can be better than the short-acting meds in a lot of cases. Pain-Free Wishes to everyone, I keep you all in my prayers, Joyce

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Joyce

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