As many members at Living With TN are aware, I am active in many online forums pertinent to chronic face pain and chronic pain in general. In one of those forums, I have just had a major op ed published, title "Stop The War On Chronic Pain Patients. It may be read at the National Pain Report, a newsletter of the US Pain Foundation, the largest umbrella advocacy group in the US. It is pertinent to those of us for whom prescription opiate medications are a part of their pain management plan.
Yes, I don't understand why they say only the strongest pain meds are for Chronic pain patients>ie cancer patients> We may be blessed to not have cancer but we do have legitimate excruciating pain. That goes into and out of remission. Words you hear from Oncologist. My neurologis prescribed me a new medication. I works for the most part but am now having breakthru pain. I explained this to him and my fear of it being so bad as a few months ago. He said we can up the medication for you but I have to have some blood taken before I can increase it because it causes your sodeim to drop. I also explained to him about I feel like someone is either sticking me with straight pins or putting ants on my plus it itches. He did the blood work on the 22nd of May. He had the results in his office that Thursday. I called Friday to see if he had read them so I could get the results. No it may be Tuesday. Tuesday came and went, Then Wednesday and now today. I am concidering going to his office and demand he gives me an answer. Any suggestions?
You know your doctor better than I do, even if it isn't a terribly constructive relationship. Visiting in person and making a disturbance in front of other patients will get you discharged from a lot of practices, particularly the busy ones. However, if it's been eight days since you did the blood work, there is simply no excuse for not reading the results. Short of going in person, you might try to speak to the triage nurse in the practice, to complain. She can read a blood test as well as the doctor, as a rule.
Worth a try, I think, before you start looking for another doctor who will actually treat you as a human being instead of an insurance account.
Regards. Red
Red, I have an appointment with my local pain clinic this week. I have waited three months to get in and begging to my doctor. What opiates work for you? I have no luck with Vicodin. Unless I take six a day which is too much for me. I then get nauseated from the Tylenol in the cocktail. Don’t know if I should ask for something in particular or just let them do ther thing?
Asking for a specific narcotic (or any drug that has street value) is considered a red flag for abuse, misuse or diversion. Asking for something like an antiseizure drug may bruise your doctor’s ego but usually should be fine.
I certainly don’t want to appear drug seeking, but I hurt, and it is the pain clinic. On gabapenten already. Looking for what works would have been a better way to explain my desperation. 
Do you have the book “Striking Back?” It’s a very good reference about the different meds available. It talks about both non-opioid and opioid meds. A lot of people have found it helpful to bring to their appointments.
I hope your doctor can provide you with some good relief soon.
No. Have not heard of it. Where do you get it?
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/striking-back-george-weigel/1120250465
It’s a bit outdated in terms of the medications (doesn’t mention Lyrica for example), but it is generally the most comprehensive info source about TN written for lay-people.
For any Canadians out there:
British Columbia is the first province to adopt mandatory standards about prescribing any potential drugs of abuse. It is modelled after the American CDC guidelines (which are voluntary). That means physicians who don’t follow these rules could get restrictions, suspensions, or removal of their license. This does not just apply to opioids, but also sedatives and stimulants.