To ask for 'old fashioned' pain relief methods ?

[shouldnthavesaid]

I'm on day 3 of a flare up of chronic abdominal pain . Due to side effects GP won't prescribe me anything more than 2mg diazepam and 8mg codeine and doesn't want me to take them too often. Anything more and I end up being catheterised due to retention . GP said they acknowledge I'm sore but it isn't 'life threatening' and it will go eventually if I can fight through it ..

Pain is constant and unrelenting. Blacked out Sunday night , slept most of yesterday and had a weird episode when my boss phoned and I had no idea what we were talking about. Have had to sign myself off work yet again :(

I don't know what to do. I've to walk up to the surgery for more diazepam and anti sickness stuff but I'm going mad. It's to the stage I'm punching the bed crying because it just won't go.

Have tried heat , exercise , a shower and nothing helps. Usual triggers are going to the toilet , lying flat, anything involving pelvic muscles or pelvic floor.. Have got adhesions and a cyst and waiting on a diagnostic lap to confirm/rule out endometriosis :(

I don't know what the bloody hell I can do.

[Crashbangwhatausername]

Erm maybe a hypnosis meditation on YouTube for pain? It sounds like you've tried everything, perhaps another call to your gp?

[GottaCatchEm]

Have you tried a TENS machine? op, it sounds awful.

[wowfudge]

In your position I'd ring the surgery and ask to speak to someone - there must be something they can do for you. I was hospitalised last year with severe abdominal pain. I was given everything going for the pain. Liquid paracetamol was one of the most effective things, better than morphine for me.

[FloofyCat]

See another GP.

[shouldnthavesaid]

It's horrendous . Other GPs will just prescribe dihydrocodeine which makes me go into urine retention and makes problem worse . I suppose pain is better than catheter and bladder spasms and urine infections.

Would happily go to hospital but they have said it isn't always an appropriate admission , if it's just pain management, scan in March was relatively clear so they aren't wanting to scan again just now. Usually get taken to out of hours GP who gives me a jab of cyclizine and diclofenac and then sends home after they've taken effect. Have a v lumpy bum after so many injections now.

Taken 2 diazepam and will Google hypnosis so hopefully can sleep it off for a couple of hours :(

[LostSight]

Can't they give you diclofenac tablets? I had suppositories when hospitalised with a gall bladder infection and they were really helpful.

[FloofyCat]

If this is a long term issue, have you had a referral to your pain management clinic? They are very good, IME.

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

shouldhavesaid

Do you have a firm date re the laparoscopy?. I would chase re this and inform them prior to the op that you do not just want a diagnostic lap. You need to have a surgeon who can actually treat the problem as well as diagnose it. I would also have strong words with your GP practice because although this is not life threatening, this is affecting your quality of life and they should be doing more than just giving you pills.

Do you know what actually caused the adhesions (usually it is prior abdominal surgery. Adhesions as well have to be surgically removed).

Scans do not detect endometriosis if it is there (and I have had more internal ultrasounds than I care to mention, none of these saw the extensive endo in my uterus).

Endo can also get onto the intestines causing pain, this may be the root cause of your abdominal pains now.

[Want2bSupermum]

If you are in this much pain you need medical treatment with drugs. I'd go back to your GP or find a new one who has some understanding of women's health.

[Ethelswith]

The 'old fashioned' method is to just keep giving more opiates. Probably not the best idea!

Voltarol (diclofenac) suppositories can be used in addition to opiates (I had them post-operatively) but oralversion is still good.

And then anything that will help you sleep - a pleasant bedroom, comfort reading book (not a screen), chamomile tea, lavender spray. None of which are serious contenders for being able to affect pain, but I mention them becuase setting up a sleep ritual can help.

[shouldnthavesaid]

They've no idea what caused the adhesion, muttered a bit about me maybe having peritonitis or a burst cyst and it never have being picked up on but no-one seems sure. Gynaecologist said she can do nothing about it , said it's a job for a bowel surgeon and she won't treat it. They said policy is to open up and remove mild stage 1 endometriosis if present and then reschedule major surgery if there are significant findings. They said no-one gets major treatment straight away apparently? Have unfortunately seen every gynaecologist in hospital bar one now , and only hospital that handles gynae stuff in area (rural northern Scotland).

I've now had 2 diazepam , 1 diclofenac and 2 cocodamol 8mg . Still writhing on bed every few minutes, just no relief at all. Last time i was like this 7 days before getting morphine but then needed a catheter and don't want to go back down that road. Already getting harder to wee again.

Going to give it another hour then phone NHS 24 and say I cant cope another night :(

[shouldnthavesaid]

111 want me to be seen up at hospital again tonight by doctor , hopefully they can help me a bit. Have an emergency bag packed for overnight but no idea if I would look bad taking that or not. Worried hospital will think I'm some sort of drug addict:(

[LovelyBath77]

Hi, I have pelvic adhesions also so understand. I have amitryptilline which is used in small doses for pain, maybe that would help you? GP said to play around with the dose up to 50mg evenings, it can make you drowsy though. Maybe a pain clinic would help, too.

Trouble is with more surgery, it can make more adhesions so they can be reluctant to do it as it may make the problem worse.

[Flibbertyjibbit]

I don't have the same type of pain but am more comfortable on slow release tramadol and oramorph. I also take amitryptiline at night to help sleep. Hope hospital can make you more comfortable

[LovelyBath77]

Yes, they might want to check it isn't something else causing it, hope you ge to the bottom of it. xx

[shouldnthavesaid]

OK to go home tonight but have to come back at 10am for assessment by gynae team , bloods etc. Nurse tonight said take enough for at least 1 day and night in case they decide to operate tomorrow, can't quite decide if that would be a positive thing. Got given IM buscopan for tonight but to monitor my weeing in case go back into retention overnight. Have a bad urine infection they said which won't be helping matters at all.

[shouldnthavesaid]

Waiting to go back to ward, taxi at half past. I can't wee (again) so hopefully not waiting too long.

[LovelyBath77]

Oh, hope things are Ok. At least they are looking into it for you xx

[robinia]

Good luck shouldnt. Hope they fix you up quickly.

[Roomba]

My mother had to have a section of bowel removed due to endometriosis, plus lots of adhesions. She was in utter agony with it for years as no one knew what was causing it. She went in just knowing there was a 'mass' in her bowel and fearing the worst. She was prescribed strong codeine, then tramadol and amitriptyline over the years. I would ask to see a different GP - leaving you in this much pain is not acceptable.

[LovelyBath77]

Roomba that happened to me as well, it is quite rare though. Endometriosis and adhesions can cause severe problems though.

[shouldnthavesaid]

Have been admitted , going to get strong pain relief. Had a catheter fitted to drain bladder (although taken out once drained) and scanned. Going to be given a bed shortly. Possibly for theatre today or tomorrow depending on what happens , doctor said they would rather keep it elective as statistically safer but said if worst comes to worst they will do it as emergency surgery.

[mydogmymate]

Good luck op. Hope you get it sorted

[shouldnthavesaid]

In bed , currently nil by mouth :( absolutely petrified .

[Pepperedpig]

Hope you get it sorted. It sounds awful.