Getting more pain relief prescribed

[Gaslitbygynae]

(Please no comments about addiction. I don’t doubt I’m dependent on codeine but it’s not without reason)
I have endo and adenomyosis. Endo is round my bowel. I have a huge amount of internal scar tissue from multiple operations.

pain is chronic, daily. I have a young child and a full on job and no family help. I’m saying this because I’m not able to rest / lie in bed and not take pain relief. I need painkillers to get up and do stuff etc. I frequently cant sleep or am woken up by pain.

I can’t take any NSAIDs because they destroy my stomach. I can’t take Omeprazole to help stomach lining because it inhibits iron uptake and I’m am chronically anaemic. I can’t take hormonal contraception to control endo.

so I’m left with paracetamol and codeine. I want to ask the Gp for more codeine to take daily, and more across every day but I’m worried they are going to say no / will assume I’m an addict.

any advice on how to explain what I need?l and response if they say no?

Explain it like you have explained here? If you've had multiple operations for the endo, do you have a consultant for bowel/stomach issues who might understand more about the type of pain you are in and the things that might work for it, than your GP. Best Wishes

Thank you for replying , yes I'm under a consultant. But seems like the GP is one with the responsibility for day to day management, I hate having to justify myself like I am lying or exaggerating. Of course this. Ones after many years of the endo being dismissed as IBS / depression,

Have you had Zoladex injections? They are the monthly ones in the stomach for pain relief.

I was on them for around three years for Endo pain relief - I could not take oral contraceptives or NSAIDS

Zoladex has major side effects so not for the faint hearted or if you want more children.

I finally had enough Endo surgery to sort it the Endo out but I am now on prescription pain killers and morphine patches for completely different problems - I worry about addiction or being told I should come off them but the pharmacist , doctor and consultant have so far been very kind and said to ask for stronger doses if I want them.

If I were you I would try and wait for an appointment with a preferred GP and explain as you have to us - the only thing I would say is that codeine can make you incredibly tired and I know that won't help with every day life either.

I'm waiting for surgery and on painkillers
I actually took a video of a flare up when they said dihydrocodeine was enough - I had taken the max dose of that plus naproxen plus paracetamol
Also had to ring an ambulance twice which they had on my notes
She looked horrified and now I'm on oramorph

Also you probably have tried them but
Be you period patches do dull my pain a bit and I constantly have a heat pad if I'm sat down

I’ve never tried Zoladex.
as mad as it sound I am ttc (well on the very last chance for this really, as the first was very hard won indeed). When either we have given up or somehow a miraculous baby appears then I will ask / demand a hysterectomy.

heat blankets are a blessing! I have one at work and one at home. I basically go from meeting to meeting to teaching with my little pad to plug in.

i waa close to seeking emergency help today because all I could do was lie in fetal position. Couldn’t concentrate, too much pain to sleep.

is Dihydrocodeine any better than codeine ?

thanks all for your understanding ❤️

Is it cocodamol you're on?
Dihydrocodeine is stronger - I think 100mg of it is equivalent to about 10mg morphine from memory

I take codeine (30mg x 2 normally) with paracetamol. So the equivalent of cocodamol but much stronger than OTC stuff

You can take up to 8 codeine (zapain ) per day if they prescribe that much - I used to be on dihydrocodeine and found them similar to zapain in strength but at that level they affect work functioning, driving, bowel and ability to think!

When I used to be at the fetal level of pain you described I used to go to A and E for a pethadone injection - relief at last.

I don't know if they will offer you pain patches but I have found them better than tablets as they give you a slow flow of pain relief throughout the day and night