AIBU to ask pharmacist for advice to request more effective meds from gp?

[Couldhavebeenme3]

I have a frozen shoulder, and am taking quite a cocktail of painkillers which are currently making me drowsy during the day yet seem to be completely ineffective at night - the pain is agonising and I'm hardly sleeping, and I'm exhausted.

I spoke to the gp last week and he suggested doubling my medication, or the next step would be morphine. I'm a single parent so the thought of being that out of it is terrifying, yet the GP said that it's unlikely that any sort of sleeping pill would help as the pain would still wake me up.

AIBU to think that the pharmacist might have a better idea of which medications would actually help relieve the pain, help me get some sleep but not leave me feeling like a zombie? I'm getting desperate and struggling so much its affecting my MH too - though I'm reluctant to ask for anti-depressants as it's due directly to lack of sleep and unmanaged pain.

Any ideas folks? TIA

It is a good idea to speak to your pharmacist. They all have consulting rooms these days so go in and ask for advice. I hope you get some relief.

Do you mean a clinical pharmacist, based at your surgery? If so, that might be a good idea. If you ask for a medication review and explain how you are drowsy all day and struggling at night, they might be able to tweak your dosgae or suggest a different way of taking them before trying new meds. I'm not sure the pharmacist at your local pharmacy would get involved.

I am sending you lots of sympathy though, I know people who have suffered with this it's horrendous. Have you had any physio?

I did mean the local pharmacist, he's already been helpful re timings of taking the current stuff, explained to me all the potential side effects etc. Just thought he might have more experience of what might suit my particular needs so that I could take that back to the GP rather than going onto morphine. I've read on other forums all sorts of things that fellow sufferers have been prescribed, my gp has just said paraceramol-cocodamol-tramadol-morphine-increased morphine until I'm a zombie, none of which is apparently guaranteed to work at night when the pain is at its worst.

I've spoken to (yay covid) a physio twice on the phone and had a steroid injection which hasn't worked. I'm using a tens machine during the day but it only works for 60 mins max so ineffective overnight. The exercise sheet I've been given is eyewateringly painful and feels like is making no difference.

GP is only giving me a week's worth of prescription at a time, I'm going to have to get in touch again before the end of the week. Will ask again.

It might be worth seeing if your practice has a clinical pharmacist, they will have full access to your notes and can prescribe for you if appropriate etc so might be worth a shot? Fingers crossed you find something to help soon