At 12:32 AM 10/6/2009, JordanVw@AOL.COM wrote:
>nice.  looked like fun.     i would have gone but i spent my friday in the
>ER after a 18 foot fall from a ladder

Chris, that's awful.  At least you didn't fall on your head.

>  not that anyone cares, but it really sucks.

You know perfectly well that we care. :)

>the feeling of helplessness and frustration from being incapacitated even
>outweighs the horrible pain..

I can't do anything about the frustration, but your doctor should be
both able and willing to prescribe pain meds of sufficient strength
and quantity to control your pain to a level *you* find
reasonable.  If not, perhaps you need a different doctor.  It takes a
doctor with some strength of character to do this, because the DEA
looks with suspicion on doctors who prescribe lots of opioids.

You might ask about a morphine pump -- it's set to some limit per n
hours, and within that limit you just push a button whenever you need
it.  IT IS EASIER TO KEEP PAIN UNDER CONTROL THAN STOP IT ONCE IT'S
ESTABLISHED.  It's been demonstrated that patients with
self-controlled morphine pumps use less morphine than ones on a
regular dosing schedule.

It's also clear that patients recover better/faster when they're not
exhausted from fighting with uncontrolled pain, so good pain control
is medically advisable as well as humane.

With any opioid tolerance is a factor and addiction is a
possibility.  In my not so humble opinion, this does not need to be a
huge problem.  I personally became dependent on opioids *twice*
during the past spring, under different doctors and for different
reasons, and both were entirely willing to prescribe me an ample
supply to wean myself off the drug.  If I had had trouble with that I
would have had access to a supervised program and additional medical
support, but I didn't need it.  When it comes to balancing the
discomfort of withdrawal against enduring acute pain over days, weeks
or months, for me it's no contest.  Control the pain, and I'll deal
with the withdrawal when and if it happens.

Regardless, get well as soon as you can.

Yours,
David