Question
Have had both shoulders replaced, my lower back operated on (arthritic bone spur) a single and a double hernia operation (the double had screens installed)and now have a right hip that is worn out.  I have had cortisone shots for a little less than two years which have been quite effective, but am denied any further because of loss of integrity of connective tissue, although my regular doctor told me that cortisone wouldn't damage me other than lose effectiveness after awhile?  I have taken codein for a number of years, off and on since my first shoulder operation years ago, and is quite effective in pain reduction.  My primary care physician refuses to prescribe codein because he claims it is terribly addictive although I have taken it for at least twenty years off and on without dependancy.  My bone doctor told me that some doctors are a lot stricter than others about codein.  I live up a flight of stairs and am not ready to relocate at this time, and have put off a hip replacement.  I can get by with darvocet but it does not mask the pain like codein does.  I can go on without codein, but it is a little unpleasant.  I will be eighty one in January.  I started taking a glucosimine formula in the hopes that it might be of some little help.  I am pondering whether or not I should start doctor shopping to find one that will prescribe codein for me.  I don't miss the codein other than for pain relief.  I take four darvocet N-100 daily.  I am not in great pain, just occassional jabs when I put my weight on my right foot.  The bone spur in my lower back injured the nerve feeding my right thigh and it is slowly but surely atrophying.  The nerve specialist assured me that it would stop after reaching a certain stage, but I don't believe him!  I have lost considerable strength in my right leg so far, after about seven years post op!  Pain in my right hip combined with my shrinking right thigh makes for a poor situation.

Answer
Hi Melvin

As someone who has also taken codeine for pain I do know that it helps.  Unfortunately, many doctors, due to lawsuits are not prescribing pain medications that are narcotic based as freely as they used to do.

It's been proven over and over again that patients who take narcotic drugs for pain, have a very low incidence of addiction but doctors still are very wary to prescribe those types of drugs because of the potential of addiction.  Doctors have been losing licenses due to over prescribing.

Personally, doctor shopping is dangerous.  The reason being is that pharmacies have records of the drugs and how many times they have been prescribed and if too many prescriptions are under your name, it might be reported to the doctor.

That withstanding, you might want to see if your doctor could refer you to a pain management doctor.  In my case, I was referred out once and the pain doctor put me on a low dosage of a morphine patch rather than the codeine.  Personally I think it was a mistake as I got so sick from the patch, I refused to wear it and and wound up taking nothing for pain and then had withdrawals from the patch.

Glucosamine does help, I take it myself.  I also take Tylenol Arthritis for pain on a regular basis, but I have learned to live without the codeine.  There are times when I can get a prescription, when my family goes on vacation and I know I am going to do a lot of walking, but I find that I can't think clearly when I am on it and opt to deal with whatever pain I have with over the counter meds.

Look into getting an anti - inflammatory drug, as it may help.  Something like Advil or Motrin might work, but be sure to eat when you take it.  I wish I had better advice for you, but unfortunately the people who mis use drugs make it bad for the people like us who do not have addictive personalities.  Do check into the pain management doctors.

Sharon Davis