tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post4278450026437878187..comments2024-03-28T09:16:33.241+00:00Comments on Diary of a Benefit Scrounger: 1997Sue Marshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849801822216267250noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-12586444253799732522010-11-27T21:02:20.362+00:002010-11-27T21:02:20.362+00:00As far as I'm aware, Tramadol is an excellent ...As far as I'm aware, Tramadol is an excellent long term option. It is certainly the first drug of choice here on the bowel ward and they always try it first as it's not addictive (I believe, remember I'm not a doc!!) and has few side effects.<br />I'm sure a thousand people have told you how good cannabis is for MS!! It's one of the few conditions I believe they've researched cannabis for and it was shown to be effective.Sue Marshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14849801822216267250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-89572781182050811082010-11-27T17:41:11.969+00:002010-11-27T17:41:11.969+00:00Sue,
Intriguing post, my other half used to take ...Sue,<br /><br />Intriguing post, my other half used to take a lot of trammie (as we call it - BTW, as a drug it is likely to be a lot better known soon as there is a new series starting on TV called "Frankie Boyle's Tramadol nights" ...) and had never had these problems, but her GP was concerned at the amount she was taking and so suggetsed the patches. The 25ug ones made her a zombie, so she moved to the 12ug ones which dealt well with the pain. Then about 6 months later the blackouts started.<br /><br />I hadn't realised that trammie was a qualitatively different drug - I shall explain and see if she wants to switch back to trammie as an experiment.<br /><br />Thank you so much - you have already been more help than half the quacks (and I use the term advisedly!) she has seen.<br /><br />In answer to your question, she has MS and RA, and the blackouts are not part of either condition.<br /><br />To answer someone else, she does not use NSAIDs apart from a gel rub as they do not co-habit well with Methotrexate.<br /><br />Thanks all for your thoughts.<br />I shall see ifPeterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02755794006975163417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-85211954352179060002010-11-26T22:24:44.169+00:002010-11-26T22:24:44.169+00:00Baby - Don't worry, I've had some incredib...Baby - Don't worry, I've had some incredibly special nurses too, there are very few like the one above. <br />I haven't lost faith, and the fact that so many student nurses and doctors like you feel moved to comment makes my faith grow daily. <br />There are obviously lots of compassionate young people coming into medicine and I'm delighted.Sue Marshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14849801822216267250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-32753269608824997192010-11-26T22:02:40.304+00:002010-11-26T22:02:40.304+00:00Hi, I'm a nursing student, I was directed to y...Hi, I'm a nursing student, I was directed to your blog by Truffle. Ive got to say that I'm utterly ashamed of what that Nurse did to you. <br /><br />I really hope that there is a way of renewing your faith in Nurses. I feel that the nurse you met was a one off, well at least I hope. <br /><br />You really show how important it is to listen, its only the patient after all that knows how they are feeling. <br /><br />I hope you have not lost all faith. <br /><br />All the best<br /><br />Baby xxxBaby4787https://www.blogger.com/profile/14282140888113814284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-33965864096820280102010-11-26T18:08:42.198+00:002010-11-26T18:08:42.198+00:00Truffle - I am keeping a little notebook especiall...Truffle - I am keeping a little notebook especially for comments like yours. It's a beautiful little book in turquoise and gold.<br /><br />It is just for comments from medical staff who say that something I've written will help the way they relate to patients.<br /><br />If just one nurse or doctor says they've learned something from my posts, I'll be thrilled.Sue Marshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14849801822216267250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-11416374945623758282010-11-26T17:58:20.220+00:002010-11-26T17:58:20.220+00:00Guardian!!! Wow!Guardian!!! Wow!Pamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15273512192400237563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-34517384178002210682010-11-26T17:38:30.032+00:002010-11-26T17:38:30.032+00:00Hi Sue,
I'm a UK medical student and was link...Hi Sue,<br /><br />I'm a UK medical student and was linked to this by BenefitScroungingScum - absolutely amazing brilliant writing and I'm so so sorry that you weren't listened to and that you had to suffer because of that. I will most definitely be suggesting that all the med students I know read this because I think it's so important for them to see what a difference listening could make. <br /><br />Thank you so much for posting this.<br /><br />TruffleTrufflehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00103192255468171443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-88883574020449399122010-11-26T17:26:26.541+00:002010-11-26T17:26:26.541+00:00Haha!! Thanks Eoin, I'm a bit impressed myself...Haha!! Thanks Eoin, I'm a bit impressed myself, lol. I keep meaning to post it here, but I've been too busy. <br />By the way, you were right last night - a 3 point bloody Tory lead.Sue Marshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14849801822216267250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-35962291574146655922010-11-26T17:07:11.854+00:002010-11-26T17:07:11.854+00:00BSS - Oxycontin is the one thing I have a glimmer ...BSS - Oxycontin is the one thing I have a glimmer of hope about. It didn't make me ill, but it didn't work for the pain either.<br />I saw a brilliant pain specialist last year who seemed way more clued up than most. He explained to me that if you have to take one particular opiate fairly regularly, over a period of time, it blocks your receptors to other opiates. I need a good three or four months for pethidine to get right out of my system apparently before I should try it again.Sue Marshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14849801822216267250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-24756237536401492922010-11-26T17:04:46.236+00:002010-11-26T17:04:46.236+00:00Sue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow! You got an art...Sue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br /><br /><br />Wow! You got an article in the Guardian! I am sooo impressed! <br /><br />WELL DONE :) :) :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08811850293408614488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-16302800871522320782010-11-26T16:52:26.497+00:002010-11-26T16:52:26.497+00:00Sue, this is a superb post, should be required rea...Sue, this is a superb post, should be required reading at medical & nursing school! Are you able to tolerate oxycontin? Although I had problems with it, it also gave me back years of reduced pain & improved quality of life BG XxBenefitScroungingScumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08939136229593231935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-90194927620660452262010-11-26T15:57:31.774+00:002010-11-26T15:57:31.774+00:00Apologies if not relevant, but your girlfriend isn...Apologies if not relevant, but your girlfriend isn't on NSAIDS as well is she? Just that a friend of mine has similar reactions to Diclofenac.misspiggyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13875859883323529895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-88525481238154558142010-11-26T14:34:29.863+00:002010-11-26T14:34:29.863+00:00Peter - I'm not surprised you're fed up!
...Peter - I'm not surprised you're fed up!<br /><br />Obviously, I can't give you advice - I have no medical qualifications, but I can certainly tell you what I learnt from my experiences.<br /><br />Firstly, I take it the blackouts aren't a part of her condition?<br /><br />Secondly, there is not a great deal of difference between fentanyl and buprenorphine - they're both morphine derivatives - so I would have thought if one gave her problems the other would too.<br /><br />Tramadol and Oxycontin are not morphine and do not convert to morphine, so I suppose she could try one of those and see if the blackouts stop.<br /><br />Opiates can slow breathing, so I would check it isn't exacerbating an underlying problem, like sleep apnoea. <br /><br />If she has low blood pressure to begin with, then opiates can make it even lower as you know, so it could still be this, whichever opiate she tries.<br /><br />Does she get any other symptoms before she loses consciousness? This might give you more clues.<br /><br />Sorry I can't help more, but good luck. it can be a very long road finding the right analgesia, but you'll get there in the end.Sue Marshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14849801822216267250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-78971329777791132182010-11-26T14:09:10.347+00:002010-11-26T14:09:10.347+00:00Sue, I came across your blog by chance today while...Sue, I came across your blog by chance today while trying to find an explanation for my girlfriend's repeated losses of consciousness - we concluded it was a blood-pressure thing linked to her fentanyl patches and she changed to buprenorphine, but it has started happening again after a brief window with no episodes. Please could you either contact me or point me at any information on your adverse reaction to opiates so I can see if it might be the same thing. After 6 months with no explanation from any GP or specialist, we are a bit fed up wit it.Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02755794006975163417noreply@blogger.com