Conversation: The conversation between human and AI assistant.
[|Human|] I suffer from diagnosed Adhesive Arachnoiditis and have done for 15 years. For the last 5 years I have been treated with; Oxycontin/160mg three x day, Lyrica / 150mg twice a day, Panadol, Vit c, Vit b, Neocytamen / 1ml a month, Colon Cleanse- nightly ( magnesium oxide, magnesium carbonate). But I have never been well enough to manage and have been bed ridden with; extreme pain, vertgo and vomiting when sitting or standing long, spinal headaches, temporary partial paralysis in limbs and head etc, various pain sensations - some of which are severe etc etc etc. But the most horrific pain is an unbearable pain deep in my sacrum at the site of the myelogram, that caused my arachnoiditis. After a problematic colonoscopy 8 years ago the pain in my sacrum has been more intense and my bowel periodicaly produces such severe pain I cannot manage it. I also have a hiatis hernia , constant nausea, vomitting with severe pain, along with bouts of diorrea. So I lose my meds easily, putting me in a cycle of pain we cannot control. Since immigrating I have not found any knowledgable GP s so I get no advice or refferals and my full time Caregiver has no help, leaving us to manage alone. My old GP told us my meds would need revising yearly as pain levels will only increase as the nerves are damaged and that gradual paralysis will happen. But we have tried for 2 years to get a reveiw to see what stage I am at and increase pain medication etc. However all the Doctors here seem to think arachnoiditis is just long term pain rather than the insidious disease it really is. The pain I go through is so severe I never even knew it existed and we do not understand why Doctors are happy to repeat my scripts, but dont understand that the pain levels increase with the progression of the disease and my meds need reveiwing. Most Doctors do not want to take me and very few even prescribe these kind of meds. Due to selfish drug abusers who never think of the suffering Patients in real pain go through, just so these addicts can get their highs. Specialists authorise my meds and the GP just issues them. But why prescribe a dose which will not even allow me to function in the community and have some quality of life? When I first went on these meds they worked and I got some of my life back. But just like my GP advised; the pain levels and my functions got worse with time, so why dont they increase my dose? I have been told by a few Doctors that my dose is small so what is the difference? If the pain is worse than death why dont they stop it and prevent it? Some GP s go on about addiction to my meds but I have no history and no symptoms of drug addiction or abuse and considering I have absolutely no life with this incurable disease addiction is the least of my worries. Doctors here refuse to discuss arachnoiditis and will not help. We are at a loss as to what to do and I cannot go on much longer like this.
[|AI|]  Hi, Welcome to Chat Doctor Forum. Arachnoiditis is a pain disorder caused by the inflammation of the arachnoid which is one of the membranes that surround and protect the nerves of the spinal cord.  This can happen because of an irritation from chemicals, infection from bacteria or virus, as the result of direct injury to the spine, compression of spinal nerves for a long term, or complications from spinal surgery or other invasive spinal procedures. It is indeed a Difficult condition to treat and Most treatments focus on pain relief and the improving the daily function. This includes pain management, Physiotherapy, psychotherapy and exercise. Just continue the medications which has been prescribed to you and go for regular follow up. Don't lose hope. You can divert your Attention by doing yoga and meditation daily. Do Take Care.