Re: how many changes to find the right pain med, opiods

[Guest guest]

Dear Jeff~

First of all I wouldnt think its a good situation with your doctor if

you dont feel right asking him about changing your medication, you

need a doctor that you feel very comfy with so you can work on getting

the proper pain control, good communication is key between patient and

doctor to get the help you need, I wasnt in good communication with my

doc, I just took whatever she told me to. Now over 10 years later my

body has gone through soem serious damage since she never treated the

actual cause of pain. But ofcourse this is just my opinion.

Now for me trying to find the proper pain medication was very hard

since I am very afraid of trying anythig new and also scared to death

of having an accidentel over dose of narcotics as I had one years ago

just taking what I was prescribed by my primary and the first day on

it, taking what she said to, I had a narcotic od and it scared the day

lights out of me but anywho with me its taken a lot

One thing I did to try and understand all of this pain, where it

comes, what parts of the brain has to do with it has actually helped

me out a lot when it comes to looking for the proper pain meds that

would work for me.

I have tried hydrocodone 10/325 x 12 pills in 24 hours, stadol,

percocet, duragesic patch and now just currently trying the oxycotin

which I am having some really goiod succes but like all of the meds I

have been on in the past we had to make sure there is room for me to

increase as I have such a tollerence to medication, now if it was

working then maybe its something to try and keep working with, ask

your doc if it can be increased a bit and/or adding a PRN for the day

either percocet or hydrocodone for the break through pain, I am

currently taking 60mg in the am and 60mg in the pm and not needing the

PRN which is probably good cause I dont have any right now but anywho

if that has been helping I would see about possibly increasing it.

Now for me different meds worked differently for all of my pain, like

I would have to say hydrocodone was my fav for pain control except for

the fact I had to take so much to get relief but it helped with my

headaches, arthritis aches, back pain and my horrible lungs cause I

have like bronchitis all the time so it hurts to breath from being a

smoker for so long (I know it would be just smarter to quit but at

this point in life just not possible) With the oxy SR I have noticed

it doesnt help with my migraines and same with the duragesic patch and

morphine made me itch like crazy. It takes sometime and depending on

your pain, and what is causing it (sorry I dont recall if I read a

post about what is causing you to have pain) I have always said I was

the docs guinea pig cause I have tried so much but there is another

option out there that has recently been brought up to me and that is a

morphine pump but am hoping and praying that I wont have to go that

route.

Well good luck and hope all works out, finding the right pain control

is frustrating but once you get there its well worth going through the

whole trial and error. Below is some links where you can check out

say like what dose you were on with one med and what that would

convert over to if you were to change it to give you some ideas to

help you talk with your doctor about needing something that will help

you control your pain better, we deserve to atleast have our pain

under control enough to live life and having about 70% of your life

impatced by pain shouldnt be exceptable by you nor your doctor. Good

luck Jeff and may God be with you in the journey to find the proper

pain management.

Sincerely

Vicki

PS have you considered going to a specialist who does pain mng control

who may have the knowledge of trying different things? Just a thought

http://www.globalrph.com/narcotic.cgi

http://www.medcalc.com/narcotics.html

http://www.painresearch.utah.edu/cancerpain/calculatorJ15.html

[Guest guest]

I hear ya on this one. That arthritis is a kicker. It will slow you

down. Have you also tried topicals? I hope you will find the relief you

need.

Jeff wrote:

> I am wondering how many changes people went through to find the right

> medication (or combination).

[Guest guest]

Jeff,

Starting back in the 80's my doctor at the time had me on just about

every NSAID on the market at one time or another. Either they didn't

help or if they did they caused other problems that made it

impossible for me to continue taking them.

Eventually I ended up on Ultram around 1998 and have been on it ever

since. Another doctor put me on Zanaflex about 3 years ago when the

muscle spasms got bad.

I think my experience is fairly typical based on what I have heard

from other people and read about here and in another group I belong

to.

It's too bad our body chemistries aren't all the same so that one

drug would work on everyone. Such is life with chronic pain.

Jeff wrote:

> I am wondering how many changes people went through to find the

> right medication (or combination).

[Guest guest]

HI Jeff,

I have been on pain relievers for sometime now Initially I

started on Oxycodone with acetominophine (Tylenol ) PRN that did

not work much it did dull some pain \. Instead I woulkld continue

doing what it eas I was doing .

Eventually the MDS decided Oxy _ Contin would be better as my pain had

become worse and last a lot long . So I did I became very constipated and had

to spend a night in the hospital . taking

lots of high fiber dingls and sme mild laxative .

So I was given meperidne ( Demerol) it id work but took a lot of

ut and it does not last long . but not constipating for me though

buying it every week was getting expensive .

I talked about this with my GP and we came up with methadone , It

works very well inexpensive, last a long time, and once you are used to it

you do not feel the side effects much sometimes on a empty stomach . It also

has moderate antidepressant properties if I recall sort of like a SSRI i.e.

Zoloft Prozac.

I wish there was some sort of test that one could take then come

much closer to trying different meds. Remember well are all different and

respond differently to different drugs. For now it is trail and error.

The upshot if you want to call it that is you do know what does not

work or cause you to feel the side effects more. I strongly recommend looking

for a DR on line I have a site it can be a bit in depth and heavy reading

though. I am not sure I can send it I will try but if the Moderators do think

it is ok . You can email me I will send it to you

Try this

http://www.rxlist.com/

Good luck Rick

PS Sorry about my typing I am well heavily mediocated but I find

this heps take my miond off of the p pain abit . I will wtire about

syurgy latere

-

wrote:

>

> Hi all,

>

> I am wondering how many changes people went through to find the

right medication (or combination). I have tried the patches and morphine slow

release and then oxycontin. So far the oxy has worked best,

[Guest guest]

>

> Hi all,

>

> I am wondering how many changes people went through to find the right

> medication (or combination).... I am afraid to talk with the Dr.

about changing as they sort of make me feel bad when I ask about

trying a different med.>>>>

Hi Jeff...

My name is nne...I've been a member of this group for a long

time, though not totally active for a while...

I just wanted to tell you that I've been through A LOT of

medications! I went through morphine, oxycontin, and now I'm on

Duragesic, which seems to be working on the pain. However lately it is

causing a lot of nausea. Anyway, you are not the only one who has

needed to go through lots of meds to find the right one.

I also wanted to tell you PLEASE do not feel bad about asking about

different drugs. If your Doc makes you feel bad, then it's time to

find yourself another doc. They are supposed to be there to help you

in your search to find the medication that works for you. They are

NOT there to make you feel uncomfortable about asking for a different

medication. Especially if the one you're on isn't working for you.

Please, speak up for yourself! There is no reason for you to be using

a medication that doesn't work for you. Some meds work for some

people and some don't. Any good doc should know this!

Just my opinion!

In my thoughts!

nne

[Guest guest]

> Jeff wrote:

> > I am wondering how many changes people went through to find the

> > right medication (or combination).

It's been a constant journey. My docs avoded gining me narcotics for

years, even though I kept asking for " something stronger. " I was

always angry, but in retrospect I probably didn't need them at the

time.

Over the last five or so years I've been through nay NSAIDs, and

lord knows what else. when things really got bad my pain doc (at the

time, no longer see him) changed me from tramadol to a low dose of

hydrocodone.

After a bd injury that set of the sciatic trouble, I realy suffered

for several weeks, fired the pain doc (then he fired me--HA).

Eventaully wound up on Oxy, which has been a blessing. I was afraid of it, but

it's worked well for me...

In short, it's been a process... as my condition deteriorates, meds

are changed. My exercise, meditation, stretching, diet, etc help make

the meds much more effective

[Guest guest]

I must have been one of the lucky ones that found the right medication

right away. I started out on Vicodin 5mg. And as my pain started

progressing and getting worse, we just increased the dosage.

I went to Vicodin 7.5 mg, then to the Norco 10mg. When my liver

functions started showing they were not doing well, my doctor took me

off the Vicodin all together, because of the acetamynophen. That is

when we started on the Oxycontin. Once again I started out on the

20mg. and went up as needed.

I sure hope everyone can find that " perfect " combination of

medications that help each one of you.

Big huggs,

Sandy

Moderator