Tramadol 50. six times per day is not working for the pain in the hands and feet. I need to find something that does a better job on the pain without any side effects that would cause problems with my job. I must stay clear headed at all times. Fearing liver damage from the MTX / Pred / Plq / Remicade and other meds what choices do I have to tackle the pain? Thanks Billy What has your doctor suggested? Cause all I can think of are things that would probably make you pretty woozy at first, but I think that you'd probably be okay after a while. Like Hydrocodone? I dunno! Sorry I can't help more!Have you thought of trying one of the sustained release morphine sulphates. They can start low with them so your head is clear but your pain taken away and then they can give you a stronger one for nighttime so you sleep well. In Au they are called MS Contin but I don't know the US name but if you Google sustained release morphine sulphate you should be able to find out.
The other one is a 24 sustained release morphine sulphate called Avinza - that is the US name.
Tramadol didn't work for me either.
Hi Billy, Ultram is the time-released, 24 hour Tramadol. I've used Ultram 100 mg. and then used Tramadol 50 mg. several times during the day to control the pain.
Before you ask for other drugs, talk to you doctor about Ultram, time released. Lindy
Hi Billy,
I was very nervous in the beginning about using narcotics. But personally I have now found that the side effects (like any kind of buzz, euphoria, dizziness etc) went away for me very quickly. Within th first few days. It seems that when you are in this kind of pain and you have to use them so much regularly, it becomes a non-issue. I still can't believe that with what all I am on at this point, that I function without any of the worrisome side effects above, but not only do I feel like I don't - but all my friends and family have also told me that they cannot "see or hear" any of that in me.
Good Luck,
Melly
When you say "Fearing liver damage" do you mean you don't use any of these medications? I'm not sure I understand.
[QUOTE=LinB]
Hi Billy, Ultram is the time-released, 24 hour Tramadol. I've used Ultram 100 mg. and then used Tramadol 50 mg. several times during the day to control the pain.
Before you ask for other drugs, talk to you doctor about Ultram, time released. Lindy
[/QUOTE]the best way to control the pain is to control the disease. Just using pain meds is like trying to put a bandaid on a bleeding artery.
Increasing pain is a sign that the disease is doing damage. In 10 years your liver will be in great shape but you won't be able to use your hands or feet due to the joint damage
Buckeye, what you said is all so true. There are some, like myself, who have damage and use pain meds to control the pain of the damaged joints. Also, there are other diseases that cause considerable pain that are related to arthritis. Even if the RA is controlled by your present regimen of drugs the other related pain may not be controlled, such as fibro, osteoarthritis, neuropathy, etc.
For some of us it's a vicious cycle and isn't just one disease but several, with damage from all. I wish it were just one disease and the pain so easily controlled. It's taken me almost 10 years to find a combo of meds that seem to work. During that 10 years I've had considerable damage to my joints and related disease proccesses. I use pain meds to function normally and to be a useful member of society.
Billy, are you taking any meds to slow the disease process? Lindy
I was just going to say the same thing buckeye said. Just using pain meds is not going to help. As scary as all these meds are, they do help you. You are doing worse for your body then helping it. You need to fight the desiese rather then just cover it up.