Pain Medication Poll | Arthritis Information

 

I go see my RD in two weeks and am going to ask for a new pain med.  Right now I take Ultracet but it only lasts 4-6 hours and doesnt help much anymore.  Ultram ER makes me too sleepy to function at work.  I would like to see what experiences everyone has had with different pain meds so I know which direction to go.  I still work, so I will still need to be functional  All suggestions and comments are appreciated.

Have you considered raising your prednisone by 1 to 2 mg, with doctors permission of course. 1 or 2 mgs additional prednisone can make a world of difference in your pain level. I used to adjust my prednisone rather than take the pain pills. Just felt better taking away the pain rather than mask the pain.

LEV
For pain lasting a couple days, I generally just use acetaminophen, naproxen, tramadol, or vicodin.  If it lasts longer than a couple days, I use a Medrol dose-pak.

I've never been on Medrol or any other corticosteroid for more than a couple weeks at a time.

Hi Linda... I'm really going to watch for replies here. I need help on this too.

While people are answering your question, I hope to hear about meds I can take. I have a severe allergy to all anti-inflammatories from aspirin, ibprophen, to prednisone, other cortisones.

All my variations of acetaminophen (ie super-strength Tylenol) only "take the edge off".  I still have Norco left over from my very painful shoulder surgeries & recoveries (last Mar, Sept). I've been rationing them for when I really need them. Someday they'll be gone.

I told my rheumatologist about how the narcotic works better, even just half the tab. She says it only masks the pain, that it does nothing to help with the TNF production, like Tylenol does.

So, I look forward to any other ideas I can ask my doc to give me to try. I have enough of the painkillers to last me a few months if I take only 1 or 2 per week.  I certainly have no addiction tendencies so I don't know why she's resisting. Maybe she just wants to wait until a time comes when I get really bad again, but gee whiz....

Cathy

 

 

Hey Linda, Lev and Jas are right about figuring out how to take the pain away.  That is what I try to do, then treat the "come and go" aches.  When I have to use something, I usually just use tylenol.  I have used Ultram in the past, it worked best for me as far as continuing to do daily life stuff.  I still use Skelexin and it is nice in helping to get the kinks to relax (and still function!) when I need to (I use it as needed, not everyday).  I really don't like the way pain meds make my head feel.... like someone scratching on a chalk board!

You have to find what works for you, pain is so different from one person to the next.  I hope some of these suggestions give you some options to discuss with your RD.  Good luck!
I use oxycoxet and fentanyl patches.  I've found that with the fentanyl patches, as long as I'm moving I'm ok, but as soon as I sit and relax, I'm VERY tired.  Tylenol affects TNF?  I have never heard this.  ????? I cant use anti-inflamatories either.

Daily pain which I can ignore - I take nothing

Pain I cant ignore - tramadol but I can only take them every 6 hours as opposed to every 4 because they me itch (actually I feel like I've got spiders running around under my skin.. but they work for the pain).

I can generally cope with most pain if I can get a good 8 hours sleep. If that isnt possible then my doctor has perscribed me Oxazepam. They are wonderful. I take one at tea time then another about 20 mins before I go to bed and that's me for the night. Wake up less tired/grumpy.

These are my fail safes at the moment and I use them sparingly because they are addictive.

Hello,

I am use Vicodin for the pain I can not stand. Hope you find something that works for you.

[QUOTE=CathyMarie]

.... I like my pain to be masked! 

[/QUOTE]

I've used both Vicodin and the Duragesic patches....Both work well on the pain that I Have. [QUOTE=ncpalinda]Tylenol affects TNF?  I have never heard this.  ????? Ultram  daily. I usually take 2 ultram  morning and night. occasionally 2 around 4 pm. many days though I just skip trying ultram at 4 and go straight to vicodin. I don't take anything because nothing does anything. I feel absolutely no different if I take pain meds or do not.
When I had off the charts pain during onset even oxycontin only took the edge off. Not sure if the doctors don't give me a high enough dose because I'm small or what. I think for whatever reason I have an extremely high tolerance to pain meds.
During child birth with my first nothing they gave me did anything- then I begged for an epidural which they injected into my blood stream by accident and caused me to have a grand mal seizure. I was so out of it but in soooooo much pain. Another woman the next day at the nursery said I heard you screaming last night. I had no recollection. I was like I'm sorry you have me mistaken for someone else. She said- that's OK I was screaming too! I was like no- you don't understand- maybe I was groaning but I was not screaming. I asked my hisband about it. Yep not only was I screaming but I was screaming things he would not repeat. So I was so out of it on drugs that I had no recall- yet I had no pain relief either.
I ended up having an emergency C section for that pregnancy and planned for the next 2. Ha Ha! That took care of experienceing that kind of pain!
Can't they give you another DMARD? I see you aren't on anything except predisone & pain meds. If you're off the biologic maybe there's a reason you can't take sanything right now; but it looks like to me that you need something to control the inflamation; not just cover it up for short periods of time. Can you take MTX? I have settled for Ultracets. I do not like to take pain meds. I just started taking pain meds last year, before than I would just ride out the pain and take 800mg of Ibuprofin. Thanks for all the replies.  I may talk to him about Ultram/Tramadol by itself.  I have been unable to find a DMARD or Biologic that will help the least little bit.  Been on Plaquenil, Arava, Azulfadine, MTX, Enbrel, and Remicade.  Remicade caused severe yeast infections and severe infection in my gallbladder.  Havent been on anything since Jan, still recovering from Surgery and bile duct stricture I had in Feb.  Dr is wanting me to take Orencia at end of March--I am scared to death to try anything else after being in hosp 7 days.  I am ready to give up, quit my job, get some really good pain meds and let the RA take over.   Are the side effects to all these drugs really worth it??  RA will probably win in the end anyways.  What amount of MTX were you on? Dilaudid is a bigtime narcotic. They gave it to me after my last surgery and I couldn't raise my head without getting sick. But, I was in the hospital, so it was put in my IV and was probably a high dose. I could've tolerated pain better. I don't know anything about low doses at home.  I forgot to say that as it was taking months for the Mtx to start working, my dosage was slowly raised. Doc stopped me at 15mg/week (injection only because I have bad IBS and lost 30lbs on Plaquenil-- talk about hanging in there til it worked!). 15mg is holding me pretty stable so we left it there. Lovie, I take naproxen every day, no matter what, and norco (vicodin) up to 3 a day as needed. I have OA also. I used to only take 1 norco every other day or so.. now I take 2 or 3 everyday. Sometimes I wonder if I'm really having more pain or if I'm just tired of toughing out the pain. I am so tired of being in pain.

Leila, I know exactly what you are talking about.  The pain affects everything you do in life.  It seems like it is never ending.  I also have OA of the lower spine and ankle from damage when I had JRA.  My husband complains because I never stay in bed any later than 8 am on weekends,  I am usually hurting so bad from being still all night I cant.  He doesnt understand.  I acutally got up at 7 am this morning, took an Ultracet and went back to bed just so he would quit complaining.   I plan my meetings and work tasks around my pain meds also.    I pray that they come up with a new breakthrough soon. 

Take care and remember we are all here on this board for a reason, to share, care about and help others through it.

ncpalinda....What exactly is ultracet? Is it a narcotic? How does it compare to meds like vicodin?
I know what you mean about not being able to stay in bed. The only time I can be in bed past 7 or so, is when I've not been able to sleep until the wee hours of the morning. You've got to keep moving or you'll get stiff and painful, but if spend too much time on your feet you get stiff and painful. God forbid you ever want to see a movie in a theater and then actually be able to get up and walk when the movie is over. That's why I'd never see movies like Benjamin Button, or Lord of the Rings etc. in the theater.   Too long. My movies have to be under 2 hours.
Ok, anyway, my mini rant is over. I just wish they'd come up with something that would take the pain away, protect our joints, and not make us look like addicts.
Hope you have a comfortable nightUltracet is tramadol + acetaminophen; Ultram is tramadol by itself.  Tramadol is a synthetic opioid analgesic.  It is not currently a controlled substance, and it seems to be less addicting than opiates such as codeine, hydrocodone (fun stuff in vicodin), morphine, etc.  Tramadol acts a bit like an SSRI in addition to its opiate actions, and opiate "antidotes" only partially reverse the actions of it.  In short, they're not quite sure how it works (where have we heard that before???).  It seems to work well for some, and for others - not so much. I cannot take anti-inflamms, so let's see... I've taken dilaudid and morphine, gave me the itchies and had to take antihystamine with them. Tried tramadol, but if I remember right, caused problems with my Sjogren's, though I don't remember how. Now I use fentanyl patches and take vicoden (can take up to 4 a day) but ususally just one in the morning and one before bed.Tramadol didnt touch my pain at all, just made me nauseous. The one thing that worked ( and I agree with Lev!! ) was Pred. It took all my pain away within 24 hours. And I could not walk before that. So now Ive weaned to 2.5 mgs and doing OK and I cut out my once a day antinflam a month ago. Still doing plaq and sulfasalazine so all is well, so far. i take oxycodone -- twice a day. Was taking it morning and night -- it only lasts about 4 hrs. But now, I forego my morning pill to save it for the middle of the night when I really, really need it. 2 a day -- have to spread 'em out for the "worst" times. It isn't an ideal situation -- but best i can do right now.I've only been on meds for RA since 12/1. Have been taking 12.5 MG MTX since then, and I'm afraid the dosage will have to be elevated when I see the doc next week as my disease is progressing. My pain med experience has been Celebrex, which worked early on but my insurance refused to help pay for it. I was put on salsalate, which gave me suicidal ringing in my ears. From that to Relafen, 500 mg twice a day which lately has been three times a day. I feel the pain is masked with Relafen, which is fine, but I wonder if my body is still reacting to the pain which I don't feel. I wonder if the exhaustion comes from that.

I was also on a tiny dose of prednisone but have weaned myself off it at last.

I have good results from Oxycontin 10mg up to 4 daily.  It is Oxycodone in a long acting pill without Tylenol.

I have had 3 surgeries and about 8 UTI's in the last year.  Ureters are a mess.  I have a great Urologist but even without RA meds for over a year the infections won't stop long enough for ureter replacement surgery.  I also had 2 positive ANA's last summer along with other symptoms of Lupus.

 

NOTE: Fentnyl patches are not very safe... there are lawsuits against the drug company for this one.  There are many other good pain meds out there.  Patches can release more meds at a time if one gets heated up, etc.  as opposed to a pilll with good extended release. [QUOTE=Pepper]NOTE: Fentnyl patches are not very safe... there are lawsuits against the drug company for this one.  There are many other good pain meds out there.  Patches can release more meds at a time if one gets heated up, etc.  as opposed to a pilll with good extended release. [/QUOTE] I take vicoden for pain. I started with one 5mg/500mg and after awhile I must have gotten used to it or ra got worse and now I take 10mg/500mg. Dr only prescribed two a day and it only last 3 or 4 hours and I always run out early and suffer. I found my doc doesn't like to prescribe too many meds because you work up a tolerance to it and pretty soon it stops working as well. I have 6 left to last two weeks before I can get a refill. Spring storms are here and they really affect my pain and I feel worse.Wow I never realized there were so many more options for pain out there.  Thanks for all the replies.  Ultracet was the first one that I tried, will probably be moving on to something stronger, unfortunately.  Increased from 5 mg to 20 mg Pred for 1 week so far, still not helping pain or swelling much.  Cold front coming through tomorrow and I am not looking forward to it!!! And there are other options as well. My TENS unit is pretty effective. I also see a pain management dr. who gives me nerve blocks.    I have never had any problems with my fentanyl patches and I use my electric blanket every night as it is still snowing here and take daily hot baths to get the chill out when I get home.

Saw RD today. Told her I'd like better pain management. I'm afraid to damage my liver with all this extra-strength Tylenol on top of Mtx and anyways, it barely helps. I've been stingy about doling out my Norco (like Vicodan+Tylenol) that was for post shoulder-surgery. I don't get a buzz or high from the narcotic, just some noticeable decrease in pain. She said she doesn't like to give narcotics, I said that's fine, at this time, I just want something between OTC and narcotic to take even just once a day. She said Ultram... but with all my serious drug allergies, she wants to study them and all my meds to be sure it's ok. I appreciate it. Maybe she'll do that at the end of her day this evening.

Oxycodone 5mg 1-3 every three-four hours with Fentanyl patches for irretractile pain: fortunately, that is not a frequent occurrence. Most often I can walk through or meditate through pain, but certainly not always.

Utram, well, it did not do a thing for me, but as has been said time and again on this discussion forum, we are all individuals with individual responses.

Good luck!
the fentanyl patches  were supposidly recalled... but I would check that for sure on the FDA site.  there is just a lawsuit against the manufacturer now.[QUOTE=Pepper]the fentanyl patches  were supposidly recalled... but I would check that for sure on the FDA site.  there is just a lawsuit against the manufacturer now.[/QUOTE] I have Lortab 5/500 for when I flare which occasionally I have to double the dosage.  I also take 1,000 mg Relafen once or twice daily, depending on the level of pain.  Honestly, they only take the edge off.  I also have prednisone on hand to take during flares.  I love prednisone.  It takes all my pain away.  Unlike most people, I always seem to sleep better and lose weight while on it.  Well... I just got my ULTRAM RX filled today! I was waiting until I used up all of the Ultracets which I did over the weekend. So... Now I get to see if the Ultram will do a better job. I am thinking it might since, most times I just feel like I need just a little more to take most of the pain away. Please let me know about your experiences with Ultram because my friend got this pills suggested as well.
I tried to find some user reviews but unfortunately i did not find anything.
I'm really looking forward to your reply.
I've been taking Ultram for several years now, and I've not had any type of problem with it...other than it doesn't work all THAT great. It does take the edge off though, so I always take it when I get up in the morning, and as needed thereafter. I think the dose is 50mg and I can take 2 tabs up to 4 times daily. I have heard of withdrawl problems, particularly seizures if you take too much or stop it too abruptly. However, I don't personally know of anyone that has had this type of problem.BumpUltram works well for me when I need pain relief.  Like Brisen, I take 2 tabs up to 4 times per day when needed.  Never had any adverse events or interactions.  It's not as powerful a painkiller as vicodin, but then again it doesn't make me goofy and giddy either (generally not a good idea at work, or right before church...) Most often the RD would rather you get your pain meds from your GP. I take vicodine or I actually do not know what they are going to do about that. Probably find out tomorrow when I call my GP. Well I also take flexeril at night. tryed Lyrica couldn't sleep. Also prednisone. Still tend to have bad pain days. I use the generic of Ultram, tramadol. And well.. they do not work well for when I am not doing well. I can take the 8 in a day and still be in a lot of pain. My RD just added Darvocet, and told me to take just 1 a day. Then if I am still in pain to take 2 tylenol Arthritis with every tramadol dose I take after I took the darvocet.  but most times I do not even take the 2 tylenol in addition because I do not want to take too much tylenol. None if it really helps with my pain, but I do not like taking the pain meds anyways. So... taking the edge off is better than the latter. I am already on 10mg pred for pain, Lyrica and Endep for nerve pain, and I take Oxycontin for sustained release, but have just been told by my Dr that I need to see a pain specialist as this drug is not good for regulating pain, it causes too many spikes in pain and therefore I have to continually take Tramadol 50mg on top.  I am allowed 4 a day but have regularly been taking 7-8 for breakthru pain, (its pretty permanent pain actually), due to an adverse reaction the other night I have been told I am srtrictly not to go over 4 a day.  The tramadol does help but when things are really severe I am allowed to top up morning dose of Oxycontin to 40mg and 20-30mg at night.  Hope this helps, and hopefully I may have a better schedule soon.   Regards Janie. 
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