Endocet with past addiction? | Arthritis Information

I just found this forum tonight after that I decided that I needed to do some research. My husband is taking Endocet for his arthritis (don't know what kind). He just got it after having taken Vicodin for a few months. His doctor decided that the switch was good because he has Hep C and this new medication has less Tylenol. I am just worried because my husband has a past drug addiction (about 15 yrs ago) and I don't want him to take anything that is addictive, or could cause a relaps. It worries me when the pill bottle says: No driving while taking this. Is there any med's for arthritis that is not addictive? His arthritis is in the neck out to the shoulder. He is 51 yrs old and was diagnosed with this this past June or so. I am desperate to find any alternatives that I can give him to reduce the amount of pain med's he is taking. Please help.

Hi, Lotta,

Is the physician an rheumatologist? If not, you might consider such a physician. A hepatologist might also be a good choice [and I suspect he may have one].
What kind of arthritis does he have?
IF he has autoimmune arthritis, was it induced by the treatment for the HCV? [Note: Many autoimmune conditions (e.g., SLE, RA, autoimmune hepatitis, psoriatic arthritis) are contraindications to the use of combination drug therapy for HCV infection. Many autoimmune diseases, may be exacerbated by pegylated interferon used in HCV treatment.
Don't read more into the "Don't drive....." mesage than is intended. This is generally written because some side effects might interfere with driving [e.g., dizziness, drowsiness] - not because someone will become addicted.
However, certain meds should not be stopped "cold turkey," otherwise the patient might encounter withdrawal symptoms. Endocet is one of them.
Endocet is a combination of Acetaminophen and Oxycodone.
To my knowledge, Endocet also affects the liver.
Talk to your pharmacist about addiction and Endocet. I believe you're dealing with a Schedule C drug. Just call the pharmacy where the pills were filled - most pharmacists are really happy to educate patients.
I'm pretty sure most drugs used in arthritis treatment have an impact on the liver. The key is to get the bloodwork done with regular frequency [possibly monthly in your husband's case] so that the liver enzyme values can be closely monitored.

http://www.drugs.com/endocet.html

I understand your real concern about future addiction. I suppose another way of looking at it is: If he doesn't have drugs for the arthritis, will he be inclined to seek illegal drugs to control the pain? Sometimes it's a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils. Send me a PM if you have any other questions.

Good luck.

Lee