How many people here have to take narcotic pain meds to help control RA? I take methadone 80mg a day. This is since all the other ones make me too loopy to drive and I was tired of the pharmacist always looking down on me. I have severe RA, and just walking is tough some days. I am 36 years old and dont want to be and invalid. I also take prednisone, enbrel, cymbalta, and ambien.
I try to ride out my pain. Use to doing that, since I was a kid. But there comes a point to where I literally bang my head on the wall because of all the pain I am in and I cannot get IBU to take it away.
I cannot take norcotics, because I have to tend to a 2 year old and I have to be able to stay awake, as pain pills will make me sleepy, and if I try to fight the sleep urge, then I get paranoid and/or act weird. Just ask shannon.
But, I am getting to the point that I am thinking of asking for a good pain med to help me for when the pain has took a toll on me mentally, and physically.
Are Lortabs, narcotics?
I take norco (vicoden 10/325)My doc told me not to take anything for pain to see if the Medrol is working. I was taking Alleve, and it didn't do anything for me. Doc said with RA, it's like using a spray bottle to put out a fire. No wonder. I have taken a Vicoden now and then when I just can't take the pain anymore.
Though in that perticular instance joonie, i dont think it was the lortab that got you thinkin that HAHAHAHAHAHAHA I take Darvocet sometimes, Percocet sometimes, Talacen sometimes. They don't usually do the trick - but help enough to get functioning. Ugh! :) I take 2 tramodol in the morning, and 2 at bedtime...Some days I take 2 around 3 pm. When its not working I take vicodin. HI I take Endone every 4 hours , have to go to Drs weekly as she only prescribes 20 at a time. Also take Prednisone, panadol, awaiting a new antiinflammatory,MTX, Endep for nerve pain. Hope this helps, Janie. Oh and welcome to the board newbie!!!!
I took tremadol for a short while, but it kinda stopped me up, if ya know what I mean ;-)
I'm looking at asking my new RD for something that's good to take only on occassion. I can go for weeks without any serious pain (nothing tylenol can't handle) but then I'll wake up and for three days I can barely move. I need something on hand, for that "just in case" moment.
yea thats the same way i am Katie, though its been like this for ohh 3 weeks nowKatie Walmart has softeners (not a laxative) that take care of things along with lotsa water.
I wish I didn't have to take narcotics. I only hope to have to do it until the Remicade kicks in.
I'm currently on the "Tour of Pain-killers". Vicoden is great, but I didn't accept a prescription as I don't want to build up a tolerance to it. I tried Ultram ER (Tramadol) and had a bad reaction. I am now on Darvocet as needed, but I find that it only lasts 6 hours max.
I just want something milder....if there is such a thing?tylenol 3, yea thats about it that i can think of
Did take Ultram time release with a Tramadol chaser if pain was too severe. Got to the point that these didn't work so am taking Lortab now. Was taking 6 a day, got down to 4 a day, and am now taking 1/2 tab 4 times a day. Will probably start using Ultram 24 hr. again. Easy to take once a day.
Joonie, Have you tried Ultram/Tramadol? Lindy
Occasionally I'll take a tramadol, or a vicodin or two if it's really bad. Sometimes I'm on my feet all day long at work, for 10 hours or so if we're testing new equipment. My feet are killing me at the end of the day! The only good thing about it is we use M&Ms, Tic-Tacs and Skittles to test the counting accuracy of the machines. Although we will run the candy through the machine multiple times, some of it only makes it through once or twice before it gets eaten by one of us (after we've verified count accuracy, of course). I take Hydrocodone 7.5/500. 1 in the morning before work and one at night before bedtime to sleep better.LinB - Yes, I have took it for a month straight and it sucked. IBU done more than Ultram/Tramadol ever did for me. LorTabs work ok, but I have had pain that even Lortabs could not take away. Joonie, I know what you mean Lortabs didn't do much for me last week even though I was doubling up - had to. Today was my first pain free day and I think it's the Lyrica. The leg pain, foot pain is 80% better. I'm hurting now, it's been 12 hours since the Lyrica and I just took my evening dose. I thought that Ultram might be a good choice for you, guess not. I don't have any more suggestions, I'm sorry. LindyOh it is fine, LinB... I am sure my new RD will help me out in the pain department, at least I hope.
I hope the lyrica kicks in for you soon, and helps with your pain.
Huggs!
Thanks for all the responses. It makes me feel better about my use of methadone. Someone asked if lortab was a narcotic, I guess they found out it is. I didn't like those drugs because I had to keep taking them. With meth I only have to dose twice a day. It is mega hard to get off of, which scares me, but is way better than 10 percocet a day plus morphine 6 times a day. My surgeries took care of a some of it, but my feet still just burn and stab me. The new sleep aid I am trying tonight is called trazedone. It is non narcotic and non habit forming, unlike ambien, which IS habit forming. I just hate being a prisoner to all these drugs, and I feel guilty for having to take methadone, but as my doctor asked..."is your quality of life better?" -Yes, it is
peace, Chris
Hey chris that was me that asked, and I did not find out that it was until you just confirmed it for me. I was too busy googling elvis, and lortab slipped my mindYeah Joonie, lortab is the same as vicodin. The popular strengths are as follows:
5mg hydrocodone /500 mg aceteminophen or 5/500 (vicodin)
7.5mg hydrocodone / 750 mg aceteminophen or 7.5/750 = vicodin ES
Lortab 10/500 (lortab)
Lortab 10/325 (norco)
on the bottle will be one of the strengths indicating how much narcotic and how much tylenol are in each pill. They are VERY addictive and will cause severe withdrawl if stopped abruptly, but are also not as strong as many other types of narcotics. FYI
Yeah... that is why I only take them when I have to. I seem to come from an addictive family... alcohol, drugs, you name it probably someone in my family has been addicted to it.
So, lortabs are better than vicodin? If so, no wonder you can sell your Lortabs to the right person for - a pill. FYI... I have never sold any of mine, just incase it crossed someone's mind. Like I said I come from a family of addicts. Oh and hubby told me that info from someone that he use to work with. The person was a crack addict, and eventually fired within 2 weeks of starting work
The Dr. pulled me off the Enbrel and switched to Humira once every two weeks, Methotrexate every week, which is ok, so far ( two yr with Enbrel/MTX). I had quit all the regular pain meds because of the constipation issues Vicodin, and other stronger pain meds were causing and started using the Medical Marijuana. It didn't take away 100% of the pain. But it did knock down the 24/7 pain to acceptable level, put me in a much better mood:) and made it so food started looking good again!!
but try and explain that to some Young Dr. that thinks mmj is the same as H or other things........yea, it just don't work:( so we will see what kind of NEW AND IMPROVED pain meds they come up with this time.
the pain management dr. i used to see said to me one day " you know , some people sell these pills to DRUG Addicts, if you lose your perscription or pills, i will not replace it!".... I didn't think anything about his remark until i was getting into my car and looked at the reflection of my shirt in the window, i had an old Harley Davidson t-shirt on....and now i understood why Dr.PAIN couldnt take his eyes off my chest while his words dribbled out of his mouth.......and that was when i quit the Pain Meds and applied for my MMC
SOME PEOPLE
God Bless us all
Leroy
Hi Leroy, I've actually been doing some research on MMC. Stan and I have discussed it. Can you help me understand the benefits between pill form and other forms of ingestion/inhalation. I'm leaning towards pill form if I can qualify. Not sure what the state requires but am researching. Any help would be appreciated. I personally feel that it's better than becoming addicted to some of the pain killers. It may be an additive that will help cut down on the use of so many narcotics. I'm only taking 3-4 Lortab now but I'd like to take even less. LindyHi Lindy & Stan,I have yet to try the pill form ( marinoal ?not sure of the spelling) but i'm sure it wouldn't have the challanges associated with inhalation. Ingestion works very well, but the amount needed takes a little gettting used to as the effects start off slowly and increase as the volume is ingested. inhaling, on the other hand has a quicker responce and is more predictable. Two years ago I recieved my card and haven't used anything stronger than Excedrin! i don't drink or do any other drugs now, because this works! for me anyway. I can stay focused on my work,enjoy my time with my Wife, and lead an extremely productive life. My Daughters are both in their mid 20's in the Navy (2 tours of duty in Iraq ,each) so i don't have the challange of little ones at home. if a person takes this path responcably and uses the product as it should be used, it can be an extremely useful tool in regaining your quality of life:)
the state of CA. passed prop 215 way back when, but as we have just seen in Bakersfield the DEA cares not what the Voters of CA. accomplished and have closed all of the MM establishments.
but under California Health & Safety code 11362.5 you can still aquire a MM card ( hard to believe ?) not sure what State your in, i just hope that one day soon OUR government will stop wasting our tax dollars on foolishness.I'm sorry if this has a soap box sounding thing to it, but when you talk to people who are in far worse shape than i'm in and you have helped them to go into or come out of one of these stores in their wheel chairs,and this is the only thing that Helps their pain...........how do you answer them when they ask " what will i do now?"
I hope this has been heplful?
Leroy
What are the effects when you wean off of pain pills?? if you slow down doesnt your pain become worse?? If so, then what do you do?? ive been taking pain meds for a couple of years now and I can always tell when I havent taken any for a day or so my pain is worse. It helps me be able to function. So does that mean Im addicted????[QUOTE=momofthree]What are the effects when you wean off of pain pills?? if you slow down doesnt your pain become worse?? If so, then what do you do?? ive been taking pain meds for a couple of years now and I can always tell when I havent taken any for a day or so my pain is worse. It helps me be able to function. So does that mean Im addicted????[/QUOTE]Seems my LorTabs are LorTab 7.5/500. So I am guessing that is why they do not take away my pain most of the time, because they suck?! Humm... well something else to add to my new RD list of complaints.
One member here asked if she was an addict. There is a big difference between addict and dependant. An addict is PREOCCUPIED by the thought of taking addictive drugs. Someone who is dependant has to take the drugs due to pain, and the body, not the mind, becomes dependant. Your doctor should wean you off slowly if desired and you will have lots less trouble with withdrawl.
Hope you all have a pain free evening and thanks for so many responses.
I used to take Vicodin ES for breakthrough pain only, but now I take it every 6 hours and have been doing so since my pain got unbearable about 9 months ago. Every once in awhile I switch it up with Ultracet.
I am trying to find the right combo of meds to get the RA under control so I can start to taper down. I never imagined it would take this long. I'm also worried because a lot of my pain comes from other problems (fibro and DDD) and that once I get the RA under control, I may still end up needing the pain meds.
Chris~ very well put regarding the difference between being and addict and being dependent. People that dont live with the day to day pain that we do dont understand that we need the pain meds to be able to function throughout the day. I think if more drs and "normals" understood that there wouldnt be such an assumption that just because we are on narcotics that we are on them to get high, that we actually need them to be able to function some days.[QUOTE=kelsaysmommy]Chris~ very well put regarding the difference between being and addict and being dependent. People that dont live with the day to day pain that we do dont understand that we need the pain meds to be able to function throughout the day. I think if more drs and "normals" understood that there wouldnt be such an assumption that just because we are on narcotics that we are on them to get high, that we actually need them to be able to function some days.[/QUOTE]
It's unfortunate that the medical community treats us from time to time like addicts. I am admittedly borderline on addicted, which is why I talked about it with my doctor and he switched me to methadone before it became a problem. I enjoy the way narcotics make me feel, I am just wired that way. It's not my fault.
However, It took me over 10 doctors until I found one that I could trust and be honest with. Most Drs. just dont want to deal with chronic pain patients. They especially don't want to deal with one who has an addictive personality. I think for now we all just need to be vigilant on controlling our use and try to make our doctors comfortable with prescribing them. It's the only logical course of action. Making a big stink about it just makes us look bad.
-Chris