Question On Pain Meds

[Renegade]

I am 58 years old, and a Vietnam vet with 16 years of military service. I suffered several injuries including being in a vehicle that was hit by a mortar in Vietnam. My body is a mess. I have had my back broke in three places, I have a titanium plate in my neck, a knee blew out during a repel, and on and on. I have arthritis in nearly every joint, and some days I do well to get out of bed, but by the grace of God, I do. Over the years I have been on nearly every medication for pain on the books. From the light stuff in the beginning to Percs, Morphine, Methadone, and Fentanyl patches.

The bottom line is, the one pain med that I come to depend on the most was plain on hydrocodone. It has worked, and it doesn't make me drowsy like methadone and morphine. It doesn't make me unbearable to live with and mess with my urinary track like Percs, and it doesn't make a blooming vegetable out of me like Morphine. Now I have been on hydros, or Vicodin if you prefer for nearly 8 years, and they just aren't doing the job they used to. I have been on Vicodin 10-500s, and I take (8) of them a day, and on occasion another if I am really bad off. Which puts me over the limit on Tylenol, and my liver isn't that great from all the Tylenol I have taken.

I just found out today from the pharmacist at the VA hospital where I go, that all this time my doctors could have been prescribing me Vicodin 10-325s, which would have been 1400 mgs less of Tylenol a day that I would have been putting in my system, and to say the least I am not happen about that. At the same time, no doctor has ever offered me any other med for breakthrough pain, because everything in the VA formulary other than Morphine, and that class of drugs have Tylenol in them, and I was getting my limit on (8) 10-500s a day So knowing this I never ask for any, but something has to give. As I get older, the more aches and pains I have on top of the pain I have from all of my injuries.

I talked to a real nice pharmacist at the VA hospital and explained my situation to her. She suggested that I ask to be put on the 10-325s, and for them to give me a couple more a day for breakthrough pain. That would be 10-10s a day, but the amount of Tylenol would still be less than what I am taking now, which is 4000 mgs of Tylenol taking (8) 10-500s, and would only be 3250mgs taking (10) 10-325s.

My question to all of you is, are any of you on such a pain med regiment, or do any of you have a better solution to the problem?

[Pete53]

I had the same problem to a esser fegee and was switched just by asking from Hydrocodone 5-750 to 10-325. Who would have figured its up to the patient to know what they need?

[*Bergie*]

I am 58 years old, and a Vietnam vet with 16 years of military service. I suffered several injuries including being in a vehicle that was hit by a mortar in Vietnam. My body is a mess. I have had my back broke in three places, I have a titanium plate in my neck, a knee blew out during a repel, and on and on. I have arthritis in nearly every joint, and some days I do well to get out of bed, but by the grace of God, I do. Over the years I have been on nearly every medication for pain on the books. From the light stuff in the beginning to Percs, Morphine, Methadone, and Fentanyl patches.

The bottom line is, the one pain med that I come to depend on the most was plain on hydrocodone. It has worked, and it doesn't make me drowsy like methadone and morphine. It doesn't make me unbearable to live with and mess with my urinary track like Percs, and it doesn't make a blooming vegetable out of me like Morphine. Now I have been on hydros, or Vicodin if you prefer for nearly 8 years, and they just aren't doing the job they used to. I have been on Vicodin 10-500s, and I take (8) of them a day, and on occasion another if I am really bad off. Which puts me over the limit on Tylenol, and my liver isn't that great from all the Tylenol I have taken.

I just found out today from the pharmacist at the VA hospital where I go, that all this time my doctors could have been prescribing me Vicodin 10-325s, which would have been 1400 mgs less of Tylenol a day that I would have been putting in my system, and to say the least I am not happen about that. At the same time, no doctor has ever offered me any other med for breakthrough pain, because everything in the VA formulary other than Morphine, and that class of drugs have Tylenol in them, and I was getting my limit on (8) 10-500s a day So knowing this I never ask for any, but something has to give. As I get older, the more aches and pains I have on top of the pain I have from all of my injuries.

I talked to a real nice pharmacist at the VA hospital and explained my situation to her. She suggested that I ask to be put on the 10-325s, and for them to give me a couple more a day for breakthrough pain. That would be 10-10s a day, but the amount of Tylenol would still be less than what I am taking now, which is 4000 mgs of Tylenol taking (8) 10-500s, and would only be 3250mgs taking (10) 10-325s.

My question to all of you is, are any of you on such a pain med regiment, or do any of you have a better solution to the problem?

Pain management is a very subjective topic. What works for you might not work for me, and so on, and so on. The thing to look at here is what works for you. Your doctor should be open to discuss your pain management, and open to your suggestions. The one suggestion I have is an NSAID, such as motrin or some other med in that class, the anti-inflamatory properties should provide some relief in pain. They can also be taken in conjunction with vicodin. Other than that I cannot think of any other advice.

Hope this helps,

Mike

[Vync]

If the meds are not as effective as they were before, you probably are developing a resistance to them.

The VA bounces me back and forth between ibuprofen or naproxen for the past 15+ years. I used to get Vioxx from a private doc and that stuff worked great until they took it off the market. NSAIDS really do help relieve inflammation which causes pain. The side effect that drives me up the wall is acid reflux, but the VA gives me something to address that too. They also give me muscle relaxers to help loosen up constant spasms I experience, which actually helps take some of the pressure off, but they make me feel loopy. It seems that the combo does a fair job of addressing the basic pains, but I have to resort to stronger meds when the stronger pain kicks in throughout the day.

For my back, I have been getting epidural pain blocks and they actually help make the pain manageable. Unfortunately, like Bergie said, this might not work for everyone.

Definitely make sure your primary care doc is having your liver checked a couple of times a year, because of all the tylenol. I'm not a doc, but just offering some advice relating to my experiences.

[john999]

See if they will give you the hydrocodone without tylenol. I get oxycodone without tylenol, so I bet they could just give you the hydrococone without the tylenol. Both oxycodone and hydrocodone are more habit forming than the slower acting or time release type narcotics. The thing is if it works for you then that is good. I am 60 and I know my pain is probably going to get worse. I don't care if I am addicted. So what! I have oxycodone and the fentanyl patch.

Me and you have been on narcotics for years. You are right that the tylenol is the biggest worry. The opiate is

pretty safe if you don't OD. I am trying to get the right amount of fentanyl in patch form so I can cut back on the oxycodone. When you take the fast acting opiates you get the quick relief, but then in 4 hours you need more. It is a roller coaster. Of course, half the doctors who deal with patients in pain make moral judgements about us. I just want to live with as little pain as possible. In my state of Florida that is almost a crime. That is why you don't see the VA prescribing oxycontin often (plus it is more expensive than morphine) Some abuse it so we all must suffer. Funny thing is I can't stand hydrocodone. The VA's morphine is horrible stuff in pill form.

[retiredat44]

I too have been taking pain meds for 20 years... I settled on Morphine... Methadone had some side affects which made it a little worse as far as side effects,, the running nose problem... and dryness.. too.. I have had all pain meds.. I have had morphine pump...

many years ago, I had the oxycontin, and the government treats people with chronic pain like criminals.. it's disgusting how they can treat chron pain sufferers like $hit... the doctors were running scared...

suicide was the only other choice for people in severe pain..

our government really sucked bad for treating sick people like criminals..

Edited July 14, 2010 by retiredat44

[Notorious Kelly]

Ya, John, I gave up on pain meds after 2+ years of "working thru thre catalog" until we found something I was allergic to.

Vicodin & Hydrocodone have no effect on me.

My NP must be reticent to go stronger so I asked them to cancel my pain agreement.

Maybe I can find something on my own or with Medicare.