[Lucky]

Hi Everyone, not been too active of late, but would love to hear which or what (if any) drugs people are taking to releive them selfs from pain.

My pain is in my lower back when lying or sitting for long periods.

I'm C-5 Incomlete & walking with crutches still (Can't moan) and currently take Dihydrocodine & Solpodol (effervesant) now and again and the odd Diazepam.

Doe's anyone know of any good painkiller that don't constipate too much too as I've just got over collitus too

Cheers all, and best of luck. Hi Simon.

[Joed]

I'm taking Methadone...a very low maintenance dose...with Lortabs for breakthrough pain. The Methadone breaks down into a harmless chalk in the body, thereby saving the organs from any added stress. It also has a long 1/2 life, so it remains in your system longer, preventing the roller coaster pain coverage that I've experienced with other medications.

It doesn't seem to constipate me as much as the Oxy did a few years ago. The occasional Senna seems to take care of things, when needed.

[Lucky]

Thanks for the reply Joed, I too was on the same as you (60ml) daily !!.
Having stopped all of a sudden without "whining slowly" This is probebly why my pain has started up again ?!

Best of luck.

[studinchair]

i don't really know if they are stronger or not but i take 5-6 norco a day. On my real bad days i take a flexeril and that really seems to take care of it but they make it were i really can't function.
gary

[Joed]

Lucky...

I'm surprised you didn't titrate from the meds instead of going cold turkey. With the Oxy, I was instructed to reduce the dosage slowly...I don't know if weaning from Methadone would have the same precautions. (?)

How long ago did you stop taking it? I'm guessing that, because of its long 1/2 life, it very well could be the cause of your recent rise in pain levels, even weeks after the fact.

You no longer take the Methadone, so I'm assuming it didn't cover your pain adequately? I hope you and your doctor can hit upon a good combo for you. Have you tried Neurontin? Not my favorite option, but many people get good results/relief with it, and at the end of the day that's really all that matters.

[wheels1974]

I have only joined this site a few days ago so im still going through the pages, I know this was posted in Feb but thought id add my experience with a certain pain killer, as they say "better late then never" I'm a C4 quad complete and the past 2 years my body changed and started experiencing severe pain to the point where I would sweat profusely for 10 months running. My spinal doctor put me on a drug called Tramal 150SR and it is awesome as it doesn't contain codeine so it has no constipation effect. They come in standard 50mg which gets absorbed quickly but they only last for 4 hours, they also come in a 100mg, 150mg and 200mg SR form meaning slow release and these SR last 12 hours, the maximum daily dosage is 400mg. If you ever try them I hope they work well for you or anyone.

[jules]

I take tramadol but not the SR version, just the normal 50 mg capsules. I was put on them by a Pain management consultant I find them really good. Hope this helps
Jules

[Avocado Baby]

jules, on Jun 13 2006, 05:17 PM, said:

I take tramadol but not the SR version, just the normal 50 mg capsules. I was put on them by a Pain management consultant I find them really good. Hope this helps
Jules

Tramadol usually works for me too. Sometimes I have to mix it with Ibuprofen and it takes a while to work but once it kicks in, boy is it good!!!

[Cheshire]

I can have 10mg Oxy every 8 hours (2 a day) and 10mg Vicadin every 4 hours. I also take 75mg Lyrica twice a day. My GP is trying to switch me from the Oxy to non-Rx naproxin (Aleve).

It works pretty decent so far, but I'd love to get off the opiates.

[Nichole]

Yikes, some of you take a lot of painkillers! I had really bad reactions to all the painkillers they gave me in the hospital. They actually od me on oxycontin and i was hallucinating!! I was also on vicodin for a while and hated it as well. It made me so sick i couldn't eat without throwing up (sorry if that's an over share)They made me so sick I only weighed 88 lbs (i'm 5'7) by the time i left. I was only in the hospital for treatment and rehab for only a bit less than two months, and by the time i left i was taking no prescription painkillers. I've managed to survive on over the counter advil and aleve every since then. I really don't take them much either. Maybe a few times a week if that...

This post has been edited by Nichole: 09 July 2007 - 01:36 AM

[LuckyinKentucky]

Ahh the morphine waking dream... on the pain meds I take Darvocet & Hydrcodone but as you know they arent good on ya so I take em rarely but I found for my back pain Etodolac works as good as anything and its not really a pain killer/ narco. It is an inflamation inhibitor which helps the problem before it causes pain... kinda makes sense huh? I'll probably misspell but if my memory serves correct it is actually made up of Salisylic Acid, directions say take with milk but i've never found them to be harsh on the tummy or digestion.

[wheeliebear75]

Well I've had pain since my accident but over the years has gotten progressively worse. I've taken narcotics like Vicodine and codeine, but they only work a little. I had been taking Percocet or Oxyconton for pain, Flexerall and Valium for spasms and neuropathy, Phenergan for nausea, and an arthritis med I can't remember the name of. I did that up til 2003; so for 13 yrs.

Now rather than being on the verge of falling asleep I use marijuana. I know it's controversial and all. But in all honesty I really do get better relief and more importantly quality of life with it than I did the scripts the Dr. gave me. I have been hospitalized for almost a week back in 2001 just for pain management , and have gone to the pain management classes offered through my insurance. I learned meditation, relaxation, all about how the pain process works and even the depression associated with chronic pain.

I was having problems keeping my blood sugar up because I just did NOT feel like eating (hard to want to eat when all you feel like doing is tossing your cookies. ). There are of course side effects....but then again there are side effects to the stuff we get at the pharmacy anyhow, as well as addictive potential. I just see it as an alternative. I don't have muscle weakness from it, I can stay awake, and it beats everything when it comes to the nerve pain. I've had my feet and legs hurt so bad before I tried pot I literally was talking it over with pain management to have a spinal block put in. I just couldn't take it. With a bit of marijuana I can feel that there is a sensation but the pain aspect of it is almost eliminated. My Dr. say's it "de-compartmentalizes the pain(sp?) , removes the mind from it.

[hOWARD]

Cheshire, on Jul 7 2007, 09:53 PM, said:

I can have 10mg Oxy every 8 hours (2 a day) and 10mg Vicadin every 4 hours. I also take 75mg Lyrica twice a day. My GP is trying to switch me from the Oxy to non-Rx naproxin (Aleve).

It works pretty decent so far, but I'd love to get off the opiates.

I am new to this site, but not new to the spinal cord injury which started n June of 1997. In 1999 I had my left knee replaced and other surgeries over a 10 year period. I started with low doeses of oxy and to make a long story, by the end of May 2007 I was taking the 80mg of oxycotin, 30mg oxycodin, xannix and ambein. /I tried to get off the meds as I had hit rock bottom. I knew that I had the addication, but not sure of the pain level. I checked myself into a 28 day treatment center where they completely detoxed me. I have been off the opiates almost 3 months.........I now take 800mg of motrin 3 times a day for the pain, plus other not opiates. I can tell you it wasn't a fun 28 days. Now I can look back and am glad I am off the meds. Just wanted to share that with you.

[Alin Steglinski]

Lucky, on Feb 7 2006, 06:18 AM, said:

Hi Everyone, not been too active of late, but would love to hear which or what (if any) drugs people are taking to releive them selfs from pain.

My pain is in my lower back when lying or sitting for long periods.

I'm C-5 Incomlete & walking with crutches still (Can't moan) and currently take Dihydrocodine & Solpodol (effervesant) now and again and the odd Diazepam.

Doe's anyone know of any good painkiller that don't constipate too much too as I've just got over collitus too

Cheers all, and best of luck. Hi Simon.

(like simpson)
mmmmmmmmmmm morphine...

thats what one of my friends says lol, i think hes a bit whacked from the morphine but it works great for him... though it does whack him.

[wheeliebear75]

Lots of these narcotic drugs have a high potential for addiction. I think it's always best to go with as lowest a dose of narcotic as possible while still allowing you to be pain free enough to get through the day. Doing things like staying as fit as possible and getting enough rest and sunlight even can make us feel better. And acknowledging that you or your family has had a problem with addiction than be even more cautious about drugs. I learned quite a bit when I went to a pain management class. And I've also learned not to shut my eyes to any possible solution to the chronic pain that MANY of us have.

[TimRS]

Sounds like the weed works for you as a better option. I intend to give it a go myself, but as I gave up smoking (tobacco) 5 years ago, I' reluctant to puff. The trouble with eating is it always used to send me to some fun places pre-injury, and I'm not certain thatI could function in that state. I current take 2400mg gabapentin a day, down from 3800mgs. I've also tried Lyrica (way too spacey), and Kepra (Made all my joints ache). I pop the odd tramadol when things get too bad, but it doesn't kill it off all together. I have constant musculo-skeleatl back pain, and constant hot stabbing neuropathic pain in both legs. No spasm, though. Go figure.

On the addiction front, it's a worry f'sure, but we've none of us got a perfect life ahead of us, and if you can balance the pleasure and the pain, then I think all avenues are worth exploring. as long as you know what you're dealing with...

Definitely the fitness counts for me, too. A game of basketball or tennis works like an analgesia for the rest of the day. Hurrah for endorphins, eh?

[Alin Steglinski]

TimRS, on Aug 25 2007, 12:21 PM, said:

Sounds like the weed works for you as a better option. I intend to give it a go myself, but as I gave up smoking (tobacco) 5 years ago, I' reluctant to puff. The trouble with eating is it always used to send me to some fun places pre-injury, and I'm not certain thatI could function in that state. I current take 2400mg gabapentin a day, down from 3800mgs. I've also tried Lyrica (way too spacey), and Kepra (Made all my joints ache). I pop the odd tramadol when things get too bad, but it doesn't kill it off all together. I have constant musculo-skeleatl back pain, and constant hot stabbing neuropathic pain in both legs. No spasm, though. Go figure.

On the addiction front, it's a worry f'sure, but we've none of us got a perfect life ahead of us, and if you can balance the pleasure and the pain, then I think all avenues are worth exploring. as long as you know what you're dealing with...

Definitely the fitness counts for me, too. A game of basketball or tennis works like an analgesia for the rest of the day. Hurrah for endorphins, eh?

exercise may help for u SCI's but in my case with degenerative disease, FORGET IT!!! the less movement i do the better i am...

[wheeliebear75]

Actually it isn't just SCI or not. Sometimes it's more depending on how you were injured that will determine a lot of that. In my case for an example it has degenerated and that's because mine was a compression, it damaged lots of soft tissue on top of the SCI and the walking I did manage to do we now know has further screwed it up. Exercise for me is limited but I do those that I can; exercise ball and my fav the pool.

[dave420atya]

It seems that everyone who tries pot thinks it helps.I have been a para for 2 years and pothead for20 years.Now I'm a true beliver in my pot. It also helps wy appetite and sleeping. I think it's a WONDER DRUG.It must be very good qualityso I don't have to smoke a pound of it to get were I wanna be.aka kind bud mmmm yummy.It will make you smile