14 replies to this topic

[Obie1]

I am wondering if others with paraplegia are taking pain meds? I am currently taking 20mg long release and 5mg quick release oxy's. They are not as effective as they were 18 months ago. I am going to see a pain management doctor Monday but fear he wont raise levels. Is anyone else taking these and what are the amounts or strength. I understand that we build a tollerance to them over time, hence the lesser effects and desire to get higher strengths.

Obie

[paraguy1]

Yes I take them too you are far from the only one. I get a fire like sensation in my feet like someone is holding a lighter underneath. Unfortunately one builds up a tolerance to opiate meds. They arent effective for me anymore after 10 years. Every injury is different if they work you have to weigh the good with the bad and decide whats best. It cant be good for ones health to take opiates and once your body is used to them if you dont get them you get sick like an addict. you are only taking 20mg of oxy I was taking 80mg twice a day. But when I first started taking those 80s I had NO PAIN WHATSOEVER. Depending on what your pain levels are I would just up the dose 20mg wouldnt do anything for me. Im not on oxy anymore because of my insurance they cost to much. But get your docters opinion first. Some docs wont even subscribe oxycontin no matter what the pain level because the high risk of abuse.

Edited by paraguy1, 02 December 2011 - 12:30 AM.

[tomsov]

I am currently back and forth with pain mgmt. they are trying to "ween" me off NORCO. But i keep telling them that if i have something to deal with the pain i would not need the NORCO. I am going on a year taking 10/325mg NORCO. 10mg hydrocordone and 325 accedominafin. the latest idea was a cream call VOLTAREN that made things worse. Pain management thinks everyone is a drug addict. at least around me. I seriously doubt they will up the dosage rather try to find a way that is non narcotic to fight pain. I am waiting to get to the point were they just start giving me LIDOCANE shots. just be prepared to hear no. like i said they first said that i was up shit creek and had no options. they thought i was a drug addict. they also make me take a drug test to see if i am not abusing other drugs.

[Zack]

I am a Quadriplegic.

[Obie1]

paraguy1, on 01 December 2011 - 07:23 PM, said:

Yes I take them too you are far from the only one. I get a fire like sensation in my feet like someone is holding a lighter underneath. Unfortunately one builds up a tolerance to opiate meds. They arent effective for me anymore after 10 years. Every injury is different if they work you have to weigh the good with the bad and decide whats best. It cant be good for ones health to take opiates and once your body is used to them if you dont get them you get sick like an addict. you are only taking 20mg of oxy I was taking 80mg twice a day. But when I first started taking those 80s I had NO PAIN WHATSOEVER. Depending on what your pain levels are I would just up the dose 20mg wouldnt do anything for me. Im not on oxy anymore because of my insurance they cost to much. But get your docters opinion first. Some docs wont even subscribe oxycontin no matter what the pain level because the high risk of abuse.

They are expensive. Thank you for the response. What do you take now ? I do take to 20mg but twice a day. once in morning and another once i cant take the pain anymore, usually around 1pm.

[wheeliebear75]

I currently take a combination of meds but I also implement other pain relieving techniques. Under the Rx heading (don't know the DRUG names just the brand names) is; Percocet, Flexarill, Phenergan, Valium. I also with the "blessings" of my Dr. & pain management take/use marijuana. I also use other things like heating pads/hot soaks, meditation, distraction, T.E.N.S. unit, massage, & stretching/yoga.

[KayDub]

I am. I was on 2 10 mg methadone tablets twice a day since I was in hospital in May/June. I just switched over to 1 30 mg oxy every 4-6 hours because the methadone was no longer as effective because of tolerance. I like the methadone a bit better because it lasts longer (it has a much longer half life and stays in your system for 12 hours solid). I get more instant pain relief from the oxy though so it's hit or miss. From your info I'd recommend asking your doc about methadone. People think it's just for heroin junkies to get off of drugs with, but it's actually a really good pain killer. It's strong and you don't have to take it as often so you don't have that up and down quickly like with oxy.

I've had pain issues because of nerve damage since before my SCI. On top of my T 10 damage I had a secondary bacterial infection and blood clotting that destroyed some of my muscle and nerves in my lower legs, which really adds to the pain problem. I've tried percocet and vicodin but they're just not strong enough and since I'm allergic to NSAIDs (no ibuprofen, etc.) I can only take tylenol (APAP, paracetamol, acetaminophen, etc.) and it wrecks your liver. I took dilaudid for a bit but had such horrific nightmares I stopped. I've tried all the neuropathic pain drugs like Lyrica with no success. I can't take Cymbalta or any of those drugs because I have severe Bipolar 1 and it they negatively affect my lithium and moods. So opiates are the only thing that work for me. My doctors are thinking about putting a morphine/baclofen pump in but they have to wait at least a year because I have transverse myelitis and they don't know exactly what caused the original infection so they want to be careful doing anything to my spinal cord and they also want to wait and see if it gets better or worse.

Some people think taking pain meds is a sign of weakness. I've been battling with severe pain from injuries and surgeries since I was 14 and it's been a godsend to get on a manageable pain med routine. There's no point to me to spend my life being in agony, it makes me miserable and grumpy and I can't get any work done. Opiate pain meds help me get out of bed in the morning and actually live my life to the fullest beyond scraping by doing necessary tasks. I do use alternative pain relief too. I take regular epsom salt hot baths which help with pain, tenseness and spasms, they're god sends. I swim regularly. I eat healthy. I stretch when I can. But the pain meds are vital for me.

Edited by KayDub, 04 December 2011 - 11:41 PM.

[megatrig]

canabis .......... now legal ... as Sativex. A sublingual spray "may" be a godsend to spinal injuries!!

Now legalised over here for neuropathic pain medication. Not sure about the states?

[sherbs]

megatrig, on 05 December 2011 - 08:37 PM, said:

canabis .......... now legal ... as Sativex. A sublingual spray "may" be a godsend to spinal injuries!!

Now legalised over here for neuropathic pain medication. Not sure about the states?

Have you tried this, if so anygood, i'm having terrible neuro pain, tried many meds, but cannot tolerate most of them, have to be alert to drive and work, and have some sort of life, most of the neuro meds, muz my head up, and end up like a zombie

Any one tried sativex??

[greybeard]

sherbs, on 05 December 2011 - 08:49 PM, said:

megatrig, on 05 December 2011 - 08:37 PM, said:

canabis .......... now legal ... as Sativex. A sublingual spray "may" be a godsend to spinal injuries!!

Now legalised over here for neuropathic pain medication. Not sure about the states?

Have you tried this, if so anygood, i'm having terrible neuro pain, tried many meds, but cannot tolerate most of them, have to be alert to drive and work, and have some sort of life, most of the neuro meds, muz my head up, and end up like a zombie

Any one tried sativex??

Don't hold your breath.

This was the situation as reported in July 2010.
The drug, distributed by Bayer in Newbury, costs £125 a bottle, which works out at about £11 a day for the average user.
Last week, the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said the product was safe to use.
However, a joint decision has been made not to prescribe Sativex by trusts in the South Central region, which include: Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, Southampton, Berkshire East and West, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Milton Keynes.
NHS Dorset has also advised doctors, nurses and specialists not to prescribe Sativex.
They said these types of drugs "were not cost effective and test results were not convincing".
If GPs want to give Sativex they must make a special case to the PCT for funding.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), which makes recommendations to NHS trusts about what products to use, has not yet given any guidance on the drug

-------------------------

On 7th June 2011 this exchange occurred in the House of Commons.

Does the Minister agree with my constituent Sxxx xxxxxxxy that licensed treatments for multiple sclerosis such as Sativex should be accessible to all people, wherever they live?

Certainly I agree that MS patients should have access to clinically effective and cost-effective treatments. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has not issued any guidance on the use of Sativex, and it is for primary care trusts to make funding decisions based on the available evidence and the individual patients' circumstances. Following consultation, NICE expects to make a decision later in the year on whether to update its clinical guidance on MS, and whether to re-evaluate Sativex as part of that.

Edited by greybeard, 05 December 2011 - 10:46 PM.

[sherbs]

Thanks Greybeard

Damm it, looks like all the south of england regions will not be allowed to prescribe Sativex, he ho, maybe move "tup north", !! Seriously tho, if i could just get on top of this neuro pain, i may have some sort of life !!

[Obie1]

Doc had no problem scripting me 30mg oxy long release. Not sure if this is good or bad

[BethC51]

I have been taking pain meds since 1998, for a SCI at L-4. I am lucky that my pain management doc has prescribed meds through the years that have been fairly effective at managing my pain. I have been taking 600 mg gabapentin 6 x a day for the periphal neuropathy and I took 7.5 mg hydrocodone for the pain for many years, with no problems, but it has become ineffective. For the past year, I have been taking morphine instead. I started out with 15mg quick release 3 x a day, and 15 mg extended release 3 x a day. Recently, my doc upped the dose to 30mg for each, as 15mg was not taking care of all the pain. My pain clinic doc's philosophy is that, since my spinal cord injury is going to be with me the rest of my life, the 'addiction' factor is irrelevant because I will have to take pain meds the rest of my life! If your current pain doc is not willing to work with you, I would recommend switching to another doc who will.

Edited by BethC51, 24 December 2011 - 01:36 PM.

[Gunnslinger8]

I take oxycodone as well, but I found out and I don't know if I'm the only one, that taking the lower dosage of oxycodone with Tylenol (acetimeniphen, I know I misspelled) works quicker than just the oxy alone. I discussed with many people why that is and we figured the Tylenol thins the blood and reacts faster to relieve pain. The concern is liver damage when ingesting too much Tylenol, there are MANY different brands and pain meds with up to 650 milligrams of Tylenol. I found that 10/325 works well.

[dreamerr]

I found that nothing really works except at making me nuttier. I got off all meds and now smoke and tough it out. After while the pain just becomes part of your normal. If it gets really bad I take something to go to sleep so I am ok.