Pain meds dont work!!! - Page 2 - ThinnerTimes

Dave T in SD · 06-25-2007, 02:57 PM

I'm on Norco (Vicodin 10mg/Aceaminophen 325)
I usually have to chew them to have them work at all...

minime · 06-27-2007, 04:26 PM

Hey folks,

I haven't been here for a couple of months. Too tired when I get home from school to even sit down at the puter. But I'm on summer vacation now and having PAIN issues.

I've noticed the same thing with pain meds -- not working as long. Same with alchohol. The buzz comes too fast and it lasts about 15 min., then I feel horrible and sometimes sick to my stomach.

I hope you don't mind me piggy-backing your post but it got my attention as I'm sure it will be interesting to others.

I've said here before that I have arthritis...really bad in my knees, now in my elbows and shoulders. I teach 5th grade and by the end of the day I can barely sit or stand. My doctor (I know him and go to church with him, and our kids go to school together) has been prescribing lor tab elixer, which is hydrocodone and tylonol mixed. He has let me take it when I get home from school and right before I go to bed, to ease the pain in my legs. I honestly don't think I could function during the school year without it. Well, my tolerence to it built up and he gave me about twice as much so it would last longer. I foolishly took a bottle to school and left one at home and started taking the stuff during the day and at night the last few months of school. Since the insurance company, the pharmacy, and the doctor finally decided that I shouldn't be taking that much (thank God it was right as school was coming to an end) I had to go visit the doc. He wanted to send me to a pain doctor since we know each other. I said, no (kick myself here) I want the doc to help me get off of the stuff. So he gives me half of what I was taking in a week and said come back in a week. I cut the dose in half. Two days were pure hell, then the rest of the week was just bad. I showed him that I was keeping records and tapering off so he gave me the same half dosage again. I made it last a week and one day and then I was on my own. For three days I was just a little uncomfortable and then, pow, on my butt for two full days. As of today I've had four fairly normal days. I did have to work half days this week though, and have come home with pain in the legs, but I've laid on the bed and used tylenol rapid release and a hot pad. My kids were at their grandmas.

I called my bariatric surgeon today and asked him if he knew of anyone else that had suffered with arthritic pain after surgery and how they cope without NSAIDS? He had no answer for me. His nurse even told me that she thought I might be able to take NSAIDS now that I was two years out. IS THAT TRUE? I told her to check with the Doc again. Anyway, it was very frustrating.

If your still reading, here are my questions? Anyone take NSAIDS? How long? With what effect? What do you think about PAIN doctors? Do you think that's my best option? Does anyone know about Methodone? My doctor mentioned that as a possible option when school starts back up but he can't prescribe it. I personally think the the lor tab elixer is my best option because it works and it doesn't hurt my pouch. I wonder if I will be able to convince my doctor or the pain doctor to let me get back on it if I promise to be good.

Thanks so much for reading.

Minime

minime · 06-27-2007, 07:37 PM

I've been searching for the sugar lately, so I have no doubt that I tried to kill the pain with sugar for a very long time which got me in the boat I'm in. And the feeling I get with the codine eases the pain for a lot longer. So is it all in my head? It sure feels like it's in my knees and my arms and my shoulders.

Did I do one of those transfer addictions? Why is it bad to be addicted? What if I was addicted to love? My husband wants me to transfer my addiction to house cleaning and sex.

Ok now I'm rambling.

Can one take codine long term? What are the effects besides hard stools?

That's all,

Minime

bridgetgirl · 06-28-2007, 04:42 PM

There is some great feedback on this thread!

My Dr today asked me to call Dr Callery and asked if he would okay takeing Celebrex or Voltram long term low dose NSAIDS for my right shoulder pain. i will let you know what they say.

Chew my pain meds.... ick! How do you do it Dave?

Minime, I wish I had answers for ya hun!

AlabamaChick · 06-28-2007, 08:22 PM

Minime, I am one of those that was on Lortab for months and months before I had WLS and since then, I have been sent to the pain management dr. and put on Darvacet N 100. I even had problems with controlling my pain postop because of having a tolerance to Lortab so pain meds did not work as well for me at a normal dose. My surgeon even told me this while I was in such pain and he had to leave me on the morphine pump in the hosp. for an extra day before I was able to come home. What happens is you take it for so long that your body becomes resistant to that dose, so it has to be increased....and without it your pain seems larger than it normally would if you were not ever on a narcotic pain killer. It is a vicious cycle that you do not want to be on if you can avoid it. It only gets worse as you up the intake and don't let anyone tell you different, not to mention the risks involved in the higher doses or your kidneys. But as I was saying, my pain management dr. stands firm in no prescribing heavy narcotics for chronic pain and he tries everything else to help. I have a broken bone in my back so he said my next step when I get to where I cannot deal with the pain will be epidural steroid injections into my back. I already get trigger point injections in my lower back now on each side and I'm on Darvocet N-100 4 times a day like clock work to keep the pain down. I also take Flexeril (muscle relaxer at night) and I have started on Lyrica the last month, which has helped me tremendously for sleep and the pain during the night, mostly the nerve pain I have down my legs. I know the FDA just approved it for fibromyalgia too. It also has a calming affect as if it's a minor tranquilizer. I have been MUCH happier since I've been on it just because I am getting more rest now. I do still take Tylenol every now and then to help with the pain, but I have managed so far. Yes, I do have days that are worse than others and NO I cannot do all the things I want to do. Shopping for two hours puts me in the bed the whole next day.....so I just learn to live with it. I feel you should go to a pain management dr. if that is your only option. I was not happy about coming off of the Lortab either and still wish I had it when I have severe pain that I can't control, but I know it's for the best and I will be better off in the long run. I do not know much about methadone except that it's a pretty hard hitter. I don't know if you need to start on that. You should do some research about methadone first before you jump into taking that. Good luck to you........it really stinks when we are in pain and can't seem to get any help.

rainrain · 06-28-2007, 10:05 PM

Such a good thread...I have been asking myself why I am having such a hard time getting rid of a bladder infection and there it is this thread!!

Hello!!

So, if the antibiotics are not getting absorbed as readily, should we just take a butt load more of them?
How do we know how much to take.. and then what about other meds??

I have arthritis in my spine and severe degeneration which I am seeing a specialist tommorrow for, and I have no idea what kind of pain meds she can even give me, what is going to work properly and not make me fall asleep??

Interesting discovery...we need to look into this more!!

Rain

trickychick68 · 06-29-2007, 08:13 AM

I noticed that also, and when I take an Ambien, I feel like a JUNKIE, almost RIGHT after I take it, and fall asleep immediately - I wake up in the middle of the night, as if I took nothing... so much for sleep.

I use the quick release Tylenol, and they don't work NEARLY as well as Ibuprofen/Naproxen... I haven't had many pain issues, luckily.

minime · 06-29-2007, 10:52 AM

Well my surgeon came back and said ok to the NSAIDS (through the nurse of course). But I'm still concerned. I was thinking about one of the replies above that said that those long acting drugs sit there too long and I just can't help imagining an Aleve gel cap in my pouch slowly eating a hole it it.
It makes sense based on everything we've been told. I'm going to take it sparingly until I talk to him in person on the 20th of July for my two year check up and labs.

And thank you TRINA!(I think it was Trina) for sharing your experience with LOR TAB!!! and the pain doc. I so wanted to hear from someone who had had experience with long term use of it. I did read a little bit about methadone and it scared me. If you overdose on that stuff your lungs quit working. The doctors probably don't even know how it effects a wls person.

I'm coming to the conclusion that this issue has not been researched and that we have become "guinea pig" like regarding this. It's scary to me. I don't want complications with the pouch! I've done everything up to this point to avoid it. Anyone know a med student that needs a subject for their disertation/research? With the internet the possiblities are limitless.

I'm very grateful for the perspectives offered here of those of you who have suffered severe complications and many more issues than I have and yet you remain thankful for your life and your decision to have wls.
I have to admit that sometimes I kick myself and say, "You could have done it yourself if you had set your mind to it." I was only truly morbid obese for about 10 years before the surgery.

Thanks for responding!

Minime

brookscn · 06-29-2007, 04:48 PM

Minime:
I have issues with my knees as well - Kelly (Dr. C's nurse) told me not to take the NSAIDS (and Tylenol doesn't work).....I had bleeding issues post-op, and a lifelong issue with bruising. Before surgery, I took 4 Aleve a day for my knee issues. I had a series of injections from an ortho surgeon, and that helped my problem knee a lot, but my sister told me about this stuff that she uses - it's called "Soothanol" - it's a liquid and it's like a MAJORLY concentrated Bengay-like product. I got it on the internet - it was expensive, but I highly recommend it. When my knee is bugging me, I put a few drops on, and the pain is gone. It's warm - you only need a couple of drops. Search on the internet under "Soothanol 2X" - you'll find it. It's worth the $$$$. And the bottle lasts forever - I've had the bottle for almost 9 months now, and haven't even gone through 1/2 of it. I travel with it when I'm doing a big tradeshow because I know that standing on my legs all day is gonna kill - the stuff is amazing.

minime · 06-29-2007, 10:31 PM

Thanks,

My dad suffered with osteoarthritis for years before he died. I think he gave me a litte bottle of something like that once. I'm going to pull it out and see if it's the same thing if I can find it. Thanks for the tip. Every suggestion is appreciated.

Minime