Can you substitute codene for pain whle getting off percocet?

[annabeth416]

I had nee replacement May11 and an experiencing severe pai upthe side of my leg and into the knee. spel lastsfrom 30 min to an hour and a haf with spasms coming every 20 seconds,

My surgeon is weaning me off the percocet and I wiil get 15 or the the final 10. I have been tapering but during the time the drug has left my system the pain in horrible.  Does ayone think 30 mg of codene   will hel when I a off the pain and wihle detoxing.

Thanks for any help1

annabeth

[TysonRed]

Well our bodies tend to build of a tolerance so if anything it eventually needs more to control pain because our brains stop producing its own natural opiates for pain purposes. Its hard to say if the codeine will give you more relief, its still an opiate so its going to give you some level of pain control. Im guessing that you tapering off percocet isnt to get off pain pills completely, just to switch over to codeine? There both opiates, although I do believe the oxycodone is somewhat stronger than codeine. I also have chronic pain in my knee mainly, but also hip and lower back. Over the years Ive taken all different kinds of pain meds which did help with the pain, but really all their doing is masking the pain. I ended up doing extensive physical therapy followed up by my own workouts after I was done, and all I can tell you is that no pain med relieved pain like getting back into reasonable shape and strengthing the muscles and tendons in my knee. One of these days Im going to have a total knee replacement, hopefully not hip, but excercise has been the absolute key in living a pain free life without opiates, just some tylenol and the occassional meloxicam. Wish you all the best, take care.

[avisg]

Thats your body screaming for its fix the pain will seem worse at first . It does get better .Its really not a good idea to use one opiate to get off another.Can you try some motrin and a muscle relaxer there is one called zanaflex that found to work very well,what ever you desided to do its great you are getting off the percs we will be here to help.