Hydromorhphone & hydromorphcontin

[luckygirl317]

I'm on 9mg of Hydromorphcontin (long acting) AM & PM, 6mg mid-day, and 3mg X 3 times a day as needed of hydromorphone (short acting). Is this alot? I know all morphine based drugs can be habit forming but I've had my old dr act like it was a lot, then when we moved & I got a new dr, he acts like its nothing, same with the pharmasicts. I have crohns disease, and chronic joint/back inflammation. So far most of the Crohns meds haven't worked as I've either reacted badly to them or they've done nothing, I had a foot of gut taken out 4 yrs ago (age 28) and will probably have more surgery as my crohns is so med resistent. Is this a lot of Hyrdromorph to be taking?

[cattalina]

I just wanted to say good luck finding a balance with pain meds and Crohns... My father has had both as well for 30+ years. Luckily his Crohns is in remission but he went thru multiple surgeries and years of pain too.  I've seen how difficult it is to live with that disease and you sound like you're handling it really well. Hang in there, don't give up and I wish you all the luck in the world!!

[luckygirl317]

thanks to you both for your suggestions, I'll do some research. I don't think I'll ask for an increase/change til after the new year. I can't do muscle relaxers because their to hard on my digestive system. 1 day on muscle relaxers and my crohns is screaming. I do keep the short acting stuff for as needed but I've been using it fairly regularily the last few weeks so I know I need an increase, I haven't had an increas since the spring, I deal with discomfort for a while before looking at the as needed stuff or increases but I think the time is approaching. Hopefully I can try a new crohns med soon that might work, the last 3 they've tried me on either didn't do anything (remicade) or damn near killed me (humira & imuran).
Thanks again for the advice & time

[tofaraway4u2hold]

Pretty much any opiate is addictive, considering they come from the same plant (unless they are synthetic). It's a good idea to switch your medication instead of increasing your dose.
Duragesic (Fentanyl patches). The dose for this can be hard to determine, so be sure your doctor has had experience with it. It's long acting (72 hours), so you would still need something for breakthrough pain. Be sure to research this patch before you use it because it's an extremely strong synthetic opiate (81 times stronger than morphine).
Dihydrodesoxymorphine (Desomorphine) is 10 times stronger than morphine.
Pethidine (meperidine or demerol) is another opiate you might want to talk to your doctor about.
Oxymorphone (Opana or Numorphan) is a little stronger than dilaudid, so you might want to start there.
Dilaudid is just a little bit stronger than oxycodone, so you should probably start with one of the weaker opiods first.

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

In my opinion you are most likely on a good program.....dont obsess because some people gave the D's a bad name. Your Crohns does complicate things.......your Canuck T-1's will kill you with an acetaminophen overload before you feel the relief...... not sure what you would switch to right now - - - morphine is a worse and more rapid addiction - - need to keep some big guns for reserve. Are there problems with the current program?  The "as needed" instructions mean just that - you dont have to take them unless you need them. Keep them for reserve as much as possible. Fentanyl patches may be offerred at some point - - resist those as long as possible...they work and are good, but come with their own problems. Stiff and sore - I might ask if there is a muscle relaxer that could be added to mix to avoid new and improved narc's...... but do keep looking and asking - and keep the quality of life consideration in mind - you need to be there for the boy.......  and there is an answer... just have to keep looking until you find it....

[luckygirl317]

i was on oxycontin & percocet, 80mg total of oxy, 3 tabs daily of percs, but I didn't like the way I felt on them (to dopey, sleeplessness). I think I may have to get my long acting stuff increased soon,the stiffness & soreness is getting worse, so is the stomache pains, but I don't want to the dr to think I'm a dope head.
I resisted getting any serious pain killers for a long time but there came a day I couldn't pick my son up out of his crib, and I was taking too many tylenol 1 (with codeine).I think I was, no one said I was. Here in canada you can get t1 OTC.
is there a better kind of med I should ask the dr for other than the hydromorph? I'd like to keep the dose low for as long as possible, so if I switched to a different drug rather than increase the dose of hydromorph? I have a friend that was in very deep with a oxy/percocet addiction, I actually took her in to the hospital twice with OD's and helped her get through detox & rehab, she lost her husband (no loss) and kids, home everything, so I want to be very carefull with what I take but I know I can't lay on the couch all day in pain, with pain meds I function and am active with my little boy.

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

That stuff is known as Dilaudid - - usually reserved for terminal cancer patients. Not an extreme amount by any means - probably the class of drug was more of a surprise to your other Doctor .......  Dilaudid has a pretty bad reputation because it goes into solution immediately and was abused IV by many addicts.