Please help me with a question and a life change!

[susan303]

I currently see a pain management doctor for RSD.  I have been fighting this awful disease for over a year now.  I am only 32 years old and feel I have no life and at some times no reason's for getting up in the morning.  I am just not happy.  I have been around for sometimes and read the post sometimes daily.  I have noticed alot of you saying that pain med's will make you hurt more therefore you take more.  Is this true?  I asked my doctor of course he said no.  But I have noticed the longer I take my pain med's it seems the worse I feel and the more I take.  I don't snort or crush them up.  I don't chew them up either.  I have been on Loratab for 1 year 2 months.  I am on Loratab 10/500.  I take up to 6 to 8 a day sometimes less as well.  I don't want these pills to rule my life or affect me in a way that they consume me.  I want to get off them and see how my life is at that point.  I hate taking pills.  I am scared to death I will get to the point to where he will want to put me on something more stronger and I don't want to go that route.  I believe when it comes to this topic you all are more educated and knowing.  You all have lived thru this and some of you are still going thru it.  I can't remember my life before this awful disease and pills.  Now the twist to my story.  Some of the pills my pain management doctor has put me on has affected my liver so I don't know if I can do the vitamins that is listed on the Thomas receipe.    This is another reason I want off the pills as well.  Will withdrawals kill you???????  I have a 4 year old and a 11 year old that I must be there for.  They are my life and will and God is my rock.  I pray that you guys will answer my question and help me thru this.  Anything you  need to know just ask me.  Thank you guys so very, very much.  My God be with each and everyone of you and your wonderful families.  Susan..

[susan303]

How long were you on your med's before you decided to taper down?

[broknbck]

well i feel for you. the withdrawl is terrible. so i could not do it that way and tappered down instead. it was much easier and not so horrible. it took me one month to do. when i quit completely, i was not feeling like i was going to die. it was very doable and in a few weeks i felt normal again. my dose was 90 mg/day when i decided to tapper and quit.

[road2recovery]

We will be here for you !!!  First thing i would do, is tell your doctor that you want to change medicines to get away from that much tylenol...With your liver , I would take as my first step...
Does your doctor know that you are having trouble getting to a compound pharmacy??
YOU can do this

[susan303]

Thank you for your comment.  I need so much help right now with this withdrawal thing.  The way I got RSD was thru an injury at work on my right knee.  I have had athroscopy knee surgery, and many blocks in my back.  Nothing has helped.  

[susan303]

Thank you guys so very much.  I was taking a compound Hydrocodone sr 20mg every 12 hours after the problem with the liver, but where I live it's hard to get it made.  It takes a very special pharmacy to make it and I live in a small town.  So I was put back on the regualar loratab.  I am so very scared.  I just got thru reading where this one gone is over 30days clean but is still having a very hard time.  I am very afraid to do this.  I hope you all will be with me thru out my journey.  God Bless

[worried878]

very true..in the scheme of things ur dose is low compared to most on here..mine was as well but it was enough to bother me..and i worried about my liver as well...my enzymes came back ok...like r2r said..if ur liver has been affected somehow, your doctor should have switched u to something without or with less tylenol in it for sure

RSD, like fibromyalgia is not well understood...did u have a surgery that caused it?

[road2recovery]

Welcome...My expereince with pain ( back pain) is that when taking them i was ok...But everytime i went lower, or a couple days without, pain was terrible in my lower back..I thought , everytime i need this stuff because when i stop it was worst...But hontestly when the worst of the physical w/d's are over, then you notice the pain is not so bad....I am not sure about your pain, but there is only one way to know....

One question, why does your doctor have you on 10/500 instead on 10/325 ?  I am wondering this , because of your liver....Or something without tylenol....Yes it may be harder to get off of something stronger, BUT getting off won't kill you...All this tylenol will...I am doing a liver panel test next month, and i am scared to death!!!  Please try and talk to your doctor about this..
I am here if you need to talk...I know this is tough...But please dont' let everything you read on here scare you...Your usually is not severe, and your time you have been using is not too bad either...Stop before it gets worst...Maybe that way you can re- elvaluate your pain, and not take so much tylenol..
All the best
r2r

[worried878]

I am a chronic pain patient as well...and was at your dose when i quit...actually 6 to maintain..8 as a rule and 10 if i had enough...tylenol at these doses is astronomical as u know...to be honest with u my pain is no worse than when i used...the depression the pills started causing me was one reason i quit...no happy go lucky feeling any longer..they turned on me and i was isolating..taking them and feeling worse and worse with every pill i took..it was really sick now that i look back on it...i now am doing natural things to relieve pain...iceing, heat, massage, yoga which works wonders for me, inversion therapy...u name it i will try it....i still have to do steroids and such from time to time and muscle relaxers infrequently..anti-inflammatories...my condition will not go away, severe scoliosis with DDD...fighting another surgery that i refuse to have...thing is...are the pills keeping u pain free now?

[cathy5841]

w/ds from loratab alone does not cause seizures...just becareful and have your dr monitor your progress.

[Bob641]

Hi Susan. Yes the pain meds that are narcotics will inhibit the production of endorphins in your brain, which are basically the ones that produce your body to act against pain, the less you have, the more pain you will feel, so the more you take the meds the less effective they will be for you, you will have to increase amount and you don't want that.
The amino acids, vitamins and minerals  that you mention are ok to take, they will not harm your liver. Regarding quitting your meds I will suggest that you taper off during a certain period of time until you take none, quitting cold turkey might risk you to have seizures. You will feel withdrawal symptoms and pain, but eventually it will go away.

[cathy5841]

if you look to the right of the page you will see the health pages...the amino protocol and the thomas recipe is there...they have great natural alternatives.  you mite consider the lexapro for a bit...it will help the depression.  also if it possible for you to get some exercise it will help.  

[susan303]

Cathy,
Thank you so very much for responding to my question.  Can  you recommend anything I can take for the sleepless and the anxiety?  I have a prescription for Lexapro, but I really don't like taking medicines likes these.  I have always heard they were extremely hard and dangerous to get off of.  Is there anything natural I could take?  Thank you again.  I will be here lots and lots for help and advice to get thru this.  Best wishes!! Susan

[cathy5841]

HI SUSAN,  i took the pills for recreation...although when i first started them were legit.  point is i cant answer you question about pain getting worse while on the pills first hand.  i have heard many ppl here say that is true.  w/ds in themselves will not kill you ..although they may make you wish you could die...some have them worse than others.
you are making a wise choice to stop now...for you and your children.  after you have been off the pills for a bit you can then decide if they were making you hurt more, and find out what other options you have for dealing with the pain.  good luck and keep posting.