Aa
coping with pain
Having used Tramadol for several months I have not not taken any for 72 hours. I was on the slow release stuff so perhaps takes longer to clear. But my back pain is so bad and I have had an awful night and feel terrible this morning. How much longer? And how can I live with this pain again when I have had a few months of ease and know how much difference that has made to my life?
I feel for ya. I am unsure if I really want to get off viocdin in the first place because I am always going to be in pain.Vicodin really did help me out and now I am very unsure if I want to quit it at all. It really depends if the pain is managable state or not.
I commented on your post under the other subject - so look there. I have to get used to this forum :-)
What about arthritis medication, I don't know what they would be called in France, but Voltaren is supposed to be an effective painkiller ?
Minnie
What about arthritis medication, I don't know what they would be called in France, but Voltaren is supposed to be an effective painkiller ?
Minnie
I have worked for most of my life in nursing people with terminal illness, mostly cancer and AIDS (in the days before so much new treatments). Now I have chronic pain myself I find the management so different from the principles I have learned, basically that one uses the amount of medication each person needs to keep them painfree. But then if you are dying it you never need to think about coming off stuff do you? So I am in agreement about a decision to stay on could be a very good one. My reason, I think I said yesterday, is that I am seeing a surgeon on 9th February and I want him to be able to be able to really assess my condition. That is why I have also stopped my anti-inflammatories (Celebrex 200mg) and also chondroitin and glucosamine. I am really upset that something that was helping me has poisoned my body. I hate taking medication of any kind. I know lots of people are in worse positions than me and I admire so many of the people on this forum who are fighting some really big demons. I'm finding it very helpful to share my struggle and know that you are there with support.
I understand your concern about your pain. I'm not sure if arthritis meds would help or no. They are anti-imflamatories and work on joint pain by reducing the swelling. They are helpful if that's the problem and they aren't addictive. I have taken Daypro for me knee for years. They aren't addictive. I have forgotten to get mine refilled, or just didn't bother getting them for as long as four months. No w/d.
It's worth a try but I honestly don't know if it could help back pain. I wish I had more to offer.
Take Care....LS
It's worth a try but I honestly don't know if it could help back pain. I wish I had more to offer.
Take Care....LS
Thank you for your kind and encouraging words. I do have an element of arthritis in my back, plus a number of other problems. I have had no withdrawal from my anti inflammatories, only from the Tramadol.
I stopped everything because of seeing the surgeon. I saw a french surgeon before Christmas while I was taking everything. There was a bit of communication problem as well, I am english living in france but don't speak perfect french so got to my limit trying to give exact descriptions of my symptoms. In the end he said he wouldn't operate because he wasn't sure enough how my symptoms relate to my MRI.
The surgeon I am seeing next week is english but is consulting in France. I want to be aware of everything so that I can describe exactly what my pain is. But this is a very hard road to travel and I had no idea when I started that it would get so bad.
Thank you for your support. I am feeling terrible today. Sunday morning was the last time I took any tramadol. How long before I start to feel normal again?
Love to you all who are struggling like this
I stopped everything because of seeing the surgeon. I saw a french surgeon before Christmas while I was taking everything. There was a bit of communication problem as well, I am english living in france but don't speak perfect french so got to my limit trying to give exact descriptions of my symptoms. In the end he said he wouldn't operate because he wasn't sure enough how my symptoms relate to my MRI.
The surgeon I am seeing next week is english but is consulting in France. I want to be aware of everything so that I can describe exactly what my pain is. But this is a very hard road to travel and I had no idea when I started that it would get so bad.
Thank you for your support. I am feeling terrible today. Sunday morning was the last time I took any tramadol. How long before I start to feel normal again?
Love to you all who are struggling like this
Hello ladies, this is my first time at this message board. I didn't even think that a board like this existed! My name is Jen, I'm 40 and trying to conceive a child. I belong to a ttc (trying to conceive) website and someone there posted a message about meds that are safe when ttc so I started searching & found this board!
I suffer from fibromyalgia and myofacial pain (& I have for 13 years thanx to an abusive ex) so I am in constant pain and I have been afraid that I will have to come off my meds when I get pg. I used to take vicodin cuz I lived in the U.S. and that's what they prescribed but I have also been on other very potent pain meds which I have since stopped becuz I hated being a prisoner to the meds and I was on sooo much that I couldn't keep track anymore so now I only take 2 pain meds, fiorinal c 1/2 for daily pain & dilaudid for break thru pain. It helps but I have such a high tolerance that it's difficult to find a med strong enough to REALLY work. I used to take ms contin (slow release morphine for those of you who don't know) and oxycontin AT THE SAME TIME, (neither of those worked) as well as fioricet and valium and others. I've been on the duragesic pain patch but that was AWFUL to stop. The W/D was unbearable. I have also taken tramadol but again I didn't find that it worked well and the W/D on that was bad too and I didn't even take it for very long! I stopped the vicodin in Dec/06 and have been on the fiorinal and dilaudid since then but I have always assumed that I would have to stop my meds when I became pg. Is this not the case? I thought it would harm my baby but the thought of being in so much pain for 9 months is terrifying.
I have "toughed" it out for a couple of years off at a time off & on but I was MISERABLE and felt awful all the time. I couldn't even function! When I am on meds I am a much easier person to get along with and I feel so much better that I am not miserable HOWEVER, some people take that to mean that I am "high" on the drugs. They don't understand that when I am on the meds, I feel somewhat normal and I can function a whole lot better therefore I am happier and I can enjoy some of the things that I couldn't b4. People think that my "real" personality is to be miserable so when I take meds I am "not myself". I think this is obsurd! They think that my being happy must mean that I am high. I have given up on trying to explain to them why I take the meds and that this IS the REAL me!! They think I am a drug addict and for no other reason than to be high. I wish that those people could be in my body for just 1 day.
Anyway, I am curious to see your opinions on the subject of narcotic pain meds & becoming pg. I would really appreciate any advice you can give. I'm very happy to have found this board. Now I know I am not alone. Sorry this is so long but I just had to get that out! If you made it this far, bless your heart! Thanks for reading.
I suffer from fibromyalgia and myofacial pain (& I have for 13 years thanx to an abusive ex) so I am in constant pain and I have been afraid that I will have to come off my meds when I get pg. I used to take vicodin cuz I lived in the U.S. and that's what they prescribed but I have also been on other very potent pain meds which I have since stopped becuz I hated being a prisoner to the meds and I was on sooo much that I couldn't keep track anymore so now I only take 2 pain meds, fiorinal c 1/2 for daily pain & dilaudid for break thru pain. It helps but I have such a high tolerance that it's difficult to find a med strong enough to REALLY work. I used to take ms contin (slow release morphine for those of you who don't know) and oxycontin AT THE SAME TIME, (neither of those worked) as well as fioricet and valium and others. I've been on the duragesic pain patch but that was AWFUL to stop. The W/D was unbearable. I have also taken tramadol but again I didn't find that it worked well and the W/D on that was bad too and I didn't even take it for very long! I stopped the vicodin in Dec/06 and have been on the fiorinal and dilaudid since then but I have always assumed that I would have to stop my meds when I became pg. Is this not the case? I thought it would harm my baby but the thought of being in so much pain for 9 months is terrifying.
I have "toughed" it out for a couple of years off at a time off & on but I was MISERABLE and felt awful all the time. I couldn't even function! When I am on meds I am a much easier person to get along with and I feel so much better that I am not miserable HOWEVER, some people take that to mean that I am "high" on the drugs. They don't understand that when I am on the meds, I feel somewhat normal and I can function a whole lot better therefore I am happier and I can enjoy some of the things that I couldn't b4. People think that my "real" personality is to be miserable so when I take meds I am "not myself". I think this is obsurd! They think that my being happy must mean that I am high. I have given up on trying to explain to them why I take the meds and that this IS the REAL me!! They think I am a drug addict and for no other reason than to be high. I wish that those people could be in my body for just 1 day.
Anyway, I am curious to see your opinions on the subject of narcotic pain meds & becoming pg. I would really appreciate any advice you can give. I'm very happy to have found this board. Now I know I am not alone. Sorry this is so long but I just had to get that out! If you made it this far, bless your heart! Thanks for reading.
You are in what I think might be called the "horns of a dilemma"! Wish I knew more and was wiser to give the high level advice you really seek... it would seem like a good idea to "network" around for a really excellent (the best) doctor in the field of both expertise in your specific pathologies AND in the field of pain management - on the condition that it is someone with a lot of experience and a LOT of heart... Sounds like a tall order to fill, eh?? The Creator put these painkillers in the world for some reason other than to screw up all us weak-willed hopers for a better life... then again maybe there are other options; Chinese medecine, yoga, diet, who knows?? We think pills take a lot less discipline, but in the end, looks like they take a LOT more discipline and WAY more suffering... Wish I could help you more... Good Luck and Godspeed!! Nefesh
I have worked in OB/GYN for 10 years and I can tell you that we only prescribe narcotics in pregnancy in extreme cases and then we only will give pregnant patients Tylenol 3's, Dilaudid is a very strong pain killer and is not recommended in pregnancy at all. With someone in your case with chronic and constant pain you would have to talk to your doctor and decide if the benefits of the narcotics outway the risk to the baby. It really is a judgment call with every doctor, I believe you can take low dose painkillers while pregnant you just have to watch how much you consume. The risk of excessive hydrocodone use in pregnency could lead dependency in the unborn child and developmental delays, which is why doctors are cautious in prescribing narcotics in pregnancy. This is just what I know from my years in this department hope it helps, and if you have any other questions I would be happy to help you and if I can't answer them I will talk with the OB docs here for you if you think of anything else..
I have worked in OB/GYN for 10 years and I can tell you that we only prescribe narcotics in pregnancy in extreme cases and then we only will give pregnant patients Tylenol 3's, Dilaudid is a very strong pain killer and is not recommended in pregnancy at all. With someone in your case with chronic and constant pain you would have to talk to your doctor and decide if the benefits of the narcotics outway the risk to the baby. It really is a judgment call with every doctor, I believe you can take low dose painkillers while pregnant you just have to watch how much you consume. The risk of excessive hydrocodone use in pregnency could lead dependency in the unborn child and developmental delays, which is why doctors are cautious in prescribing narcotics in pregnancy. This is just what I know from my years in this department hope it helps, and if you have any other questions I would be happy to help you and if I can't answer them I will talk with the OB docs here for you if you think of anything else..
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