Pain medicine...what is your comfort level?

[lovemy6monkeys]

No pun intended LOL

I'm curious how you guys manage pain and what level of comfort you try to achieve?

I try to medicate "just enough" to function during my normal daily routine. If I can get away with only taking a couple Tylenol, that is what I do. As of right now I only take gabapentin. I take 400 to 700 mg at night before bed. Usually 2 or 3 times a week I will take 300 mg during the day. This is all I take. There are times it is not really enough, but it will make the pain or discomfort better and let me do what I need to do without being miserable.

I hate taking medicine, so I know that is part of the reason I take as little medicine as possible. The other reason is I figure I have years and years of dealing with MS and I worry about building up a tolerance to pain medicine and having to take more and more medicine.

What do you guys do?
~Jess

[Neita]

hi
  I finished IV steroids 2 weeks ago my pain level went down to about a 3 or 4 for about 10 days then came back full force maybe a little worse now at times.

i take 150mg Lyrica morning and night
           5mg supeudol  4 times a day.  Sometimes i take two with a tylenol and still have a bit of pain and other dayz i might not have to take any.

I also take zopiclone most nights to try to get some sleep
          

[RedFlame]

I just looked at the bottle, it is 5-500 Vicodin.  I have no idea what the numbers mean.

Like some of you have said, I believe pain meds are underpresribed at this time.  Every other month, I hear something on TV about people that steal/sell/buy pain meds, then the doctors are held responsible.  Misguided DEA agents hound pharmacists and docs about that very thing.  

Last month I went and got my medical marijuana card.  I haven't used any yet but am curious about it.  Docs have a problem with it for some reason.

I think the Fentynal patch would be a good option

[LMonty]

i have another pain control issue beyond the neuro symptoms. sciatic damage. for that i take vicodin 10/325 up to 4 a day (which is almost every day) and 2 soma at  bedtime. it helps some days, if i can get it down to level 5 or less or where i can get distracted from it, i consider that a win. i also use ice packs, etc.

i've had to up how much i take over the years to stay functional. that's my priority. i anticipate going higher. pain meds are just a tool to that goal for me.

i hate the way people suffer because of some negative social conditioning that pain meds are bad or mean weakness. i see it all the  time. i believe in doing whatever we can to make life better.  

[Khiba]

Hi Jess,

I live in constant chronic pain, mostly from spasticity/fibromyalgia and rarely have a day I can say is comfortable. But after a few years of this, I have managed to manage it with the help of a good pain doc. I hate medication as it all seems to trash my digestive system but that I can manage too. I have given in and now take a cocktail of the following to keep sane.

Gabapentin 300 mg 3 times a day for nerve pain
Valium 2.5 mg 3 times a day for spasticity (didn't get along with baclofen)
Cytomel for thyroid. Keeps me going and slim too.
Hydrocortisone 7.5 mg for adrenal stress. Am weaning off this as I get the mental part under control and the adrenals start working again. This has been a 2 year process.
Fentanyl patch. 25 mcg/hr  This is the crowning glory. Without it I would just be writhing in agony from dawn to dusk.

When we have a big weather front pushing I take half a tramadol for break through pain.
I manage pretty well, but still hurt. If I can keep the pain at a 5, I can live with it and get through the day pretty well.

I do pilates exercises and stretches daily. These help tremendously!!! I get tight hip flexors and ileopsoas muscle spasms from sitting, but standing kills my lower back and legs. Pain takes constant management and keeping in good shape helps! I try to walk a little everyday, even if its just to the mailbox and back. I also use icepacks and heat as needed for comfort.

[bairdy]

hi
dont think i have spoke to you before
i have suffered with cronic back pain and leg pain since my early mid 20s but it was allways put down to the fact that i got hit by a car when i was 16 and sustained multiple fractures legs, arms ans so on.
i was given many pain killers over the years Noproxen, declefenic, ibrupren. and nothing worked at all for pain relief. so therefore i have a very high pain threshold.
so move forward to now MS on the table and the pain killers and medication has changed .
gabapentin, baclofen !!!
ans suprise it works wonders for me.
but me having to deal with the pain for years i can get away with taking 10mg baclofen at night to relax me and help me sleep, and 300mg gabapentin 2x daily .
and it takes the edge of it witch to me is good cos nothing used to work so i got used to living with pain.
everyone is different so take what you need to get to a level of comfort that suits you.
hope this heps
regards bairdy

[Sumanadevii]

Well, I was using steroids as it truly does help with pain.  At the end of June I will have been taking it every three or four weeks for a year.  I am done...so done.  Yet now my pain level is high.  We are hoping it is just a rebound effect from going off it.

I just found out my insurance will pay for PT in my home.  I am sure going to take advantage of it.  Now with my darling sweet personality, I hope I can find someone that will be willing to work with me...lol

I also take oxycodone 5/325 four per day.  I would like off them for the same reasons as others here...The fear of needing more and more.

Red?  You sure you taking 50/500 and not 5/500?  That dose seems fatal to me.

[HVAC]

I take 300 mg Trileptal
           30 mg Baclofen
           25 mg a day immitrex for migraines.
            A tranquillizer when needed for diaphragm spasms

I have a ton of pain but a high tolerance. For example a hairdresser accidentally cut 1/16  of an inch into the cartiledge of my ear with her scissors Saturday and I did not react.

The diaphragm spasm which happen often are the most painful symptom I have. I have had two sets today and my husband does not have clue. He has only noticed me have them one time in all these months.

Alex

[RedFlame]

Hi Jess,

Good for you in being able to take less medicine!

I take allot of meds each day or I couldn't get out of bed.  Each day total I take:
3200 mg.  Gaba
60mg        Baclofen
400mg       Tramadol
320mg       Effexor
1-3mg        Klonipin   (I use it very sparingly)
1000mg     Ibuprofen as needed
50/500       Vicodin for breakthrough pain (very sparingly)

I stretch 3-4 times a day, use different poses my PT gave me and do my own progressive relaxation.  

I keep mine at a 7 or below, any higher than that is when I start taking the Vicodin and it takes the edge off.

The other thing is that I get used to it.  Sort of like it's a constant companion, I have come to a place of acceptance that my life is going to be this way, at least for now.  Making peace with it.

The rating thing 1-10 is so personal to each patient.  A 10 for one might be a 9 for the other, so it's hard to know.

Well, I gave you much more than you probably wanted.  But that's how I do it

hugs,
Red