Has anyone ever

[GSWsurvivor]

Taken your pain meds, and sometimes felt it working AND you knew it was working, But other times you dont cant even tell you even took it? Am i the only one that this has happend to?? And has anyone ever taken there pain meds with coffee? IT really intensifys the effects and helps my pain REALLY REALLY WELL.... ANyone?

[katgood]

I once had a very wise pain management specialist tell me that he had just been to a conference where they had proof that as long as you did not overuse, just take pain meds when needed, that it is not addiction, it is just treating the pain.  Our body will use it for what it needs.... Now, there are days the pills dont seem to work as well, but I think that has alot to do with the fact that on days I feel better I try to do all the things I couldnt do the day or days before......the need to overcome overides my greater sensibility to slow down and do only what my body can handle.  Now I sit here with yet a new diagnosis as of yesterday to add to fibro, cfs, ra, ddd, 2 back surgeries that helped in some ways but at other times I curse them...confusion runs rampant as I wonder why, and what is going on with all of us...what is the cause and in finding the cause what is the solution...well I am sure I am not the only one who thinks this way....this is only my second day as a part of this community.

[tanglewood]

Just info and maybe not relevant, but I was told that the generic meds have a 20% margin of error. I doubt they err on the side of putting MORE of the narcotic into the pill.

[Tuckamore]

My physician has encouraged me to take my pain meds as directed and not try to take less or skip a dose. I find that if I am late taking the medication the pain will get away from me. Once your pain is out of control it is much more difficult to get it under control.

Caffeine is a CNS (central nervous system) stimulant. It relaxes muscle contractions in blood vessels to improve blood flow. It is an ingredient in Excedrin. Some theories conclude that the addition of caffeine in some pain relievers enhances it's effectiveness.

Be aware that caffeine should be avoided or limited with some medications, such as Cymbalta.

I always take coffee with my pain medication....but than I drink coffee period.

~Tuck

[jamlws]

lol Sherry your still a young chick. Alot of drs have told me to take my meds on time even if I am not feeling pain cause once the meds i took before goes away then the pain will come back so it is best to take the pills BEFORE the pain starts. I know what you mean about not wanting to take them if you don't need them but remember your last dose is still in effect so once that one wears off the pain will be back! It will take awhile for your body to get use to being on the meds again since you haven't taken them but I am so glad your back on them. I hope you start feeling alot better. I hope my dr puts me on perocet cause when I was on them after my surgery on my mouth I didn't even notice the pain until the meds was gone so I know they would help me so much more then the hydro. I am going to post a question about that. Hang in there my young chick!!
Jamie

[namnam46]

THANKS!!

GSW and Jamie--I did what you suggested and today the SECOND I felt my back tightening up (which is what mine does right before the pain surges thru my body) I took my 1/2 Percocet 10/325  and then about an hour later I took my other 1/2 Percocet 10/325 and that seemed to do the trick. I'm allowed 3 full pills in a day, it's just that the full pill really seems too strong for me all at one time.  Even with my Fentanyl Patch 50 mcg the pain has been way off the charts because I had to go for all of those days without taking my BT meds because of my antibiotics and my nausea. I'm finally feeling relief again. HURRAY!!!

I hope all of you dear Friends are receiving as much relief as I am this afternoon!!

I was always concerned about taking it when I didn't really need it so I would wait until it was so bad that it made it too difficult to control. I think I was consumed by all of the stories where the people had become tolerant of their meds and didn't wan that to happen. I KNEW, logically, that when I became tolerant of my Norco  10/325 it was because of the length of time I had been taking it and ONLY it (7 years) and no other reason. But I still was really cautious with the Percocet's when I was swiitched to them in April. I've ALWAYS been one to take FEWER than the allotted amount each day. If I take the allowed amount then it has basically been a day where my pain has been rated at a 10. So thank you once again for teaching "an old dog " a new trick!!!

Hope you guys keep enjoying your Holiday!!!!..Sherry

[jamlws]

yep it is better to control your pain BEFORE it starts. That is why I don't understand why labels say "As needed for pain" you have to stay ahead of your pain. I do understand it would say that for someone that don't have daily pain and those are hard to stay ahead of cause you don't know when it is going to hurt and you don't need to be taking pain meds if you only have like a headache once a week.
I take headache pills with caffene in them EVERY MORNING. I have to cause if I don't then I will get a headach. When I am out of them I get headachs and there is no reason to be out of them cause they are only 98 cents at walmart lol
Jamie

[GSWsurvivor]

I didnt know that about the excedrine! Very interesting info! Thanks guys! And NAM I would say to take your BT meds As soon as you feel it. I have always been told to stay on top of the pain and not to chase it! As it is harder to control.

[dame_wilbur]

I know what you mean. I have found that I need a clinical dose of caffeine (5 cups) every morning, basically as soon as I get up, so that my meds can start to work. Caffeine is actually very commonly used as a booster for meds, as all Excedrine products have a strong dose of caffeine in them to speed up the painkiller's effect.

~Dame

[mellie4]

Happens to me all the time.  Sometimes I take a small dose and it does the trick.  Other times I take my regular dose and it's like I took nothing.  At times, I've increased my pain meds several times above what I should take and it still doesn't work.  I have no idea why this happens.  At one time I thought I had developed a tolerance but realized that wasn't the case when I took a regular dose and it worked fine.

[namnam46]

Hi guys,

I ran into this problem in April. After 7 years (2003 to 2010) of taking Hydrocodone 7.5/500 or Norco 10/325 (both Hydro) they just were doing NOTHING for me.  So my PM switched me to Percocet  10/325 and I can tke 1/2 tablet or 1 tablet or I can take a combination of the two dosages i.e.1/2 and then next time 1 pill. I actually only take 1/2 pill as the full tablet makes me very groggy and I DON'T like that feeling!! Which is why I LOVE my Fentanyl Patch because it doesn't give me ANY type of druggie feeling at all! I just can't handle it at all.

I have a VERY bad habit of waiting too long to take my BT meds. I DON'T like to take the pills and sometimes I'll be on the computer (MH :) )and I'll feel my back starting to tighten up and starting to burn and I'm having to move all around to try and make it stop and instead I should probably be taking my 1/2 pill.

Do you guys take the BT RIGHT when you first feel the pain begin, or do you wait awhile? I need some guidance on this.

Thank guys and have a great and safe Holiday...Sherry

[Sarajmt]

Just a thought.  I use hydrocodone.  It's NOT a good catch up medication.  Works better if you take it before the pain gets going.

[designgyrl]

Hi, how are you feeling tonight?  I had quite the bad afternoon at the pain management doctor.  Hopefully though I'll feel better tomorrow....

[jamlws]

Sometimes my pain is bad and when I take them I can't even tell I took them but other times I take them and know I have taken them. I have never heard of taking them with coffee and it makes them work better, weird. I hate coffee maybe that is why I don't notice that. Mabye the times your not feeling them work is when your pain is bad?
Best of luck,
Jamie

[Sarajmt]

I've noticed that if I take my meds with coffee it does help get there sooner.  Waking up in pain is a sign to me that it's going to be a long day.  So I use the coffee and meds trick.  That does help.

Sometimes it seems nothing helps with the pain.  And I agree it does involve my previous day's activity.  But sometimes it just my little adhesion friends saying hello.  Not to seem unfriendly but I'd wish they'd say goodbye.  

Bottom line:  Nope, sometimes it seems like I haven't even had any meds.

[sandee1818]

I do know what your saying. I think it has to do with our level of activity too. When I over do it my meds do not work well at all. I drink Pepsi all day long and it doesn't effect my meds I do not think so anyways.
I am addicted to Pepsi and have to have it:)
You may have tolerance issues or your condition is getting worse therefore the meds are not helping like they use too.
Talk to your doctor and see what options he/she can offer you.
Some people change medications from time to time to help with this issue.

[Proxy013]

Hey, i know exactly what you mean.  I'm actually trying to wean off of my pain meds, because lately I only feel the effect maybe twice out of the 8 i take a day.  Its usually from your body working up a tolerance to the medication, just like with anti-depressants over the years it takes more and more to keep the same effect lvl, just like any drugs.
I'm just sick of constipation/dry mouth i'm getting from the meds and its not even helping, so might as well give my body a break.  I'm disabled from fibromyaglia pain, and as recently as a month ago was bedridden.  I know its going to be hard, but honestly when I'm not gettin relief anyway, why work up my tolerance to the meds?  Hope that helps, you can always tell your doctor and they might up your pain meds, but keep in mind your body WILL work up a tolerance, its just a matter of when.  I've gotten up to 10mg hydrocodone 8x/day, and it's worked for just over a year.
Hang in there~
~Proxy

[GSWsurvivor]

What i meant is that sometimes you cant feel the effects of the medicine?

[272727]

The same has happint to me takeing my pain meds and most of the time i dont care if i took thim or not i think it coud mean we a tird of takeing thim and i take mine with coffie all the time and it helps is realy well to .