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610983 tn?1351309926

Quick question for anyone who has knowledge of pain meds...!

What is the most effective painkiller with the least side affect, I mean that wont knock you out if you look at the bottle.
For moderate to severe pain any opinions would help.
11 Responses
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Avatar universal
vicodin would be your best bet. No need for any other pills like oxy, percoset, lortabs, norcs etc.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Tramadol works well for me with VERY minimal side effects. Generally a little dry mouth, and the first couple of times, my hearing was a little sensative, but now if I need it, I find it very helpful for my pain, and I can still go on with my daily hustle and bustle.
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356518 tn?1322263642
Wow, I can't see where I need to add anything here, I just wanted to comment on all the great information everyone provided:)
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656111 tn?1273820739
Oops, let me correct this....


I meant, "do NOT want to take Methadone as I was aware that once I am on it, I would experience the worse withdrawals ever to go through once I'm out of it so no go"

I need to proofread first before I post it. *chuckles*
Helpful - 0
656111 tn?1273820739
I suggest you to talk to your doctor about increasing dosages either for percocet or increase little more dosages for Fentanyl patch rather than jumping to much stronger narcotics for pills..., IMO. There's nothing stronger than Fentanyl patch since its like 1,000 more stronger and potent than Morphine. There's 75mcg and 100mcg for Fentanyl patch available as you are on 50mcg Fentanyl Patch right now and as for Percocet, 10/325 and 10/650. Just try those first with increasements of dosages first and see how that goes. I believe that should help to relieve your pain somewhat, hopefully. Talk to your doctor about this. Good luck.

Yes, I have heard about side effects of Methadone and I don't even want to be on it. One time ER doctor wrote me prescription of Methadone few years ago and I told doctor that I do NOT want to take Methadone as I was aware that I experience the worse withdrawals ever to go through once I'm out of it so no go, then so Doc agreed and changed to other prescription I believe it was Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) instead. How I know about it is because my sister was an ex addict to Heroin few years ago and was on Methadone that she has to go to building to take Methadone there daily (I think?) and she told me what her experience was like being on it and withdrawals effects. Had I not known about it, I can't imagine I'm sure it'll be horrible. If I remember right, he prescribed that lasts 2 weeks worth of Methadone which I'm glad I did, but like I said I turned that down and insisted to change other kind of prescription. That was few years ago. I'm not sure if it has changed nowadays that docs usually will only write out to last few days and to follow up with doctor. But I am not sure if ER doc can write you RX if you have no current doctor? That's good question though. Anyway, enough of my blabbing, lol.
Helpful - 0
457721 tn?1256640798
I can tell you that it ALL depends on the person.

I am currently on 2 Percoect 7.5's every 6 hours, 1 SOMA (muscle relaxer) every 12 hours, a 50 mg Fentanyl Patch AND Phenergan for nausea...and I am wide awake all day every day...in FACT I have to take Ambien to sleep at night.  These pain meds are no longer working for me...so I am in the process of trying to find other options.

As for methadone...PLEASE PLEASE stay away from this unless you are having SEVERE chronic pain.  My aunt is on it...and she let me borrow one at one point when I had forgotten to pack my pain medication...it is the ONLY pain medication that I have ever taken that has knocked me flat on my butt.  I have been on everything under the sun...and am quickly exhausting my options for pain relief.  My aunt has been on it for 3 years and it STILL knocks her out.  

My mom is on Toradol after a cervical fusion and she REALLY likes how it controls her pain...but she is also able to function.  

Hope you get the help you need....I know how it is to live in chronic pain and need something that you can still function on...I am a stay at home mom of a 17 month old!
Helpful - 0
535089 tn?1400673519
Hi Bethaniet:

I have sung this song before and I probly will again so here it goes. I really support the Fentanyl patch. It is the only opiate that I have found that does not make you feel loopy or euphoric. The Fentanyl has such a slow rate of administering the med that you really feel no different than if you were to take asprin and the power of the Fentanyl works great in chronic pain relief. The drug is approx. 81x stronger than Morphine so you have to be really careful about using the Patch.

Tuck had mentioned that the withdrawl of the Methadone is one of the worst and it probley is right up there but in my opinion, the withdrawl of the Fentanyl is much worse. I have experienced this to some degree when I was changing the Patch every three days. By the third day I was feeling rather fluish and extremely run down. The night sweats started to set in and could not sleep. The next morning approx. 4 hrs. after replacing the Patch, I felt just fine. I had mentioned this to my Doc so he prescribed the patch to be changed every two days. I no longer have these issues.

I hope all the information you have recieved has been helpful, there has been some really great advise from all the members. Take care and good luck in your research,
Mollyrae
Helpful - 0
655467 tn?1304959950
  I have been in major pain 20 + and I have been thru the whole gamet of pain meds and other meds used to try to control pain  Opperative word there is TRY.
  Oxycodone and oxycontin did nothing for me.I am on Methadone for pain and Dilaudid for BTP (break thru pain). I also take flexeril when my muscles tighten up due to the pain along with heat really helps.But i guess it would help if I knew what is your  illness and cause of pain..Stormie
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656111 tn?1273820739
Those medications I've have tried or currently on it....



So far I've had:

-----------
Narcotics:

Percocet (generic brand oxycodone/APAP)

Norco (generic brand Hydrocodone/APAP)

Vicodin (generic brand Hydrocodone)

Darvocet (acetaminophen-propoxyphene) - allergic to this med.

Oxycontin (generic brand Oxycodone)

Dilaudid (generic brand Hydromorphone) - must take along with this medicine called Compazine for nausea.

Morphine (generic brand Morphine Sulfate)

Demerol (generic brand Meperidine)

Tylenol # 3 & 4

----------------
Non-Narcotics:

Lidoderm patch

Ultram (generic brand tramadol) - causes pain in my stomach, can't take it.

Toradol (generic brand Ketorolac)

Muscle Relaxer:

Flexeril (muscle relaxer)

Klonopin - generic brand clonazepam. (anxiety and relaxer as well that helps spasms on my back)

Robaxin - generic brand Methocarbamol. (muscle relaxer)

Baclofen (muscle relaxer) - But I had severe allergic reaction to this med.

Nausea:

Penergan
Compazine

------------------------

I have tried Lidoderm patch, very little effective and doesn't really relieve my pain.

Anyway, as of right now, I'm currently taking Norco 10/325mg (same thing as Vicodin but depends on strength for example Vicodin doesn't have 10/335mg while Norco does), Clonazepam 1mg, Flexeril 10mg, and Bystolic 5mg (for my heart), and Imitrex (for migraines).



***I only had Nubain, Demerol, Penergan, Toradol from ER.

As about Darvocet - my Mother told me that Darvocet have less effect and doesn't knock you out - "sleepy". But it might depends on individual though. I have had herniated disc since the year of 2006. So not all medications were prescribed from PCP - few are from ER. As far as I've experienced with those medications I've had, little effects just made me sleepy at the beginning. But now I have developed tolerance with pain medications so it doesn't make me sleepy at all except Nubain does if I also take phengeran (for nausea) along with it (from ER) that makes me very sleepy and go to bed right away. I also am migraine sufferer as well, not just herniated disc. I have had migraines since the year of 2005 then herniated disc in 2006.


I also have Icy Hot tube (from over-the-counter) and Heating Pad also take hot baths sometimes to relieve my back pain. It helps some. Hope this helps a bit?? :o) my PCP recommends me to buy Capzasin-P Topical Analgesic Cream but its bit expensive, I can't afford that due to my limited income. So I buy Icy Hot that the price is cheaper and reasonable that I can afford.  So, I hope this helps? :o)
Helpful - 0
374225 tn?1269899262
I can honestly tell you that I have taken nearly everything and the results are bitter-sweet. You tread a slippery slope and pain medicine use is not for the timid or the weak minded. You have to know your pain very well and yourself even better.

I have taken all the pain medicines that you could list including methadone and I have my opinions about which is best considering that none of them are something that a healthy human being should desire to take. (How does that sound? Are you nice and confused? I guess I'm just trying to say... in a rather less than famous way, "Here there be dragons!" and your journey with pain will give that statement more meaning.

If you have true Chronic Pain then treatment of it actually is a multi-faceted regimen of do and do not.

DO:
* Make sure you have a good doctor you trust and respect.
* Expect your journey to find pain relief to take a few years, even longer.
* Remain open to non-medicinal cures such as exercise and physical therapy.
* Make sure to get out and take at least a 5 minute walk every day if you can if you cannot then sit outside for 5 minutes. Trust me it's a good thing.

DO NOT:
* Look to medicine for a cure. Often you'll be discouraged by medicine for many reasons.
* Give up on a pain free life. Pursue health and vitality with diet, nutrition and lifestyle.
* Expect doctors to have all the answers. They don't. But there are very good doctors out there.
* Get discouraged.
* Forget to take notes. Lots of notes about every aspect of your pain journey.
* DO NOT AT ALL take any medication other than exactly how it was written.
* Think that you'll never be an addict. With care, trust and good support it won't happen to you but don't think you are invincible.


So having said all that. Often pain medicines and their applications depend a lot on the type of pain being treated. What type of pain are you having and what methods of treatment HAVE NOT worked to this point?

- Rex

Helpful - 0
547368 tn?1440541785
Hi Bethaniet,

You have asked a question that will elicit a multitude of opinions. One of the reasons for that is because what works for one doesn't necessarily work as well for another. Oxycodone is no more effective for me that Hydrocodone. All statics and many other CP sufferers say Oxycodone should be more effective.

Actually from everything I have read and heard Methadone has the least side effects and is very effective in relieving pain. In my opinion it is the best. I do not take it but I have done a lot of research on it and other major pain medications.

What a physician will order for you is the next question. And withdrawal is another big question. Methadone though the most effective has one of the worst withdrawals. In all likelihood that is due to the long life of the medication.

Peace, Tuck
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