Aa
what is a good pain pill thats not narc
I been on purks for 4years been taking pill for 15years in June 2008 I fell off a roof about 40 feet busted me up real good broke my back got a steal cage around my back bone broke my pelvis got a steal plate broke my right leg it got a peace that runs down from my knee to my foot broke it bad that my healoff my foot gone they put a cadaver bone and 2 bolts to walk on well they fused it to so it like a peg foot it don't do much so I got a lot of metal in me I hurt all the time and I can't take pain pills I took them for years now I trying to stop it got to b a big problem been off them for 17 day today my pcp give me noroton but it don't do much at all what kind of pain pill that are not noctic if any one know lodge some that help me a lot in a lot of pain but can't take nocotics
And that's the information we need, Ghilly: the good, the band and the in-between. My primary care is amazing and I trust her implicitly. She is very knowledgeable and seems to know about most medications. At one time I was seeing an orthopedist and he thought Tramadol was the best thing ever. I did try it at the time but it made me feel high and out of it. I stayed on it nearly a month and told him I didn't like it. I guess I wasn't on it long enough to be dependent on it and I had no trouble getting off it.
But as the years went by and more and more people were put on it, the real story came out. I don't read many stories of people saying it was a great help with their pain. For me, it helped a little but the side effects weren't worth it. It does seem a lot of people become addicted to it, and every story I've read about people withdrawing from it is the same. I haven't heard one person say they tapered off and it was no problem.
Personally, I don't think it's a good drug. It probably works for some people, and if taken as directed, I'm sure a doctor can taper someone off successfully. They may have to use another med for a short time to help them get off. (And I'm talking about people who are dependent rather than addicted.)
People that have become addicted to it seem to have a hard time coming off. The withdrawal seems to be significantly longer than coming off other drugs.
Maybe there is a place in medicine for Tramadol. But, again, my personal opinion, is that there are many drugs that work much better. And you're right, there are still a lot of doctors who think it's a wonder drug and don't believe it addicting. Some doctors are slow to come around to things. Which is why it's really important in finding the right pain team to treat you.
But as the years went by and more and more people were put on it, the real story came out. I don't read many stories of people saying it was a great help with their pain. For me, it helped a little but the side effects weren't worth it. It does seem a lot of people become addicted to it, and every story I've read about people withdrawing from it is the same. I haven't heard one person say they tapered off and it was no problem.
Personally, I don't think it's a good drug. It probably works for some people, and if taken as directed, I'm sure a doctor can taper someone off successfully. They may have to use another med for a short time to help them get off. (And I'm talking about people who are dependent rather than addicted.)
People that have become addicted to it seem to have a hard time coming off. The withdrawal seems to be significantly longer than coming off other drugs.
Maybe there is a place in medicine for Tramadol. But, again, my personal opinion, is that there are many drugs that work much better. And you're right, there are still a lot of doctors who think it's a wonder drug and don't believe it addicting. Some doctors are slow to come around to things. Which is why it's really important in finding the right pain team to treat you.
Mellie, you did mention that Tramadol, although not technically a narcotic, had eventually been proven to be as addictive as narcotics are. I just decided to elaborate on it a bit more because there are still some doctors out there who seem to think that it is some kind of wonder drug because it isn't a narcotic. The reason I decided to elaborate was not because of any information that you gave, but because if the OPs doctor is one of the ones who love Tramadol, I just wanted the poster to have a bit more information about it.
You and Tuck are both correct in that our pharmacists are our best source of information regarding our prescriptions. The knowledge the doctors have about medications is really minimal based on what pharmacists know. For the most part, doctors know what the salespeople from the drug companies tell them. The pharmacists will tell you the good, the bad AND the in-between. :)
Ghilly
You and Tuck are both correct in that our pharmacists are our best source of information regarding our prescriptions. The knowledge the doctors have about medications is really minimal based on what pharmacists know. For the most part, doctors know what the salespeople from the drug companies tell them. The pharmacists will tell you the good, the bad AND the in-between. :)
Ghilly
I agree with Tuck about pharmacists. I utilize my pharmacist all the time. I was having a problem with a medication and my doctor thought it wasn't due to the med and it had to be something else. But I knew in my heart it was the medication. I started thinking it was all in my head. I wound up talking to my pharmacist and he agreed it was the med. He gave me a lot of time and explained things really well. He also offered to talk with my doctor if I wanted. (That wasn't necessary. I talked with her at our next appointment and it turned out she wasn't aware of that particular problem.)
I think I did mention in my first comment that though Tramadol isn't technically considered a narcotic, it does act like one on pain in some cases, and the withdrawals are difficult.
Maybe it was overlooked, as my comment was so long or maybe I forgot to put it in. Initially, they thought Tramadol was a great drug: worked on pain well and no dependency issues. But it turned out they were wrong. There have been just as many problems with dependency and addiction and withdrawal as with narcotics.
And just to make sure everyone knows, I would never suggest a particular drug. All kinds of things come into play when you're prescribed a medication. Drug interactions, personal history, family history, allergies, and more. You were asking about non-narcotic pain relievers, and I just mentioned ones I could think of. Everything has to be discussed with your doctor. I hope you or anyone else aren't thinking I would ever recommend a specific drug.
I hope you are able to come up with a plan to manage your pain. Tuck is right in that no one should have to live with uncontrolled pain.
I think I did mention in my first comment that though Tramadol isn't technically considered a narcotic, it does act like one on pain in some cases, and the withdrawals are difficult.
Maybe it was overlooked, as my comment was so long or maybe I forgot to put it in. Initially, they thought Tramadol was a great drug: worked on pain well and no dependency issues. But it turned out they were wrong. There have been just as many problems with dependency and addiction and withdrawal as with narcotics.
And just to make sure everyone knows, I would never suggest a particular drug. All kinds of things come into play when you're prescribed a medication. Drug interactions, personal history, family history, allergies, and more. You were asking about non-narcotic pain relievers, and I just mentioned ones I could think of. Everything has to be discussed with your doctor. I hope you or anyone else aren't thinking I would ever recommend a specific drug.
I hope you are able to come up with a plan to manage your pain. Tuck is right in that no one should have to live with uncontrolled pain.
Hi Charlie,
Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am sorry to hear about your chronic pain. We can relate.
I am never comfortable suggesting medications. Meds are so individualized as you can see by Ghilly's response. Some medications may be contraindicated in a specific person. I think your best suggestions will come from a consult with the true experts, a Pharmacist. We often over-look their expertise, not only are they the experts the advice is free and safe. So please discuss this question with your Pharmacist.
You don't say why you cannot take the narcotics. This information would be helpful with our suggestions. Have you developed a problem with taking them correctly or are there other issues?
No one should have to live with uncontrolled pain. Have you consulted a PMP? If not I encourage you to do so. There may be treatment options that have nothing to do with narcotics that may help your pain.
Please let us know how you are doing. I'll look forward to your updates.
Take Care,
~Tuck
Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am sorry to hear about your chronic pain. We can relate.
I am never comfortable suggesting medications. Meds are so individualized as you can see by Ghilly's response. Some medications may be contraindicated in a specific person. I think your best suggestions will come from a consult with the true experts, a Pharmacist. We often over-look their expertise, not only are they the experts the advice is free and safe. So please discuss this question with your Pharmacist.
You don't say why you cannot take the narcotics. This information would be helpful with our suggestions. Have you developed a problem with taking them correctly or are there other issues?
No one should have to live with uncontrolled pain. Have you consulted a PMP? If not I encourage you to do so. There may be treatment options that have nothing to do with narcotics that may help your pain.
Please let us know how you are doing. I'll look forward to your updates.
Take Care,
~Tuck
Just a warning about Tramadol, though. TECHNICALLY it is not a narcotic, HOWEVER it binds to the mu receptor in the brain which is the same receptor that opiates bind to, so while pharmacologically it is not a narcotic, our bodies think it is. You can get addicted to it just as readily as you can to an opiate and it is actually more difficult to withdraw from than opiates are.
With opiates, if you stop using them suddenly (and actually even if you wean down slowly), you will have withdrawal symptoms.. Although if you wean down slowly the symptoms will not be nearly as severe. With Tramadol, if you stop taking them suddenly, not only will you have withdrawal symptoms of the same severity as opiates, you COULD have seizures as well. So it is more difficult to stop taking than opiates are and the level of pain control that it gives is not nearly as high as that of opiates.
If you don't want to take narcotics because of the possibility of becoming dependent, then Tramadol would not be a good choice for you as a medication either.
Ghilly
With opiates, if you stop using them suddenly (and actually even if you wean down slowly), you will have withdrawal symptoms.. Although if you wean down slowly the symptoms will not be nearly as severe. With Tramadol, if you stop taking them suddenly, not only will you have withdrawal symptoms of the same severity as opiates, you COULD have seizures as well. So it is more difficult to stop taking than opiates are and the level of pain control that it gives is not nearly as high as that of opiates.
If you don't want to take narcotics because of the possibility of becoming dependent, then Tramadol would not be a good choice for you as a medication either.
Ghilly
Sorry to hear you had such a bad accident. I had a cadaver tendon used in my hand when the joint broke apart from arthritis.
Neurontin is a medication that was originally used as an anti-seizure med. Now it's also used in pain management. It is supposed to help a lot with nerve pain. I'm on it at a low dose, and I don't see much difference in my pain. What dosage are you taking? It could be they need to adjust the dose you're on.
Neurontin is a very safe med, though you should not stop it abruptly as there is a risk of seizures. (Though I had one doctor tell me he had to tell me that but he's never heard of anyone actually having one.) I plan on waiting it out as they adjust my dose up to see if it helps.
Cymbalta is often used to treat some types of pain. It's an antidepressant but they found it helped a lot of people with pain. I tried it for a while at a high dose but I couldn't tolerate the side effects. A friend who's an NP that works in rheumatology said the side effects I experienced were really uncommon. You may want to ask your doctor about that. Again, it's a med that needs to be tapered if you want to come off it but it's not addictive.
Lyrica is a medication that's similar to Neurontin. Some people who don't get any relief with Neurontin or people that didn't care for the side effects found Lyrica to be helpful. It's another med that needs to be tapered but, again, it's not addictive. One of the side effects that is common with Lyrica is weight gain. When I was on it a few years ago, I gained 16 pounds in two weeks. My eating habits hadn't changed, and at the time, I used to go to the gym 5 to 6 days a week for 1.5 to 2 hours a day. I did find it helped my pain, but for me, I wasn't willing to deal with the weight gain.
A lot of people say Tramadol is helpful. It is not considered a narcotic, though it acts like one on pain. (That was how my old doctor described it to me.) It made me very light-headed and tired so I got off it after a month. (I tend to be sensitive to medications and their side effects.) Although it's not narcotic and a lot of doctors will say it's not addictive, it seems as though it is addictive. There have been people who've misused it and the withdrawals, from what I've read, are often worse than withdrawing from percocet or other opiods. It does seem to be effective for pain for a lot ofpeople.
There's also another pill that is a form of lidocaine. I've never taken it, but one of my pain team members mentioned it a couple of months ago. Due to a small cardiac problem I have, though, I wasn't able to take it. I can't remember the name of it, but if you asked your doctor, I'm sure he'd know.
What type of doctor do you see? Do you go to a pain management specialist? Are there any procedures that will help?
I use lidoderm patches which help a little. You can cut them to fit smaller areas or leave them as is for larger areas. Alone I don't find them too helpful, but in conjunction with other things, I think they help a bit. I also use Voltaren gel, and again, in conjunction with other things, it's helpful.
Off the top of my head, I can't think of any more non-narcotic pain meds, but I'm sure there must be more. If I think of any, I'll post it.
Sorry you wound up with a problem with the percocets. You're not alone in that; it seems to happen to people more often than we think.
Neurontin is a medication that was originally used as an anti-seizure med. Now it's also used in pain management. It is supposed to help a lot with nerve pain. I'm on it at a low dose, and I don't see much difference in my pain. What dosage are you taking? It could be they need to adjust the dose you're on.
Neurontin is a very safe med, though you should not stop it abruptly as there is a risk of seizures. (Though I had one doctor tell me he had to tell me that but he's never heard of anyone actually having one.) I plan on waiting it out as they adjust my dose up to see if it helps.
Cymbalta is often used to treat some types of pain. It's an antidepressant but they found it helped a lot of people with pain. I tried it for a while at a high dose but I couldn't tolerate the side effects. A friend who's an NP that works in rheumatology said the side effects I experienced were really uncommon. You may want to ask your doctor about that. Again, it's a med that needs to be tapered if you want to come off it but it's not addictive.
Lyrica is a medication that's similar to Neurontin. Some people who don't get any relief with Neurontin or people that didn't care for the side effects found Lyrica to be helpful. It's another med that needs to be tapered but, again, it's not addictive. One of the side effects that is common with Lyrica is weight gain. When I was on it a few years ago, I gained 16 pounds in two weeks. My eating habits hadn't changed, and at the time, I used to go to the gym 5 to 6 days a week for 1.5 to 2 hours a day. I did find it helped my pain, but for me, I wasn't willing to deal with the weight gain.
A lot of people say Tramadol is helpful. It is not considered a narcotic, though it acts like one on pain. (That was how my old doctor described it to me.) It made me very light-headed and tired so I got off it after a month. (I tend to be sensitive to medications and their side effects.) Although it's not narcotic and a lot of doctors will say it's not addictive, it seems as though it is addictive. There have been people who've misused it and the withdrawals, from what I've read, are often worse than withdrawing from percocet or other opiods. It does seem to be effective for pain for a lot ofpeople.
There's also another pill that is a form of lidocaine. I've never taken it, but one of my pain team members mentioned it a couple of months ago. Due to a small cardiac problem I have, though, I wasn't able to take it. I can't remember the name of it, but if you asked your doctor, I'm sure he'd know.
What type of doctor do you see? Do you go to a pain management specialist? Are there any procedures that will help?
I use lidoderm patches which help a little. You can cut them to fit smaller areas or leave them as is for larger areas. Alone I don't find them too helpful, but in conjunction with other things, I think they help a bit. I also use Voltaren gel, and again, in conjunction with other things, it's helpful.
Off the top of my head, I can't think of any more non-narcotic pain meds, but I'm sure there must be more. If I think of any, I'll post it.
Sorry you wound up with a problem with the percocets. You're not alone in that; it seems to happen to people more often than we think.
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