Chronic pain from Hydrocodone to Duragesic patch

[Hippiealways]

Due to chronic pain I was put on Hydrocodone (Loritab 750)  I  was prescribed 2 a day 500mg to start then 2 a day 750 up to 3 a day all in a 2 year period.  Just recently because of my drs concern for the tylenol affect to my liver I now use the Duragesic Patch 50 mg which has been such a relief...I am able to do almost anything without worrying about the pain I will feel tomorrow.  The dr was happy to give me the patch and I am happy to have it.  What is this doing to me physically...he even remarked that my dosage would be upped as my tolerance needed it. I expect to be on medically supervised narcotic pain relievers for the rest of my life.  Having no side affects now and  several people have commented 'if you are in chronic pain the medication goes to the pain and not to form an addiction' this doesn't sound possible to me...appreciate your opinion on this.  Thank you

[avisg]

This post is 7 years old ...if you go up to the top you will see where it say "post a question"......... if you repost there it ill start a new thread.

[Mikeinthesouth]

Fentanyl is very addicting too but it is a controlled release patch so it is administered rather than taking a handful at a time. Its all pretty scary.

[ladybug72]

To anyone who is making the decision to change from "pills" to the "patch", let me tell you, I have been on narcotic pain meds for nearly 6 years and have built up quite a tolerance.  I was prescribed norco 10/325 (6 times daily) and Percocet 10/325 (2 times a day)...this was a gradual dose increase, I was miserable.  My life was surrounded by when I had to take meds.  The constant worry if I had enough with me, or if they were getting stolen, etc was a royal pain in the butt.  I was addicted big time.  If you are even thinking that you are taking pills too often, you probally are.  This patch fentanyl 50mg is amazing, I wake up in the morning and feel normal for the first time in years.  IT is like an ex smoker looking for their cigs ....I still look for my pill bottles, just out of habit...then realizing that I do not need them.  It has taken me to a happier place in my life...one that I really didn't think I would have again.  I am still getting used to it so, in the next month or so, I may say different, but I really hope not!  Pills= confinment  Patch=freedom...that's all I can say.  As far as people wondering about addiction...do you think about that when you drink coffee every morning?  You do anything every day and you will become addicted to that behavior....Pain relief is far more worth than the  thought of what withdrawl is...if the pain is so severe that you need help...it is worth it!  

[Dad_of_5]

I have (had) bi-lateral cubital and carpal tunnel syndrome. I had surgeries to correct the problem but not unil I was hooked on Hydrocodone 10's. About 3 month's after my surgery, I still could not get contol of my pain, and came to the realization that I was addicted.

I voiced my concern to my dr who referred my to a pain management/ addiction specialist in Atlanta. He put me on the duragesic patches and a mixture of other meds that have pain relief as side effects (not primarily prescribed for pain) such as Neurontin, an anti-seasure med that when taken in the right dosage significantly reduced my nerve pain (the surgeries came too late my ulnar nerves are damaged and cause constant pain). More to the point, the Duragesic patches really help the pain and I found were far easier to quit than pill narcs.

At one point I was put on Ultram, but I became severily depressed- even suicidal.  I've never seen depression listed as a side effect of Ultram but have spoken with numerous people that reported similar side effects - be careful.

[SheMike]

I have been asked by my boss to find a non-addictive pain killer(s) sufficient for severe chronic non-malignant pain.  After reading through this forum and an older one from 2001--http://www.medhelp.org/forums/addiction/messages/30733.html--it appears that there are really no viable alternatives to to narcotics for effective long term pain control.  Ultram was discussed as the best alternative.  I am not a doctor or nurse (nor expected to be), but my boss wanted some alternatives to present to the doctor.  The background:  Her daughter has had two surgeries in the past two years, which have resulted in open wounds from the surgeries that have had a hard time healing.  So Percocet and Vicoden have been presribed in pretty high strength (I don't have those numbers to share).  The daughter is 21 years old.  She becomes mean on the Vicoden and doesn't like the Perocet, because she is also a studen at college, and cannot function too well on the Percocet.  The mother is concern that the daughter now has a physical dependence on the Vicoden (maybe Percocet too), as the daughter has been using both now for 1-1/2 years.  Other pain-management tools are being considered, as well as options to heal the open wound.  But for now, my question is strictly narrowed to:  is there any viable alternatives to narcotics for effective pain control for moderate to severe pain?  Really appreciate your responses.  Thanks!

[notmenow!]

It seems to me that the majority of people who seek support here have varios medical conditions. And they all have the right to say or speak what ever is that has brought them to their current situation. You have been active on this site long enough to recognize an addict who may be possibly using her diagnosis as a expectation that she is entitled to the best medication for pain relief that she can gether hands on It clearly indicates that she is about to enter a time in her life that she may wish later she could take back and do differently. As she diggs herself deeper and deeper into a living hell. I happen to know of other people who visit this forum that suffer from the same condition. What kind of a nurse would one make that is seriously addicted to opiates. When she can't even follow her own Doctors orders in terms of proper dosing.  Mommy in Pain, don't leave us. Listens to the war stories and learn from them. I recommend you reserch a drug called Lyrica which treats nerve pain. It is prescribed off label by many doctors for your condition. Tbay how long have you been clean and sober? I'd love to hear about it. And do you belive in the 12 steps? Welcome all newcomers. Thats for you Mommy!