Prescribed Toradol for Chronic Shoulder Pain, is it safe??

[mgryschuk]

I have been dealing with chronic shoulder pain and nerve damage in my LT shoulder as a result of chronic dislocations (At one time, about 1 year, 10-15 times daily.)  I have had two surgeries to stabilize the shoulder, repair the glenoid labrum and have two Hills Sachs deformities on the humeral head.

Until recently, I have been on a daily regimen of 10-20mg Oxycontin in the AM and Percocet PRN in the evening if I've over exerted it during the work day.  I have never increased the dosage of either medication and have never abused the medications in the 5 years I have been taking them.  2 months ago I requested to drop to the 10mg Oxycontin.  I also have been taking Meloxicam and Cyclobenzaprine PRN.  

I asked my GP, who I have been seeing since early childhood and who I trust completely in medical matters, to attempt a Non-narcotic treatment plan.  He took me off the meloxicam and put me on Toradol (Ketorolac) 10mg 3xDaily.  Now, I have researched a bit about the drug, checking the insert and also several websites, such as Drugs.com, and all of them say not to take the medication for longer then 5 consecutive days and that it is not indicated for the treatment of chronic pain.  I am worried of the side effects and the specific warning of the 5 day maximum.  

I guess I am looking for a second opinion on the treatment plan and also, for alternate treatments that aren't as "strong" as Oxycodone in its various forms.  I have thought of asking about Tramadol and Darvon.  Would these be suitable for the treatment of chronic pain?

Any help would be much appreciated.  I see my GP in a week to follow up and was hoping to have an answer/plan when I see him in the office.

[geminigirl1963]

As with any NSAID (which Toradol is), there is a increased risk for stomach issues with it, including gastro bleeding.  Nausea and vomiting is quite common.

Another thing to consider with the NSAIDS is that they can also raise blood pressure, so if you have a blood pressure problem (and even if you don't) - you need to watch it very carefully taking this type of medication.  It concerns me when you say you've been having terrible headaches and the halos and spots in your vision - they could be sign of elevated blood pressure (I get some of these same symptoms if my blood pressure goes up).  I was on Celebrex for a while (also an NSAID) but had to stop taking it as it had raised my blood pressure to a dangerous level (185/105).

Tramadol could help, but again you need to be wary.  If you have or have a family history of - glaucoma - be VERY careful with this medication.  It can increase your eye pressures - had it happen to me.  I had been on it for several months when I went to the eye doc for a routine exam.  My pressures were very elevated and as soon as he saw what medications I was on, he told me to stop the Tramadol (Ultram).  I conferred with my regular doctor, who had to do a little research, but she did find documentation of this side effect and agreed that I should not take it any longer.  Two weeks after stopping the med, I returned to the eye doc for another eye pressure check and mine were back to normal.  I do have a family history of glaucoma - my dad has it and my granfather actually went blind from it - so I do have to be extra careful and it could be that because of this history, I was more prone to developing the problem with the Ultram, but just know it is a possibility.

Best of luck and keep us posted!

[mgryschuk]

Thanks very much for everyones input.  It is much appreciated.  I have been on the Toradol going into my third day and have had terrible headaches, stomach pain and occasional visual hallucinations (in the form of halos and dots in my field of view.)  I will have a chat with my doc and see what we can do about a different treatment.  

For the first day, it did take away all of my shoulder pain but, even now, I feel the muscle tension has increased on both shoulders and across the upper back (After dealing with 10-15 dislocations a day for a year or so, I have developed a good feel for what is happening in that reagion of my body.)  I don't want to trade the constant ache and occasional sharp stab for muscle pulls...  

I had tried Celebrex and Mobic prior to this but, that was in conjunction with the narcotics.  The Celebrex wasn't tolerated well but the Mobic worked great along with the Oxycodone for intolerable moments.  

Anyhow, like I said, all of your input is much appreciated.  I have a very good repore with my pharmacist (Across the street, literally.  I have been getting my Grandparents medication from him ever since he opened) and will consult with him to see if he has any suggestions.  As Kelkel55 mentioned my pharmacist will probably know a lot more about the prescritions than my GP.  He did actually say it was a very strong dose and to be careful when I picked it up from him a few days ago.

I am certainly glad I found this forum.  I have a great forum for my mental health issues but, had never thought to find one for my Chronic pain until I decided to stop the Oxycontin and Percocet.  I'm glad I can get feedback from people who have "been there done that" with medications and treatments.  

Smooth Skies

Matt

[Tuckamore]

Hello and Welcome to the Pain Mangement Forum.

Toradol is a potent NSAID. If you recall many similar NSAIDs were pulled from the market some years ago by the FDA. I see you are from Canada so your country may be different.  Just a few of them remain in the USA, Toradol which is an older NSAID and Celebrex. There may be more but those two come to mind.

Potent NSAIDs can have serious side effects with long term use. Some ppl never seem to have an issue with them while others do. My sister has been on Celebrex for years and seem to have no problem tolerating it.

Darvon is not an effective pain reliever for chronic pain. There have been studies that confirm the fact that even Ibuprofen is more effective. So in my opinion I would not consider Darvon.

Tramadol has been effective for some chronic pain patients. However don't be mislead by it's drug category of a non-narcotic. It does have addictive qualities similar to those of morphine. I would not be surprised to see it changed to the controlled substance list in the future. If you know that going into Tramadol therapy than in my opinion it would be a consideration for long term pain management. There is also the fact that different ppl react differently to medications. Personally it did not relieve my pain but others have found it effective.

Selecting the right medication with your physicians advice of course, is often trial and error. It took months of trying this and that until I settled on the right, (most effective and with the least side effects) pain medication for me.

I am sorry that I cannot suggest one medication over another. You are on the right path. Learning and researching medications will help you in your selection process. When you have it narrowed to a few than begin the trial and error process.  

Please let us know how you are doing and what works best for you. We all learn from one another. We will look forward to your updates.

Have a very Happy and Healthy 2010.
Peace,
Tuck

[marykw]

it will give u liver problems,it did to me after 90 days.my skin turned dark and my side hurt ontop of the other pain,personally i use the meth,but u can basically never get off it,but it works for me,spinal cord tumors thorcic,maryw

[kelkel55]

I was on toradol for two months. It made me extremely nauseated the whole two months, along with severe stomach pains. I have severe stomach and bowel problems anyway, but toradol increased my pain by ten. I know three other people that took toradol long-term. One had no problems at all with the drug. One developed a bleeding ulcer in 2 weeks on a mild dose. And the third person developed a bleeding ulcer, bleeding ulcers in the digestive tract, and was in the ER several times a month for severe stomach pain, I'm not sure the dosage, or duration of their use. Talk to the pharmacist, usually they can tell you more about medications and side effects than a doctor. Doctors know medical conditions, pharmacists know medications.

[worried878]

Have heard that...thinkin there can be liver complications long term...most of the time they give a shot of toradol during an acute pain attack...can u talk to another dr and get a second opinion?  also talk to ur pharmacist about it...good to read what we take cos being in the medical profession..i do see a few drs who do not always make alot of sense/nor read up on what they RX...only what the drug rep tells them..unfortunately