help / advice

[traci221]

i have been on lyrica for 1 year 200mg 3 times per day i also take amitriptyline 25 mg 2 at night i take 200 mg of celebrex a day and solpadeine 3-4 times per day i was recently perscribed durogesic patches every 3 dats but am still i a lot of pain recent spinal block failed. i am waiting on 5 injections no date yet but am very sick tired and confused on all these meds any advice so aggitated

[philnoir]

You need to ask your doctor what each medication does, why it is prescribed, and what you should expect.

I'll give you a brief rundown, but please, ask your doctor. Never take medication unless you understand what its for.

amitriptyline is a class of anitdepressant that can help lower pain and also help you sleep at bedtime. It is not a pain medication, but it can help lower pain.

celebrex is like aspirin -- it helps treat pain from a specific source. Since pain is complex, it may not be helping you. Tell your doctor if you feel no relief 2 hours after taking celebrex.

Solapadeine contains codeine, which is a mild opiate analgesic. It treats pain.

Duragesic patch contains a strong opioid fentanyl, but it releases the medication slowly, over 72 hours, through your skin.

Sounds like you are in a lot of pain. I hope the injections and other procedures help.

As BetterGetBetter says, make and keep a list of questions about your treatment and condition, and bring them to the doctor's office for your appointment.

[BetterGetBetter]

Oh, my. I can certainly sympathize with your pain and agitation. Not only do you have the pain in your spine, but all those meds must be taking their toll on you!

Of course, we have no way of knowing why you were prescribed all those meds, and we don't know what your condition is (this is an anonymous forum), but given the information you posted, here is what I would do if I were in your shoes.

I would make an appointment with your doctor and say something like this:

"Doctor, it sure seems like I am on a lot of different medications. Here, I wrote out a list for you. [The written list is for your doctor's convenience -- so he has the list right there in front of him, in case he doesn't remember all your meds.] Are there any that I can do without? Which ones do I absolutely need before I get those 5 injections?"

Then, see what he says. On this forum, I can't give advice (because I'm not a doctor), but I would think that if you are on duragesic (the most powerful painkiller on the planet), you don't have to take the solpadeine, and, if the amitriptyline is just to help you sleep, you probably don't need it, either, if you find the duragesic to be sedating. And in fact, you might not need the lyrica.

Of course, that's assuming you are getting them all from one doctor. If you have more than one doctor, make sure they *all* know what you are taking. And make sure that you learn all the side effects of the duragesic -- this forum, right here, is full of stories from people saying it is very difficult to come off of, so you and your doctor should make sure that you both feel the benefits outweigh the potential trouble you may go through when it comes time to get off of them.

I hope that just by reading this post, you feel less agitated, and are looking forward to your next visit with your doctor.