Foo - Pain meds

Pain meds can be really good when needed (and I don't mean recreationally). Siu is in a lot of pain lately with her back. Let's discuss the merits and caveats of pain meds, based on our personal experiences.

I agree, pain meds are great when you actually need them. I had quite a bit of dental work and surgery over the last two years, and pain killers (percocet) were really quite nice! But I've never taken them when I wasn't in pain...I'm no druggy! ;)

I can't stand pain meds. They make me feel groggy and that's worse to me than pain.

try some Vik's.. there pretty good when i was in a car xxx.. but ur better off not taking anything but try to focuse out the pain..
henri

When I broke my arm through both bones in my left forearm the doc prescribed vicodin. I used it a little bit, but I didn't want to rely on it. So I spent most of my time bltching and moaning instead of taking pain meds. When I have a headache I try to let my body take care of it. Bottom line, I only take pain medication if I can't stand the pain anymore. Otherwise I try not too.

I take tramadol for about 2-3 days per month with predictable regularity. It is a godsend. Before I got a Rx for it, I was vomiting and blacking out from the pain every month. Once I passed out and hit my head on the bathtub. That was it - I got over my lifelong reluctance to use potentially addictive pain meds when needed right quick. Combining it with ibuprofen and some herbal supplements allows me to take far less of it that I would otherwise have to.

Then again, I know about the dark side of pain meds. My dad was addicted to them and died of an overdose when I was 15. I won't keep more than 30 in the house, although it would be cheaper for me to have a larger count. I ended a relationship with a man whose teenage daughter was stealing them from me and he wouldn't address the problem.

Despite all that, it really pisses me off when I hear about people suffering because their doctor won't help them manage their pain effectively.

Quaaludes. I want Quaaludes.

Quaaludes. I want Quaaludes.
hey..
those was back in the days lil girl.. Ludes... along with trance music..
henri

I take tramadol for about 2-3 days per month with predictable regularity. It is a godsend. Before I got a Rx for it, I was vomiting and blacking out from the pain every month. Once I passed out and hit my head on the bathtub. That was it - I got over my lifelong reluctance to use potentially addictive pain meds when needed right quick. Combining it with ibuprofen and some herbal supplements allows me to take far less of it that I would otherwise have to.

Then again, I know about the dark side of pain meds. My dad was addicted to them and died of an overdose when I was 15. I won't keep more than 30 in the house, although it would be cheaper for me to have a larger count. I ended a relationship with a man whose teenage daughter was stealing them from me and he wouldn't address the problem.

Despite all that, it really pisses me off when I hear about people suffering because their doctor won't help them manage their pain effectively.
+1 on the docs who don't help manage pain.

Ever consider keeping anything more than 30 in your safety deposit box? I mean the effort to go retrieve them, and then having to wait a small eternity to have access to them, doesn't make it very promising for addiction! :lol:

Sorry to hear about your dad. That's rough, 'specially when one is a teen. :)

Quaaludes. I want Quaaludes.
Darvocet-50 or Darvocet-100. OR industrial-strength naproxen. But not both. PM for more pain mgmt. I've been there, and still am on occasion....

I am going drug free, but thanks.

Somebody is encouraging me to become a health nut so now I'm watching myself more. I never did like drugs but I understand that the ice cream has to go as of the 1st.

Oh I better go eat what I have now. BRB

I never did like drugs but I understand that the ice cream has to go as of the 1st.

Oh I better go eat what I have now. BRB

That's harsh! :eek: No more ice cream?!

I like Morphine. Mmmm, Morphine!:beer:
Judging from reactions of doctors and nurses, I think I have a pretty high tolerence for physical pain. In July 2005 I had a gall bladder attack that woke me at 11pm and kept me awake all night. Friends took me to the ER about 7am. I was crying and had to stop and rest half-way through giving info like birth date, social security number, etc. They got me in amazingly fast and gave me Morphine and IT WAS GREAT!:lol:

Later the same month (July 05 was rough!), I spent 8 days in the hospital with an MRSA infection in my right foot. I was surprised at how often the nurses would ask about my pain level and offer me Vicodin.

I don't understand recreational use of Vicodin - at best it makes me feel numb and groggy, at worst it puts me on my knees hugging the toilet, puking my guts out.:eek: Where's the 'recreation' in that?

That's harsh! :eek: No more ice cream?!


He said I can have it if its made from soy milk.

Echhkkk

Stop trying to get her to sell her soul mich.

Ice cream is in one of the food groups.

I like Morphine. Mmmm, Morphine!:beer:

Heh, I had morphine once...that may have been the happiest time of my life...:beer: :p

It was right after my accident...they had me hooked up on an IV so I could push a button and get a boost of morphine every 15 minutes. I pushed that button every 15 minutes, even if I wasn't in pain. I woke up every 15 minutes during the night to push it too! :)

Then my stupid mom had to ruin it all! :mad: She saw this little red spot or "rash" on my chest, and told the doctors to take me off the 'phine. :mad::mad: They put me on some other IV pain killer that didn't work at all! :mad:

Yeah, morphine is great...for taking away pain. ;)

He said I can have it if its made from soy milk.

Echhkkk

If you can take a road trip to Ashland with a cooler, you can get this stuff (http://www.coconutbliss.com/). It's delicious, reasonably healthy and your brain is tricked into thinking you're eating real ice cream, 'cause of the fat in coconut.

Oooooooooh donna, that sounds great!!!!!!!!!!! :) Thank you for the link!

You're welcome. I'm eating the cinnamon chocolate flake right now. Yummy, yummy. :D

I'm eating pistachio ice cream :)

Of course you have to finish off whatever's in your freezer. That would be sinful waste.

Still have time to get more for tomorrow nite.

Just make sure you have an ice cream-free freezer by 11:59 and all will be well. :)

x2 hydrocodone + x2 beers = sleeping in front of a nice, warm fireplace in the middle of the winter.

Figuratively speaking....

x2 hydrocodone + x2 beers = sleeping in front of a nice, warm fireplace in the middle of the winter.

Figuratively speaking....

= Donna never waking up again. :eek: Figuratively speaking, of course... I salute your liver of steel, sir.

το τέλος αυτού

Quaaludes. I want Quaaludes.
No you don't, they aren't made anymore and any existing stock is likely toxic, bring 15 years past expiration date!:eek:

I avoid pain meds for the most part, unless it's for dental work.

I even got through a broken hip, broken ribs and a bruised kidney without them.

IV morphine rocks
no sir it doesnt...

when i had my back surgery, i tried my dammdest not to use it. I pushed my button the first time and a few minutes later i really needed to puke. The only times i used it was when i had to roll over (sweet jeebus that hurt) and when i needed to sleep.

Also didnt take a dump for about a week after i was discharged from hospital :mad:

Having spent most of my life dealing with migraines, I have 'been there and done that'.

Codeine based pain meds for the most part do not work well for me. As free pizza points out, codeine based medications also result in constipation.

Everyone has different body chemistry. What works for one person does not work for another. Vicodin itself gives me migraines, so I don't use it. I have used oxycodone for what was an apparent kidney stone attack (turned out to be a benign (!) tumour above my kidney). First and only time I have ever not slept in the same bed as my husband, and only because I did not want to disturb him (I was constantly moving due to the pain).

I was on morphine whilst in hospital for the 'kidney stone' business. It helped me sleep. That's about it.

Interestingly, oxycodone/oxycontin do not work for migraine pain (for me). The only reliable thing to relieve the migraines is Imitrex injectable.

Amusing true story, tied in with doctors who do not wish to address pain management issues.

I have suffered from migraines ever since I hit puberty. Finally, when I was around 21 or 22, I decided that I needed to find out why I was having almost daily exquisite torture. I went in for my first CAT scan. No, you're fine, you don't have a brain tumour. Great. But why am I having these horrible headaches? Well, you're a woman. Oh. Wow, the mystery of the Universe explained in four words. This, however, did not help with the pain. I could never find a doctor who would prescribe painkillers because 'I would turn into an addict'. Well, I kept complaining, and it was obvious that the doctors who saw me felt I was nothing more than a hypochondriac, and that the 'pain' was either all in my mind, or because I was female.

I moved to Seattle, and decided to try one more time. I got sent in for my third CAT scan, because I kept going to hospital for the 'headaches', and the emergency staff were concerned that I was becoming addicted to Demerol.

I got prepped for the CAT scan, was given an iodine tracer. At the last minute, the nurse attending asked me if I was allergic to anything. I told her that I was not allergic to any known drugs, but that I was allergic to shellfish. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: . It was still believed back then that the iodine in shellfish was possibly responsible for the allergic reaction. So, gentle reader, what was I given? Why, Demerol of course :D . First time I had ever had Demerol without being in agony from a migraine. I was very at peace for that CAT scan.

Upshot: I still didn't have a brain tumour. However, whilst at the doctor's office later, I read a magazine which helped immensely. I asked the doctor if perhaps I wasn't experiencing migraines, as per "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome". Oh yeah, that was exactly what was wrong. Only took 10 years and three CAT scans to diagnose.

Did I go off topic there? Sorry...:)

Pain medications have to be taken with a delicate balance. It's very easy to succumb (literally) to the idea of taking them constantly. With back pain issues in particular as the pain never seems to go away. It does seem that many people who start taking pain medication for back pain wind up being addicted. Don't ever take with alcohol. Don't drive with painkillers in you. If you take one, put the rest where they can be LOCKED somewhere so you aren't tempted to take another one too soon. Don't take them for days on end. Stop, and let the medication get out of your body. Then, if you think you need them, take only half a tablet at a time. DON'T BUILD UP A TOLERANCE FOR PAINKILLERS.

East Hill

I take 'em as a last resort. Morphine IV is great, Demerol IM is acceptable. For ever now and then usage for sever pain Tylenol 3 & a beer does it for me. For very sever pain I have my Darvocet. When things get rockin bad... I have my Dilaudid. But as East said... there's the constipation issue.

Cancer can cause some serious pain issues.

I try to avoid them too. But sometimes avoiding them is a little foolish. Once with a kidney stone I waited too long. The shots they gave me never touched the pain.

About 7 years ago I dislocated my left arm while playing football. Really did it in. Because of various jobs I held, I am pretty large through the shoulders - and it took 6 HOURS for the Doctors to get it back in. I remember one (failed) attempt, the doctor on one side, his foot in my armpit, pulling for all he was worth with a bunch of people pulling on the other side.

Finally, they put morphine and valium in an IV. Tell you something about my experience with morphine. The pain is still there - you just don't think it is pain. I was also stoned out of my gourd. My wife says that I had a conversation with her telling her that I really appreciated my wife... I am happy THAT came out right!

After they finally got the shoulder in, they sent me home. I proceeded to read a book. My son passed by and turned the book right side up - I hadn't even noticed.

Yeah, I was gone all right.

When I was a teenager I wouldn't take novacaine - don't ask me why. Had a root canal without novacaine once. When the dentist grabbed the nerve, I broke the arms on the dental chair.

I believe in novacaine now... I don't if I am softer, or just smarter (or just plan scared!)

Smarter. I think as we get older we realise that we will have more pain than we really want in the upcoming years, so why go through useless pain? Only the young see it as 'tough'.

Unless, of course, the medication itself makes you ill (as Vicodin does me).

East Hill

East Hill, sad to say, you are right. For many (if not most), the future is painful. All those dings you take as a youngster come back to haunt you later.

I have a genetic condition that causes my hands and arms (and feet) to hurt in cold weather. One of the reasons I am hiding out in Costa Rica is so that I don't suffer. As long as I sweat a little, I have very little pain. Up in the North, starting about October, I would start stuffing my hands in hot water every few hours to get relief. Not a pleasant thing for 6 months a year.

When you are doing something stupid and pain tells you to stop - fine, that is worthwhile, but, when there is nothing you can change and the pain is just there all the time. Well, it can drain a lot of the fun out of life.

just my dos colones

I had a friend in high school that died from an oxycontin abuse overdose.

No drugs for me.

I avoid man-made drugs - too expensive, too many side effects, need a doctor's perscription - when there is a pefectly natural alternative that you can grow yourself. ;)

http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/img/health/marijuana080205.jpg

Chipcom - you would believe how many plants down here are in that category! I often wonder if that is why our workers tend to be so happy...

In high school I never took any kind of medicine other than the standard immunizations and during dental work (but not to manage pain afterwords). I never even took over the counter pain killers or cough syrup or anything. When I had my wisdom teeth removed right after I graduated, I resorted to ibuprofin but threw out the narcotics they gave me. No caffeine either. I wasn't straight edge cause I'd never heard of it living in the suburbs of Denver, but I may as well have been. I was Mormon, and although the Church approves of drugs as prescribed by doctors I kind of took it to the extreme. Since leaving the church though, I've found judicious use of caffeine, alcohol, and other substances to be pretty beneficial. :D

Having done it both ways, I think the cautious use of pain meds can be valuable. I still don't use narcotics lightly, unless I can't stand the pain after taking 800mg of vitamin I (ibuprofen) I won't touch the stuff.

I'm not a fan of painkillers - don't like how they make me feel for the most part. However when they reconstructed my left knee they gave me a morphine IV. I have to admit - that was pretty cool stuff. They gave me some kind of hard core pain killer perscription too. I never took a single one of those and ended up throwing them out.

After I had a surgery to remove a ruptured appendix from my near-septic abdomen, I was taking Vicoden for awhile. All it did was make me go to sleep, which was better than being in pain I suppose, but I slept almost 20 hours a day for a week straight. I don't remember doing anything other than lying in bed, watching tv, and eating jello or some sort of real food once in awhile. Very odd times.

Pain medications have to be taken with a delicate balance. It's very easy to succumb (literally) to the idea of taking them constantly. With back pain issues in particular as the pain never seems to go away. It does seem that many people who start taking pain medication for back pain wind up being addicted. Don't ever take with alcohol. Don't drive with painkillers in you. If you take one, put the rest where they can be LOCKED somewhere so you aren't tempted to take another one too soon. Don't take them for days on end. Stop, and let the medication get out of your body. Then, if you think you need them, take only half a tablet at a time. DON'T BUILD UP A TOLERANCE FOR PAINKILLERS.

You articulated the issue better than I. The key to using pain meds when necessary is to be aware and cautious of their addictive nature.

Like many of you, I get serious nausea from synthetic and natural opiates. I think its a blessing, actually. If one does truly need to take them, there is a wonderful (but incredibly expensive) anti-nausea med out there called Zofran. They can also put it in an IV line, which is good when you can't keep anything down. As to the constipation, if your doctor isn't prescribing a stool softener to go with the opiates or at least telling you to call if you find you need one, s/he isn't giving you good care.

As to "natural" painkillers that can be grown, I am proud to live in a state where it can be used legally when necessary. That said, people don't remember that MJ is a drug like any other and it may not be the best painkiller for some medical conditions. For instance, many don't realize that MJ is one of the worst things you can take if you have a medical problem that involves endocrine hormones. It is an endocrine disruptor - it binds to many endocrine hormone receptor sites, making your body think it has more of a hormone than it really does. It also messes up some endocrine functions because the actual hormones don't get to do their job when they are crowded out. For certain diseases like endometriosis or uterine fibroids, higher levels of estrogen is associated with the worsening of those conditions. So, if you use MJ for the pain, you begin this vicious cycle of ever increasing pain each month. I can imagine this may also be possible for women who have migraines that are connected to their reproductive cycle, but I don't know that for sure. It would sure be nice to have more medical professionals out there who could have a rational discussion with their patients about using MJ for pain without dismissing it out of hand for all conditions. The ignorance on both sides of the issue drives me nuts...

One other thing...living in pain can actually prolong healing.

Pain meds can be really good when needed (and I don't mean recreationally). Siu is in a lot of pain lately with her back. Let's discuss the merits and caveats of pain meds, based on our personal experiences.

Talking from experience with injuries and pain, which is basically all i feel here are the brands i usually have taken:

1. Tylenol.
2. Advil.
3. Motrin.
4. Bayer.
5. Actaphetamine

There are always two sides to a story. It does seem that more men are resistant to taking pain medication. Perhaps related to being 'tough'.

I can tell you from personal experience that living through a migraine is horribly unpleasant. The usual NSAIDs (Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen and the like) do not work for me. At all.

For those who have never had a migraine--think of the last time you had a hangover (this is an excellent day to be bringing this up). Think of the WORST hangover you ever had. Multiply that by about 20. That's a migraine. Do not mistake it for 'a really bad headache'. It's not.

Migraines aren't the worst. These are:

http://www.clusterheadaches.com/newvisitors.html

Are you this strong?

East Hill

I agree east hill. I have migraines and I have a prescription for them. I HAVE to take my prescription. It's so very painful when I get a migraine.

I puke, and feel terrible when I get them.

Also didnt take a dump for about a week after i was discharged from hospital :mad:

Dehydration and constipation are side effects of pain killers. One of the main reason I do not take them unless absolutely necessary.

Morphine and Demerol just give me a bad taste in my mouth. Dilaudid works best, but the pain specialists did not figure this out until my sixth amp.

I have had plenty of experience with Doctors who believe in pain also. It made my day when I heard one particular Dr. was a real baby when having his appendix removed. He was one of the worst for not prescribing pain meds.:D

My wife gets migraines. She spent probably 3 weeks in the hosp. with them this year. :(

On the plus side, they've changed her meds and she hasn't had one since September and has had PLENTY of triggers since then. Keeping our fingers crossed.

I think I need to start a separate migraineur thread!

East Hill