15+ Yrs Hydrocodone Use/drug Replacement Therapy (Page 2)
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I have used hydrocodone for more than 15 yrs, due to lupus and fibromyalgia. I want to get off it and was wondering: if I go into detox, will they then put me on drug replacement therapy? I take 30-40 mg of hydro./day (3-4 Norco) but I don't go buy pills or dr. shop - that is my RX

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12

I would say this is not accurate. If you have legitimate injury/disease, and it can be DOCUMENTED, not "it hurts", assuming all other modalities have been tried without success, opiates CAN be tried. If the patient gets quality of life and more activity, (not sedated and asleep all the time) then they can be continued. Narcotics dont work for everyone in pain for various reasons.

Arizona laws have nothing to do with your inability to find pain management. Get your records together (you should always keep a copy) and if you do not have them, go to a primary care dr and start over. MRI, CT/Myelogram, EMG, physcial therapy, referral to specialists and so on. Then you get a documented workup and you can get pain meds -----if warranted. You cant just walk into a dr and say "hi, I am from alaska, and the clinic burned down with all my records, and I am in pain and need narcotics". You have to start over. Fair? no. Thats the federal law though, narcotics are used as a last resort when other modalities have been tried, documented, and a medical need exists. Cant document a medical need without a diagnosis!

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11

I dont think 3-4 norco, (1 gram apap or 1.2 grams) when the limit is 4 grams is going to cause any concern for liver problems. People have taken 2 extra stregnth tylenol a day or more for 35 years. The issue comes to play when one takes upwards or 4 grams a day (or more) and drinks alcoholic beverages. The liver loses the glutathione and acetylcycstine which protects it from the alcohol and tylenol. When both are present, they act synergystically to do a real number on the acetylcystine and you can get liver damage. If you go to the ER with liver toxicity, they give you mucomist, which is aceytlcycstine. You can actually buy these as supplements over the counter and take them to help protect your liver. I would if I took daily tylenol. Excuse any mis-spells. I was in a hurry.

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10

Thanks! Paul, your comments are "on the money." I too can relate with the Back (Spinal) pain. I've been on the Hydrocodone for 2 years now, and the only reason I take it is because of the pain. Although I'm sure that if the pain is ever "gone" someday, I will have some of the withdrawal symptoms. I'll gladly deal with them, to get rid of the back pain.........LOL

Greg

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9

2 yrs ago I had a horrible dirtbike accident in Alaska. Spent 4 wks in intensive care. Broke 9 ribs on my left side, 6 of which were broke in 2 or MORE places. 4 vetebras were broke. Breast bone split, both collerbones broke. Internal injuries were: Punchured lung from 3 ribs, spleen ruptured, kidneys bleeding ( very present in urine ) and they had me on the liver transplant list for 2 wks because it seemed to be failing. I recently lost my job, and moved to Arizona because my parents health is horrible. My pain management doc in AK's office burned down.All records lost!! Arizona laws have made it impossible for me to find a pain management Doc. They are all Jaded by this addiction crap. Does ANYONE out there have a solution, other than getting meds off the street ( I don't have insurance right now, but can pay for a few visits, not all the frickin' tests I've done time and time again )??? Quality of life sucks right now!! Beautiful state, and I can't enjoy any of it!! Plus dealing with the emotional state of my parents!!

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8

YOu might even be put on a combo of both for a period of time due to your unfortunate ailgnments.

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7

yes, they most PROBABLY will, but be careful. They'll start u on Suboxone or Methadone...the two latter are very strong long-acting medicatons. they would probably start u off slow, between 30-60mgs a day. you take it early in the morning b/c i find they peak out like 4.5 hours after taking ur meds, depending on what dosage they put u on.

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Yes Paul - Milk Thistle and NAC - Is awesome - have been take 15mg hydrocodone for over 6 years - and I also take Oxandrin which is an anabolic steroid. I have HAE and Fibro, and the hydro works fantastic for me. I am not sure why people think narcotics don't work for fibro pain - Just not true - and I did take Cymbalta - sure its great if you don't mind gaining about 40lbs and consider killing yourself. At least that is what happened to me.........

I have done a lot of research on addiction as I did not want to be addicted either - and I fully agree with Paul and Pat - you are not an addict if you are using it correctly and being honest with your doctor.

Good Luck - and hope you find some relief.

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5

To all taking pain meds that contain Acetaminophen, I take Milk Thistle and NAC (N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine) to counter any Acetaminophen toxicity on my liver. I use them 3-4X a week, and make sure you have regular liver screenings, every 6 months or so. My neuro wanted to put me on Oxycontin for my pain, but I do not want to go near that drug. In terms of healthcare, I am in favor of the healthcare the way it is, I don't need anybody but my Dr and Myself making decisions, I am smarter than 99.999% of government employees.

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I've been using Hydrocodone-APAP 5-500 TABLMCK white oblong w/ M357 on tab for 3 yrs.Works well for back and severe shoulder pain but am finding I need more to do the job. What exactly am I taking and what happens when I need more tha the prescribed dose? Is Hydro indeed an opiate. Whats the deal.?

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Paul, thank you for saying that. I too am so sick of hearing these money hungry rehabs telling chronic pain sufferers that they are addicts..There is a BIG difference between addiction and dependence, dependence will happen when you take a drug like norco for chronic pain. You don't drug seek, you don't take more than prescribed, you are not an addict. before I give my opinion, I just want to ask you, why do you want to get off of the norco? Is it not working anymore? That happens when you have taken it for a long period of time. your body has grown tolerant and you probably do need an increase. However, like Paul, I would worry about the tylenol and liver damage. Its not the narcotic that will hurt you, its the tylenol..If you want to continue on narcotics, you can ask your doctor for some different choices..IMO vicodin is a horrible pain killer. there is another narcotic called synalgos DC that is much better for pain.Only problem is, you may have to go to a compounding pharmacy to get it. When vicodin came on the market in the 1980's dihydrocodeine (the drug in synalgos DC) fell out of favor with doctors, it is widely used in every country but the US..Goggle it , and it will give you loads of information. On winipedia (SP) it says it is 10X stronger than morphine for pain relief, but not sedating or as strong. so dont let that scare you away..Also I have heard that there are many better ways of dealing with the pain from Fibro, but Lupus, I have no idea about that, If you go to a detox, they may give you suboxone to help with WD's ande even though you aren't an addict, your body will go through WD's and it isn't fun at all. As for opiate replacement, the only two drugs used are suboxone and methadone, and no doctor in his right mind would put you on methadone Maintenance..As for pain relief, suboxone is worthless, that is why although it has been legal in the US for years for pain, it was unknown because it doesn't help..I wish I could help more, but like I said, I don't know what kind of breakthroughs they are making in medication for lupus, but for fibro, narcotics are seldom used anymore..One thing I did forget to say, if you do wish to continue on the vicodins ask your doctor to ask the pharmacy to compound it so you get much less tylenol..No matter how healthy your liver is, tylenol will break it down..BTW, Paul, ask your doctor if he will ask the pharmacy to compound the norco so you don't get as much tylenol..I still can't figure out why they stopped using aspirin in compounds, they still make them, but the cost is outragous, and can be hard to find..I also heard that darvon may be taken off the market due to poor painkilling properties and some people are having seizers when taking them..There is another old medication that is supposed to work really well, it is called Talwin..I have never taken it personally, but I have heard friends say it works great. but the problem is cost..Talwin isnt popular with doctors so insurance wont pay for it, and I hear it is exspensive. Hell, I am moving to Canada, we are never going to get affordable health care in the US,,,,Hope I helped..

Pat

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I've been taking them for 12 years due to lower back pain and pain from Multiple Sclerosis. I take between 30 and 40 mg ( Norco 10/325) but I am more concerned about the Tylenol toxicity on my liver. If it is working for pain, it is not an addiction, remember that. Don't let the media sway you into you believing you have an addiction, I would tell them walk a week in my shoes and tell me what you would do.

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I would recomend cymbalta it works for depression anxiety and fibromyalgia. So it works for the pain strangley enough and puts you in a good mood not like other antidepresants. I would recomend to keep some of the norcos or a lesser narcotic for breakthrough pain for say the morning or night when the pain is at it's worst.

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