Percoset...need advice

Why thank you Sheanie I didn't think of any of this; I learned it all from my beloved therapist of, um, oy vey over a decade now. (Yay for good psychotherapy!!) I also copied most of it from a journal article, so I can't take much credit.

Julia, YAY for the lightbulb going off!!!!! Pain management is a REAL VALID MEDICAL CONCERN. I cannot emphasize this enough. What does it matter if you get habituated to a medication? There are lots and lots and LOTS of other pain medications and medication delivery options available. Don't let one doctor stonewall you in this. You have a REAL medical condition that causes REAL pain. You've been reading here so you KNOW that there are lots of women who get knocked to the ground by their pain. This is NOT imaginary or psychogenic in nature.

Furthermore, you're going to have a big operation, and having your abdomen worked on HURTS. You have a right to not be in intolerable pain. You might never get totally pain free, but pain can almost ALWAYS be made managable and livable.

What's a little medication tolerance or dependency when you can LIVE again????

Okay, I'll hush now

Tam ..
I had my surgery a week ago today .. LAVH, bladder sling, and A&P repair. They gave me Percocet in the hospital .. to supplement the morphine pump .. and sent me home on Percocet. I say, if it relieves the pain, then take it! Everything I've read said it can be addictive in the long run .. but since your surgery is not that far off, you're not looking at a ton of time. I mentioned trying to wean myself off soon to my OB/GYN and he looked at me and said "but why would you want to be in pain? If you're in pain, take one!"
I had a bad period of anxiety/panic attacks about 10 years ago and was on Xanax and worried about becoming addicted to that. I do have alcoholism in the family and was real concerned about becoming dependent on it. But I gradually weaned myself off; went from 3/day to 2/day to 1/day and even then went to 1/2 a tablet a day and then 1/4 tablet a day and eventually went off it completely, without any trouble. I still LOL when I picture myself trying to cut a teeny-tiny Xanax into 4 pieces .. but I did it!
I'm down to 2 Percocet/day now; right after lunch (so I can have a nice afternoon snooze!) and then before bed. I really don't need it before bed so I'm going to try without it tonight. Just listen to your body, you don't want to spend all your physical/emotional strength on fighting pain. Manage your pain as best you can and just think .. in no time you'll be pain-free! Yippee!
Godspeed ...
Kathy

Hi Kathy.
I got a good giggle just imagining cutting a xanax in 4 peices. The er doc prescribed 2 percosets at once 4 times per day. I've been trying to get away with 2 or 3 times a day and it's not too bad.

As soon as Prince Charming calls back I will have an answer as to whether he will prescribe more for me. I'm running kinda low now.

I will update all of you as soon as I hear.
And elizabeth, thank you so much for posting the distinguishing characteristics of addiction and IP pain patients. I certainly don't fit into the "addict" category at all. That makes me feel better.

Wish me luck ladies....and send mental vibes to Prince Charming to call me back soon.


Tam

I just wanted to let you all know that my doc did prescribe enough percoset to get me through until surgery.

For the full story ( with a little humor ) you can read my latest journal entry.

Love to you all
s
Tam

Hi, Girls!
I'm a new hystersister. My TAH is scheduled for 6/3/04. I have been taking Percoset (5mg hydrocodone/325mg acetaminophen) for the past several months for severe osteoarthritis. (Yes, I need a knee replacement, too, but one thing at a time!) I started out with one every 8 hours, but now it is one every 4-6 hours. Unlike some of you, it doesn't make me "loopy"--in fact, I can take it and teach calculus. That's the benefit of being on the right dosage of a narcotic drug--no knee pain, no apparent problems. It didn't help much, though, with the cramps.

I am a bit worried about what they might give me after surgery; will it be enough to take care of the pain of both my belly and knee? Have any of you been in the same situation? I don't care if I'm "goofy" after surgery--I just don't want to hurt!!!!!

After these hotflashes and painful periods, anything will be welcome.

Welcome to the club Tygrtchr! I like that nickname Do you teach calculus? Oh man, when I was in high school I had to take all the advanced math stuff for college prep, and calculus about broke my poor artistic-humanities-loving head permanently

I've been on Oxycontin with hydrocodone for breakthrough pain for something like.....stopping to count.....uh, three years now I think. The advice I was given was to make sure everyone involved in my care, but especially the anesthesia folks (who start the pain management ball rolling, although others may continue it later), knew that I was already habituated to a significant level of narcotics.

I had an epidural for pain meds containing morphine, a local anesthetic and something else (I want to say Versed, but am not sure that's correct). The great thing about the epidural delivery is that it does not depress one's respiratory system, unlike IV delivery. It was patient controlled, too, so I got to take my extra clicks as needed. It worked out just terrific.

Once I was out of ICU and on the regular unit, I was reduced to Percoset. That was not too wonderful, but it was manageable, say a level 5 or under, pretty much all the time. I would have asked for more, but there were a couple of RN's who were snippy to my roommate, a dear older lady with a colostomy obstruction, about her pain, and in my vulnerable state, I said it would be a cold day in July before I'd be labeled medication seeking!!!! (It was undoubtedly a nonissue, because they acted differently toward me, but one doesn't always think straight in such circumstances.) I was awfully glad to go home and have my pain management under my own control again, but if I'd had to stay longer, I would have requested better pain meds, and sleep meds as well, cuz I was sleep deprived to the point of hallucinating after three days straight of no sleep to speak of.

Please do whatever you can to get good sleep while you're in the hospital. It makes all the difference in the world.

Hi, I am home now after my adventure at the castle. They found all the bad stuff and took everything. But, to the point, I was taking perc. on and off for the 8 months and 3 heavily before for pain. After surgery, because I had had a positive (and successful) experience with perc. - in other words, it handled the pain when nothing else would - they put me back on the perc. I did have to take more - and more frequently - but it has been 11/2 weeks since my surg and I am now taking tyl and motrin more frequently than the perc, which is toward the end of the day - usually when I have over done it. I too am a teacher, and the perc. made it possible for me to teach. My mother was able to tell when I had been taking it, but others were less able. I had the tvh with both ov. removed along with the endo. So, hang in there. It will work out. My problems were the pain management in the castle, and low blood pressure (they didn't want to believe it was a problem - passing out during a walk solved that problem). Best wishes for pain management. I believe it will work out. Talking to your doctors before will help.

I am HOME!! My surgery was Thursday morning and went smoothly. I lost a little blood, but the Doc just gave me iron pills for that. Also this especially goes out to (((elizabethn))) big hugs to you for giving us the difference between pain med addiction and pain med habituation! I was very frank with the anesthesiologist(can' spell or really type from being put to sleep!) My doctor had me on a synthetic morphine pump which did not work at all for me. But because of you I put my foot down. I wasn't emotional or crying or anything I just clearly stated my case. She brought me a demerol/phenergan shot every 3 hours until morning! She listened to me! And that is the pain relief we found that helped. The next day I took Lortab 7.5 and I was sent home with it.

I wouldn't say the waiting is the worst, but it usually lasts so long and builds up to this big thing in your mind, that compared to recovering it isn't as bad as I thought it would be, I truley love you all,
Julia

I have been taking percocet for pain for the last 2 months and my last doctor would not give me anymore- she said I was going through them too quickly and wanted to see me before she gave me anymore- I said fine and she said she'd see me in a week!! I was shocked! This meant I would be in pain and without pills for a week!! I take 4 percocets daily and only when I have severe pain- I am a nurse and tried to explain this to her but she wouldn't listen- Needless to say, I found a new doc- I am worried though that this one will do the same thing- I have also taken a variety of other pain meds and nothing works like the percs!! What are your thoughts ladies? I am kind of ignorant about this "ultram" , but the info I got from my doc was that she didn't feel quite comfortable prescribing it- I am afraid I will become addicted and also I am tired of being so constipated!! anyone else have any ideas for pain relief?

Ultram is a non narcotic pain killer. I dont think you can technically become adicted since it is not narcotic. But im sure you can start to depend on taking it. I think there is no withdraw is the only thing when you stop taking it. The main concern my neurosergion on my back surgery (which i took the Ultram for) was that the long term effects of continued use are that it can mess up your kidneys and liver functions. But lots of pain meds can do that. I would talk to the new dr and get her to give you the PDR print out on it so that you can decide what you want to do or not do with the Ultram vs the Percoset. I dont think Ultram causes constipation but im not sure.
Good luck and hope you are in no pain soon.
Tango