drug strengths

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Wed, July 08, 2009

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I have a quick question. My doctor is giving me percocet 5/325 every 6-8 hours. It's not working---wears off in about three hours and I end up sucking down advil and lying on an icepack.

I asked him for a higher strength or to make it 4-6 hours, or to give me a stronger med. He insists that percocet is as strong as it gets, and that 4-6 hours is too much.

Here's my question. There ARE stronger drugs than perc, right? And has anyone had it at 4-6 hours? I spend more than half my day lying down to rest my back; I can't work anymore. I think there has to be something better that will give me my life back.

Oh, and by the way. Anybody else think a bunch of fools are running the FDA? The warnings have always been on there. Making them larger isn't going to stop anyone.

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lavagirl

7/ 8/09 1:08pm

I wouldn't straight out ask for oxycontin, but ask for something that is continuous/time release.....that's what oxy does....it's used for those who need around the clock pain relief. If you have an acute injury, it's usually not used for that, but if you have chronic pain then it could be the answer.

I take oxy for around the clock pain management and then have some vicodin for "breakthrough pain".

Keep asking your doctor for help, and if she doesn't help then find another doctor....if your doc is not a pain management specialist, ask to be referred to one.

I hope you find pain relief soon.

Many blessings.

Diane

7/ 8/09 4:04pm

You may want to talk to your Dr. about trying Lortab, they come in two strengths, 5 or 10's. I suffer from chronic cluster headaches and the 10 Lortab's have been the best thing I can find up to this point. A 10 will usually last me about 5 hours, and I use ibuprofen and Soma in between to try and keep my muscles from tensing up and making the headaches worse. I did try Oxycontin, but it has some scary side effects so you might want to try something a little less potent first. I only took OxyC for 3 days and it made me into a zombie, made my skin itch, and I was completely out of it...not an option for a single Mom. But everyone is different, but I would say try the Lortab 10's first if you Dr. is willing. Less side effects and less addictive. Good luck, and by the way your Dr. is full of s*** about not having other options. :)

chris101899

7/ 8/09 6:25pm

Hi! Thanks for your reply.

I've had Lortab and for some reason it made me throw up. had reactions to a couple others too.

Asked for soma because I can feel the muscles around my spine tense in an attempt to protect/support the area. That was turned down too.

I figured there was stronger stuff out there, or at least a possibility of making my doses closer together but he just keeps shooting it down.

I've had oxyC in the past and would prefer to use that as a last resort because I had the same things---itching, zombie (fell asleep with a spoonful of choc ice cream halfway to my mouth!) and just generally don't like it all that much. Oddly, respond okay to morphine and dilaudid. Pretty relaxed but not out of it :-) and pain is gone with a low dose. I've had almost everything out there at some point (problem started 11 yrs ago) but I've learned that in the last few years drs are thinking of "drug-seeking behavior". I even had a nurse refuse me the dilaudid prescribed by a surgeon while I was in the hospital. Surgeon ripped her apart in the AM. So, I don't want to go in there and have him think I want to get high. I want to stand up for more than 8 hours a day, and I'd really like to go back to work!

Anyway, thanks much for your reply. Truly appreciated.

greenie

7/ 9/09 7:01pm

your in need of a pain management doc. With your health plan does your hospital have one on staff?? I was finally, after years, put in touch with a pain management Dr. and he has been the only one willing and able to help. They have a totally different view of the medications your speaking of and aren't nearly as worried about drug seeking and that. They can usually spot those people pretty quick and they can tell when your being honest. You sound like all you want is a decent life. You deserve that. I hope you can find a Pain doc. in your network.

chris101899

7/10/09 1:19pm

Believe it or not, this doctor IS pain management. He's the second one I've tried because my plan doesn't seem to have many. Personally, I have to wonder if they've been checked up on by the govt. I KNOW the first one I went to was. They've actually started random drug testing. And the reason I switched was because he wouldn't prescribe at all.

I've asked the current doc several times now for increases and he'll only do it temporarily, until I can come into the office.

He's supposed to be finding someone who can do a spinal stimulator for me, but it's been 6 weeks and of course that's a problem for me. For the first time since the injury occured the pain is waking me up at night. I have an appointment for Monday. Two reasons. First, why is it taking so long to get this settled? Finding a doctor should not be this hard. Second, I want something done about these pills, even if it's just until the stimulator is done.

I foresee a fight on Monday :-)

Everyone, thanks so much for your help and your replies. Mostly for helping me know I'm not alone in this, AND I'm not crazy!

Anonymous

7/11/09 9:40am

Percocet comes in a 10/325 strength also. Oxycodone isn't "it" vis-a-vis strong pain meds. Other short acting pain drugs include Dilaudid (hydromorphone), various Morphine preparations, Fentanyl lozenges (Actiq), et.al. On a morphine scale (how say the dosing of oxycodone or hydrocodone can be put into a ratio , w/MS as the 'lowest common denominator). For example: 10mg of oxycodone is = to 15 of MS (1.5:1); 10 of hydrocodone is = to 7.5 of MS (0.75:1) and hydromorphone 1mg=8mg MS (8:1) (N.B. these are oral equivalents). As for a long acting med, OxyContin (despite much bad press re: its additction potential) is great for bid or tid dosing. Other long acting meds that are good include Duragesic (fentanyl citrate transdermal patch), which is worn for 48-72 hours and then changed, MSContin (Morphine Sulfate Continuous Release) and a relatively new preparation of Oxymorphone, branded as Opana ER for the long acting preparation and Opana for the short. You can see that there is no shortage of options, and your doctor is probably acting like many of his colleagues in prescribing much too conservatively. I'd check w/your primary physician as often PCP's will treat chronic pain when the patient is known to them and they have met w/obstacles such as you have. Since 2000, physicians and hospitals have been required to treat pain as a vital sign - many do but many are afraid of the stigma attached to prescrbing relatively high doses of opiates. Best of luck to you!

Nathan

chris101899

7/16/09 10:46am

Hi everyone. Wanted to let you know the results of my dr visit on Monday.

He finally told me what's up with the stimulator and why it's taking so long. The insurance FINALLY got back to him and apparently they require a psych eval first. ??? Don't get that, and he couldn't really answer it either.

So the psych eval probably won't be set until early to mid August. Then the ins has to approve the results of that. THEN we set up the test period to see if it works. Left in for 5 days. After that, if the test period shows that it helps, we set up the actual surgical appointment to have it put in permanently.

Because my daughter is being married in mid October, most likely I'm looking at November to finish up if we're going to the permanent set-up.

He DID raise my percocet from 5/325 to 7.5/325. I forgot about Dilaudid (thank you, Nathan). I had that after an operation last year and it worked like a charm. If we can't do the stimulator, I'm going to ask for that.

Thanks everyone, appreciate the help. And hope you're all doing well.

michelle

7/28/09 9:47pm

If you're going to your PCP, that's about the best he can do. You ned to go to a pain management Dr. to get anything stronger. But they do have better more effective meds available. Hope this helped. Good Luck!

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