I see spine specialist 5/26 ? - Pain Management Message Board

jenjordan · 05-15-2005, 04:05 PM

Right now my pcp has me on hydro 7.5-500 4times a day flexeril 2 times a day and naporysn 2 times a day. When my back pain is at its max pain levels this does nothing for my pain. On a normal pain day the hydros last maybe 2 hours tops. I was wondering if any of you had any other suggestions for me to mention to the spine doc for pain.Something maybe long lasting

Herniated at l-4 and l-5 sciatic nerve pain and pinced nerve in my neck

thanks
Jenn

carol632 · 05-15-2005, 07:29 PM

Jenn, rather than go straight to the long acting meds, I would try an increase to the 10mg lortab if your dr. is agreeable. Have you tried physical therapy?

Although I am not a big fan, sometimes a steroid injection can be helpful if the sciatic nerve is inflamed. However, be sure not to allow one done without the use of fluoroscopy and never have more than 3 in one year and that would include oral steroid.

Good luck. I hope your dr. will be able to give you some relief.

Carol

jenjordan · 05-17-2005, 10:46 AM

Carol
thanks for your reply. right now the lortab I take has 500 mg of tylenol. I take them 4 times a day. My question is will the lortab 10 have more tylenol?
I was given percocet 5 mg in the er for my back once and it seemed to work better than the lortab 7.5. Would making a suggestion to switch to perc 5 from lortab 7.5 be out of the question? All replies welcome

RetiredDirector · 05-17-2005, 02:52 PM

Hi Jenn...I agree with Carol. At this point I think the most logical move is to try going to 10 mg of Hydro. There are all combinations you can get, but Lortab or the generic of it comes in a 10/325 combination. When I was taking Hydrocodone, I learned real fast to ask for the generic, rather than the brand Lortab. The price difference is substantial. Watson makes a good generic 10/325. Taking that combination you can take quite a few per day without getting to the 4,000 mg of apap.

If you are thinking of Percoset, they're marketing all types of versions of that too. You can get it 5, 7.5, and 10 mgs of Oxycodone. The apap varies, but you can get it in a 325 Mg version, just like the Hydro. Also, Hydrocodone isn't marketed like this, but Oxycodone (Percoset) is available without any Tylenol at all. It's called Roxicodone and it's available in 5, 15, and 30 mgs. That is the brand, but it's now available in generic versions too.

If you do end up going to a LA med, Oxycontin is the long acting version of Oxycodone. They are suppose to last 12 hours, but most people find that eight hour dosing is more realistic. Oxy comes in doses of 10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 mg. Most patients get started on the 10 or 20 mg two or three times a day and usually the doctor will also prescribe something for break through pain. There are other LA meds as well, MS Contin is probably the most used.

jenjordan · 05-18-2005, 09:49 PM

Thanks Director
I have not tried the hydro 10 do you think it would give me more relief.......I know its higher dose but its the same base med right? I am sort of new at this I had my accident in Nov and was started out on Demerol 50 mg tablets. I really did not care for them. they made me feel weird. It was an emergency so i did not get to see my reg doc at first.Well my first visit with my reg doc after the accident she had a fit and said no way would she prescribe Demerol and put me on Lortab 7.5. The worked for a while but when my pain levels are at the "worst" The lortab MAY take the edge off if I am lucky. I see a spine specialist next week I dont want to seem like a drug seeker but I need relief.

Thanks again