Requesting Medication - Pain Management Message Board

onyxgates · 03-09-2006, 10:49 AM

Just to give a little background. I was initially on hydrocodone 5/500when I went to pain management. We switched over to vicoprofen 7.5/200 until last week when I was switched to tramadol because I started getting nauseous everytime I took my medicine. Well the tramadol didn't help at all. Now, they just called back and told me to take one vicoprofen with the tramadol. My question is this...I don't want to keep taking the ibuprofen because I read that it could cause major issues with the stomach lining. I would prefer to take a stronger hydro. Would it be too imposing to request that I try a stronger dossage of hydrocodone?

How would you all handle this? I have my appointment with them tomorrow so it would be face to face.

RetiredDirector · 03-09-2006, 11:41 AM

Since you know Hydrocodone works for you and the problem is the Ibuprophen, I would ask if it's possible to switch to Hydrocodone 10/325. It seems that is about the most popular and most prescribed med, especially for those realitively new in pain management. Make sure they know Ultram does nothing for the pain.

conductor · 03-09-2006, 03:39 PM

Dear onyxgates,

Director hit the nail on the head! Make sure the physician's office knows that the tramadol does nothing to help your pain. The hydrocodone 10/325 is a common choice for those starting out with pain management issues. Since you know that hydrocodone works for you, ask the doctor if that would be an appropriate alternative.

Let us know how things go, OK?

Sincerely,
Jon (Conductor)

ARANGER · 03-09-2006, 05:16 PM

Onyx,

NSAID's (Ibuprofen) can be very hard on the stomach as you know. Hydrocodone comes in 5, 7.5, and 10 mg. And you can get with a variety of strengths of Tylenol (APAP) in it. Norco is the lowest with 325 mg and you can get it as high as 750 mg of Tylenol. I'm with the rest of the group that less Tylenol the better.

Like Director said, asking for maybe the 10 mg hydro should not be a problem. It sounds like the Dr knows that the Ibuprofen is causing your stomach problems.

I feel that in the world we live in now with all the information available at our fingertips, we are able to do more research. So to ask about a medication, I don't think is a bad thing. I talk with my Dr about different meds that I have researched. You have already been on Hydrocodone and with any opiate med, tolerance goes up. So eventually you will need to be on a higher dose. 10/325 is a stronger dose obviously more than the 7.5 If you have chronic pain, then eventually that dose will not work anymore and you will either have to take more or go to a stronger med.

But like the others said, since he has you on Ultram now, changing to a higher dose of Hydro with Tylenol instead of Ibuprofen would be appropriate instead of going from Ultram to lets say Percocet. I think the Dr would probably feel more comfortable prescribing the Hydro and exhausing all means so to speak before moving you to a stronger opiate.

Hope you appt goes well. Take Caare

feelbad · 03-10-2006, 06:53 AM

I totally agree with the others on this,try the norco with only 325mgs of actual tylenol.i just wanted to mention something to you or actually to anyone who has to be on any sort of NSAID? there is a med called cytotec that was made just for people who have to be on some sort of NSAID.you take it along with the NSAID dose and honestly,this stuff prevents all of the GI crap from happening.this med was made for just this specific reason,to try and prevent all the GI nausea stomach burning and the prevention of ulcers.i used this for years while having to take high doses of advil for extreme pain in my shoulder blade I was having for about a year,way back when.it worked amazingly well for me and I normally would not have been able to take any sort of NSAID because of the intense burning it would cause in my stomach.this med allowed me to get good pain control without having to resort to any narcotics,at that point in my life,i wouldn't have touched another narcotic with a ten foot pole.this truely helped me in many many ways.Just an FYI for those who may be having problems currently taking NSAIDS.marcia