Help with break-thru med conversion - Pain Management Message Board

Otter66 · 08-05-2007, 04:20 PM

Hi Everbody,

Although I have seen pain-med conversion charts, I have to admit that I am a bit confused how to use them. I am going into my Pain doc next week, to talk about changing the dosage on my break-thru medication. My LT medication is Kadian, which I take 200 mg/3x day. For breakthru med, I take 2 10mg percocets, 2x/day. I have been on this same dosage (both meds) for about 3 1/2 years, and the percocets don't seem to help me much when I take them when I am am really hurting. What I wanted to know was, what percentage is my breakthru meds vs my long-term? i.e. Are the 2 percocets 5% of my Kadian? 10%? Any help would be greatly appreciate. Here's wishing all of the board readers a pain-free week

mudbone · 08-05-2007, 05:13 PM

I dont know the percentages, but if your hurting then I would get the base med raised, or if you just want the BT med raised I would go with Roxicodone in either 15mg or 30mg. If you have to take BT meds everyday they become useless as your tolerence increases so they should be reserved for "have to" situations. Thats why I would suggest looking into your basemed dose. There are plenty people here though that do kno what percentage you are looking for though. Good luck!

Otter66 · 08-05-2007, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mudbone

I dont know the percentages, but if your hurting then I would get the base med raised, or if you just want the BT med raised I would go with Roxicodone in either 15mg or 30mg. If you have to take BT meds everyday they become useless as your tolerence increases so they should be reserved for "have to" situations. Thats why I would suggest looking into your basemed dose. There are plenty people here though that do kno what percentage you are looking for though. Good luck!

Thank you for your response. That is exactly what I have ended up doing. I have to take both the LT and the break-thru meds everbody, and then when the pain gets really bad, I have nothing more I can take. I am going to sw the Doc this week, and (hopefully) something can be done. I'm tired of feeling like I'm being stabbed in the back over and over, and can't make the pain stop with my meds!!

You know, I've had one of the Doc's assistance tell me that there is no such thing as tolerance, and that with LTerm meds, you should've have to raise the amount you are taking. Anybody who has a comment about that, I would love to know what you've been told

mudbone · 08-05-2007, 07:39 PM

I also had a dr tell me tolerence was in my head. I left his practice for a pain managment clinic. And by what I understand, if you need to use all your BT med everyday then your LA med is not high enough dose. Hence raise the LA med so you dont need the BT all the time and for when you do, its ok to use, just not everyday, or you will build tolerence. Ask him to raise your base med and see if you still need the BT med as much. I bet you dont..

Hope it works out for ya, Good luck!

Donorpanc · 08-06-2007, 08:15 PM

I'd like to see this conversion chart myself. My doc. has switched me around so many times, and I can't figure out how he comes up with this stuff?