Should I ask for stronger/different meds? - Pain Management Message Board

tandycipps · 08-07-2008, 07:33 PM

I have an app. with my pm doctor in the morning. It is to see what the next step might be in treating my neck problems. I've been taking lortab 10/500 for about two years and fiornal for headachs. The lortab just doesn't seem to be working like it used to to control the pain. Should I ask for something else to see if it might work better? I just don't want him to change me to something that might not work as good as the lortab. Should I just stay with the meds I'm taking and not say anything?
Thanks for any help.
annie

Executor · 08-07-2008, 08:20 PM

Hello and welcome to the board. Sorry to hear about your problem. If the current regimen isn't working, I would tell your Doc. It's not unusual to have to change regimens every so often, and two years certainly is a very reasonable time frame for change.

The next step up for you would be some Oxycodone product....Either long acting, or short acting. How many Lortabs are you taking per day on average....How many per month does the Doc give you? This will give me a better idea on what to recommend.

Take care,

Ex

tandycipps · 08-08-2008, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Executor

Hello and welcome to the board. Sorry to hear about your problem. If the current regimen isn't working, I would tell your Doc. It's not unusual to have to change regimens every so often, and two years certainly is a very reasonable time frame for change.

The next step up for you would be some Oxycodone product....Either long acting, or short acting. How many Lortabs are you taking per day on average....How many per month does the Doc give you? This will give me a better idea on what to recommend.

Take care,

Ex

Hi Ex,
Thanks for the reply. I am taking 4 lortabs per day so he gives me 120 month. I'm just so afraid if he gives me something else and it didn't work to really help the pain that I would be worse off than I am now. The lortabs work, just not as well as they used to. I guess when I go see him I'll just talk to him and see what he thinks. He is a wonderful doctor and I feel very lucky to have found him.
I'll let you know what he says.

Annie

cmpgirl · 08-08-2008, 07:26 AM

Tandy, I don't know if I caught you in time, but when I first felt I needed something longer acting for my pain (several years ago now) I just explained to my doc that I felt like I was playing catch-up with my meds all day and told him I knew there were meds that were time released, and asked if he thought something like that would be better. He agreed and started me on oxycontin.

I made sure to tell him that I had heard in a support group that even with the long acting meds, most people still needed some amount of short acting med for breakthrough pain and asked him if this was true. He also agreed with that and kept me on the same Rx of Vicodin that I was taking.

Now, I guess you have to keep in mind, that my doc has never been opiophobic, so not all docs respond this way. But you mentioned having a really good relationship with yours, so I think it's worth a try.

Best of luck. Sorry if I didn't get to this before your appointment. Please let us know how it goes. Take care, CMP/MM

Executor · 08-08-2008, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tandycipps

Hi Ex,
Thanks for the reply. I am taking 4 lortabs per day so he gives me 120 month.

Hey Annie....What strength Lortab does he give you? You could always move up a notch...For example, if you're on Lortab 5....Go to 7.5....Or from 7.5 to 10. If your @ 10 already, you'll need to either move ot more frequent Lortabs or some Oxycodone product.

Good luck and please let me know what the Doc says.

Regards,

Ex