patches vs. lortab - Pain Management Message Board

madamkitty · 07-13-2003, 06:42 AM

Okay, so you say you've run out of your lortab ant the DT's are headed your way. Some are saying to ask your dactor about the durogesic patch. Well, I've been on the patch for almost a year for my RA. It's a wonderful thing to slow down my pain and only have to take 1 or 2 Lortab a week BUT..... if your memory is as bad as mine the DT's from Lortab are NOTHING compared to forgetting to change your patch on the 3rd day. I get the jerks in my arms and body so bad I cannot control my body movements. Even if I change to a new patch as soon as I realize what is going on it still can take up to 3 hours of sheer H**l to get my body calmed down. What the doctors very carefully slide around telling you is that you become a morphine addict with this patch. I am terrified and sick that I have become an addict. My family says it's because I had to have releif from my pain and I can now have a mostly normal life but it still is scary to me.

painintheneck2 · 07-16-2003, 12:33 AM

Hi. Interesting that you should right this post. Read mine "OH NO HERE I GO...the w/d's. I'm going to talk to my doc about the patch. I went to the ER this am from lortab withdrawels and the doc on staff there said I should talk to my doctor about putting me on a longer lasting pain med, like the patch and use the lortab for bt meds.

I hope that I can get it. Just for the simplicity of not having to take pill after pill after pill.

Aas for as addiction goes, that always sucks to realize your body is chemically dependent on a drug, but hey it's better than living with the pain.

Thanks for your post, it gave me some much needed insight into what I'm about to be doing.

Wend~~~

grizzk62 · 07-16-2003, 06:51 AM

Madam Kitty,

There is a huge difference between addiction and dependance. Addiction is behavior. Which taking the drug in excess of what the docs have ordered and also taking other meds that you are not perscribed.With no regard of the results or harm to others and yourself. Addiction is a behavior. Dependance is something that your body requires to function in a more normal fashion. I take heart meds and my body is dependant on them. I also take nexuim for my stomach because of the damaged that has been caused by takeing so many NSAIDS over the years. I know that if I stop taking my nexuim. In a day or two I will suffer from all the acid that is building up. I'm not addicted to my nexuim but my stomach is dependant on it. I am also dependant on my pain meds. Which are methadone and OxyIR for BT pain. I know that if I miss taking a dose I will hurt really bad. And my body will start to go into an abstinence syndrome. Same as withdrawals. It doesn't mean that I am addicted to those meds. I don't mean to lecture and I'm sorry if I have offended you. But we do need to change how we talk about our meds and our attitudes regarding so that we can futher research and stem other attitudes towards us in regard to our pain meds. I hope that you will have a great day and take care....

Matt

[This message has been edited by grizzk62 (edited 07-16-2003).]

Shaman · 07-16-2003, 06:58 PM

Madam Kitty,

Everyone else was so right. Please do not beat yourself up for wanting a normal life and taking the medication you need to get that. If you were diabetic would you torture yourself for being "addicted" to insulin?

Have you tried setting up a system to help you remember what day to change your patch? Maybe a calander put somewhere where you will see it every day that you mark with the days? Maybe a pop up reminder on your computer if you use it every day? Maybe someone else has some more/better suggestions. I hope you find something that works for you because I hae to think of you suffering needlessly.