Everyone has been so supportive and helpful here I wanted to give y'all an update on my situation and ask about the difference between norco 10s and percucet 7.5s. My Dr also mentioned the gapa could help with the tingling and arm pain as well so if anyone has taken it for something other than a head thing with success, I would love to hear about that.
So it seems as if my steroid shots have stopped working but they did help with the arm pain (I got two) for about 7 months. My rfa that went wrong is now wearing off but of course still left me with the trigger points. I was getting to the point where my norco 10s would wear off after an hour
just for the neck and shoulder pain. I have come to just accept the trigger point issues as they are kind of secondary to my other pain at this point. But I do take muscle relaxers at night that continue to help that.
So luckily when I went to see my now new and permanent Dr he was very kind in listening to what was going on. He did all his usual tests and is scheduling me for my last and third steroid shot for the year to treat the neck and arm pain. then he said that although I had a bad experience with the rfa, he does what to redo that in a few months as well. And I said "as long as it's you doing it, then I will trust in the procedure"
So then we start discussing medications and I told him how the norco stops working after about an hour and how this dose has worked for me for a year so either my tolerance has gotten higher, my pain is getting worse or a combination of both.
Sometimes reading stories on here as y'all know, makes me a little paranoid so he asked me if I was taking the gapa. And I was honest with him and said because of the possible emotional side effects and because my actual head pain (not the headaches, the been scalped feeling) was calming down, I had not. I am very sensitive to anything that might effect my mood. I got on a birth control pill once that took all the beauty of the world from my perception and I NEVER want to feel that way again. He said "no problem. I understand. Will you think about trying them?" and I said "yes but how long will it take for me to feel the side effects if I get them?" and he said within the first few days. So he switched me to percucet 7.5s and although I read they are not THAT different in dosage,I have to say they keep the pain at bay for a lot longer and don't upset my stomach. It was very nice of him to only accept the pills I had on hand, instead of making me go home to get the rest(I flushed them when I got home) as the valid "throwing away" of the pills. I keep them separate now thanks to Sandys (I think) post.
So, If they are similar is it possible they make that big of a difference? I felt so relieved I didn't have to count the hours until I could take my next one safely due to my pain! I will try the gapa as he suggested and I just wanted to share what a world of difference it makes when you have an open Dr who listens and isn't questioning your pain while still trying to keep you on the safest regiment of medication.
and yes I think my regimen is great for now. Hopefully I can drop one of them after the last steroid shot. Thanks for the response and yes I am very pleased with my Dr. His philosophy of how he does the shots is exactly what made sense to me. I mean why do it all back to back if just one or two work? and the percucet is much calmer on my body so I am happy about that as well.
