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Posted 9/26/2012 11:42 PM (GMT 0)
 Hi I new to having to take pain meds everyday, so my question is if the doctor right you a percription of 45,5mg percocets to take 1-2 every 6 hours for sever pain, how long should they last me if I need to take the 2 every 6 hours? I am scared of taking to many or not enough because of all the things other people say have happend to them. I don't want to call too soon or run out and not call.
Posted 9/26/2012 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there...Welcome to the boards...

The absolute best thing you can do is call your Dr. and ask them how long he expects you to have these last.

Many times with a new pain patient...to take "as needed" is usually not every day and not the full amount everyday. Same thing with not counting the entire 24 hours as there is sleep time in there.

So...by calling and making sure....this will avoid any issues with taking too many and running out.

Make sure you write down the name of the person/s you speak with and time and date.

Good luck.
Posted 9/26/2012 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
If I call will they become "suspious" there is so many things I have read on-line about people being red flaged that I'm affaid to breath wrong at the doctors, I am awaiting kidney surgery threw my back to remove a big stone and my primary care doctor gave me the percocets,but I don't know when the surgery will be. And I reallt don't want to call He knows I wake up through out the night in pain and take them regularly when needed. People have scarred me into being affraid to even ask for help with a well documented problem.
Posted 9/26/2012 11:56 PM (GMT 0)
If you just got this prescription...then there is nothing for them to be suspicious about...You are asking them to make sure how many you are supposed to take.

I assume that you haven't taken more than prescribed thus far...so it's only a red flag if you run out too quickly.

Your only choice to make sure that you stay on the course he has recommended is to call if this wasn't clear when he gave them to you.

Otherwise...if you "guess" and are wrong...then it will come back on your end.
Posted 9/26/2012 11:59 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, no I havent taken more at all, I just didn't know if it was for a month, or 2 weeks I have no clue.Like I said there is so much out there about pill abuse that I was worried about calling, but I will.
Posted 9/27/2012 12:03 AM (GMT 0)
There really is never a reason to worry about that kind of thing when you are doing the right thing:)

And since you have no clue whether these are supposed to last a few weeks or a month...it's imperitive to call and make sure. They will probably look favorably on you that you are making sure and wanting to take them as prescribed.

And now you will know from here on out to get things explicity in writing by the Dr. before leaving the appt.

Good luck and hope you will stick around here to share more of your journey as this is a great place with others who understand chronic pain.
Posted 9/27/2012 12:07 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks I have had a long couple of months,with 5 different antibiotics for a kidney infection, and the stone. I had to go 2.5 hours one way to the hospital today with a 2 year old in the car, only to be seen for 15 mins. with no answers and being told the surgens will get back to me. I felt like a currier for the cd's they needed.
Posted 9/27/2012 12:54 AM (GMT 0)
Yuck...I'm sure that was quite the drive in many ways...Sorry you are so far away from the hosptial/Drs. there.

And then to be in limbo after such a short appt. Frustrating!!

That's what is so great about these boards...it's a good place to come and "vent" when needed about the "oh so wonderful" world of Dr's appts, tests, medication, and surgeries...

We lift each other up when we are down...and offer support and suggestions on how to navigate the path of chronic pain.

Hope you can try and get a good night's rest tonight...
Posted 9/27/2012 2:46 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Jamie, if you took 2 of them 3 times a day, that is 6 pills a day and they are not going to last two weeks, 7 days worth at that rate would be 42 pills in 7 days. Hopefully you will not need to take 2 at a time and they will last longer. Do you have a return appt with your PCP in a couple of weeks?

I hope everything goes well for you....Susie
Posted 9/27/2012 12:07 PM (GMT 0)
I don't they sent me to a bigger hospital yesterday which is 2.5 hours from my home, I read some where that if you dress nice doctors wont treat you like crap, after getting there,by the way I had to bring my 2 year old for that long of a ride. They didn't know why I was there and why couldn't I just have the surgery at a local hospital, I calmly explaned that they didn't do that type of thing there and gave him 2 cd from ct scans, he came back into the room and said this is serious and we doctors need to have a meeting, then sent me on my way. so back home another2.5 hours, so I don't know what is going on, there is no dout that this is painful mostly threw out the night as soon as my bladder fills while I'm asleep then I wake up go to the bathroom and am In pain until the meds start working I fall asleep and it starts all over again. And in the am. So I do take about 6 a day, but as I said before I read alot on-line about people getting pain pills and calling there doctor to get more and the doctor wont help them. That's my worry I don't know if that happens to everyone.
Posted 9/27/2012 3:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Jamie and welcome,

Susie is right, if you are taking 2 every 6 hours they will last a week. There's nothing wrong with that as that is what you were prescribed. You should call the doctor a couple days before you run out so they can refill it soon enough so you don't have to go without.

No one is going to be upset with you as long as you don't take more than you were prescribed and you're not. Obviously the doctors realize you need surgery and have given you meds to hold you till that happens. Don't be scared to need a refill after 7.5 days.
Posted 9/27/2012 3:57 PM (GMT 0)
This is really why I strongly urge you to call them now and find out how many you are supposed to be taking and how long it should last you...

If you continue to take the 6 a day..as mentioned..this will only last for less than 8 days....and then if you call them at that time when you are completely out and they say you should have only taken a few a day and they won't give you a refill...then you are out of luck.

With Percocet...it is a schedule 2 med that needs to have a hard copy of the prescription and is not called in for a refill.

So...this is another reason you need to find out ASAP what you should be doing since this Dr. was so far away....you would have to drive back there to pick up another script if they allow it.

I can almost guarantee they are not going to keep writing you prescriptions every 8 days....

All I can say is if it were me...I would contact them ASAP and not take the 6 a day until you find out what their plan is. I would be cutting them in half and taking half dosages...or only one at a time...

 

Posted 9/27/2012 4:18 PM (GMT 0)
Jaimee be sure to let the dr know that is prescribing your pain meds that you are waiting to hear when your surgery will be scheduled. Also let the dr know your were not given a time frame as to when to expect the surgery to be scheduled either.

Take care.....Susie
Posted 9/29/2012 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
Jaime,
I have to agree with Snow here, since this is a new prescription, and the directions for taking them are a bit unclear, anywhere on the face of the prescription or the label on the bottle, does it show a MDD? MDD stands for maximum daily dosage. Usually, the maximum daily dosage is around 6 per day, taking them every 4 hours....that is around the clock.If the label says take 1-2 tablets every 4-6 hours, they usually expect that you will take them every 6 hours. There is a lot of room for interpretation so you really should call them and ask them what the maximum daily dosage is and if you should be taking them around the clock or not....if you are taking percocet for pain, then there is also tylenol in them ........does the label say 5/500, 5/325? If it does, the second number is the amount of tylenol in each tablet.....
Posted 9/29/2012 3:52 PM (GMT 0)
yes it only says 5/325 1-2 every 6 hours for sever pain, well the pain is sever and I waiting to hear from a bigger hospital as to when and how they are going to remove the stone as it has calsived into the meat of the kidney and can't be removed with regular methods, the thing is at night when I wake up to use the bathroom it hurts really bad, thia it what I have been doing 1-2 around 11pm then again around 5:30 when I wake up, then another one around noon. so no more then 4 in a day and night but there is nothing on the bottle or the papaer work that says anything about how many days they are for. that;s my confution sorry bad speller.
Posted 9/29/2012 6:16 PM (GMT 0)
So you didn't end up calling the Dr.?

I just don't understand your hesitation as now you will run out in less than a week and then what?
Posted 9/29/2012 6:48 PM (GMT 0)
I did try He doesnt work on Fridays, so I'm going to call monday.
Posted 9/29/2012 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
Try calling the pharmacy that filled it. Ask them how many days this prescription is supposed to last. Whenever a prescription is filled, there is a specific number of days that it is supposed to last. The prescription stating taking 1-2 tablets means that you should start with one tablet, unless it absolutely necessary, always start with the minimum dose first....if after an hour or so, the pain is not at a tolerable level - meaning around a 5 on a pain scale, and after trying other ways to lessen the pain, then take the 2nd tablet, but if you can manage on one tablet by all means do that....
If you take them around the clock, every 4 hours, then you will run out sooner, same as you would taking two around the clock every 6 hours.....so you need to find out how many days this prescription is supposed to last...then figure out how many pills you have left and that will tell you how many a day you can take. I would not wait until Monday to find out......
Sandi
Posted 9/29/2012 7:13 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Sandi, I will call the pharmacy then and ask them, I do have enough to wait and call the Doctor on Monday, I didnt know I could call the pharmacy and ask them.
Posted 9/29/2012 7:25 PM (GMT 0)
I'm pretty sure that they are going to tell you to ask your Dr. as they have the final word on how long it's supposed to last.

If the Pharmacist tells you to take "as directed" on the bottle...that still doesn't mean the Dr. didn't want these to be taken every so often...or last for 15 days...30 days...

There always has to be something written on the prescription bottle.. Just like my breakthrough medication is OxyIR 5mg...

It has instructions of "take one to two tablets, every 4-6 hours". But my Dr. has said no more than 8 per day max. That isn't written on the bottle.

And I never take that much anyway as it's meant for breakthrough and not to be a maitanence med.

So...I just want to caution you that even if you ask the Pharmacist today, I would call Monday morning...

The main reason I was saying that you seem hesitant to call was that you started this thread on the 26th and many of us said to call your Dr. ASAP..

I certainly hope you can schedule the surgery soon...
Posted 9/29/2012 7:29 PM (GMT 0)
 I have another question, a little over a year ago they tryed to go in and get the stone and couldnt, they paced a stent and it caused me so much pain, I was on dilidid 8mg. and oxcodone 5mg every 4 hours I keeped having to go back to the er to get a bollis for pain. my question is this, sometimes pain meds just don't work at all I have no resonce to them at all they took my blood presure evry few mins, and it didnt do anything, I wasnt even getting loopy at all, has this ever happend to any of you before and what can the hospital do to help me if this happens again, It makes me not want to do the surgery because I'm affaid of pain like that it made me think of ending it, because I couldn't get out of pain. My son had septic hip when he was 6 he was on 30mg of oxycodone liquid every 4 hours do to him not responding to the meds at a dose that is ok for a kid.  I just don't know what to do, I know the stone is damiging my kidney and I can't leave it there. I understand it's not cronic pain, but I didn't know who else to ask other than people who deal with pain on a daily basis. I value all of you advice, if anyone knows about pain and pain meds I figur it would be here with you guys! Thanks!!
Posted 9/29/2012 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
snowbunny my only hessitation is I tryed reading things about these type of meds on other sites, bad call, alot of the sites are about people with drug problems but I didnt know that till I was done ready, so that scared me, that all Doctors look at people as addicts. That is not me, I have only been on pain meds a little over a year ago and now. But after reading about how some people went back to there doctors and where red flagged and cut off I didnt understand how that could happen to someone whohas a real problem, that they needed meds and couldn't get them, I'm starting to understand how some people lie and get pills when they don't need them and how it makes it hard for people who really do.I'am hoping I will get surgery soon and heal and be off then within a few months. Thanks!
Posted 9/29/2012 7:45 PM (GMT 0)
Pain meds are not meant to get you loopy...so judging on whether they work or not by that is kind of moot point.

An opiate is just meant to "dull" our pain response to make us not care as much. It's not meant to take it all away or solve the kidney stone issue.

And it's not a targeted type of med like a nerve pain med or a muscle relaxer...Perhaps one of these could help you better?

As well as some people just have lower tolerance to pain or are more sensitive to it.

The key is not relying so much on an opiate to solve this issue...you need to pursue either surgery or the treatments trying to get rid of these stones and then do as much as you possibly can to avoid new ones.

Diet, being at a healthy weight, fluid intake....these are all things that you can try and control to help prevent stones from forming.

What version/kind of stones do you have?

It's important to not drink sodas (especially dark ones) Drink plenty of water. Limit salt intake...Watch the amount of animal proteins..

Taking calcium supplements if you have that particular type of stone.

And maintaining a health weight is important as well.

So...it's really about pursuing treatment/surgery and then working on prevention.
Posted 9/29/2012 7:54 PM (GMT 0)
I don't eat bad now I use to then I wanted to get fit and started eating"clean" and working out, then I got sick, so I still eat healthy just not so much at the gym.The only thing I can get is the surgery as far as that is, through my back to get to the stone. I didn't mean anything bad about the loopy coment just that I didn;t feel any different than before I had the IV treatments, sorry, Other than that as I said I havent really gotten any answers to anything after my long drive, only more questions, when I called the hospital Friday they said they where "working on it"? All I do know is I have a 3 children and don't want to be in that kind of pain, that for a breaf moment makes me what to end the pain, so I'm just trying to figure out a different way so that if that happens again I know what I can do. I know meds won't help 100%, just wondering if anyone else has had this happen to them, thats all
Posted 9/29/2012 8:11 PM (GMT 0)
I didn't see your follow up post at 3:39 as I must have been typing my last one.

Yes...there is a lot of addiction and pill abuse out there...but what many of us are saying is that the way to avoid any issues with your Dr. is to make sure you are taking the meds the way he wants you to. Then you have nothing to worry about...

I was trying to say that if you end up taking them and running out...and then calling your Dr. to ask to pick up another prescription and he tells you that he expected you to have those last for "x" amount of time....Then this may cause a problem for you...

So asking what to do is never a bad thing....it actually makes the Dr. know that you are wanting to follow exactly what he is prescribing.

Many of us on here can empathize with your pain...some of us are new to it..and others have been in chronic pain for many years..So we do understand...

Do you have a spouse/partner to help you out? How about friends and other family right now...Trying to do everything while in a "flare" of bad pain will only make you need to take more medication...And not sure how old your kids are...but kids at pretty much any age can help out in a way they are capable...If they can pick it up and play with it...they can put it away!..LOL...

But don't be afraid to ask for help during this time...

What are all the treatments that they have tried so far this time around? There are other ways then open surgery to get rid of the stone as that is usually only in rare occasions when there are complications...
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