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We go from good news to.....horrible news!!!!!

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Posted 3/1/2010 5:50 PM (GMT 0)
I really thought they were going to let me get away with some good news, but nope not this time.  For years I have been on Percocet for BT pain.  Lots of people are on the percocet and I know this.  I have been screaming at my doctors (not literally but you know what I mean) that it is essential that they keep an eye on my liver function so that I don't end up with a messed up liver because of years of having to take this medication.

Well, after so many years of this I finally got my new doctor to say those words..."Time for a liver and kidney test!"  I thought okay....6 years of being on Percocet that everything would be fine.  But......it's not and I am scared to death now!!!!!  My liver function is elevated!!!!  What this means is I was pulled off of the Percocet and placed on Roxicodone which doesn't have tylenol in it. 

I can't express how frightened I am to think that 6 years of taking Percocet has messed up my liver and now I am scared to think that it may be a permenant thing?!  Oh cripes now what???

Well, I am finding a regular doc.  Something I have put off for the last year or two.  I am going to let WC know what they discovered through the tests and make sure that they will pay for this.  And I am going to start cutting back on a few things so that my health will not be comprimised!  I am so close to being in a lower pain catagory with the SCS that I refuse to let this be a set back.  But on the other hand.....its anyone's worst nightmare.

Huuuuugssss

Scarred

Posted 3/1/2010 6:20 PM (GMT 0)
Hi and so sorry you are going through this...this is happening to a friend of mine as well from cardiac drugs...livers can improve..which is the good news and the fact that it was caught before anything devastating happened (e.g. Hep) is also good news...hope you find relief on your new meds and that everything works out and yes, how frustrating to try to advocate for yourself, to only have it fall on deaf ears...big hugs, J
Posted 3/1/2010 6:21 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Scarred try to take a deep breath ok. Fortunately, the liver is one organ that we have that will repair itself. Most likely, by taking you off the Perocet and putting you on something different, the liver will kick in and do it's thing and repair itself. It is terrifying when we have these tests done and find out something came back out of wack. So, before you get all stressed to the hilt and drive youer pain level to the max from stressing, take several deeps breaths and say, ok, I will get past this and it will be ok.

Hugs.
Posted 3/1/2010 6:28 PM (GMT 0)
Straydog beat me to it! She is right, in that the liver is the only organ that can repair itself. I just saw this the other day on a show on TV. Lets hope it will heal for you soon.

SE
Posted 3/1/2010 6:30 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Scarred,

Please try not to worry too much about this..As Straydog said..the liver is very forgiving and now that you are switiching off the Percocet..it will begin to heal very quickly..

I was on Percocet for over 7 years and had the same thing happen with elevated liver panels..My Dr. switched me to Oxy IR...(so if your insurance has an issue with the Roxi..there is always the option of generic Oxycodone which is really cheap)...

I also had nausea almost every day the last year before I switched and had no clue that it was the acetaminophen...Within a week of going to the OxyIR...I felt GREAT!!!! It was amazing how all my nausea disappeared...I was estatic...

So...even though I have a wonderful and caring Dr..he has hundreds and hundreds of patients and I have to gently remind him at times that it's time for a certain test...(liver panel back then)...or tell him about my nausea..which I kept to myself for too long!...and he is happy to work with me..They are just human..and yes..it's up to us to watch over every thing with our health care..

I am sending you big hugs..and it will all work out for you and it's actually a blessing to be switched to the Roxi as it will probably work better and now you have the flexibility to take an Advil at times when needed...which I find works in conjunction for inflammation with my other meds..but I like having the choice..

Take care
Posted 3/1/2010 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
Oh this makes me feel a lot better! Thank you so much everyone. Your help has been so wonderful that I want to throw each of you a huge party!! Only....I don't have that kind of funds LOL. Okay so now I have relaxed a bit and am now thinking that I worked myself up for nothing. Why is it when something bad happens we, as people, always think the worst?

It angers me that my doctors (4 of them in the past 6 years) did not at least do tests to ensure that it wasn't messing up my system? I believe that I will get through this and that its just another bump in the road, but now I have another problem that I have to deal with.

It seems that was not the only thing that was elevated and out of wack. I also have a high glucose. I know why this is....I eat way too much sugery products. And that isn't a good thing. So after I hung up with doc I took all of the hard candies and sugery goodness and threw it all out. Told hubby no more candy and crap in the house and he told me that is probably a good thing.


See my mom has diabitis and that is one thing I do not want to have to deal with in my "older years". So I have decided its time to throw a new plan at my health and see if that works to combat the things that are wrong. Also, my sodiem level is off kilter. Low to be in fact. I need, apparently, to eat more salt products. God I've been so careful over the years to make sure I have been healthy and stuff, but when my dentures were put in I thought oh gee now that I have them I can't get cavities and I was always thin never gaining a pound with the things that I ate.

Well, now I have put on a lot of weight....50 pounds more then I really want on me! So I'm wondering if this has something to do with what is going on with my system? Doc took me off the Percocet as well as she is weaning me off of the Triliptal which they think is what is causing my sodiem to be off kilter.

Okay I've wrote enough LOL. Thank you all for making me feel a bit better!

huggggggs

Scarred
Posted 3/1/2010 11:10 PM (GMT 0)
Scarred,
I've had blood work done to test my liver enzymes annually for many years because of the meds I've been on for another condition since I was 14. My liver enzymes are frequently somewhat elevanted, and my neurologist has said this is normal for people taking long term meds, as long as it doesn't get too high.

I always get a copy of my blood work sent to me so I can look at all the results. It's one thing to have something slightly elevated, but another if it's huge - with sugar, liver enzymes, etc., but like everyone has said the liver is something that can repair itself with time.

I wouldn't go grab that salt shaker! Because your sodium levels are low - again, it may depend on how low - I would ask your PCP first. Too much sodium can be bad. Maybe consulting with a nutritionist would be helpful for you, considering your family history. Then you'd know your diet was balanced.

And also - remember the time of day, when you last took your meds, what you ate recently, etc. can all affect blood work. I try to have mine done about the same time in the day, especially if it's not a fasting sample.

Ok, lady, try to relax a bit!

PaLady
Posted 3/2/2010 2:05 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Scarred,

Sorry to hear about the poor test results, that sounds very scary indeed. I don't know too much about liver function tests, but hopefully what other people are saying is correct!

Has your doctor talked to you about the test results yet? Maybe they aren't as bad as you think.

hugs,
Skeye
Posted 3/2/2010 4:21 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Scarred,
I was on Lortab 10/500mg x 4 daily for 6 years and that put me at the maximum dosage of acetaminophen (4000mg) per day. When I was still complaining of such pain, the pm dr upped me to 5 tabs a day! So, even though I was asking them about the additional dosage, I was treated like if I continued to say anything about the extra tylenol, they would take me off all pain meds! I finally got in with a Nurse Practitioner who put me on 10/500 mgs. of Percocet. I was only on that for a month as it simply didn't work. Again, at my last visit, I mentioned the amount of tylenol and she gave me Roxi too. I also find that my stomach isn't as upset and I am not taking tylenol all the time now! That was a win/win for me. As was stated by everyone else, the liver has the ability to heal itself. Take care and let us know how you are!
Cat(z4)
Posted 3/2/2010 3:37 PM (GMT 0)
yup your liver is a very nice organ. It can heal itself. there is also an herb called milk thistle that when taken helps bring your levels down. my liver enzymes are elevated too, but milk thistle helps. you can buy it anywhere they sell vitamins usually. check with doc and make sure its ok by them to take it.

melissa
Posted 3/2/2010 4:36 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you everyone! I do so appreciate all of your thoughts. You know, its a day since getting the news and I have had time to sleep and think on things. I'm really not looking at this in the proper perspective. It should be a blessing in disguise because I have always worried about the amount of tylenol in the Percocet as well as weather it is messing up my system. Now that I will be off of the Percocet and on the Roxi my system will heal up and everything will be great once more.

I have taken steps to ensure that my glucose stays down. Throwing all the darned candy in the house away and just trying to eat more healthy foods. Not good when your eating candy instead of eating your supper huh? I know better now!!!

Welp huggles my dear!

Scarred
Posted 3/2/2010 4:38 PM (GMT 0)
Scarred,
you might want to ask your new pcp about getting a full blood work up, low sodium can also mean that maybe your having some thyroid issues, but don't panic yet.
and I also agree with PALady too much salt added into your diet can cause you problems and it can increase weight (the adding of the salt), but go and talk these things over with your pcp first..
I get yearly blood work as I have an enlarged pituitary gland..and make sure to get a follow up liver blood work to make sure your liver is healing up..
Soft HUGZ to you and lots of well wishes...
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Scarred))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
keep us posted
Posted 3/2/2010 7:55 PM (GMT 0)
Char;

Actually that is one of the reasons I am going to see a regular doctor as well. I've been wanting to get a md since I live here in Pratt and this seems like a good time to do so. The sodium is low because of my Triliptal. Apparently it can cause a person to loose sodium so my PCP took me off of it and in ten days I will go back in for another round of labs to see if everything has gone down. If not, welll we will deal with that when we come to it. Until then, my diet is restricted to about as much salt as I usually eat, not much and no more sweets. I know in moderation is okay and I just need to eat healthier which I am actually doing :-).

Hugsssss

Scarred
Posted 3/2/2010 10:22 PM (GMT 0)
Gosh...I am always amazed at the wealth of information that everyone brings in their postings. Lets hope that this is a simple case of stressed liver - as many have explained. With a little R & R and a change in meds, your liver could bounce right back into normal enzyeme ranges. Here was another blast from the past ----was it Carter's Little Liver Pills. Was the cure for liver aliments of all types? LOL Please keep us posted.
Posted 3/2/2010 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Scarred,

I'm sorry you're having to go through this....you never posted your AST/ALT levels did you? How high is "elevated"? My liver enzymes have been over 3500 before during acute phases of my illness (I have autoimmune hepatitis and NASH) and have come back down to normal or near normal levels. The liver does tend to bounce back, unless severely damaged.

Other posters mentioned milk thistle; that is one herb I take for my liver, even my hepatologist recommends it and he's not big on patients taking herbal remedies!

Best wishes to you! Keeping you in my prayers....please let us know what happens!
JoAnn
Posted 3/2/2010 11:11 PM (GMT 0)
Scarred,
I'm glad you're going to get yourself a PCP (at least I'm assuming that's what you mean). Any of us on medications for chronic conditions should have annual (or sometimes more frequently) blood work. That's actually the medical necessity criteria my neurologist checks on the slip I take to the lab - something to the affect of long term use of multiple medications. So it's a good thing for all of us to check out. And I have a file with all my reports of my blood work, so I can follow any changes. Then I make copies and take them to other doctors I see to make sure they have the most recent tests.

Hugs,

PaLady
Posted 3/3/2010 6:44 PM (GMT 0)
Well, here's the thing PA.....I have been asking why they weren't doing a annual test for the past 8 years. I was on Vioxx for the longest time and they didn't do any testing when that came up messed up by the FDA. Been on Celebrex for probably 3 years and no testing on that one either.

Nas; my glucose was 228....bad girl! My Creatine was 0.50; my AST was 42 and my Alt was 36 so I am not sure what the entire thing was.

Hugsss to all of you for your kind words and thoughts.

Scarred
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