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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 4/18/2011 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
I have an anal fistula that causes constant pain. Last year I was on Darvocet until the FDA took that off the market. I got the pain under control and was only needing it about once a month and then in January the Crohn's decided to flare and totally aggravated the fistula. So now I have been in constant pain for the past two months and the doctor wants to see me tomorrow but the new pain medicine he prescribed (Ultacet) doesn't even touch the pain.

What do you all take for pain medicine?
Posted 4/18/2011 8:26 PM (GMT 0)
Most I think use Vicodin. I use Percoset but I also have other health issues and the Vicodin was no longer cutting it. If the doc gives you grief saying it could slow your bowels down blah, blah, blah, just tell him the Ultracet is not doing its job and you are suffering.

You can always use stool softners or something like Miralax to help keep your bowels regular if the pain meds slow you down too much. Hugs!
Posted 4/18/2011 8:30 PM (GMT 0)
Pain medication is a tricky area because what works for one person may not be effective for another. I personally take hydrocodone 10's and it helps with the pain but does not eliminate it. Some prefer to take percocet or oxycodone and it works well for them. For those that are really severe, they go to a pain management clinic and are put on medications like oxcontin or the fentynal patch.
Remember, you have a disease that will probably cause you to have pain for th rest of your life and you need these medications to last. We build up a tolerance to pain meds and it is best to use each one as long as you can before switching. Obviously in your situation, switching is not really up to you given that darvocet is off the market but I would not push for the big gun pain meds right off the bat until you have tried hydrocodone or percocet first.(these are actually pretty strong pain meds also) The other thing is to make sure that you do not request a specific pain med by name because you may come across as something you are not, an addict. I am prescribed all of my pain meds by my primary care physician because most G.I. s are hesitiant to start down that road. All of my G.I.s knew about the pain meds and were ok with me being on them but did not want to be the prescriber. You may want to go to your primary care doc for you pain and I am sure that they will work better on controlling your pain.
Posted 4/18/2011 8:59 PM (GMT 0)
I second what tsitodwag has said...I see a PM doctor who has come up with ways to treat my pain pretty decently, and what works for me may not work for others...so kinda why it's good to see a PM doctor...me, I have a fentnyl patch...I haven't had to change the dosage in over 3 years (I'm at the lowest dosage), then I have meds for throughout the day, and then I am given those meds for when when it's super duper bad(you know "Aliens" kinda bad, and I only get rx'd about 10 pills per 2 months, sometimes I get rx'd less if I don't need them)...but I also have the arthritis and liver pains too, so it's not just my crohn's pains...and again, a PM doc is pretty up to date on the best meds/treatments for whatever type of pain you are experiencing...

My GI is also another who knows about ALL my medications (I am VERY honest) but yet he doesn't feel comfortable about prescribing more than 1 months worth...but PM docs(at least the good ones) know the how and what type of paper work to keep so they don't have to worry as it's just an aspect of their speciality...
good luck...
Posted 4/18/2011 9:27 PM (GMT 0)
I've been seeing a Pain Management clinic for a few years. But since I had surgery they won't touch me until I get released from my surgeon. In the time being I am on Tramadol, which I think is the generic for Ultram, which is the same as Ultracet without the acetaminophen. It doesn't touch the pain. Right now I am going through a rough patch where my bowels are not working after surgery, so anything that would slow them down is not a good thing, in the doctors eyes. I am still having D, so I would still be A OK with a narcotic. Normally my PM doctor RX's me Norco. It just barely takes the edge off. After surgery I was on a Fentnyl patch and Dilaudid for break through pain. That worked well. But as others have said, what works for one, doesn't work for others.,
Posted 4/18/2011 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
Nanners, I was thinking that I saw a lot of people on the board with Percocet listed in their signature and that might work for me too. I already take Miralax everyday as it is, GI says so much of my bowel is missing that what's left doesn't function

tsitodawg- I am so with you on being careful what I say so I don't sound like a junkie. It's actually my colon rectal surgeon so he is a bit more understanding about prescribing and he actually had to give me a lecture in January about making sure I used pain meds when I needed them because I generally hesitate to use even Tylenol.

I haven't gotten a new PM since I moved to VA 6 years ago. I have always had such a hard time finding good doctors in the past that I just didn't have the energy to "shop around".
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