Trying to cut back on meds - but pain not letting me

I've been on Hydrocodone (10-325) since a few weeks before spine surgery, almost 5 months ago.  I am making progress, PT-wise, in that I'm stronger and moving more normally.  I'll see my regular doctor next week, and hopefully, he'll think I'm getting there, too.  One of my surgeon's partners did NOT think so a few weeks ago, which is a worry.  We'll see. 

Anyway, I was taking 4 pills a day for a long time, and now it's 2 & 1/2 on a normal day.  Several times, including today, I tried cutting one of those full doses in half, but the pain gets to be too much    and I end up taking the second half an hour or so later.  I HAVE to be able to do my exercises and walk some if I ever hope to live life more fully again!  

The biggest reason I want to cut back (besides fear of addiction) is that it seems to be making my general outlook more negative than usual.  I don't think I'm clinically depressed, but I sure don't need anything pulling me down, or clouding my mind. 

I tried oxycodone right after surgery, and it made me way too out of it, so don't want to go there again.  Tramadol was what I took for my fibro pain before all this, but it's not nearly strong enough now.  I guess I should be grateful that this at least works pretty well, and just try to live "one day at a time," like we always say.  Thanks for listening to my pity session.    

Debbie   

        

Hi Debbie...

The good news is that it seems you are making a lot of progress from your surgery so that is wonderful! I think if you are down to less than 3 Hydro each day that is pretty darn good.

Have you tried taking the Tramadol again to see if a certain dosage will help? Or are you going on when you used it before and it didn't work for your pain.

Also remember that Tramadol has some SSRI properties to help with our moods....so you were getting a boost of this when you were on it previously and not anymore if you are off completely. So this, along with recovering from a major surgery, not being as active as you maybe used to be, can all lead to our moods being more down for awhile.

Do you have a previous history with addiction and that is why you are worried? Otherwise, for those of us who don't, there really isn't a concern. Addiction is when someone is craving and taking the medicine not for pain but to get a mental high, or stealing/selling/buying medicine off the street, taking more medication than prescribed, and Dr. shopping and getting multiple prescriptions...

So I don't think you have anything to worry about there.

I think that unless your Dr. is saying that you need to be off all pain medication that you continue just taking what you need/are prescribed and as you mentioned, one day at a time. Spine surgery on top of having Fibro and other health issues takes a large toll on our body and really does need lots of time to recover.

But feel free to vent anytime!:)

Hi Debbie,

Opiates can cause depression. That is why my psychiatrist frowns upon them. I took six norco a day (vicodin 10/325) for many years. I just went up to percocet. And I am still on the low side of the pain med scale. So three or less a day is great. Don't let that scare you. These guys are right, as long as you aren't taking more than you should, you are doing fantastic. Keep up the wonderful work, but take it if you need it. If you let the pain get ahead of you, you are in for a battle trying to get it back down to a controlled level.

I wish you the best. Really, you are doing good with your pain meds.

As far as depression goes.  The tramadol could help you, because it has antidepressant qualities.  Or you could talk to the doctor about antidepressants as sometimes they do help with pain and you could possibly cut the vicodin out all together...

Huggles, Karen...

Do you think slipping in over the counter meds could help extend the time between narcotic doses?  You really do need to keep the pain under control and just something simple like that might help.  You don't need more depression on top of everything else!

 

Also, the longer you take a narcotic, your body becomes adjusted to it and then you need a higher dose to get the same pain-relieving results.  This is another reason I have tried to keep off narcotics.  My doctor sat down and explained all of this to me.

 

I do totally understand your concerns.  You are not only dealing with pain but also depression.  Hopefully you can fine a good "middle ground" until  you totally mend from  your surgery and hopefully can get off the narcotic medication.

 

Hope you feel better soon!

 

Sherrine

Sherrine, I did try that a couple of months ago, and it didn't work. But it's worth a go again, so thanks for the idea - I probably wouldn't have remembered it!

Karen, thank you, I just might sometime.

Debbie

Tramadol is an opiate I believe.