pain meds not working

I got out of the hospital a month ago for a severe flare-up of my UC, and the meds they prescribed me for my pain have been completely ineffective.  I was on IV Demerol in the hospital, and this was the only time since my flare began that I was completely pain-free.  I've tried Tramadol and Darvocet since then, and neither has worked.  I'm waiting on my second dose of Remicade to be approved by insurance - will the pain diminish after the second infusion?  Has anyone else experienced this kind of thing before?  How did you cope with it?  I'm falling behind in school because I can't concentrate due to the pain.  Thanks for any responses.

Yes - it ranges from a dull constant ache when the meds are "working" to probably a 4-5/10 pain when they're not, up to a 7/10 during a BM or when I'm feeling really gassy (happening more and more often). This is better than it was before the hospitalization + first dose of Remicade (pain 8-9/10 then), but since I'm on 40mg of prednisone a day too I had hoped that the combination of the steroids and the pain meds would be more effective than they are. Last year (when I was first diagnosed) 60mg of prednisone a day completely took care of all of my symptoms, and the Darvocet worked like a miracle drug then. I can't figure out why it's not working this time around, but I'm afraid to keep asking for something stronger - I told them in the hospital when they took me off the Demerol and put me on oral Darvocet that I didn't feel like the Darvocet was working and they prescribed it anyway. Is it normal for people with UC to be kind of resistant to pain meds that would otherwise work?

Tylenol #3? No I don't think so - I'm not even sure what it is. Would I be able to get it OTC or have to go thru my doc?

This year the constant pain is low and center in my abdomen - it'll spread to pretty much anywhere though, just never leaves that one spot, and when it's the worst that's where it's the worst. Last year I would get nauseous from the pain b/c it felt like someone was stabbing me along the entire length of my colon whenever there was ANYTHING moving through there (I was diagnosed with moderately severe pancolitis then). I'm assuming I had pancolitis again this year, although I don't know b/c they only did a sigmoidoscopy (worst pain yet!!). Actually the doc did say they thought I might have Crohn's colitis b/c of how deep the ulcers were this year and how bad they got in only two weeks (time from first noticing a symptom to getting admitted @ the hospital). Maybe that's why the pain meds aren't working?
Thanks so much for your responses.

Thank you - I'm hoping that starting the Remicade will make the pain meds unnecessary. And I will absolutely take your advice and never opt out of sedation again! Thank you everyone for your comments - I'm going to ask my doc about Tylenol #3 or other drugs at my next appointment. Will keep you posted!

Thanks I'll ask my doc about it - have you been on other pain meds that stopped working or has oxycodone always worked?

I had pain at around a 7 during the worst part of my flare (that would be with child birth being a 10!) and darvocet did help me. But, it was a double edged sword because the narcotic painkillers constipate me so I would go a few days without pain but then I would have to pass an overgrown hard as a rock stool through my flaring colon...omg never again. I couldn't even sit on the toilet and go, I had to lay on my side on a towel on the floor because I was in so much agony. UC is fun.

I'm not sure what pain relievers would work best for you, but for me a liquid diet for 2 days and then a low residue diet afterwards really helped me with the pain. I think it gave my colon a small rest and within a few days I felt a little better. I ate lots of fish, mashed potatoes, soups, etc. Any food bland and light in color seemed to be a safe bet and only cooked root vegetables. Oh, and also I ate lots of canned spinach. Like 2 cans a day. Now my pain is gone, and I can eat pretty much anything. I've also tapered down to 20mg of pred and I'm still pain free.