March 2, 2008 - 9:20pm
I had back surgery 2 1/2 yrs ago ( ruptured disks L4 L5 S1 ) I have had to live on pain meds ever sense! ( scar tissue! ) Is pressing on same nerves that disks were!
I now have found out that I have Reruptured S1 and Have 2 new Ruptures in L1 L2!
I am being told that I have a conically degenerating Back?
After a nerve conduction study was done, They have told me I need to have a spinal Fusion done!
I am taking 4 percocet 10/650/generic a day as well as 3 soma per/day and 1 eavil 75mg at night to help me sleep ( although I still wake up whenever I turn my back! )
The Meds are not working very well though. I am still in pain most of the time and I never get a full nights rest. The pain in my back and legs is getting worse as well as numbness in the ^*#% and legs. and now it has started to get nimb in my shoulders too. and If I sit for any length of time in a chair I can barely walk when I get up.
Is there a pain med that will work better than what I am taking?
My ins will not pay for anything but generic meds so I do not know if percocet is better than the generic they give me.
I am also very worried about the upcomming surgery I am facing, as the last one did not work!
I had an orthopedic surgeon do the 1st surgery and now will have a Neurosurgeon do this one.
Any feedback would be helpful!
Thanks!!
Bruce
March 11, 2008 - 9:32pm
#2
Generics meds are the same
as brand name. They are no less effective. They are just packaged and/or named differently.
March 12, 2008 - 2:25pm
#3
Back Surgery
Thanks for the reply!
I have been to 3 Dr's and all have suggested that I have the surgery.
The nerve conduction study shows impingment in several areas.
And it takes several Mo's to get an appt. with a neuro-Serg in this town.
I have been waiting for over 3 mo's now and will see him next week ( Thank God! )
The meds they have me on do not work very well for the pain.but I have a Great Family Dr.That is realy trying to help with the problem, So I am Greatfull for this!
I have seen others on this site that warn about the amount of asprin in the percocet and I am presently taking 4 Percocet/10 650MG a day and I have had severe stomach pains and nousea over the last few weeks, and I was wondering if there is something better I can ask my Dr about?
I am also worried about my liver with this much a day.
Would Percocet/? IR do better? I have just see comments about it on this site.
I have been on this strength Percocet for over a year now and it seems to not bee as affective.and as the new ruptures in L1,L2 and the Rerupture in S1 have increased the pain I am in Greatly!As well as Now numbness in both the shouldres and R-arm down to the elbow,and increased pain in upper back.
I would just like to be more informed as to what I should be asking my Dr about.
Thanks for Helping!!
March 12, 2008 - 2:56pm
#4
By"Percocet IR", are you
By"Percocet IR", are you meaning Oxy IR? Has the percocet ever worked very well? You take 10mg of oxycodone at a time, but did it once work, and now it does not, or has it never been effective? Because an increase in dose would be beneficial if it is tolerance(ie goig to Oxy IR at a higher dose), but if it just doesnt work for you, it may be that you need a different narcotic.
March 12, 2008 - 3:22pm
#5
Effective Pain Medications
Thanks for the reply!
No, Percocet ( Oxycodone/APAP 10MG-650MG ) Has not realy worked well enough.
And now I have 2 new ruptures L1,L2 and have reruptured the same area that I had surgery on L4,L5,S1, 2 yrs ago so the pain has increased greatly!
My Dr moved me from Percocet 7.5 to 10MG a year ago when I told him that the pain med was not realy working.and I have been in Constant Pain, although it did help a little, it never did take the pain away, and I have not had a full nights sleep in over a year even though I take a sleeping pill at night. I wake up every time I turn or move my back,And now with the new areas of pain I am Not getting any relief at all. I found this site while looking up the meds I was taking and have seen others in the same pain I am in. So I am looking for more info so I can ask my Dr about what he might try next. I have to find something that works! Life is Misarable!
THANKS Again for the help!
March 12, 2008 - 3:39pm
#6
Your doctor may want you to
Your doctor may want you to try a different narcotic. Everyone responds differently to drugs, so what works well for one person, may not work at al for others.
The good news is that of the CII's, oxycodone is on the weak side. You may do well on methadone or fentanyl, although, if it were me, I would try other options before going to one of these. They are about as potent as you can get (as far as binding affinity).
When taken by mouth, morphine is weaker than oxycodone, but it may be more effective for your type of pain, and there are no preparations of morphine with apap/asa/ibuprofen, so you wouldnt have to worry about complications associated with combination narcotics.
Talk to your doctor about it though. Let him know the oxycodone doesnt seem to cut it, and that a dosage increase would probably not be beneficial. Most doctors would be thrilled to not have to rx oxycodone, due to its stigma.
March 12, 2008 - 4:08pm
#7
10zzzzz
Try a TENS unit........and crank it up
Ray
December 28, 2008 - 9:24am
#8
swich meds?
I have been on 10 mg/325 percocet for almost 2 yrs now for cronic back pain, and they are not working as well now.
Is there a different med that is the same stength that I can ask my Dr. to swich to?
December 28, 2008 - 1:33pm
#9
Seems to me
that you should be on one of the many extended release meds such as MS Contin, Oxycontin, Duragesic, etc. I am wondering why your doctor still has you on instant release meds, have you asked him or expressed your concerns? He/she is the one you should direct this question to...
December 28, 2008 - 2:29pm
#10
Forgot to mention...
usually is not a good idea to "mention" medications to your doctor unless you have a very long standing/open relationship with him/her. You are almost certainly better off just going in to an appointment and telling your Dr. that your pain is not being controlled effectively by your current treatment plan and ask if he has any ideas or suggestions. If you've been a compliant patient, seeing as how you've been on the same dose of oxycodone IR for two years, he should have no problems with discussing other treatment options with you.
It is not that the first surgery did not work, but that you developed one of the known complications of back surgery (there is even a name for it, "post laminectomy syndrome"). Back surgery is not usually done primarily to relieve pain, but to prevent permenant neurologic damage. Sometimes, surgery relieves pain as well. It is worthwhile consulting with two or more surgeons who specialize in back surgery either orthopedic or neurosurgery. Most insurance will pay for one or two second opinions.