what do i watch for when I take crohnic pain mds?

Question

narcotic problems

Answer 1

First of all, taking them for a while and then needing a higher dose is NOT addiction. Addiction is a pattern of behavior that includes cravings, continuing to take the medication even when doing so causes harm to oneself and family, and obsessively pursuing the drug. After you take pain meds for a while, yopur body adjusts and they may not work as well. This is a common probelm in pain management and does not mean you're an addict, it means you need to try a different medication. Also, pain management docs usually don't give meds with Tylenol in them because they are intended to be taken on a regular basis for a long time and they know that liver damage can result. Pain pattients don't become addicts, they become dependant on their meds. Diabetics are dependant on insulin. It's the same thing. We have a disease. We take medicine to control that diease. It does not make ud addicts.

What you SHOULD do is make sure your meds are effectively contorlling your pain. Talk to your doctor if they aren't. They may make you drowsy at first, but that will likely pass. If they make you nauseous, ask your doctor for an anti-emetic. If they make you feel "high" or loopy, tell your doctor, as the dose may be too high. The main objective is to get the best pain relief with the fewest sude effects. At the right dose, you will just feel like yourself... without pain but without a feeling of euphoria or excessive drowsiness. Good luck!

Answer 2

I have taken narcotic pain meds on and off for 14 years for chronic back pain and sciatica. You need to be very careful when using these drugs and driving or using power tools, or anything else that is potentially dangerous when your thinking may be cloudy. They can also cause constipation, dizziness and fatigue. After long use, liver damage is also a concern. One big concern many physicians have for patients using these meds is addiction or dependency. You really should speak to your doctor about the possibility of other problems associated with these meds, and then again with your pharmacist. They know your history and can give you a better idea of what you should watch for.

Ohhhh- I almost forgot... One med I used caused restlessness and intense itching. I had to stop taking it. Apparently I was having an allergic reaction.

Answer 3

Alternative - (I cant use meds)
When you are sitting as your computer there are lots of muscles at work not just your arms and hands. Your lower back if not supported, upper back supported or not, shoulders, and neck are all being taxed. The same muscles when tighter than they should be can put pressure on nerves that cause different levels of pain (including tingling and pins and needles). Sometimes (and it is smart to start here) it is aggravated by a misaligned skeletal structure, which a chiropractor can help with not just alignment but shrinking muscle damage that may exist by using ultrasound. The muscles themselves (due to any number of factors) have knots called trigger points that need to be relaxed. And they can be found as far away from your hands as your lower back. So a next good step is to work with a massage therapist. I would recommend doing this until the pain that you are feeling now and any from reaching the sore hand over onto the opposite shoulder are gone.

Much pain is from muscles below is an example of what may help (based on headaches).
Begin with a couple swigs of molasses or a couple of bananas (natural muscle relaxers) daily - magnesium (which regulates many things in the body) and potassium (a needed building block for muscles).
Drink at least 1/2 gallons of water per day. Running a body low on water is like running a car low on oil is the analogy the head of neurology at UCDavis told my husband about 10 years ago.

Now to the cause - muscles - your back, neck shoulders and head have tender spots. They are knots in the fibers of the muscles called trigger points. It makes the muscles tight which makes them press on nerves and other things causing the pain.

The cure - start with a professional massage, (if this does not do it you probably need a chiropractor as well) you will also want to go back over any place you can get to 6-12 times per session up to 6 times per day rubbing (or lightly scratching on your head) every where that is tender until the knots go away. Press up under the edge of the skull (to get to those muscles).

For more information read The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Davies. It teaches what to do and where the pain comes from.

Answer 4

Since I am not sure what meds you are taking. I will assume that they are narcotic. These type of medication are very addict able. Usually patient will take them for a while. Then notice that they are not having the same effect. Which is because you are becoming addicted to them. I would suggest. a discussion with your doctor about your concerns

Answer 5

look at the side effects. almost all those drugs kill the liver. you should look into conservative treatment like chiropractic to actually find the problem and fix it at its source. then re-evaluate if you actually need the meds.

are you taking these as part of an addiction? if that's the case, you're going to kill yourself. you would then need help. all I see is you say, "narcotic problems" and so i'm not sure if that means you have problems with taking too many narcotics.

please be wise with your body...you only get one.

don't forget to chose a "best answer".

Answer 6

Pain killers kill the patient and not the pain! They affect the stomach, liver, kidneys and intestines.
Acupuncture is the best treatment for chronic pains.