which is the best medicine to choose?

Question

I have been on the duragesic patch (50mcg/h)for the last year. I change them every 48 hours. I also take Lorcet(10/650) 4 times daily for chronic back pain. My doctor says he can put me on the oxycotin if I want but I am not sure which is the best for pain. Should I take just the oxycotin and stop the others??? I am really tired of these patches but they do work.

I notice that I have lost weight since I got on the patch. This is not good

Answer 1

Hi AnimalLover.

I take several types of very strong pain killers. I, too, use Duragesic Patches (Fentanyl), although I use 100 ug/h. You are supposed to leave them on for 72 hours, not 48 hours. They are at 50% full-strength on day 1 & 3, but are at 100% full strength on the 2nd day.

To get 100% full-strength continuously, I have to overlap the patches. On day 3, I add a new one (day 1). This means that the 2 together = 100%. The next day, the 1st patch is removed, but it is day 2 for the second one, which is now at 100%. Then the next day, day 3, I add a new one, and so on.

So, do not remove the patch after 48 hours. Leave it on but add a new one after 48 hours (on the morning of the 3rd day. Then remove the 1st one at the end of its 3rd day (72 hours).

You are also taking Lorcet, which is hydrocodone/acetaminophine. Lorcet is the same as Norco, Vicodin, Vicodin ES, Lorcet Plus & Anexsia. They are synthetic forms of codeine. They are for moderate to moderately-severe pain.

Oxycontin is oxycodone/acetaminophine. Its brand name is Percocet. It is basically in the same pain-killing range as what you are taking now. It is also for moderate to moderately-severe pain. However, it is sometimes helpful to change the type of medication, even if it is the same strength. It's new to your body, so it may help more.

If you feel your pain is worse & needs more powerful meds, stay on the Duragesic Patches; but maybe the doctor can raise the dosage to 75 or 100 ug/h.

In addition, you may need to jump up to the category of Morphine. I take morphine sulphate - immediate release (MSIR). It starts to work in 10 minutes. It is for moderate to severe pain.

If you want a long-acting, steady release of morphine, you can take morphine extended-release capsules. The brand name is Avinza. This, too, is for moderate to severe pain.

Well, that's the best medication you can possibly take. Talk with your doctor and see what he/she thinks about it. I know what it's like to have chronic, unrelenting pain. I am very grateful that I have a wonderful doctor.

Do not worry about becoming addicted. Doctors now know that addiction is not a real problem for people who are truly in pain. You will become physically dependent after a while, but that is not the same thing.

If you took steroids, high blood pressure meds, anti-seizure meds, or many other medications, you would also become physically dependent on them. What you simply do, if you are no longer in pain & can come off the meds, is you taper down your dosages, by following your doctor's instructions. As long as you do that, you will have no problems.

There are other, non-medication ways to help treat pain. I do not know the details about your back pain, so I have to be general. Some things may be helpful to you, while others might not.

I use what is called a TENS unit. I can never remember remember what the letter T stands for; but the rest of it is - T... Electrical Nerve Stimulator.

TENS uses tiny electrical pulses, delivered through the skin to nerve fibers, to cause changes in muscles, such as numbness or contractions. This in turn produces temporary pain relief. There is also evidence that TENS can activate subsets of peripheral nerve fibers that can block pain transmission at the spinal cord level, in much the same way that shaking your hand can reduce pain.

It looks like a Walkman, & you hook it on your waist. The wire plugs into the unit, then splits into 2 wires that you place on 2 spots. You turn on the "volume" & make the electricity as powerful as you need. It fools your brain into noticing the voltage & missing the pain signal. It actually works for muscle/nerve pain.

Peripheral nerve stimulation uses electrodes placed surgically on a carefully selected area of the body. The patient is then able to deliver an electrical current as needed to the affected area, using an antenna and transmitter.

I would recommend a TENS unit. It really is great as an adjunct to pain medication.

If your pain is, or may become really unbearable, you might want to consider the following procedure. It sounds very drastic, but it's done with local anesthesia. The only "creepy" thing about it is that wires protrude from inside your body.

I cannot have that procedure, for medical reasons, but I know several people who have had that done. They have told me it works great for them.

Spinal cord stimulation uses electrodes surgically inserted within the epidural space of the spinal cord. The patient is able to deliver a pulse of electricity to the spinal cord using a small box-like receiver and an antenna taped to the skin.

I hope your situation isn't so bad that you need to go this far. However, if it ever gets to this point, you now have some solutions.

In addition to all this treatment, I would also suggest getting Acupuncture. I have an Acupuncturist who comes to my home every 2 weeks. It really does help reduce the pain for me. It is not long-lasting, but that's because of my personal medical problem. Many people have long-lasting relief.

I also used to see an Osteopath every 2 weeks (alternating w/the Acupuncturist). An Osteopath, unlike a Chiropractor, is an actual medical doctor who can prescribe meds, do surgery, etc. However, they prefer to work with a hands-on approach. They do wonderful work, especially with the back.

From one animal lover to another, I hope this information has been helpful to you. I hope you feel better, and I hope your situation is not permanent.

Best of luck to you.

Answer 2

I took oxycotin 20 in the morining and 20 at night and I also took 10 morning and 10 at night and it made me feel kinda tired i wanted to sleep alot i just decided to switch to the patch 25mg and i dont feel as tired and it has worked well except i have a hard time getting it to stick no matter what i use to try and help it stick this is my 4th month i think on the patch and i like it because i can go places and dont have to wrry about taking pills with me and such but i think as in pain maigment they both work the same. what you could do is tell the docter you wunna see how the oxycotin does and use it for awhille and then you will know what u like better

Answer 3

Medicine is a science . One can not have more than one system or the other. I chose medicine as a career and many people think I suppress symptoms instead of going to the root cause and so they call me "Allopath". I verified several "Ayurvedic" medicines by studying deep. They contain the same substances as modern so called allopathic medicines English medicine ? what is that ?A translation of Hebrew medicine or German medicine ? ?

Answer 4

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Answer 5

what you are doing is working I would not change. oxycotin Is extremely addicting and hell to stop. You may be tired of the patches, but you will never face the nightmare of drug withdrawls from them.

I also suggest you see a chiropractor or acupuncturist for a second opinion on what to do for your back pain. Both of these doctors are very good at treating chronic back problems.

Answer 6

Have you tried any alternative (non-prescription) treatments for back pain? I can give you some examples if you're interested

Answer 7

Go see an Osteopath. An osteopath will find out what the real problem is and try to treat it.. not just hide the symptoms with painkillers.