No, you should never, ever chew your medications, that can actually cause an overdose!

Be careful about who you take advise from. Gee whiz. Who are some of these people answering?

You probably need more and you should talk with your doctor about upping your dose.

I totally agree with Tip. She is a very smart gal and you can rely on what she says.

I am taking Hydrocodone 3 times a day even though they say I can take 4. Today I was in so much pain I took 2 instead of 1 and I felt so much better and got a bunch of stuff done. That is the first time I've done that. My doctor asked me if I take 2 twice a day or 1 4 times a day and I told her I didn't think I could handle 2 at once. But she was probably right that taking 2 would be better.

One thing I've found with this severe pain is it can easily get out of control. If I stay on top of it and listen to my body I do fairly well.

forra -- your right about the devise, it does help, I have one myself. but unfortunately it doesn't help enough. I still have to take pain meds to get through the day and my machine is on day and night.

it is a common myth that pain pills are automatically addicting. if you take them as prescribed and if you have actual pain, the risks of addiction are low because when you have pain the meds target that pain. it is when you take them and you do not have pain then the meds target the pleasure sensor of your brain instead, this is where the addiction part comes in, that and taking them to close together. if you take them as the doc tells you to there is little risk of addiction. there is a risk of dependence but that's a whole other story.

Wow, I am so touched by how many of you responded. Thank you thank you. I can't find the words to express how touched I am.

I'll try to answer some of the questions.

1. I do have a pain management doctor. I just started seeing him. I have an appointment with him on the 30th to do the radiofrequency ablation on the left side of all lumbar levels by my facet joints. If the procedure works then I will get to wean myself off of what I have now and jump for joy. If it doesn't, we will try something else. I will need to adjust my medication at that appointment because I also need to do the RF on my right side. My insurance requires 2 weeks in between those procedures.

2. I do not take pain medication during school days. I believe this is a part of my problem. By the time I get home, my pain is hard to get under control. I don't want to take anything while I work. It makes me drowsy and I need to be able to react quickly and have my senses sharp. I have a few children with special needs and I need to be alert! On the weekends, it's a lot easier to stay comfortable. Maybe I need a pill to take when I get home that can get the pain under control and then something different to maintain through the night. Is that what you guys mean when you talk about break through meds?

3. I know my body has developed a dependency to what I'm currently taking. I didn't take them for a day and the next day I had mild withdrawal symptoms. I don't seek a high. Being able to go to the store without wanting to cut my legs off is a high in itself. :o)

I can't remember what the other questions are. Oopsie! Again, your advice and shared experiences is a great help to me.

Oh, I have a lengthy MRI report for my back so I will sum it up the best way I can. DDD in all discs. Herniations of varying degrees on all lumbar levels. Arthritis in the facet joints and one of my vertebrates. I believe it is my L5. I need to brush up on that again.

I have had an ACDF in my neck (July 2010) and a microdiscectomy L5/S1 (July 2009). I have scar tissue from the micro d as well. No accidents, I was just made this way I suppose.

My husband is getting through school as quickly as he can and we are hoping next year will be my last year teaching. My main focus is getting this body of mine ready to handle a pregnancy. That means no drugs! If I decide that isn't wise or even feasible, I need to get ready to be a mother because I will go for adoption.

Well, there's another novel for ya! Ack! Tomorrow is Gingerbread House day and I need my rest. I hope everyone is having a restful night.

Just stands to reason, whatever is causing pain is likely to get worse and that alone would require stronger pain medications.

You are taking a low dose opioid and if that is giving you relief, you might talk to your pain doctor about an extended release opioid that would help control pain all day/night.

Not sure what is causing your pain, but changes in posture, for the better, proper stretching to reduce muscle spasm and strengthening to balance and tone. All things you can do during the day at work.

Tipper is correct about addiction and dependence. This analogy helps me understand the difference: a chronic pain patient taking pain medication is the same as a person with high blood pressure taking medication to lower the blood pressure, or a person with an infection who takes antibiotics. I hope you relief for your pain real soon.

As others have said you need to speak to your doctor. Sometimes a change in meds can make the difference or a med holiday where you stop for a week or so to let your system adapt. Hopefully with the holidays coming up you will have a vaca from school so you can rest.

Also try the other pain relievers. It's never good to rely on just one thing. PT, aqua therapy, heating pad, tens, massage unit are all good things that can get you through.

do NOT chew your pain meds. like someone else mentioned its dangerous and the ohter thing is it wont controll your pain for as long.

its good to stay on top or a head of your pain. that i agree with. ive been told that by pain docs, nurologist and my primary care doc and people here.

I won't chew my pain meds. =) I was thinking of taking a med vaca during the break. We will see if I can handle it...it may not happen.

merri,
Try not to worry so much. You have been given some great advice. If the dosage you are on is not working, it may be time to get a stronger one. I was on 10-500 three times per day...plus muscle relaxers and a host of other things. In the end, though, everything stopped working and the only thing that took my pain was medicinal marijuana. (That was too expensive, though, so I stopped using it.) I eventually stopped taking everything because it did me no good and I wasn't going to pop the pills anymore. I learned how to concentrate on other things besides the pain and have been doing so for well over a year now. (So, you CAN get along without medication if you have to. I am living proof of that.)
If you aren't taking muscle relaxers, one added to the pain pill you take in the evening may be beneficial.)
Make a date for a warm bath when you get home. That will both relax you and ease your pain. Put some candles around the tub and some sooothing music. Make it a nightly ritual. That way, it will help teach your body how to relax with and through the pain. (I used to be in such pain that I could not lay down. However, I couldn't sit up 24/7, either, so I had to teach myself how to literally lay down in the pain. It was hard at first, but actually helped to ease the pain enough for me to eventually be able to lay down again.)
I pray your surgery will be successful. Keep us posted.
Gentle hugggggssss to you.

sometimes i take a med break myself when i was only on as needed pain meds. i would take a few days to a week break so then i needed them again they would be more effective.

i really think that and extended release med would probably be of some help to you.

i'm glad your not chewing your meds! even the thought of that gives me the heebies

I tried to take a pain vaca today. lol I think I need to wait until after I've been off of work for more than a day. That may be helpful.

I mean a pain med vacation. I need an edit button! =)

Hi, Merri, I was a teacher, too. I started taking Percocet 5/325 3x daily in order to get through the day and then it was home to the couch. I was then put on a longer acting medication, Oxycontin, which had to be upped over the last couple of years.

I had to give up working entirely or try surgery. I've had one surgery already. My pain is too widespread for that to be an option. I, too, was working on my Master's in education, and I had to stop pursuing that goal as well.

My best advice to you is to seek a pain management doctor for long term pain management and see how you fare. After your ablation surgery, you may be able to get by without medication entirely, or perhaps a time release med will allow you to continue working.

Plan for the worst, but hope for the best. I surely hope the best for you.

Hi Merri,
I haven't responded in awhile but your case interested me as I can relate to quite a bit of it. You say thaat you are having an RF Facet procedure? Have you had regular facet blocks first and have they helped? I ask this because I went through numerous epidural injections (different sites) and they didn't work then my PM Doc tried the Facet blocks and I got immediate relief. The facet blocks worked well for me but didn't last longer than 6-8 weeks so my Doc asked if I would consider the RF procedure. The insurance approved it and the doctor warned me that it would be a bit more painful as he could not give me aany sedation but that if it worked it worked it should last for 6 months to a year. I wish that I could report that it worked but it didn't:( I do, however, continue to get the regular facet blocks every few months and get very good results from them. I wish you the best and hope that you can find something that helps you stay ahead of the pain...when it gets out of control (to the point of being sick to your stomach) it's really hard to pull it back in again! The cold weather really makes me hurt so I really look forward to a nice hot tub when I get home, then I get into some comfy clothes and sit with my heating pad and my kitties!
Take care, try to get somer rest over the holiday break and remember to be good to yourself, you deserve it!
xoxoLyn