Chronic Pain Support Group
Physicians and professionalsdefine pain as chronic if it lasts longer than three to six months and is persistent. It's distinct from acute pain that is a direct result of injury or trauma. This support group is dedicated to those suffering from chronic pain. Discuss treatments that have worked for you, find advice for your specific experience, and find support. You're not...
I have been suffering from chronic pain for the past 15 years and have tried all types of medications. I just found out that I have a full tear in my rotator cuff in my right shoulder. Of course I am right handed.
Currently the pain doc's have me on Vicodin 7.5/500 4 times a day. I have made an appointment with my primary care individual to discuss getting off the narcotics.
My question to the group is what non-narcodic drugs work for you? I currently take neurontin and tizanidine also. I also suffer from depression made worse by the pain.
Currently the pain doc's have me on Vicodin 7.5/500 4 times a day. I have made an appointment with my primary care individual to discuss getting off the narcotics.
My question to the group is what non-narcodic drugs work for you? I currently take neurontin and tizanidine also. I also suffer from depression made worse by the pain.
I am wondering when are you having surgery on your arm. That is what is usually done for a torn rotator cuff. Why are you worried about narcotics. You cannot get addicted to them if you are using them for pain. If the narcorics take away the pain and you don't get high you should not get addicted. Now I have to say everyone is different, but this is what happens with most individuals.You can take Excederin Muscle and body aches or Naproxen, which is Aleve but I doubt it would relieve your pain. Have you seen a Orthopedics surgeon for this? I wish you luck.Isabee
I'm on a lot of narcotics now, but before that i took ultram which helped alot for several years. i also take tizanidine for muscle spasms, which helps alot. But don't turn down narcotics because of the fear of addiction. As isabee said, you can't get addicted if you use them for pain relief and not the "high". Yes, you can get tolerant to them and may require increased doses, but as long as you use them for the right reason, you are not an addict.
Just be careful of the acetaminophen you're taking with the vicodin. It can be more deadly than the narcotic itself. You may want to think about changing it to something like oxycodone which has no acetaminophen in it.
I hope they can fix your shoulder and help your pain.
Sandy
I want to welcome you to this site!! I don't think I have seen you post here before; if you have please forgive me. I am on narcotic medication currently for the chronic pain I have and it works well. I have been on it for the past 4 years and I am thankful to have it bc nothing else worked for me. Taken on a schedule it prevents my pain from getting out of control.
I know you have chronic pain and a torn rotator cuff. Sounds like the torn cuff needs a surgical consult. As for the chronic pain; if you need to be on a narcotic for the bad days allow yourself to do that. I took so much ibuprofen at one point I almost put myself in kidney failure. That is why I sought stronger medicine; it just wasn't worth me eating bottles of advil that did nothing for me after awhile. Best of luck with the appt. Keep us posted on how it goes:)
Beth
The non- narcotic drugs besides ibuprofen and Tylenol are
- diclofenac, Mobic , naproxen, etc - NSAIDs
- Cymbalta - antidepressant that acts on two different neurotransmitters in the brain. It is used in chronic pain patients for pain, not so much for depression, because of the pain cascade pathway.
- anticonvulsants for neuropathic pain - Neurontin, Lyrica
- topical stuff such as Lidoderm patches
Pain management doctors are often able to do an injection block to stop you from feeling pain in a particular body part.
Sometimes it is possible to actually cut the nerve and stop the sensation for good.
All of these things have risks and benefits.
I am a big fan of pain specialists because they get far more training than primary doctors. A lot of pain specialists are anesthesiologists and they do 7 years of in hospital residency before becoming an MD while PMD only gets 3.