Fibromyalgia Support Group

You're not alone in your pain. Fibromyalgia is a condition that can be difficult to diagnose and manage. If you're trying to cope with pain throughout your body, sleep problems, general fatigue, or other common fibromyalgia symptoms, you're in the right place. The community is here for you to talk about therapies and share your challenges.

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mamawx4 11/04/2009

I am now going to a pain clinic who have prescribed hydrocodone 10 mg and robaxin 500 mg 3 times a day.The hydrocodones make me very sick at my stomach so I cut them in half and take one half every 4 hours[which helps a little] but they wear off way too soon and I am back in major pain again and when it is time to take it again it takes way too long to start working.The robaxin does absolutely nothing for me.With the pain clinic I am subject to pill counts at any time and have only 3 hours to get there when they call[about 60 miles away]or be thrown out of the clinic.last week I was in the bath room getting my meds out when I had a real bad muscle spasm in my hand and arm and ended up dumping half my hydrocodone down the toilet.Now I am afraid they will call me in for a count and I won't have enough pills.But she told me that she mostly only calls the ones who calls and makes excuses wanting more drugs.I don't know if I should call and let her know what happened or not because we are on a real tight fixed income and I can't afford to take that trip more than 1 time a month and I am afraid she will want me to start comming in more for pill counts.But if I don't call her then I will do without my meds for several days.It seems like I am damned if I do and damned if I don't

deleted_user 11/04/2009

yea...idk...Pain Meds never did anything for me, and they sound like they don't really help you either..I have no idea what robaxin is..I will hafta look that one up..kk...it is a Muscle Relaxant...very cool...used while doing other therapies...idk that I have ever taken a muscle relaxor..have tried various meds thru my life...if within a few week it isn't doing anything it gets dumped in the kitty litter..if it is not helping you...why continue it ?

idk what ta tell ya...you call her and tell her what happened, that is a gaurenteed Red Flag...ya think she is going to believe you ? NOT saying it Didn't happen just that way...but I am sure they get Lots of Stories...so then they are Naturally Suspicious !! know what I mean ?

deleted_user 11/04/2009

Don,t call u are just going to have to tuff it out...They will think u sold them or gave them to someone are worst u took them....don,t mean to come across mean but i go to a pain clinic and they hear all kinds of crazy stories cause theres so much abuse of pain meds out there.I hope u can find someting to help with the pain caue i know how BAD it can get....I have to take PAIN meds now after 4 lower back surgs.

deleted_user 11/04/2009

If the Vicodin is brand new, you probably are not dependent. They tell you to be honest, and when you are they start screaming at you. If at all possible, try to go without it, until you are due for the next month. 3 a day is not very much, and I bet you can withdraw yourself. I was able to, even with a lot of Norco which is double strength, but once you get into oxycodone, it is much harder to withdraw. But most providers, as they do not suffer pain, or accidents ever, you know, yell, and do not understand. They should be able to tell someone scamming, but a lot cannot. That is all I can think of is try to wait the next few weeks out. If you cant, then go tell her what happened. She might give you a few... raindrop

deleted_user 11/04/2009

oops sorry, I just saw that you are on 10mg which is Norco, the equivalent of 2 Vicoden, with less tylenol. So when you cut in half you have been getting the equiv of one vicodin, without all the tylenol. So you might have withdrawal. One thing you could do, is say you have anxiety , and it sounds like you do. I find that ativan or valium, really helps the pain pills last longer, because with fibro there is so much muscle spasm,and the anxiety causes this. Also, if they give you some ativan, you will be able to withdraw from the hydrocodone much more easily. raindrop

mynameisD 11/04/2009

Oh Jeez, I don't have any experience with this, but wanted to offer you a hug. So open your arms wide...HUG

deleted_user 11/04/2009

WOW! I am so sorry your pain clinic is treating you this way. Eek. The one I am with is not NEARLY as strict though I do have to be careful. If I were you, I would defintely tell them asap. Honesty is always the best. It stinks because there is definetely a possibility of it backfiring but what if they DO call you in for a pill check and you tell them ' well, it happened last week or whatever' I dont know. It stinks that we have to feel like criminals when all we want is pain relief.

I have been honest with my pain clinic even when I was nervous to do it and it worked. I think they can tell ( if they are seasoned) who is making up stuff and who isnt.

I sure hope it works for you but my two cents is to tell them.

HUGS
JBEAN

deleted_user 11/04/2009

One more thing, you say they do pill counts. Well, ask them to do a drug screen instead. That will prove you dont have any in your system, and you are in pain, you re not just selling them.. You need them, and would be using them if you had them. My provider now NEVER GIVES EXTRA, and my qual of life is way down, but my other provider, once I poured a glass of water into my entire meds as my contacts were out, and it was true, and she refilled them. I grabbed the bottle thinking it was a water glass, and before I could stop, it was filled with a goopy mess..raindrop

mamawx4 11/04/2009

I didn't mean to make the DR at the pain clinic sound mean.I explained to her about our money stuation the 1st time I saw her.That was when she told me that she was the one who randomly chose who was called in and how she chose them.I told her that if I had to come in for counts alot that I would have to just not take the priscription because I can't afford the tips all the time.I also told her about my concerns about getting addicted to drugs.She told me that I shouldn't worry about getting addicted because of all my problems[fibro,buldging discs and a birth defect that makes my spinal canal so narrow that it puts pressure on my spinal cord]I would probably be on pain meds for the rest of my life and that as long as I don't fail a drug testor come up short on a pill count they would make sure that I had them.She also told me that she wanted to try me on some more meds to try and get everything under control but that her policy was to not start more than 2 new meds at a time in case of allergies.So far I like her and the way she does things.I understand that they have to have certain rules because of people that just want to get drugs and don't really need them except to get high off them.Those are the ones who are to blame for DRs having to put all these rules in place and the ones who make it so hard on the ones of us who truely need them.

deleted_user 11/04/2009

I have a good pain specialist and have a drug contract with them. So far I've never had any problems if your honest and up front you shouldn't have a problem. I think doctors understand that things happen you shouldn't be afraid of your doctors. The ones that make a habit of calling with all kinds of stories are the ones they tend to keep an eye on.

Take the hydrocodone with food that helps me. also if the robaxin is not working let the the doctor know. I've had problems with them making me even more exhausted and I tried four different ones and I'm now taking Slelaxin as needed it is a newer drug so more expensive but it works for me without adding to the exhausted and foggy feeling. My doctor gave me some samples to try first so I wouldn't have to pay for a prescription in case they didn't work.

Hope things get better for you.
Hugs

deleted_user 11/04/2009

Opana is what I've been taking for a while - time release hydromorphone. No ups and downs, but level pain relief. Don't know if it helps RA, OA DDD,or FMS, just that pain levels are better.
BUT - now my teeth are rotting! 14 cavities in 6 months, some deep. My front teeth are like chalk and chipping little bits at a time. What next???? Planning to ask about Low Dose Naltrexone when I See pain doc next week.
We've had a contract for ages, but he quit counting a long time ago. I'm very careful to follow RX, and he knows it.
V.

deleted_user 11/04/2009

I too have a good pain specialist the proplem is he wants to give me to MUCH meds....thats because i have been with him ten years ...And i've earned his trust....we fight cause i won't take every thing he wants me to...He has had to learn to listen to me when i say i get sick on most meds and or they quit working which is all to often....But i have seen and heard with my own eyes and ears to nurses be out right MEAN to pain patients.I do take a pee test every so often....its mandtory to stay in pain program also u never know when ur going to be ask to take one .I don't have a problem with this cause if i never had to take meds another day in my life would be the best thing to happen to me cause it would mean i was healed of this HORRIBLE ILLNESS!!!!! be blessed!!!!

deleted_user 11/04/2009

try 1/2 every 2 1/2 hrs thats what i do & make sure you eat first & drink plenty! also everyone always makes a face but for me =causef my crohnes the doc told me to chew them up! i'm so use to the that i let it rest in gum line & melt=suck on a mint or hard candy @ same time=it gets into blood stream faster w/ no stomach problems!

deleted_user 11/04/2009

being short can cause you to withdrawl so take a 2 tylnol500mg along w/ it! thats what vicodine is!

deleted_user 11/04/2009

Hi mamawx4, I am new to this group but I feel that I may have something I contribute for you....I too, take Hydrocodone 10 and have for years. I try to take it with a little food and drink a lot of water. It helps a little, but, I'm having a lot of problems with my Fibro right now. The pain is out of control, I guess it is the season/weather changing...As far as muscle relaxers, I take Zanaflex 4mg. Zanaflex is for muscle spasms and from what I understand is frequently given to paitents with severe MS. Once again, it helps but doesn't get rid of the tightness/spasms. I do find just lately that my blood pressure is tending to drop too low with pain meds, so I have to take BP before taking pain meds. If I don't take pain meds my BP soars....Oh well what to do? My Fibro is the result of an accident in which I damaged C 5-6 and will have to undergo treatment for the rest of my life, so my meds are prescribed more for pain mgt than for Fibro.

I don't think I would "rock the boat" and report losing the pills.....unless you just have to call to replace the meds.

Hopefully you will get some relief from pain soon.

deleted_user 11/04/2009

wow I didnt know pain clinics ddi drug counts... I would be screwed for sure. I dont abuse my meds but I take them as needed that means some days I need more others I need less... like today I have taken 2 vicoden and 2 ultram. I will probally take one more vicoden and no more ultram (unless my nite gets rough. Other days I need only 2 doses of vicoden and more ultram, some days I need more vicoden no ultram... but how do you prescrib that??? just because I hit my 3 a day the doc limited me to doesnt mean the pain isnt there... Im on 5/500s... I know people who take 3 and 4 10/1000 double the strengh so I know IM not hurting my self. if I take say 4 in a day. Also I refuse to take them if I dont hurt. Usually the end of the month Im close to being on target for my meds. SOmetimes I have a few extra on the refill date and some days Im refilling with the 3 day leanancy... but I dont ask for more then the monthly amount so I figure it works out in the end.... ugh I hope my pain clinc doesnt count that would suck

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