Well, I think you have already started cutting down on the pain pills. And I had a jaw problems a couple months back and it could very well be r/t R.A. Don't feel bad about having to take a pain pill. Maybe you could try an NSAID, like Mobic, or something not narcotic? I don't know if you take these? Well, I hope you feel better, but I certainly wouldn't feel too bad if you have to take one. Erica

Hi Caspiana,

I'm not too sure what the best practice is, and it probably depends on the drug, the mg, is it extended release. So I would say check out a support group like Narcotics Anonymous or SMART Recovery, where you could get an exact idea (or, of course your doctor). When I did C/T from Ultram ER, I felt like I was 2 inches from death; I was too tired to sleep. So, yeah, you are on the right road with the taper idea.

Speaking of Ultram, here's a goo link from medhelp.com -

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Addiction-Substance-Abuse/Ultram-Addiction/show/44321

Not being a doctor, I really don't know. But wanting less and less sounds like the right idea to me, as long as it is gradual and doesn not cause other complications.

Caspiana, I agree with ericam...jaw pain can definitely be RA-related. When I am at my worst, my pain starts from the jaw down. In fact, just a few days ago, the jaw pain hit and I had an ice pack wrapped around my head.
I take percocet for pain. When it is a full-on flare (or my tendons are acting up) it's 3 to 4 per day. As the pain gets better, I back off to one, usually mid-afternoon. I do that for a few days, then basically stop. I still have to take one now and then. And I still have weeks when I am back to 3 or 4 a day. I've never had any withdrawal problems.

Sorry to hog the post, but I meant to comment on "falling off the throne" (was glad to know you hadn't slipped off the toilet!!)---
One of the hardest things about RA for me---and that I am dealing with this past week---it the awful HOPE that I get when I finally started having a good spell a few weeks ago. I thought "alrighty then! This is IT!! FINALLY going to get out from under this RA pain!" I started doing more, pushing myself, doing "normal" stuff that I have missed (exciting stuff, like doing laundry, putting sheets on the bed!). Hell, I have started looking at job postings again.

Then, bam! Off the throne. What a hard landing it is, especially after climbing up to Hope Mountain when I was feeling better.

Reminds me of birthing my second child. First one ended up c-section after---believe it or not---36 hours of labor, 4 hours pushing!! Well, #2 was going great, coming fast, but wildly painful. I really decided to tough it out, but I think my "coping"---yelling wildly!!---concerned my doc and she really pushed for me to get an epidural. I submitted...and looked forward to the relief, really---but all the epidural did was numb my thigh!! They did it TWICE...and just my thigh numbed!! OMG---that made it soooo much WORSE, as I was expecting this huge relief and it didn't come.

I fell off Hope Mountain alright.

(By the way, I pushed that baby out even as they were prepping me for c-section!)

Caspiana
I am glad to know that you can come to DS and feel like you can discuss this big concern that you are having with the pain medication. Isn't this group great?
When I am on pain medication for this or that, I will reduce my pills by 1/2 everyday. If you are able to cut them in half?
So if you take 3 a day, the next day I would take 2 1/2, the next day 2, etc etc. This way you aren't just stopping cold turkey and feeling some of the effects. It is kind of like if you were having coffee 5 days in a row, your body will notice on the 6th day if you don't feed it some.

You might look up trigeminal neuralgia. I have been battling it for about 3 weeks after having dental work done, but it has hit me before for no reason so it appears to be RA related to me. It can be excruciating, so keep an eye on the situation and good luck. Just remember, if you have the pain, you need the meds. (I got that lecture from my doc last week). Don't try to be too brave. Let me know how the jaw pain situation is going.

Laura

I have intermittent tooth pain where all my teeth throb terribly for no apparent reason for like 15 mins. to 1/2 hr. It will go away and come back. It seems to happen periodically for awhile then stops. A few weeks to months later it starts up again. My dentist can find nothing wrong with my teeth and says it is not neuralgia . My RD says it is not RA related. I say BS! I think it is.
As for pain meds- you have been on them longer than I was but when I needed them I took them. When I felt like I could stop them I did with no consequence. I was on them probably no more than 2 months though. It was oxycontin. best of luck to you and I would be interested to see how many other people have "unrelated" tooth pain.

I had the same reaction to your topic title that Tessie did. Whoa, another person with exit problems from the commode.

Sorry you had pain to drive you back to meds, but it's a common tale, not meaning to discount your pain, in any way.

Your jaw very well can be affected by RA, and it's some of the worst. I hope the pain meds helped. This is definitely a place where I used cold packs, too.

There is information out on the interwebs about tapering from drugs. Maybe try these:

http://www.rxlist.com
http://www.drugs.com

Check with your doctor and/or phramacist, too. There may some particular protocols that are preferred. Someone mentioned cutting pills. DON'T do that unless you have specific information that it's safe. Some of these pills, like ocycontin IR or oxycodone, have special coatings.

What I did when I tapered from drugs was to first get a prescription for a lower dose (say 10 mg to 5 or 2 mg), and keep the same regimen for a while, then less frequent dosing, up to and including every other day, then every 3 days, and so forth.

I wish you the best, and encourage you to be patient. Unless you have a compelling reason to accelerate the pace, you have plenty of time.

Doug

I want to assure everyone , I didn't fall off the commode and am still in one piece :-) Thanks so very much for your advice and help. I didn't even know that jaw pain could be RA related. I keep learning something new everyday. I am going to take everyones advice particularly Doug's on trying to go about it more slowly. I think the thought that I am probably addicted to pain meds now was too much to bear and I wanted off right away, this minute this second! I know now I have to do this slowly. I hope you all have a good week.

Caspiana I think you're on the right track here. I'm learning the same lesson as I have been tapering off Lyrica. If you need a pain pill take it. I need to talk to my Dr about getting more. She gave me Tylenol 3 and I have been hoarding the last 6 for weeks. The main time I feel I need it is bedtime when all my muscles will start to ache, especially my back. Good luck!

When I have a question regarding any meds, I usually consult my pharmacist. Sometimes he knows more about the drugs than the doctors.

Usually weaning means take a little less for a few days, then another smaller abount for another few days, then that smaller amount every other day until you are weaned off of the drug. It may take about two weeks. Good Luck!

Hi Caspiana! I agree with everybody that the jaw pain can be RA related. My latest flare begun with a sharp pain in my right jaw. I'm doing better now, but I still have a lingering pain on that side of my face when I wake up in the morning. I really think that pain meds are there for a reason and even though I hate having to take so many meds all the time, sometimes there's not much we can do about it.

Hope you feel better.
Yvette.