I'm not such a good person to respond because I get off pain killers as soon as I can (surgery coming up so I have vicodin prescription which I'll use for the first couple days and then get off of).

We are all different and our pain tolerance is different. If you need the meds, take them,. If you can taper off without increasing your pain, do that. Never be embarassed or feel bad for taking the meds - they are there for a very good reason. This is a hugely painful disease - I have vicodin in my med pack as a precaution but my pain tolerance is really high so I don't have to take it. Not everyone is so lucky.

I wish you all the best. If you need the meds, by all means, take them. Take care of yourself and do the best you can.

Many hugs and support,

Lynne

Hi Caspiana and welcome to the board. As far as the pain meds go are you takeing them as needed or around the clock. I wouldn't be that conceerned if you are taking them every now and then for two months as I would if you are taking them around the clock for two months. If the latter is the case maaybe your pain meds should be switched or your pain reevaluated by your rheumatologoist because you may neeed other RA meds added. Good luck and let us know how you are doing.

Thank you. I plan to talk to my doctor this week about my pain meds.

welcome! we all fall back on the pain meds at one time or another. if you can taper off, then by all means do it. i have my stash, and only take them when i'm in dire need. the rest of the time i can get by without them. so it's entirely up to you and your doc. talk to him/her, and maybe you can come up with an alternate plan. good luck!

If you feel you can do without them by all means wean yourself.
Even when I was on pain meds I was told I shouldn't expect to be pain free so once I was in that mind set I now only take them if pain is interupting my life.
I like to try topicals and things like support gloves. I am on MTX which is toxic to the liver so I try to keep anything else that does the same thing to a minimum.

I just weaned off of pain meds its unpleasent but it is better to take pain meds as needed and try to avoid taking them everday to prevent chemical dependence. They can be a double edge sword, because they can increase your sensitivity to pain. Just use your best judgement, we all need pain meds sometimes cause this RA can just whoop up on us.

Hello and thank you Dawn for your advice. I was wondering how you weaned yourself off? Did you just stop taking them or did you stop taking a dose a day and then two doses?

Personally, I was in a car accident in 1991-18 years ago and it left me with 3 fractured vertabrae in my neck among other serious injries...During the next 12 years after the accident I was taking s many nsaids and tylenol, I damaged my stomach to the point where I cannot tolerate nsaids at all..Vioxx made me go in ambulace twice in a 3 day period. I was taken off vioxx and never took another nsaid since then,,,Upon being diagnosied with sjogrens and fibromyalgia stemming from car accident(fibro), I started oxycontin time released and oxy ir for breakthru pain..I hav been on the same dose for 5 years an I find my qaulity of life has improved because I used to be bedridden alot more than I am now. I used to feel guilty and dirty for taking the narcotics but I am better off with them. One time I weaned off by decresing 5mgs every 2nd day and that worked for me. I ended going back on them due to severe pain all over my body. I find I have several types of pain including nerve pain but the pain I get with sjogrns feels like a achy flu like yucky feeling..I feel so stiff..I just want to stay in a hot tub..Heat works too..ugs to all my RA sjogrens buddies

I think it depends on the drug, dosage, etc. I always ask about withdrawing as a precaution. Also, do you ever go to drugs.com to check meds? It is a fantastic resource, especially for putting in all your meds to check interactions. That is what makes coming off some drugs more dangerous, as well.
hahaha...short answer?? Ask your doc!
~tessie