I was today years old when I learned...

[simpsontruckdriver]

Dentists and other outpatient surgical centers are no longer prescribing opioids for pain. We all know Perdue Pharmaceuticals lied about Oxycodone saying it's not addictive. I had a tooth extracted last week, my dentist suggested Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen. Since I already had a bottle of Naproxen (Alleve), I looked into that, it works also. I have never heard of the "cocktail". So, if you have severe pain, you can take both at the same time, or space them out. Like, take a 650mg 8-hour Acetaminophen and Naproxen at first, then take the Acetaminophen 8 hours later, Naproxen 12 hours later, etc. For extraction pain, it took away my pain 100% and unlike opioids, it is not addictive. When the pain stops or is manageable (like a "1" or "2"), stop taking them. The only side effect is from taking pain meds longer than 7 days straight.

It's like two paths to get to a destination. The Acetaminophen takes one path to take away pain, Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID) like Naproxen or Ibuprofen take another.

TS

 

[SmithOp]

Too bad they discontinued Norco, Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone. They worked great when my sciatica flared up.

 

[easyrider]

Aleve was a problem for me. They worked so well I started using it all the time. I had stashes in the glove box, night stand, fishing tackle , camping gear and I still occasionally find a bottle of Aleve in some odd place.

I guess my point is Aleve can end up being used daily but it isn't really for long term use or for high dose usage. The side effects
include heart attack and stroke. I had the heart attack while using Aleve thinking it was safe. I would have been considered a long term user .

Bill

 

[DrQ]

Ibuprofen and Naproxen are big no-nos if you have Chronic Kidney Disease. Long term high doses of Acetaminophen can burn up your liver, so these OTC products have their dangers too.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Ibuprofen and Naproxen are big no-nos if you have Chronic Kidney Disease. Long term high doses of Acetaminophen can burn up your liver, so these OTC products have their dangers too.

True. I worry about taking anything but for pain, you have to do something. Anything at all that's safe?

 

[easyrider]

True. I worry about taking anything but for pain, you have to do something. Anything at all that's safe?

My cardiologist said that I can only use Tylenol and only if I really need it.

Bill

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

True. I worry about taking anything but for pain, you have to do something. Anything at all that's safe?

Like I said, and others have reinforced, all OTC pain relievers are safe if people take them for less than 8 days straight.

TS

 

[DrQ]

Like I said, and others have reinforced, all OTC pain relievers are safe if people take them for less than 8 days straight.

That is fine and good for a temporary condition.
.
I was involved in a major automobile wreck over 20 years ago and was on a morphine drip and opioids after release. I did not become addicted, but the side effects of opioids left me with a dread of them. I avoid them as much as I can. I had a root canal a couple of years ago and the endodontist did the Acetaminophen regimen with the option of Vicodin, but I didn't want to go that route. It was two days of hell with the worst of it being at night. After five days it was over and I was off the high dosage of Acetaminophen.

Unfortunately, there are people with chronic pain which will not go away after 8 days. I have both CKD and arthritis in my hip. I have to balance pain management, physical therapy and the risks associated with each mode of treatment to reduce the pain to make it through the day. At some point I will need a hip replacement, but I haven't gotten to the point where the pain overrides the dread of major surgery which will be a whole new definition of pain for the short term.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I had pretty severe restless leg syndrome after my hip surgery and I went off of Percodan. That was strange to me. Went away after a few days, but I would say I was getting addicted after about 4 weeks of taking those for the pain.

 

[silentg]

Turmeric works for pain, for me

 

[DrQ]

Turmeric works for pain, for me

My nephrologist nixed turmeric for me.

 

[clifffaith]

About 15 years ago I had miserable bursitis pain in my shoulder. Aleve knocked down three days of pain after two doses. Then I had three days of stomach pain that was almost as bad as the shoulder pain, so that was it for me. Cliff can take it with no problems, and it gave him blessed relief from his cracked ribs when Tylenol simply didn’t touch it.

 

[easyrider]

I've used thc cbd gummies for pain. I know others who just take a toke. The toking is a bit smelly for me. The gummies are legal where I live. They can give a slight buzz at first but it's slight and fades away depending on how many mg you take. I like a 50 50 mix and started off with 10 mg at morning, noon and night. I never caught a buzz. I could still feel the pain but it wasn't as bad. I slept pretty good too.

Bill

 

[kupool]

Getting older sure isn't for sissies. 6 years ago I only took multi vitamins. I felt invincible, unstoppable, and was sure I could take on hell with a water pistol. Today, I've got a list of meds a mile long. I hate taking opioids so I end up waiting way too long. My Dr(s) keep telling me to take em. 60 pills usually last me 5 months or so. Alive, Ibuprofen, etc are no - no for me due to bleeding risk. Ditto for aspirin. Acetaminophen is approved but doesn't do diddly squat. Chronic Pain is my friend. I just wish my friend would not visit so often or say so long. So, I do my own thing, i.e. pain killer. If no relief after 2 hours, have a toddy. Thankfully this works 60% of the time. The remaining 40% of the time .... The Goddess is telling me "See, I told you. Take your meds!" My Dr(s) know all this and their general reaction is "Well be careful. You know what you are doing, just watch it. take your prescription pain killers. It is worse to not take it than to get behind the pain curve --- stay ahead.....blah blah blah" I hate those darn things. I guess it is the Y chromosome that keeps me thinking, 'I can do this. I can tough it out.'

Folks, thanks for sharing your experiences. This getting older bit and having chronic pain, chronic illness is for the birds.

 

[JudyH]

I am near Sarasota FL and CVS will no longer fill doctors prescription for cough meds with codeine. They said they don’t carry any codeine product. Publix would but don’t have it in stock and don’t know when. Sun compounding pharmacy doesn’t have it. Hubby has had bad cough now three weeks. Not covid or flu or rsv. This is a PITA.

 

[silentg]

I’m allergic to Codene

 

[rickandcindy23]

I am near Sarasota FL and CVS will no longer fill doctors prescription for cough meds with codeine. They said they don’t carry any codeine product. Publix would but don’t have it in stock and don’t know when. Sun compounding pharmacy doesn’t have it. Hubby has had bad cough now three weeks. Not covid or flu or rsv. This is a PITA.

The codeine cough medicine works miraculously for a cough. I hope he can get it. Rick practically begged our doctor for it last time he had a bad cough because his chest and back were so inflamed from coughing. It hurt to cough like that.

Where is the common sense in the medical profession?

I broke my arm almost two years ago on Maui, maybe some of you remember that. It was a serious break by my shoulder. I landed on my side, on my arm. I knew it was broken. I have had chronic pain in the arm ever since, then I was at a Christmas gathering with family and my niece mentioned collagen as a way to help with hair loss, aging, nail strength and some other benefits.

About the 5th or 6th day of taking collagen mixed in my coffee, I realized my arm pain is gone. Did some Google research and sure enough, there are reports of collagen helping bones.

 

[clifffaith]

I am near Sarasota FL and CVS will no longer fill doctors prescription for cough meds with codeine. They said they don’t carry any codeine product. Publix would but don’t have it in stock and don’t know when. Sun compounding pharmacy doesn’t have it. Hubby has had bad cough now three weeks. Not covid or flu or rsv. This is a PITA.

My mother has run up against this and ends up exhausted because she can’t sleep because she’s coughing and coughing. Codeine used to be a big help tamping the cough urge down.

 

[easyrider]

This might sound crazy but while helping a person with als we discovered bee venom therapy. The reason we looked at this and then did this for a couple of months was that early stage als looks alot like lymes disease and bee stings therapy can help with lymes.

While researching this we found an acupuncturist that uses bee sting therapy mostly for arthritis and injuries. It reduces the inflammation and pain.

We started buying live bees and worked up to 50 stings 3 times a week along the upper spine. An als drug trial came up and we didn't notice a slowing of the progression with the bee stings so it was discontinued.

The bee sting therapy is a real thing for pain even though the stings are pain. Google can explain it better than me.

Bill

 

[wackymother]

I had surgery a few years ago and got a prescription for...I think thirty?...oxycodones. The pharmacy will give you two, or five, or ten, if you ask, and keep the rx on file so they can see that you are still due the remainder. If you need them, you can go back and ask the pharmacy for a few more from your rx. If you don't need them, you can just let the rx expire. I like that option bc I'm uncomfortable having serious medications around the house, and then disposing of extras is a hassle.

I will say that cough syrup with codeine is fab. I had bad bronchitis with a cough about twenty years ago and I can still remember counting down the minutes till I could take my next dose of cough syrup.

 

[VacationForever]

When I tweak a muscle, I no longer take Ibuprofen and use a muscle relaxant instead. Muscle relaxants are way more effective. As long as you don't use it continuously, you are fine as they can be habit forming.

 

[rickandcindy23]

This might sound crazy but while helping a person with als we discovered bee venom therapy. The reason we looked at this and then did this for a couple of months was that early stage als looks alot like lymes disease and bee stings therapy can help with lymes.

While researching this we found an acupuncturist that uses bee sting therapy mostly for arthritis and injuries. It reduces the inflammation and pain.

We started buying live bees and worked up to 50 stings 3 times a week along the upper spine. An als drug trial came up and we didn't notice a slowing of the progression with the bee stings so it was discontinued.

The bee sting therapy is a real thing for pain even though the stings are pain. Google can explain it better than me.

Bill

That is so weird! I have never heard of it. Fascinating.

 

[klpca]

I just recovered from a terrible case of sciatica (from sitting for 45 minutes on my cushy couch while I was on the phone with Interval, trying to resolve a problem on their end). After my urgent care visit where I got an injection of some kind of pain reliever, I was prescribed a generic hydrocodone, and two different muscle relaxers (robaxin, and another that didn't work). In addition to those, I have a standing order for celebrex (a NSAID) for my RA symptoms. Nothing worked at all. I could not walk for almost 4 weeks, then I had another two weeks of not being able to stand up straight, then two more weeks where I got better quickly. I hope to never deal with that kind of pain again.

I also used to have migraines and the combo of tylenol/motrin was much better than either one alone, but Excedrin migraine wound up being the best. That one had aspirin and caffeine in it. For short term pain, the tylenol/motrin combo is pretty effective.

Chronic pain is debilitating, and finding what works for you is the key. Meloxicam does absolutely nothing for my RA pain, but Celebrex works reasonably well. Aleve also worked for me but gave me an ulcer, so that's out. Sometimes salonpas is all that I need (and I highly recommend them for joint or achy muscle pain). Why send something through your GI tract if you can avoid it? My husband is also limited to tylenol, but uses Voltaren gel. Both of us do better with pain when we are getting regular exercise, in fact he started weightlifting and his other pain issues have almost vanished. And after over 10 years of RA, I have learned to tune out some of the pain. It becomes more of a buzzing sensation than a pain sensation.

 

[zentraveler]

Where is the common sense in the medical profession?

Buried under regulations, PBM's, and fears of the FDA coming after them. Taking 8 hour mandatory courses whether or not we ever prescribe any of those medications.

And the pharmacies are so frightened that they are asking us for our patient notes, follow up plans etc (which of course are confidential and privileged) to cover themselves - in other words just making it up as they go. Some pharmacy systems have been fined huge amounts for their part in this.It is a mess.

The whole thing is a terrible mess driven originally by greed and which has now left legitimate use of these medications in limbo. And the agencies (FDA, Medicare, pharmacy benefit managers (PBM's) all scrambling to make sure they are not looking culpable and firing off half baked regulations and onerous regulations. Many MD's are just throwing up their hands in the face of this regulatory mess and threat of lawsuits licencing issues etc.

 

[klpca]

I honestly think that we should all learn to tolerate some pain and discomfort. It's a good reminder to take it easy on a part of our body that needs some TLC. When I realized that I was still going to be in pain with the hydrocodone, I just switched to tylenol. The "relief", if you could call it that, was about the same. Ice worked best, and I spent hours alternating between ice and heat. Rest is what finally healed me.

As I said before, my pain sensation has changed over the years. I tell myself that *if I absolutely need it,* I will take some pain relievers, but if I can take a walk or do something else to distract myself, I can stretch out the time between pills, and now I rarely need anything for my RA. Changing my attitude towards pain has changed my actual (chronic) pain.