Tylenol rebound, from oxycodone?

[emperorowl]

Alright guys, hopefully I'm in the right spot for this lol. I apologize this might be a bit long.

I had 2 major surgeries, one in 2013 and the next in 2014. I've been on a tiny 2.5mg oxycodone twice a day since then for mild pain relief, but mostly for bowel control. I had my large intestines removed, and immodium and other such drugs don't work on me. My doctor is fantastic and has allowed me to stay on a low dose of oxycodone this entire time since it's been a miracle drug for me. Going from using the toilet 20+ times per day (including 10 times at night!!!) to being able to actually hold it most of the time, it's been a life saver. All other doctors give me a bad time for being "on narcotics" when I'm so young (I'm 24) and don't look like I've been through hell, but I'll be damned, it's been more effective than anything else!

Lately my health has gone downhill again, I had to drop out of college with only 1 semester left due to being so sick Needless to say I'm kinda miserable, laying around at home a lot, and the oxycodone is the only thing that allows me to function at all. It has a nice antidepressent boost and gives me a bit of energy, which is much needed, and I can actually eat food without having to run to the toilet a million times.

Unfortunately as a sufferer of migraines... you can see where this is going? Now after so many years it seems my oxy is giving me horrible migraines, or maybe rebound headaches from the Tylenol in it. But if I try to stop taking my oxy and just go without, I get MORE tired, MORE headaches, generally feel like crap, and end up using the bathroom a million times! Nothing really works to stop my migraines either, Tylenol doesn't work, and I'm not supposed to take NSAIDS but I do cheat and take aspirin. Not healthy for me to do this daily, but I keep getting the headaches.

I've asked my doctor to switch me to hydrocodone to see if maybe it would help. Now I'm on 2.5mg hydros twice a day instead, and I'm sure we all know that hydros are weaker than oxys so it's a bit less. They still work... But I'm still having headaches. Boo

Anyone else have this experience? I really, really don't want to give up my narcotics because they've literally been a miracle drug for me, giving me the ability to function at all. After my surgery I didn't leave my house at all for 6 months because I was so miserable, until I was given oxy and finally felt better for the first time in years. So I'm terrified of losing it. My doctor doesn't think I'm addicted, at such a low dose, or he'd take me off. I seriously wonder if it's the Tylenol giving me these headaches. And yes, I am on migraine preventative medication, I've upped my dose on that too. Still getting slammed with headaches daily. I'm supposed to try taking Triptans to stop them, but those are only approved for 9-10 times per month, and I'm having them daily. Yikes.

I have also tried pot for the headaches and pain, but it makes me extremely sleepy. I want the opposite- I want to be able to get up and do stuff, not lie around all day. It does kill the headaches though.

Ugh, sorry for the gigantic text wall. This has me really worried. I have enough health problems, I don't want to be disabled forever because I can't take my medication If anybody has any advice or has experienced this, I'd really appreciate your input. Maybe another type of narcotic would work? I know when I took moprhine and dilaudid in the hospital it didn't give me any headaches, but I'm nervous to ask my doctor to switch to those, and sound like an addict lol.

 

[DelRi0]

Just from a matter of fact point of view I can tell you that when you stop taking the oxy then yes you are going to have to use the bathroom even more so. That in itself is a rebound side effect from stopping taking it. Also a general feeling of crappiness (no pun intended.. Ok maybe a little) will follow stopping the oxy as well. It might be best to see if your doc would work with you to gently ease you off the oxy and hydro and onto something else that's compatible enough that you don't have to stop one before you start the other.

 

[emperorowl]

Dang, I was afraid so. I'm hoping I can get my doctor to look into oxy or hydro that doesn't contain any Tylenol and see if that helps, but he mentioned it was difficult to get a script for that, due to legal restrictions. I've tried Tramadol in the past with success but the seizure risk kind of scares me, especially since the migraine meds I take are old seizure drugs and increase risk... not a good combo!

I feel like tincture of opium or even morphine pills would work but I hate to ask any doctor out of fear of being labeled an addict.

 

[TheLostBoys]

If there's an opiate that controls you from going to the bathroom, its morphine, & its the best pain reliever IMO......but it doesn't work as great as hydrocodone or oxy for energy.

 

[Psychedalienation]

Dang, I was afraid so. I'm hoping I can get my doctor to look into oxy or hydro that doesn't contain any Tylenol and see if that helps, but he mentioned it was difficult to get a script for that, due to legal restrictions. I've tried Tramadol in the past with success but the seizure risk kind of scares me, especially since the migraine meds I take are old seizure drugs and increase risk... not a good combo!

I feel like tincture of opium or even morphine pills would work but I hate to ask any doctor out of fear of being labeled an addict.

If you want a strong opiate like oxy or hydro with no apap in it LEGALLY, all I have to say is good luck lol. I would just do a CWE on the hydros.

My two cents

*shrug*

 

[Kittycat5]

Most doctors dont even know what tincture of opium is. If your guy gave you oxy, think he would listen.

 

[Cosmic Trigger]

You can get oxycodone without the tylenol. My doc did that for me so it's no problem. He even suggested it. Good luck friend.

 

[Johndoedoe.junk]

Yeah, see if you can get immediate release oxycodone without the APAP. If your doc was already writing you for Percocet then I don't see what the big deal would be in cutting out the APAP. You'd have to go to 5mg pills as I believe that is the lowest dose IR oxycodone but if that's too much oxy for you you could always half the pill.

What type of doc are you getting the pain meds from i.e. GP, pain management doc, etc. ?

 

[Pilll_head]

I had to get my gall bladder out a few years ago and since then I have had on and off problems with diarrhea. My gastrointerologist prescribed something called Cholestyramine which is totally non-narcotic and non-habit forming. It's a powder that you dissolve in water and drink and it basically helps regulate the amount of fluid in your intestines. Since you've had your colon removed I don't know if it would change the way this med works but I would find a GI specialist and at least ask them about this one.

Using opiates to treat this is more of a Band-aid approach, I don't think it's really going to work in the long term.