Hydrocodone & Tramadol

[heymj05]

Started get prescribed hydrocodone & tramadol 2 years ago for chronic back pain. I quickly enjoyed the vicodin and built a tolerance and today I am up to 10mg hydrocodone 325mg apap(bad stuff). I really don't get any relief from the tramadol, 50mg, no matter how much I take which is more then recommended dose. I do know it lowers the seizers threshold and all but I don't take extreme amounts. I have also tried taking less hydrocodone with some tramadol but I feel that the tramadol weakens the vicodin effect thus leading to pain.

Does anyone have any experience or mixes that might help......?

 

[brighton]

have you told your doctor the tramadol doesnt help?
muscle relaxents are quite commonly given for back pain. got any benzos?

or...do a CWE on your hydrocodone or some OTC codeine product if its available.

I just try to distract myself from my pain, and if that doesnt work I take an anti-inflamatory
or paracetamol and save the pain killers for when Im losing the plot.

 

[effie]

Hi heymj05, welcome to BDD

I'm sorry to hear your pain is poorly controlled.. have you spoken to your doctor about it?

You're right about tramadol, it's really important not to take more than 400mg in 24 hours and I wouldn't take more than 100mg at once.. being on two opioids doesn't make a lot of sense to me, although tramadol is atypical - might be better to transfer just to one, at a dose which controls your pain? If I were you I'd put this to your doctor and see what they say..

Have you tried all the other usual things - physio, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, exercise etc? Is the pain from a trapped nerve? If so it might not respond to opioids, but something like gabapentin might help. People also find relaxation techniques and complimentary therapies can help, and can help you to cope with the pain even if they can't overcome it.

The other issue is obviously enjoying geting high from your pain medication might cause you problems with tolerance and not using them as directed.. Seeing as you need the medication to treat the pain, you really don't want to develop problematic use.. (sorry to sound like I am lecturing, I don't mean it to sound that way )

How many of the 10/325 pills do you need each day at the moment?

 

[heymj05]

Well I really don't say or tell my doctor too much b/c I know that he would stop everything b/c I would be labeled as a problem. I currently have herniated discs at my T9-10 and T10-11, cord flattening at my C5-6 discovered from a MRI. I am an Iraq War vet and have some issues that I take anxiety meds, klonapin, but the hydrocodone high helps with my anxiety too. I take up to 4 pills at a dose and daily max of 12 and directed to take 1-2 as needed for pain. I once asked for a refill too early and almost got removed from their pain management clinic.
I don't do any illegal drugs but i have tried other, strong pain pills. I have been on a muscle relaxant but I would again have to take more then directed and not for a high.
Thanks for your responses, I'm fine with "being lectured" everyone is entitled to their opinion and I asked for responses.

 

[effie]

Well, lecturing is never the best way to go about things, was just worried about you being cut off from being prescribed anything, as you said..

It sounds like you have a perfectly legitimate reason to be on opioids and a legitimate reason to want to change to a different regime if it isn't controlling your pain - I would hope that a doctor would understand that, if not perhaps you should try to see someone else.. what other stronger pills did you try? Is there a reason why you wouldn't want to try them again? If you have herniated discs then a lot of your pain is likely to be neuropathic and often this doesn't respond brilliantly to opioids but does to other drugs such as amitriptyline or gabapentin. Definitely worth discussing with your pain doctor I think - they are there to try to help you get on top of your pain, after all..

I'm sorry you have anxiety issues too. Often your state of mind can play a huge part in your ability to manage pain, as well as causing physical symptoms itself and exacerbating existing conditions. I don't want to start making assumptions about you but you mentioned you are an Iraq veteran, did you get any counselling or anything when you returned? Sometimes dealing with mental health and psychological difficulties can make all the difference when treating pain.

If that doesn't sound right for you, and if the tramadol isn't doing anything and you are still in pain then I really think you need to talk to your doctor about other meds or treatments (has surgery been considered?) and don't be ashamed to ask, painkillers are there to treat pain.. I think it would be better to explain things rather than try to get refills early and risk being cut off..

Good luck