Pain Meds...

[zanne]

I had my cysto/hydro about 2 weeks ago, I am to go back to the uro at the end of the month. The only thing he gave me was ultracet for the hydro pain and pyridium, which I took 2 times and it really hasn't helped much. I got the stabbing pains in my urethra yesterday and I had to break out my vicodin. What pain meds to uros usually prescribe for IC pain? I am thinking of calling my uro today to see what he could give me until I meet with him at the end of the month.

Thanks, just curious as to what the pain meds are and if they help any.
Sue

[ICNDonna]

If your pain has worsened, you really should be checked to be sure you haven't developed an infection. Any time we have any kind of instrument or catheter inserted, it increases the potential for infection.

Donna

[blue]

be careful

Be careful with the pain meds. I was using vicodin ( which I rarely took, only for breakthrough pain) and a phyntenal patch. I was on it for three years. I ended up having to go to the hospital to get off the pain meds. Withdrawl is a real *****, so take my word for it, forgo the pain meds if you can! I am now trying to control my pain through food or whatever, heat, antacids..........

I had developed a tolerence to the pain meds and needed more than was prescribed. I would vomit, feel back and leg pain, and diahrea. The stomach cramping is the worst!

Everyone beware, I know you need something for pain. It's just this is a life long disease, living on pain meds sucks. I didn't get on line, I didn't get out of bed, I didn't cook dinner for my kids....... Theres a long list of what I didn't do because I was so out of it.

[jen74]

I believe pain meds are fine to take as long as you are not taking them continuosly or at least this is what I was told. There are days I would give anything to be able to take something for the pain, but pain meds do not agree with me, especially my tum. The last one I took was norrco which I believe is tylenol with hydrocodone. It made me soooo sick to my stomach. I just take tylenol extra strength now as that is all I can seem to tolerate. It does not help with the IC pain, but I take it if I have a real bad headache or such.
Yes, pain meds can be addictive, but it all depends on when and how much you are taking and how often. If you dont take them everyday, then you will not likely get addicted, or should I say, your body will not become accustome to taking them. Just like when I was taking the drug ativan for stomach pain. It is a anti-anxiety med that is very addictive if taken all the time regularly. Well, my gastro told me to take it every other day or every other second day,then your body will not get addicted to it. It is only if you take a drug continuosly.
Jen

[Berkshire Road]

Wow, Blue, I don't know how to react to that. I take painkillers so I CAN get out of bed; they don't make my lie around and ignore my family. I would think that might be the result of a dose which is too high. And I have been through withdrawal from dilaudid, when I had pancreatitis. I did not need to go to the hospital, I just felt bad for a few days.

Everyone's body chemistry is different. Although phsycial dependency may occur, 'addiction' is generally held to have a psychological component. People who use painkillers for their intended purpose (killiing pain) are not at all likely to become addicted. I'm sorry you had so much trouble, but at the same time I would hate to see someone whose quality of life could be improved so much, refuse narcotics on some kind of principle.

Sue -- some Uros will prescribe pain meds and others won't; if yours doesn't, ask for a referral to a pain management clinic. I take oxycodone, which is a medium-range narcotic. Tylenol 3 or 4 (tylenol with codeine), vicodin, and ultram would be considered less strong. Methadone, morphine, and dilaudid would be considered stronger. But again, it depends on your body chemistry; some people get no relief from morphine but do great with ultram (ultram is not considered a true narcotic, but it can still be habit forming). You should probably look up these meds yourself before you see your doctor, so you'll be clear about what is being discussed. Good luck!

[blue]

I became physically dependent on the phyntanyl patch. It's like any other pain med, eventually you become dependent. It was a constant supply into my system for several years. As each strength became uneffective the pain management Doctor upped the dose. I went from 25 to 50 to 75. I couldn't go up to 100 and still function.

I'm just saying be careful and watch the pain meds........

[Moonheart]

Fentanyl is highly addictive, as is any extended release drug. I have been on Oxycontin for two years, and now MS Contin for three years, for a total of five or more. Just recently I've had to go up higher and higher on my MS Contin to have it be effective, and yes, it's making me very drowsy and lethargic. I am fighting that as hard as I can and doing better with getting meals and cleaning, doing laundry. I won't lie. There was a period of time when all I was doing was sleeping during the day. My kids are all teen and pre-teen, and they do very well functioning on their own with just a cheerleader. They know mommy is sick and needs help for alot of things now.
I'm trying to do better and gradually I'm pulling out of it.
I do want to say though that if I try to go without meds for even one day now at this higher dose, I'm VERY, VERY sick. So yes, it's very good to be careful. But there is help out there for when you need to come off the meds. Some people can't just function on diet and other methods and have to have the pain meds.

[blue]

Moonheart, I'm so glad you know where I'm coming from. I thought a patch would be a safe drug. I thought I wouldn't be taking more than prescribed this way. Little did I know that I would end up in full dependency. Withdrawls suck. Even with the meds the hospital gave me to come off the narcotics, I still went through the cramping, vomiting and all that stuff. 5 different times I was put in the hospital for dehydration, after not using the patch right. I would try to make it last longer and then would start vomiting. Once the vomiting started, I was hopeless. I didn't always do it on purpose. Sometimes the patch would come off in my bed, I wouldn't know till the vomiting started.

When I was in the hospital, I felt like I was different from the other people because they would take10-20 pills a day for the effect. I wasn't doing that, I had a prescription for vicodin, I just hardly used it. I knew I was already dependent on the patch and didn't want to make things worse.

The thing is my depency caused me more pain. If I didn't have a fresh patch on cramping would begin. I just didn't realize, what it was.

Now I can judge the amount of pain I'm in realistically. I never was totally without pain, even with the meds. It didn't matter how strong they were.

I just wanted to warn people so they don't end up in my situation. It is very hard, much worse than the disease.
Valli

[ICNDonna]

I would never discourage anyone from taking pain medications if that's what is needed to keep pain levels at a point where an individual can function on a daily basis. I think of pain medications the same as I think of the insulin members of my family take to control their diabetes. Without the insulin, their quality of life would be totally not acceptable --- they would be unable to function.

An individual in severe pain needs pain medication just as much as my girls need their insulin. Addiction to pain meds in a patient who has severe pain is rare. There may be a physical dependence develop, but a physician can help wean away from the meds when the need is no longer.

To those of you on pain medications: If you are taking the medications for PAIN, and are taking them as ordered, you are doing what is essential to your wellbeing.

Warm encouraging thoughts,
Donna

P.S. Blue, I'm so sorry you are among that rare population who had a problem with medications.

[blue]

I wouldn't tell anyone not to take pain medications either, if that's what it looks like I'm saying. I'm just trying to warn of dependency. I personally am trying to deal with this without the meds. I also have other pain issues that I'm working through. I just couldn't deal anymore with the side effects. It's so easy to let the pain medications get away from oneself. It's just another complications to some of us with complicated medical situations.

I know there's a difference. I said before, people I was in the hospital with were taking meds by the handfulls. I'm glad I wasn't doing that on top of my dependency on the patch.

It's a slippery sloap, the need to control pain, and the bodies way of adapting to the meds, and causing us to need more.

[kari1980]

I think I have to more agree with Carolyn. I do understand what your saying, but I don't agree that you will automatically become dependent on them. My doctor has told me over and over that if your truly taking them for pain, that you shouldn't become dependent. I have been taking percocet for 13 years now for the IC, and I can say that I am still not dependent. When I am feeling good I have no desire to take pain meds, when I'm in pain, it is the only thing that helps me to function and lead a somewhat normal life as Carloyn said. Also, even after all these years of taking it, I still have not increased my dosage. I can get away with only taking one percocet sometimes two in a 24 hr. period and it's always been that way for me. So I guess it is different for everyone, but I wouldn't be afraid to take them if you are in a lot of pain and that is the only thing that can help you get through your day.

Kari

[blue]

I am one person with one experience, as everyone has their own with this disease, it's the same with the medications. We all react differently. I never said automatically.

I'm was just trying to be helpful by warning people to be careful.

Personally, I had all kinds of people criticize me, and they still do for antidepressants. I wouldn't criticize anyone for their need of medication, I know how it affects me when people do it to me.

I was telling my story in hopes someone might see it, and get some help from what happened to me.

[Moonheart]

I think I have to more agree with Carolyn. I do understand what your saying, but I don't agree that you will automatically become dependent on them. My doctor has told me over and over that if your truly taking them for pain, that you shouldn't become dependent. I have been taking percocet for 13 years now for the IC, and I can say that I am still not dependent. When I am feeling good I have no desire to take pain meds, when I'm in pain, it is the only thing that helps me to function and lead a somewhat normal life as Carloyn said. Also, even after all these years of taking it, I still have not increased my dosage. I can get away with only taking one percocet sometimes two in a 24 hr. period and it's always been that way for me. So I guess it is different for everyone, but I wouldn't be afraid to take them if you are in a lot of pain and that is the only thing that can help you get through your day.

Kari

Kari,

If you were to totally stop taking the Percocet cold turkey, you would go into withdrawals. That's dependency.
What your doctor most likely said, and all of ours have probably, is that TRUE ADDICTION does not occur in someone taking meds correctly for pain. Dependence ALWAYS occurs, but it's a side effect that is necessary for most of us to deal with. Not a reason to stop taking the meds.

Maybe the RN's will chip in here?

[kari1980]

Hi Moonheart,
I totally understand what your saying. I guess I just don't feel "dependent" because I can go weeks, if I'm feeling good without taking them and not even think about it. Maybe I was getting addiction and dependence mixed up. and Blue, I totally understand also where your coming from, and I am sorry that happened to you and that you had to suffer so much. It was just when you said that eventually you would become addicted, I just didn't want that to scare anyone away from trying it if they are in terrible pain, that's all. I'm sure it's very easy to become dependent and then go through withdrawel, and I really feel for you in having to go through that, it must be terrible. I hope your finding a better way to adapt to this terrible disease. I hope I never have to go through that because the percocet is really the only thing that has helped me survive all these years.
Best wishes,

Kari

[zanne]

I am sorry to have brought up such a delicate subject as pain meds. I know alot of people have different views on pain medication. This IC is all new to me and when I have a day when I am in extreme pain and all I can do is lay on the couch and suffer is not right. I have had too many days like that and I want to get my life back and be able to wake up each day and feel good and go on and do the things that I need to do. Is there such a pain medication out there that helps with pain and also lets you do things and not have that sluggish sleepy drugged feeling?

I did call my uro office today and they want me to come in Monday to test my urine for possible infection. So we will see what happens.

Thanks for all of your responses I think everybody is different and each of us know what is right for them and what is not.
Sue