Discontinuing Pain Medication - What Can I Expect

General
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Awesome Ann A. I am so proud of you. And if anyone deserves to have this kind of a day it is you. YOU GO GIRL. I am hoping for one of those days as well, actually I hope that all of us will one day experience these kind of days for a lifetime. God is good. Many blessings and hugs.



Ann A. said:

I FEEL GOOD - Today is a good day. I have no pain. I do not need Prednisone, Plaquenil, or Hydrocodone. This is the kind of day for which I have been praying for many years. I will be grateful and rejoice in it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgDrJ5Z2rKw

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Hi Ann & Julie...

Low down on Benlysta. It's been both good and bad for me. Good first: my counts are a lot better. I feel a slight bit more of energy. My toenails are growing again. Downside: I have unexplained weird rashes that come and go. Acid reflux. Eye site changes. I cann't eat large meals. It causes me to get real sick. So, I eat real small meals. It helps with the weight loss I needed (LOL). I know the more severe side effects will come after the next infusion.

Ann- I totally agree with the Vit D, Ca and b complex. Your body needs them plain and simple. What you don't needs, goes out in urine. Don't forget the water!!

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Dear Ann,

That is great news that you were able to take part in your grandson's basketball game! I am so glad for you! Good for you to 'be out' and even better to be part of their life, he will remember you being there!

I do not take pain meds as a maintence drug, even though my GP wants me to. I only take it when the pain is unbearable. My worst areas are the SI joints, the tail bone, that curls from stenosis and my wrists, still not sure what the specific cause of that is. I do not like narcotics or the way they make me feel and am in high hopes that the Enbrel will allow me to totally discontinue them.

You are a smart lady, but even if you withdrew carefully you should not have a problem, but it is a valid concern. Here is a link with info concerning a semi-synthetic narcotic, and how long it takes to leave your system.

http://www.medicalquestionsanswers.org/codeine/how-long-does-it-tak...

According to this link, it is one to six days, but considering how long you took them, this may not be completely accurate. I certainly hope that you continue to do well without them and can attend more activities!

Thank you for sharing such good news with us!

Wishing you continued success!

SK

PS, Sorry, I hadn't read your other response before replying, sounds like you are doing very well. So glad you were able to overcome the pain! You have just jumped a huge hurdle! I am so glad you were able to enjoy life and roll with the bumps! Again, wishing you continued success! Go Ann!

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Dear Ann,

Agreed on the pain meds, if I have to take them everyday for maintence, I surely will, but just don't want to get into that yet. It is an option I want to still have if absolutely necessary.

You are very fortunate to have had successful surgery, as you know it can go either way. If I ever absolutely have to, then I will go back to Johns Hopkins or Univ of MD for that.

I went through a temporary problem with that when I tore achilles tendons, tore then both, at different times, and am pretty sure it was the fault of an antiboitic I was given before both tears to treat Bronchitis. I was to have a raised heel, so I went to a shoe repair shop and had that taken care of, unwisely I did not at first have them even, but quickly went back with the other shoe.

There are times when my body gets 'torqued' and I end up with one leg considerably longer than the other, the DC can fix that for me, but sometimes I have to suffer for days before I can see him, so I have some understanding of what you went through for so long before the $4.99 fix!

I fall and stumble alot when I go through this 'drop foot' event, that is what my DC calls that problem, but fortuantely it is a temporary event.

I do take Lyrica, but it does little for the tail bone pressure, when that starts to curl, it is a pain and pressure that I have never known, sometimes the DC can alleviate it, other times nothing will until it is ready. When it finally goes back into place it kicks like a cheap shotgun! I'll tell you, when it is bad, I am just not fit to be around!

I have been told because the spinal cord is closing and curling at the base, and gets out of position, I stand a 50/50 chance that when/if I have corrective surgery that it will be 'out of position' for life. So.... not yet!

I was taken out of the pool by my Rheumatologist because of the water temp even in the heated pool, and the large pool not only because the Raynaud's kicked into high gear, but because of severe undiagnosed muscle attacks. I am happy to say that with 12 shots in with Enbrel, I have not had a single one, so perhaps... I will beg again Friday, as I love the water and it's benefits!

I understand many of your challenges and will continue to cheer on you successes!

For now, back to my sweet grandson!

Hugs,

SK

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Dear Ann,

I have heard of this Pennsaid, on the PsA site, one of our other moderators has told us that in certain pharmacies, usually not those found in Dept or grocery stores, that if the script allows they can make it even stronger than the 1% mix.

I have tried Voltaren, it works for the back, but actually aggrivates the Sciatica, I know, my body can be difficult, so I use OTC Sports Cream with fair results. But hey, we have to use what works for us.

It is a great accomplishment to get off the narcotics, get moving again, and get back into life!

You are fortunate beyond measure to have found a PM Dr who is helping you. I went through 5 until I got to the point from all of the injections that I could no longer enen be touched, anything invasive just 'crashed' me! I think part of the problem is that none of them could ever get me numb before the injections, and I jumped, screamed, surely 'clenched'. Wonder I don't have needles broken off all through me. Either I am not suited for these proceedures, or never got the right one! Some have had great success and untold relief, and I am so very happy for them! I cannot tolerate the TENS, shoots me right off the table, even on low. So, I am a challenge! Certainly not by choice!

Hope you have a great day, nothing better than looking forward to tomorrow with such excitement!

Let us know how it goes,

SK

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Hi Ann,

Best of Luck with your future and your pain management physician helping your and i really hope you improve a great deal.

Love Terri xxx

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I am very proud of you and I am sorry it took me so long to log back in. Keep asking us q’s and some one is bound to have dealt with it before you. Reach out and you won’t feel like your in this alone,


Ann A. said:

Dear Cannbearrx,

Thank you very much for your support. I thought this was a good time to try too. Except for short trips, I am pretty much stuck in the house until after my cataract surgery. I have also taken a leave from school. This means that I have been able to sleep as much as I want. I have also been feeding myself very well (I mean lots of nutrient dense whole foods) and taking my supplements.

I have now experienced what it feels like to not have hydrocodone for a stretch of days - 10 days has been my max time. And I don't think I experienced any real physical withdrawal symptoms. This is amazing to me because I used to be so afraid of what would happen if I ran out - especially over a long holiday weekend like this one. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that while my brain craved the drug the rest of my body did not demand it.

I am not yet hydrocodone free - but it is no longer a part of my daily routine. I don't wake up in the morning, feel the pain in my hip and back and reach for the bottle. I don't feel the pain after my morning work and reach for the bottle and I don't reach for it on my way to bed at night. Since May 5, my average is much less than 5mg per day. I have followed my pain management physician's advice and only reached for the bottle when my pain level demanded it.

As the month of June approaches, I am going to focus on altering my behavior so that my pain level goes up less frequently. I will let you know how that works.

Thanks for your support. It will mean ever so much to me to be able to stop jumping through the hoops required to get refills. It will mean ever so much to not count the days on the calendar and then count the pills to make sure that there are enough to last. It feels so good to be at the end of a month and to have bottle of pills that is closer to being full than to being empty. I am liking this I will continue to work at reducing the amount of the drug in my life.

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My Awesome Ann, I am sorry that you are experienceing all of this turmoil, but I am very proud of how you handled the whole situation. Once again you lived up to your name "Awesome Ann" Now go and enjoy those grandkids, they are worthy of your time and love. Enjoy life my friend. Let go and let GOD. Many blessings and hugs. I miss chatting with you.

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My awesome Ann. once again putting others before yourself, which is so not unusual. I think that you have this situation in perspective, you have done all you can do, so the next step is to let go and let God!!!! I am so sorry that you were put in this situation, but I am so damn proud of how you dealt with the whole thing. Once again you lived up to your name Awesome Ann. I miss chatting with you, now go and love your family and those wonderful grandkids, you guys deserve each other. Many blessings and hugs.

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Thats great. I feel like doing that . Keep me posted