I am getting very irritated. I have been on Vicodin for more than ten years. They are for the pain in my hips and spine. The dosage is supposed to be "take two, three times a day. 5-325 mg. I am not sure if that is the total dose of two or just one. I have never asked. I usually take only one. Most of the time that calms down my hips and spine. The only time I may take the two of them together is if I was walking too much outside.
There are some days I don't need to take any. And there are days when I am so grateful I have them. The problem is for some folks, they make them sleepy. So I take one, the second one later if I feel I still need it. For me, they give me energy you wouldn't believe. Every time I take the two, the family joke is, "There she goes, up on the roof to scrub it on her hands and knees."
I took two Wednesday and was up for 36 hours straight. Then when I fell asleep, it was from pure exhaustion. And of course I fell asleep through my timed Gabapentin doses.
Well, now the neuropathy from the diabetes that I knew would hit me sooner or later, has arrived. Winthrop has informed me that I can take the Vicodin with the Gabapentin if the pain is too unbearable. But that I should continue to stick to my regular times of dosage if I can. Use my own judgement. Am I addicted to them? That would be a resounding "No!" A couple of years ago I asked to have the amount I receive every month reduced since I don't always need that many. So unless the pain from my hips has gone into my spine, I don't want it. Or if the neuropathy pain is so bad that the Gabapentin is just not doing the job. I waited too long to take them. Trying to get back on my regular dosage schedule.
They work with great with the Gabapentin. They stop the neuropathy pain and any pain I might have in my hips and spine. But I stay up for hours on end, and then collapse into oblivion. Missing all the regular timed dosages for my other meds. And that concerns me. Because I am missing my heart, neuropathy and thyroid medications. Along with some of the many other meds I take. Not take the Vicodin and learn to live with the pain from two incurable problems that are only getting worse with age and time, or take them and stay up for hours on end and then collapse into such a deep sleep that I miss my other very important meds.
I have hatred of all opioids for some personal reasons that I won't get into...now that I'm doing Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) medicine, I have a lot of chronic pain patients on opioids. They look like zombies, pale with dark circles under their eyes and major intestinal issues...mind you these are people who have been on very high doses for a very long time.
New York recently legalized medical marijuana and I've watched as these patients changed to Cannabidiol Oil (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in various ratios. The CBD is great for inflammation, the THC great for pain. I watched every single patient get off of opioids within a month or so...color back in their faces, no dark circles under their eyes.
When my idiot insurance company denied the surgery, it cancelled my OR date of July 17th. I had been toughing out the pain waiting for that date...and when it was cancelled until a future unknown date (at that time), I decided to discuss it with a local D.O. who is certified in dispensing.
She promised me the doses she prescribed would not get me high and would improve my pain. At that point I was using a walker and my feet were like balloons...okay, not really that bad but I've never had swollen feet before.
It took nine days for the paperwork to go through, but I got my card and went to the dispensary on Thursday. The pharmacist gave me a good 40 minute consult, she felt that the 1:1 ratio my doctor had written for was too low, even if I was opioid naïve (someone who has not taken any opioids for their pain), and recommended doubling the dose if the first dose didn't help.
So Thursday late afternoon I took a single dose...nothing much happened. After 30 minutes as the pharmacist suggested, I took a second dose. I very quickly got exhausted, most likely from the lack of pain. If I wasn't on my feet I was pain free. As she promised, it did not get me high but I did have an odd ringing in my ears similar to the ringing I get with a high fever. Did not take a dose before bed.
Next morning...getting out of bed is a bear and the worst moment of the day...usually compounded by getting only 3 hours sleep. This morning...still no fun but I would say a decrease in pain about 30%. Six hours of sleep...hadn't seen THAT in awhile. I have not used the walker or cane to get to the kitchen...that's different. I take a double dose of the 1:1 ratio and I will say that although walking is still painful, it's manageable and I have not used a walker or cane since Thursday. I am by no means walking normal...but I'm getting to my destination independently which is a welcomed ability. I would say I have tripled the amount of walking I can do since Friday.
For those with chronic pain on opioids, if your state is legal, there are other options. Not covered by insurance but every person at the dispensary that day qualified for financial need and didn't pay a cent....everyone but me that is, but I did get a veteran discount!
I am planning on bringing it to the hospital and use it instead of the pain pump opioids. We will see how it goes...
