Quote:
Originally Posted by RSD RENEE
Hi Tessa, The combination I take of drugs has been reviewed by all of my drs and they all said that because I was taking such low doses, it shouldn't hurt me internally including my stomach. I was told that taking percocet as the level I am for a long period of time is okay along with the neurontin and xanax and zoloft. My doctors have said that the only thing I need to be careful about is driving while on these meds and that's why I don't drive. My pm drs have been with me from the beginning of my rsd journey and have helped me find a combination of meds that help me get through the day. They are not drug pushers, in fact they say if I can lower my dosage and exercise more, that would be great. But only if I'm not in pain from my rsd while doing so, because that would only aggravate the rsd. And they also say that if I lower my dosage just to get off of them for side effect or increase my tolerance for pain, that that would just aggravate my rsd too and do more harm than good. In short, the benefits of numbing the pain and being able to get out of bed everyday outweigh the side effects. The problem with my stomach is not the percs. I have checked. The problem is that I have gallstones that need to come out. Advil also upsets my stomach, but I need it for the inflammation I have, so I have to take it or stay in bed all day from the pain. My drs have also said that this is ok. My pm drs are some of the best in the state and I would highly recommend them to anyone. I don't take offense to what you said and I don't mean to offend. I was just saying what all of drs have told me and how so far I am able to get out of bed in the morning and function a little and numb the pain and deal with the depression because of them. I have had many people who aren't drs say that percocet and xanax are addictive and are bad if taken for a long periods of time. That is not the case. My drs have told me that addiction is when you take these drugs to get high. Tolerance, which is what I have, is when you take these drugs to help with chronic pain. I think it's important people are aware of this difference. I appreciate all of your comments, but don't agree with them all, just like you don't agree with all of mine and that's okay. This forum would be useless if we all agreed and we would get nothing out of it. I know you speak from the heart as well do I and everyone else here. Let's just say we agree to disagree.  |
Renee,
I respect that you don't agree and wouldn't want you to. But to be clear my mention of the combo's of drugs you are taking wasn't because I was concerned for addiction... that thought never crossed my mind. What did cross my mind based on what you have posted is that A. you have stomach severe stomach pain at times B. that you are still hitting very low places often C. that you have at times intolerable pain that puts you into these low places in between dosing D. that you are on a very low dose of a drug that is normally given for short periods for acute pain and not something that is generally given for long term chronic pain E. there are better substances with less long term ramifications for inflammation and considering the pain increase between doses of your other meds that it would seem beneficial to your own well being to look at other forms of medications that might help you better and still make it so that you can get out of bed every day. I understand the need to take meds and deal with the side effects as many times the benefit of it is better than the side effects. That was not my point.. it saddens me deeply to hear you in such pain and or low spots, so that was my only reason for posting. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is like running into a wall over and over. That is why I asked.. it was out of concern that with your current plan based on your own comments that maybe there is a possibility of improvement with a different combo than what you are currently on. It was just a suggestion or thought provoking comments.
As far as Bram goes -the words luck and wish were said when taking all comments in all threads together that she by her own words is improving and that is where all of us want to be. I don't literally want to be in her shoes or anyone else's nor do I negate anyone's pain.. all I did was think about recent comments and was happy that she was doing better, coping better etc., for whatever reason and for that I am happy. That comment never meant that she wasn't still suffering on a daily basis, we all will suffer if the diagnosis is correct this doesn't go away and only gets worse with time.. but there might be times when it is better and by her posts it seemed at least to me (maybe I misunderstood) that she was in a better place today than she was last year and many times it was said numerous times to hang in there it gets better after the first 6 months.. gosh I am astonished that my happiness for someone who said things were better was turned to make it look like I was saying there wasn't pain or suffering.
I only wish the best for all!