Thanks Doc for responding! I will certainly keep looking for a better optiion than the 2 choices I have now.

I have declined pain meds for 6 months, as the doc was sure I'd be better in 3 weeks, then that turned into one more month, and then 4-6months, and I'm now in month 6 and nothing is better, and in fact about 600% worse. I didn't want the pain meds masking the symptoms all the while making me dependant, so I've just gone without and waited and worked on getting better. The steroids were always supposed to be temporary, but at 6 months their not feeling so temporary any more. That and they don't relieve all the pain, just about 60%. That's a big number when talking pain, but it's still not reliable or functional so I could hold down a job. Add on top of that side effects and it really makes me want to consider alternatives. As a personal note, I have never gotten addicted to any of the pills that are supposed to be addicting. The ones they want you to taper I quit cold turkey and never have a problem. So I'm not as worried about the addictive qualities of hydrocodone. I am/would be worried about the tolerance issue if I expected this to be long term. I hope I never get to the point that I must live on pain pills permanently to exist. I'm not there yet. Right now I'd just like some relief while the doc figures out what medicine will actually get this mess of pain and inflamation under control. Then the hydrocodone can go back to emergency as needed use like the plan for the steriod was supposed to be.

As for your other concern regarding my liver, I'm not worried. My liver is going to hell in a handbasket so to speak, from all the other meds I'm on. Before the hydrocodone we tried 3200mg-4000mg a day of ibuprofen to try to get the inflamation from the lupus under control - no such luck. So you can see why I'm not worried about the 200-300mg in my hydrocodone pill. Besides that the methotrexate should have a nice head start at taking down the liver before the ibuprofen even gets to the party. (I say this in a kidding way even though it's serious because if you don't laugh you'll cry with this mess & I'd rather be laughing.)

If those are the only concerns to worry about (liver, dependence, tolerance) it makes my decision to go with the hydrocodone over steriod an easy choice. Thank you for your help!

In that case, you might look into NAC anyway.

Doc