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Can Hydrocodone Be Taken For Chronic Pain Relief?
Question: Do you believe once-daily hydrocodone (10/325) treatment for chronic pain is helpful or dangerous?
I have been a t1 diabetic for 36 years and have no side effects except for neuropathy. 19 years ago I had a sleep study that said my sleep was interrupted 242 times due to nerve pain in my legs. I was chronically sleep-deprived. I started Mirapex which changed my life, but does not cut the pain anymore. For the last 3 years I have been taking one hydrocodone at night with no increase in dose and only one per day. My doctor is now retiring and my new dr thinks I am ridiculous to request long-term treatment of that medication. Should I look for a new dr. or try other approaches to hopefully not need hydrocodone anymore. hydrocodone has increased my quality of life tremendously.
I have been a t1 diabetic for 36 years and have no side effects except for neuropathy. 19 years ago I had a sleep study that said my sleep was interrupted 242 times due to nerve pain in my legs. I was chronically sleep-deprived. I started Mirapex which changed my life, but does not cut the pain anymore. For the last 3 years I have been taking one hydrocodone at night with no increase in dose and only one per day. My doctor is now retiring and my new dr thinks I am ridiculous to request long-term treatment of that medication. Should I look for a new dr. or try other approaches to hopefully not need hydrocodone anymore. hydrocodone has increased my quality of life tremendously.
Brief Answer:
With time these medicines lose efficacy.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on Healthcaremagic.
I understand your concerns and the chronic pain that you are in. Unfortunately with continuous use, these medicines gradually develop tolerance and therefore gradually more dose would be needed to achieve the prior pain relief. That is the reason that the previous medicine does not work any more and with time hydrocodone too would be useless, needing you to shift to something even stronger. So, keep use it as a reserve, taking it only when necessary (rather than using it as a routine) and try to shift to alternative approaches which do not necessiate the use of such medicines.
I hope that you can now infer why your new doctor does not insist on using it long term.
Feel free to write back in case of further queries, if any.
Regards
With time these medicines lose efficacy.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on Healthcaremagic.
I understand your concerns and the chronic pain that you are in. Unfortunately with continuous use, these medicines gradually develop tolerance and therefore gradually more dose would be needed to achieve the prior pain relief. That is the reason that the previous medicine does not work any more and with time hydrocodone too would be useless, needing you to shift to something even stronger. So, keep use it as a reserve, taking it only when necessary (rather than using it as a routine) and try to shift to alternative approaches which do not necessiate the use of such medicines.
I hope that you can now infer why your new doctor does not insist on using it long term.
Feel free to write back in case of further queries, if any.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Sonia Raina
Thank you! That makes sense.
To search for alternative options, what would be some good search terms? Perhaps chronic pain relief?
To search for alternative options, what would be some good search terms? Perhaps chronic pain relief?
Brief Answer:
Links provided.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
I am providing some links that could prove useful for you:
http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/pain-management-alternative-therapy
http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/different-treatments-chronic-pain
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002064.htm
http://www.everydayhealth.com/pain-management/photos/8-alternative-treatments-for-pain-management.aspx
About the search terms, you would need to experiment with the keywords. You can use keywords like chronic pain, alternative therapy, home based, etc.
Regards
Links provided.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
I am providing some links that could prove useful for you:
http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/pain-management-alternative-therapy
http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/different-treatments-chronic-pain
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002064.htm
http://www.everydayhealth.com/pain-management/photos/8-alternative-treatments-for-pain-management.aspx
About the search terms, you would need to experiment with the keywords. You can use keywords like chronic pain, alternative therapy, home based, etc.
Regards
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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