Pain meds other than Hydrocodone

[ceci1957]

I received the lab results from my 6/3/08 pre-op visit. The liver enzymes results showed a "41" and abnormal is "45". I've been on hydrocodone since February, taking two pills four times per day. My first hip replacement is June 16 and the second (hopefully) is August 18. I will call my primary care physician on Monday, but does anyone have any suggestions regarding a different medication? I have severe pain and I know tramadol won't help anymore. I've already cut back on hydrocodone to two pills three times per day. Thank you for your help.

 

[Jamie]

I took Hydrocodone for 3 weeks following knee replacement and then switched to Darvoset. It worked just fine for me. I stayed on the Darvoset for a three weeks also and then stopped all pain meds for good.

 

[ceci1957]

After tramadol, darvocet was the next pain med I tried. I didn't think it worked at all, but I think maybe I will try it again if needed. I don't want my liver to die.

 

[Eeyore346]

Wow. We are going to be going through this together. Mine are June 30 and August 11. My doc does them 6 weeks apart. So you will have one, a week later I will, then 6 weeks later me and then a week later, you. Wow, are we going to have a fun summer or what? LOL I just keep trying to look at the end result. I am miserable now and I am not going to be later. Simple as that.

Where are you located? I am in Newbury, OH. Just East of Cleveland, OH. I am having my surgery at Geauga Medical Campus (Part of University Hospitals). They have a new ortho wing called "Joint Camp". I will be a "camper". 16 private rooms. You get dressed in street clothes every morning and join fellow campers at therapy. I tried thinking I was just going to camp but I couldn't. LOL Who would pay that much to go to a camp where you are that miserable. LOL

I have heard so many positive things about these surgeries. People have told me how they have "Sailed through it" "So much easier than knee replacement" "You'll wonder why you waited so long" "Best thing I ever did". Plus to see people (Stanj) on here posting while still in the hospital is so encouraging.

I really like this site and don't feel so alone with this anymore!

 

[ceci1957]

Hi Eeyore,

I'm in Montrose, IA having surgery in Burlington, IA. They don't call it "camp" there, but they told me to bring shorts and of course, sturdy shoes. I think I have therapy twice a day while I'm there. I can't wait, either. I say, "lets get this party started!" I've never been so happy to have a surgical procedure. And this afternoon, I successfully hooked up to my office computer from my home computer. I can do things from home my co-worker doesn't know how to do. This is a great forum for information and I'm grateful for it. My husband says I can use his laptop. The hospital has wireless. I pray all success for both of us.

 

[kittykat]

I received the lab results from my 6/3/08 pre-op visit. The liver enzymes results showed a "41" and abnormal is "45". I've been on hydrocodone since February, taking two pills four times per day. My first hip replacement is June 16 and the second (hopefully) is August 18. I will call my primary care physician on Monday, but does anyone have any suggestions regarding a different medication? I have severe pain and I know tramadol won't help anymore. I've already cut back on hydrocodone to two pills three times per day. Thank you for your help.

most hydrocodone preps (vicodin) have 5 or 10 mgs of hydrocodone and 500mgs of aceteminophen (tylenol). if you are taking 2 tabs 4X/day, that is 4000mgs of tylenol/day and that can definitely increase your liver enzymes.

percocet is 5 or 10 mgs oxycodone (similar to hydro, maybe a bit stronger) and is usually made with 325 mgs of tylenol. so if you took 1-2 tabs 3-4X/day, you would bring the tylenol portion down to a max of 2800mgs. I think the daily max of tylenol is 3000 mgs. this might be a good option for you.

you can also break percocet (and vicodin) in half -- maybe try 1.5 percocet a few times/day -- that may give you the pain relief you need without the liver toxicity. if you took 1.5 pills 4X/day, you would be taking ~1950mgs tylenol/day.

kittykat

 

[ceci1957]

Thanks KittyKat. I will stay on the hydrocodone until Monday's surgery. Then I will speak to my OS about it. I'm sure I will be on stronger meds for a bit after surgery.

 

[JudyS]

Kittykat,
How many milligrams in a gram. I guess I could google that., I was on an IV tylenol clinical study and was given a gram every 6 hours. My liver was monitored daily. After I go back monday for the final blood work I will see what my numbers looked like
Judy

 

[kittykat]

Kittykat,
How many milligrams in a gram. I guess I could google that., I was on an IV tylenol clinical study and was given a gram every 6 hours. My liver was monitored daily. After I go back monday for the final blood work I will see what my numbers looked like
Judy

sorry, I didn't see this until today. I don't get the email "flags" showing a thread has been responded to, it looks like, for a few days.

there are 1,000 mgs in a gram. so 1 gram every 6 hours is like taking 2 ES tylenol (500mgs each) every 6 hrs, which is a therapeutic dose but it also represent the maximum daily dose if taken 4X in a 24 hr period. if you're taking that amount of tylenol (aceteminophen, or APAP) every 6 hours, you should not take vicodin or percocet -- or any of the narc preps that have tylenol in them -- on top of that or you will risk liver toxicity (sorry, I'm not sure what country you live in or what the brand name for APAP is -- here in the US it is tylenol).

what they can give you with the tylenol is a pure oxycodone tablet -- here in the US it is called oxycodone IR -- which is the active ingredient (opioid) in percocet. when I was in the hospital they let me take this medicine every 3 hours (1-4 tabs, depending on how I was feeling). each tab (in my case) was 5 mgs). they may come in 10 mg too, but I'm not sure.

upon d/c from the hospital they gave me an rx for the same med (oxycodone IR), then switched me to percocet (and so then no more APAP, unless I substituted tylenol for the oxycodone at a particular dose interval) and then the next step is vicodin, again w/out APAP (again, unless you substitute a dose) which is a slightly less potent opioid than percocet.

FYI -- different countries have different brand names for these prescriptions, and even in the US there are various brand names.

ex:

oxycodone (5 or 10 mgs) + APAP (325mgs) = percocet, tylox, and many others.

hydrocodone (5mgs, 7.5mgs, or 10mgs) + APAP (500mgs) = vicodin, lortab, many others.

the main thing is not to exceed 4000 (4 gms) APAP (or 2 or 3 gms, depending on the OS) each 24 hour period. so talk to your OS, do the math together, and get well!

I hope this gets to you on time. again, sorry for not getting back to you sooner.

kittykat

 

[JudyS]

Thanks KittyKat,
The study ended when I left the hospital, so no more straight acetaminifin. I am using percocet now. I have been trying to use vicodin at night when I wake up to pee!!!
I am in Southern California. I keep hoping on this forum to find out soomeone else is here so we can meet in person.
Where does all your drug knowledge come from? I have seen other posts from you.
I usually just check the forum instread of waiting for the email. I get some emails about new posts, but today I had about 30!!!!!

Today will be my first day out of the house and I hope I can find something to wear. All the reachable clothes I left out did not account for all the extra swelling weight!!!!!!
And of course with the posterior approach, the reacher grabber must be used to try anything on!!!!!
Let the fun begin
Judy in So. Cal