Anyone with experience with arthritis prescription meds?

[Scrappy_Tink]

I've been taking 800 mg hydrocodone for severe arthritis for years with no ill effects. I know it's a controlled substance, and my doctor monitors me closely. The dosage is for one tablet by mouth three times daily, but there are days when I don't feel like I have to take it at all, so I don't have any fear of becoming addicted. She's trying to wean me off it completely, but that ain't gonna happen.

Queen Colleen

I'm sorry, but this doesn't really make any sense. Hydrocodone usually is dispensed as Vicodin or another generic name, and comes in 5/500 mg tablets. The 5mg is the Hydrocodone part, and the 500 is the acetaminophen portion and is usually dispensed every 6-8 hours for pain. If you were taking 800 mg of pure hydrocodone a day, you'd probably be dead as it's 12 times the recommended dosage. There is also no such thing as a 266 mg tablet of hydrocodone (800 divided by 3), or an 160mg tablet of acetaminophen to take 3 times a day. I'm just pointing this out, because I don't want anyone on the board to think you can safely take 800mg of Hydrocodone a day.

 

[wowsmom]

I wish I could take things like Vicodin or Percocet or Codeine. Unfortunately, all meds like that leave my body pretty much as soon as they hit my stomach. Never have been able to take them. And let me tell you, there's nothing as fun as throwing up after having all 4 wisdom teeth removed.....

I was on Prednisone a couple of years ago for an allergic reaction. For those 3 days, I had NO pain...it was fabulous. Then the witchy mood came on and nobody wanted to be around me. Hmmm. So not really an option at this point.

My rheumy hasn't suggested shots yet. My worst pain is in my fingers, so I don't know that I would even want to try something like that (if that's something they do).

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

I wish I could take things like Vicodin or Percocet or Codeine. Unfortunately, all meds like that leave my body pretty much as soon as they hit my stomach. Never have been able to take them. And let me tell you, there's nothing as fun as throwing up after having all 4 wisdom teeth removed.....

I was on Prednisone a couple of years ago for an allergic reaction. For those 3 days, I had NO pain...it was fabulous. Then the witchy mood came on and nobody wanted to be around me. Hmmm. So not really an option at this point.

My rheumy hasn't suggested shots yet. My worst pain is in my fingers, so I don't know that I would even want to try something like that (if that's something they do).

Oh I remember that mood-swing days with Prednisone (along with weight gain), but if you only have to take it for 7-10 days a couple times a year it's not bad. I'm not positive, but I don't think they give shots in the fingers, though I have received them in my wrist joint. I'm sorry you can't stomach the narcotics. Have you ever tried Ultram for pain relief, it's non-narcotic but helps with pain receptors. My Rheumatologist also prescribes me Ambien, sometimes that can help me sleep through the pain at night time. I wonder if that Paraffin wax dip would help your fingers any?

 

[wowsmom]

I haven't heard of Ultram. I'll have to research that.

Not sure about a paraffin wax dip...my sister suggested that or a manicure but the manicure I had last June was incredibly painful - the manicurist massaging my fingers was horrible (not her fault...just my fingers are very very sensitive to things - sometimes even the sheet laying on it will hurt).

Off to research.....

 

[PigletsPal2]

I'm sorry, but this doesn't really make any sense. Hydrocodone usually is dispensed as Vicodin or another generic name, and comes in 5/500 mg tablets. The 5mg is the Hydrocodone part, and the 500 is the acetaminophen portion and is usually dispensed every 6-8 hours for pain. If you were taking 800 mg of pure hydrocodone a day, you'd probably be dead as it's 12 times the recommended dosage. There is also no such thing as a 266 mg tablet of hydrocodone (800 divided by 3), or an 160mg tablet of acetaminophen to take 3 times a day. I'm just pointing this out, because I don't want anyone on the board to think you can safely take 800mg of Hydrocodone a day.

Sorry! You're absolutely right! I picked up the wrong medicine bottle and read the wrong thing. The hydrocodone bottle says hydrocodone-apap 10-660 tab. (This bottle is usually kept in my bedroom to keep it from being confused with any other of my meds, but I had to refill the prescription today and it was sitting on the table by my chair.) I hope this didn't lead anyone astray and thanks so much for catching my error!

Queen Colleen

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Sorry! You're absolutely right! I picked up the wrong medicine bottle and read the wrong thing. The hydrocodone bottle says hydrocodone-apap 10-660 tab. (This bottle is usually kept in my bedroom to keep it from being confused with any other of my meds, but I had to refill the prescription today and it was sitting on the table by my chair.) I hope this didn't lead anyone astray and thanks so much for catching my error!

Queen Colleen

No problem!! I keep my narcotics separate too...actually usually locked in a safe since I have teenagers coming and going. Not that I don't trust them, but better to be safe than sorry!

 

[TaraPA]

I realize this is an old thread, but I got some great info reading all the posts on it!

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia about 2 years ago. I know that is not arthritis as discussed here, but the meds I've taken seem to also be prescribed for some things mentioned in this thread. I've taken Mobic (did nothing), Lyrica (I was a zombie & it didn't reduce any pain or stiffness) and have been on Cymbalta 30mg 1x daily since last August. I also take half of a Soma at bedtime only as needed. I take that once or twice a week, on the bad Fibro days where I need it just to be comfortable enough to sleep well.

There are some very knowledgeable people on this thread, so I wanted to see if any of you have weaned off of Cymbalta without side effects. The Cymbalta does help my Fibro - I feel 75% better on it. However I've also gained almost 20 pounds since I started taking it. Weight gain is not listed as a major side effect of Cymbalta, and I do realize it could be unrelated to the drug, but I've never had an issue with weight, and no matter how much I exercise & watch what I eat, I just keep gaining. I'm only 4'11" so 20 pounds in 9 months is a great deal.

I thought I'd try & wean off of the Cymbalta to see if there's any fluctuation with my weight. Then I read how severe the withdrawal can be from it - yikes! Has anyone done this successfully with minimal withdrawal symptoms? I read this on a website: “Withdrawal from Cymbalta can be difficult and uncomfortable. It should only be done under the supervision of a doctor. The withdrawal symptoms can be so intense that some people are not able to stop taking the medication entirely. Some common Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms include dizziness, brain zaps, nausea, vomiting, headaches, insomnia, mood swings, nightmares and extreme irritability & anxiety.”

Well now that sounds fun doesn't it?!?!?!? Any words of wisdom?

 

[minkydog]

I just wanted to post an update on my post. Back in March my knees were so painful that I was limping badly. Had cortisone shots in both knees--did not help AT ALL. Two weeks later the pain was so bad I actually had to miss work because I couldn't get out of my house under my own power. DH took me to the orthopedist and he gave me a narcotic and ordered an MRI--turns out I have a torn meniscus in both knees and a large amt of fluid in the joints. He recommended Supartz, a lubricant that is injected into the joint space.

I cannot tell you how great this stuff is! They're giving me 1 shot to each knee every week for 5 weeks. The doctor advised me that it would probably take 4-5 weeks to feel any difference, but I had some measure of relief within a few days. It lasted only 3 days. Then I had the 2nd shot yesterday and it's like I never had arthritis! I'm telling you, this stuff is a MIRACLE DRUG. I can walk the dog, climb stairs, get up and down without holding on to furniture and I'm taking NO pain meds.

I hope this Supartz continues to work this well. Honestly, my knee pain was so bad that we were seriously considering either selling the house of renovating the basement so I could avoid steps. It was baaaaaaad. But I feel like there is light at the end of the tunnel! And if it keeps me from having double knee replacementsd I will be a happy camper indeedy!

 

[shortbun]

My knees are shot. I can relieve much of my other pain with hot soaks and movement laced with Naproxen. My Dad fought his off with heat and exersize most of his life.

 

[dawnball]

There are some very knowledgeable people on this thread, so I wanted to see if any of you have weaned off of Cymbalta without side effects. The Cymbalta does help my Fibro - I feel 75% better on it.

I thought I'd try & wean off of the Cymbalta to see if there's any fluctuation with my weight. Then I read how severe the withdrawal can be from it - yikes! Has anyone done this successfully with minimal withdrawal symptoms? I read this on a website: “Withdrawal from Cymbalta can be difficult and uncomfortable. It should only be done under the supervision of a doctor. The withdrawal symptoms can be so intense that some people are not able to stop taking the medication entirely. Some common Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms include dizziness, brain zaps, nausea, vomiting, headaches, insomnia, mood swings, nightmares and extreme irritability & anxiety.”

Well now that sounds fun doesn't it?!?!?!? Any words of wisdom?

I have words of wisdom! Or something, anyway.

I went from 60mg once a day to nothing, and had about a day or two of withdrawal, but I hadn't been taking it for long. I took a percocet to help with the pain so I could sleep, and was otherwise pretty much ok. It took me a couple of weeks to get back to "normal", but I had a mild (and odd) case of seratonin syndrome right before I went cold turkey (It made me forgetful, I couldn't remember if I took my cymbalta, and apparently started double-dosing), so I'm not sure how much is attributable to the spike then cliff effect.

Tapering is safer/better/easier than the cold-turkey I did. Cymbalta is available as 20mg capsules - you can do a week or three on that, then start re-dosing the capsules. Inside each capsule is a whole bunch of little time-release beads of medication. The recommendation is to open the capsule, count the beads, then take as many beads as you need for your next step down. So if you wanted to go from 20mg to 10mg, you'd put half the beads from a 20mg capsule into one standard gelcap (you can buy those at the pharmacy or health food store) then the other half the beads into another standard gelcap.

If that sounds like too much trouble/too weird - from 20mg of Cymbalta you can go to a low dose of Prozac. Talk to your doctor, but most people seem to go from 20mg of Cymbalta to ~ 20mg of prozac as a step-down. Maintain that for a few weeks, then you can discontinue the prozac, because prozac has a much easier withdrawal profile.

 

[TaraPA]

I have words of wisdom! Or something, anyway.

I went from 60mg once a day to nothing, and had about a day or two of withdrawal, but I hadn't been taking it for long. I took a percocet to help with the pain so I could sleep, and was otherwise pretty much ok. It took me a couple of weeks to get back to "normal", but I had a mild (and odd) case of seratonin syndrome right before I went cold turkey (It made me forgetful, I couldn't remember if I took my cymbalta, and apparently started double-dosing), so I'm not sure how much is attributable to the spike then cliff effect.

Tapering is safer/better/easier than the cold-turkey I did. Cymbalta is available as 20mg capsules - you can do a week or three on that, then start re-dosing the capsules. Inside each capsule is a whole bunch of little time-release beads of medication. The recommendation is to open the capsule, count the beads, then take as many beads as you need for your next step down. So if you wanted to go from 20mg to 10mg, you'd put half the beads from a 20mg capsule into one standard gelcap (you can buy those at the pharmacy or health food store) then the other half the beads into another standard gelcap.

If that sounds like too much trouble/too weird - from 20mg of Cymbalta you can go to a low dose of Prozac. Talk to your doctor, but most people seem to go from 20mg of Cymbalta to ~ 20mg of prozac as a step-down. Maintain that for a few weeks, then you can discontinue the prozac, because prozac has a much easier withdrawal profile.

This sounds promising! I'm going to call the rheumatologist this morning to discuss. Thanks!

Minkydog - glad you found something that's helping! MY BFF that I go to WDW with 2-3 times a year if finally getting her knee replaced in 3 weeks. She had been getting some sort of cartilage injections, but once they wore off she was in constant discomfort & pain.