[krista811]

ok - i'll try to sum this up quick...i have cronic pain and 2 years ago was perscribed hydrocodone 5/325 by a PA. He STARTED me at 6 to 8 pills a day...i took them a perscribed, every day....i had never been warned about addiction, withdrawls, anything.... is that normal to start someone at that high of a dose? now that i know more i've heard people usually start at 1 or 2 and if that doesn't work the dose goes up. please any input would be appreciated.
i'm also concerned because my PA asked me to have a follow up with a DR. and the DR. said the dose was too high for chronic pain and wanted me off the medication completely. He accused me of overusing when all i did was take what i was told...
they never tried to catch me with a random pill count, blood level check, anything....i'm assuming someone caught on to him giving me such a high dose and now they are trying to sweep it under the table or something...my problem is now i'm expected to live in pain, when they have no proof or real reason to believe i've done anything other then take what the PA told me to take....
PLEASE HELP with any suggestions of info.

[lyds]

Originally Posted by krista811

ok - i'll try to sum this up quick...i have cronic pain and 2 years ago was perscribed hydrocodone 5/325 by a PA. He STARTED me at 6 to 8 pills a day...i took them a perscribed, every day....i had never been warned about addiction, withdrawls, anything.... is that normal to start someone at that high of a dose? now that i know more i've heard people usually start at 1 or 2 and if that doesn't work the dose goes up. please any input would be appreciated.
i'm also concerned because my PA asked me to have a follow up with a DR. and the DR. said the dose was too high for chronic pain and wanted me off the medication completely. He accused me of overusing when all i did was take what i was told...
they never tried to catch me with a random pill count, blood level check, anything....i'm assuming someone caught on to him giving me such a high dose and now they are trying to sweep it under the table or something...my problem is now i'm expected to live in pain, when they have no proof or real reason to believe i've done anything other then take what the PA told me to take....
PLEASE HELP with any suggestions of info.

Wow. That's a tough situation. I really don't know what to tell you as far as what to do. I can't believe that someone won't treat you for your pain especially since you were just doing what you were told. But, yeah, 6-8 a day is very high as far as my experience. The most I have ever been prescribed was 1 hydrocodone every 6 hours.

Let us know how things turn out for you.

[screamtoasigh]

ON what your chronic pain situation is. What are you taking the meds for??

6-8 is way to high to start out with. generally they'll start you with a lower doseage taken say 3-4 times a day and then raise the doseage, times per day slowly. If it's not working at 6 a day, they generally will try something else. But it depends on what you need it for. It could be that you're condition shouldn't require that much meds.

[sta_orgo]

As soon a syou can...switch over to Ultram.. It works just as well as narcotics, but is not a narcotic. It is still addictive, but for a true medical condition you can take about 8 a day. I have severe nerve pain from herniated discs and am one year post op on spinal fusion. Two in the morning, one mid day, and one at night with other drugs at night like Elavil....a great drug to help you go into stage four sleep. Also, tizanidine is an amazing NON-addictive muscle relaxer. Plus, massages one a week if you can, acupuncture, hot pads, baths, etc...they work fantastiucally if you give them a chance. Good luck and know that there are so many people out there who have gotten so addicted, such as I did for 10 years, and that you are not alone. It can get better just get off the strong stuff.

[sparkey]

Originally Posted by krista811

ok - i'll try to sum this up quick...i have cronic pain and 2 years ago was perscribed hydrocodone 5/325 by a PA. He STARTED me at 6 to 8 pills a day...i took them a perscribed, every day....i had never been warned about addiction, withdrawls, anything.... is that normal to start someone at that high of a dose? now that i know more i've heard people usually start at 1 or 2 and if that doesn't work the dose goes up. please any input would be appreciated.
i'm also concerned because my PA asked me to have a follow up with a DR. and the DR. said the dose was too high for chronic pain and wanted me off the medication completely. He accused me of overusing when all i did was take what i was told...
they never tried to catch me with a random pill count, blood level check, anything....i'm assuming someone caught on to him giving me such a high dose and now they are trying to sweep it under the table or something...my problem is now i'm expected to live in pain, when they have no proof or real reason to believe i've done anything other then take what the PA told me to take....
PLEASE HELP with any suggestions of info.

I was in the same situation where i was starting out taking 3 percs a day and then up to 4 a day. I have chronic hand/wrist pain and nothing was working. After awhile you get so use to the dose that it does not help the pain but for a few hours. Just this week, the pain clinic put me on Methadone 5mg 4x's a day. I will tell you that i am pain free for hours now. The only trouble i am having is slowly getting off the perc's i am so use to. I take one in the am, and then one in the afternoon. My craving is much less now for the perc's being on the methadone for 4 days now. She is not going to be giving me anymore perc's after being on them now for 6 months, and that will be fine with me now that this is working. Good luck.