Hello,
I am a farmer and I began taking pain meds about 3 years or so ago. Tractor driving is hard on your back and I went to the doc and he gave me Darvocets and small percs from time to time. Then in the fall of 2006 he asked me if I would like a
fentanyl pain patch, small dose 25mcg, which worked very well and I could get out of bed and get my corn harvest done with some pep for a change. (I have also had problems with anxiety and depression). I also had a friend who would slip me a few 7.5 percs now and then, no more than half dozen or so a month. Well in February of last year the patches were irritating my skin so much that he switched me to
Kadian, which is a time release
morphine - 120 mg per day. It was terribly expensive, ruined my sex life and constipated me. I had been going to a chiropractor for another problem and he really helped me, so I thought it would be a good time to quit the Kadian. So about the Feb. 1 I tapered down the Kadian and did good until I got down to two pills per day and then one day my blood pressure shot up to like 195/150, had the sweats, etc. The doc gave some
clonidine and some
Valium, but when I got down to one pill/day the pain came back, so he put me on Vicodin. I told him one every six hours wasn't cutting it (because I had become so tolerant to the Kadian I guess), which was the truth, so he put me on
Vicoprofen, which is like Vicodin except it has
ibuprofen in it instead of
tylenol, two tablets 3-4 times per day. Well, I had some phys. therapy, found one of my legs was shorter than the other, and trigger point injections and as far as I know my back is better, if not completely cured. Problem is I was taking ten Vicoprofens a day for awhile when I had some dental pain and under a lot of stress (still have some issues I cannot seem to get resolved)...I have cut back to 8.5 per day, but I experience cravings like you wouldn't believe sometimes. I am going to come clean with my doc. He wanted me to try
methadone when I went to him before, and I am scared of it. My closest doctor that will prescribe
suboxone is 140 miles away, plus I don't have much insurance. How about a very slow taper, like 1/2 pill every week or two? Has anybody tried
tramadol to taper? If I do get off, do I have to face the cravings forever? I am a grown man but I am still really scared...I didn't mean to get this way at all...I should have known better...thanks for any and all help...don't want to lose my wonderufl wife, friends and wonderful kids...thanks alot
Vicoprofen problem 
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