Hydrocodone for chronic pain?

Hi Spunkye,
I agree to take it before the pain is out of control. Hydrocodone is immediate relief so if you go into a crisis you will know it will work. If it’s long acting hydrocodone it’s a different story. You take it as ordered on a continual daily dose.
However, make sure you wait until you try all your other pain control interventions (deep breathing, distraction, etc).
Don’t reach for that pill bottle until you have thought it out. You don’t want to reach the limit where it doesn’t work. You will find yourself in the situation you were in before the hydrocodone. It won’t work!
If this happens, you have 2 options:
- cut your dose way down in which case you will be suffering needlessly. Plus the issue of withdrawal.
- Go to the doctor and request a higher dosage. He may not give it to you and most likely wont until you convince him you really need more. It’s not a good situation to be in.

Moral to the story...
Go low and start slow. Use your other measures along with the medicine. Stay on schedule.
Avoid the triggers.
Keep the meds in a different room. It’s too convenient to pop a pill if it’s right next to you.
If it doesn’t hold you to where you are in pain all the time then you know you do need a higher dose.

Best wishes in having quality to your life.
:-)

Before. It's always good to stay on top of the pain.