Ohh, man…I was taking 2 Aleve a day for about 8 months, due to pain in my feet (which turned out to be neuropathy from uncontrolled diabetes). That was enough to burn a nice little ulcer in my stomach, which took about 6 months to clear up. My doctor informed me that Aleve can do a number on your stomach the same way aspirin can.
Percoset was also a let down. I was prescribed it after major craniofacial surgery. That hurt so much I woke up crying a couple of times… Anyway, I would take a percoset, feel woozy for half an hour, fall asleep for 4 hours, wake up and take the next one. There was no pleasantness about it. Granted, I never took one when I wasn’t sick, but still, I was hoping they would at least make me happy.
Oh, no! I have stubble! And an American accent!
I was expecting something closer to the “I ate two mushrooms” thread. Oh well.
It’s probably lupus.
I’ve been on four to six Vicodin a day for six years or so. I don’t get any buzz/floatyness, just insane pain when I don’t take it. I’m a lot more grouchy when I’m in pain…my students have been known to ask if I snap at them, “Have you taken your Vicodin lately?”
Its never lupus!
I’m on vicodin now for an absess in my knee. It doesnt do a whole lot for me, but it suitably takes the edge off, and I can usually sleep off the pain. I’m trying not to get addicted…out of a bottle of 30, I think I’ve taken half of them in a month
Different folks have different results with different pain meds (YMMV).
For instance: I suffer from kidney stones, and have a sister who also suffers from them. For her, 7.5mg Vicodin (or Lorcet, interchangeable, really) is her ‘drug of choice’, whereas for me, Vicodin doesn’t do nearly as much as Percocet.
I pray you never have enough troubles that you can figure out what works best for you, but if you do, don’t feel bad about expressing it to your doc!!
Also, remember, Vicodin comes in three strengths (people talk like all Vicodin is that same thing): 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg (I’m talking about the hydrocodone itself here, not the acetaminophen). Obviously, if your doc gave you 5mg, it’s not going to hit you as hard as 7.5mg would.
Just BTW, I believe House is intentionally vague about:
A. What strength he uses
B. How many he takes at a time
For me, personally (and due to chronic kidney stone/infection issues, I have a high tolerance): it takes two 7.5mg to get any kind of a buzz, and any kind of real pain relief. Therefore, if I am prescribed 5mg, I find myself having to down three at a time. OTOH, two 5mg Vicodin plus 800mg of ibuprofen usually gives pretty sufficient pain relief.
I bulged a disk in my neck 2-8-08. The first doctor gave me 5mg vicodins that did absolutely nothing for the pain. I finally got referred to a spinal pain clinic who upped it to 10 mg, and put a monkey on my back the size of Arizona. I may get to return to work next week, and am in fear of the problems I will have stopping the drugs. I did not understand how anyone could get addicted to pain meds before, for me drugs were somthing you used untill the bottle was empty, threw it away , then went on with life, but now I have a new found respect for the way it slowly works it’s way into your life. I gave Limbaugh hell for it, but boy now I understand.