vicoprofen dependence question

Guest over a year ago

I have a progressively worsening back/nerve condition that I've run through the gamut of physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractics, etc, for the past 6 years. Now this year, after MRI, several MD specialists, multiple opinions, the verdict is that they all clearly see the same issue, but there ain't nuthin nobody can do and I'm likely stuck with this chronic pain c**p for the rest of my life. The past 3 months it's gotten to the point where every day by 4-5pm it's so bad that I literally can't understand what people are saying to me, and this aspect I'm guessing is from the nerve pain issue, which is different from the classic stereotypical back pain issue that I have. I can "think" when it's only severe back pain, but my brain begins to shut down with the nerve pain. Anyway, by 5 pm I'm shot from the nerve pain, daily now, but I have family responsibilities when I get home, so to function I've been taking 1 generic vicoprofen (7.5mg hydro/200 mg ibu) each day at 5pm. This has been going on for 3 months now. I'm not sure why, but I have a huge psychological abhorrence to becoming dependant on this stuff, so after 6-7 days in a row I test myself and don't take any for 3 days to see what happens, and just suffer through the evening pain. Then I go back on it and repeat the cycle. I told my doctor this and he said 1 vicoprofen per day in the evening will absolutely not make me dependant even if I did this for years. Anyone with hands-on experience with this stuff concur with that? I trust my doc but hope to hear the same thing from a patient going through (or having gone through) a similar thing. And also, if anyone can speak from experience on this, based on what I've said am I likely looking at requiring more & more potent versions of opiates as the years go by? Or are there people who can maintain with no tolerance build-up, taking only 1 in the evening for years on end? I'm not worried about "addiction", mainly the physical dependence, and the tolerance build-up, and requiring increasingly higher doses. Not looking forward to needing one 80mg oxycontin every six hours or so. Thanks in advance if you have any advice from personal experience.

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Casig5976 over a year ago

I'm sorry to hear that you are struggling to control your pain, however has your doctor discussed referral to a chronic pain specialist with you?

The reason that I ask is that although opiates are effective for controlling a lot of types of pain, they are usually pretty rubbish at helping with neuropathic / nerve pain which seems to be your main problem.

I can certainly understand your concern, and although you are only taking one tablet a day, they are only recommended for short term use - not for chronic pain management. It is quite easy to become tolerant to Opoids, and they do have significant side effects all of which have to be weighed up and considered along side the benefits, so there is always a risk that tolerance will develop

Ther are many different ways to mange long term pain and referral to a chronic pain clinic may be worth considering to enable you to manage your health over the longer term. They may be able to advice you on alternatives to opiates - including certain antidepressants available that are very effective in managing neuropathic pain (dont write them off before trying just because they are also an antidepressant - pain control dosage is much lower)

Hope this helps

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neversaynever over a year ago

I used to take1/2 and the 1/2 as well, been thru many surgeries most due to sports.

I never though it would be a problem, also very frighten of thing controlling me, ex. smoking,

drinking, eating, drugs. Well its 11 years now and I still take them. Tolereance,habit or just dependency somehow, physical or physcological has occured, now take about 2-3 a day. I know

it is not the best idea, but for me the upside is still greater than the downside. I dont get high from them, but they let me do what I want to do, quality of life i guess. I get blood test every

six months to make sure enzymes are ok. so far so good, when the down side becomes greater than the up, I guess I will have to stop somehow. Not proud of it, but we all justify what we want to.

good luck, but dont think for a minute that this will remain one, sorry for that news. I said that back when my son was 2, he is now 24.

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