1. < Chronic Pain

Hydrocodone/Medical Marijuana

Posted by chilid @chilid, Sep 12, 2018

I'm 62 years old. After 15 years of taking 3200mg of Ibuprofen a day for achilles tendonitis (which damaged my kidneys...before the discovery of ibuprofen's affect on them; in about the year 2000 or so), my Dr switched me to Norco (10mg Hydrocodone, 325 Tylenol...sorry can't seem to spell the generic name). Another 15 years down the road, I started having lower back, hip & knee pain. The Norco has worked wonderfully at relieving the pain. The last couple of years, I've been having trouble sleeping. Can only seem to sleep an hour or two at a time, having to get up for bathroom runs numerous times a night. California in the meantime had legalized medical marijuana. In the sense of full disclosure, I have done pot recreationally since the early '70s, but decreasingly in the last 10 years or so. Now that it's "legal", I started taking edibles as a sleep aid; have not noticed that the marijuana has had any pain relief for me, but as a sleep aid, it's been wonderful. So, Norco for pain, pot for sleep has been my regimen for about the last 15 months, and I've been feeling 25 years younger; no pain, nearly full 8 hours straight a night of sleep. I'm waking fully rested & ready to take on my days. For the first time in the years I've been taking Norco, my Dr had me do a urinalysis, results, of course, showing both the hydrocodone AND the THC in the pot. He gave me an ultimatum: one or the other, but you can't do both (due to DEA laws, etc). At this point, being a somewhat stubborn person, I'm not willing to give up my newly regained increased quality of daily life. What are my options?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.

Judyinjeans. | @judyingenes | May 20, 2023
In reply to @mikeswims "I suggest you find a new pain doctor. I have been taking Tramadol 4 times a..." + (show)
@mikeswims

I suggest you find a new pain doctor. I have been taking Tramadol 4 times a day and THC edibles every evening for 3 years. I also have a prescriptions for Percocet and Belbuca for days when the pain is particularly intense. All of my doctors know I use marijuana edibles and they all say it’s a good idea as long as I don’t smoke it. The law requires me to have to have a urinalysis every 3 months in order to keep renewing my opioids prescriptions. It shows I use THC and it’s not a problem. To renew my prescriptions I have to call my pain doctor and they call in the prescription. I get 150 Tramadol in each bottle. I use CVS and they are quick and easy to work with. Previously I had gotten prescriptions at Walmart, but they refused to fill my Tramadol prescription because I also have Percocet. I hope this information is helpful.

Jump to this post

YES… you gave me very useful information. Now I have some working knowledge of other drugs that have been used in place of hydrocodone by other folks here and won’t go into the conversation with my doctor blindsided. She is not a pain doctor but rather my primary doctor, so we will see what happens on the 31st of this month when we talk. Thanks everyone for your support!

REPLY
budo7 | @budo7 | May 21, 2023

You have to pick one. Or at least not use the pot for at least 30 days before your visit to your Doctors appointment. The problem is weed is not legal on the Federal level.

REPLY
jenatsky | @jenatsky | May 22, 2023
In reply to @dimbulb "In a recent study researchers found no evidence of anti-depressants pain reducing claims, Gabapentin is one..." + (show)
@dimbulb

In a recent study researchers found no evidence of anti-depressants pain reducing claims, Gabapentin is one of these drugs, I was on it for years in the hope that it would help my chronic pain, when your at wits end you try anything, I take THC/CBD combo and although not a painkiller it does take my mind off the pain.Best of luck to you!

Jump to this post

@dimbulb I too tried cannabis combo for pain but wasn’t successful until I increased my CBD 150mg 3x day and decreased THC 15mg 3x day that I found breakthrough pain relief. And I no longer need oxycodone for breakthrough pain. I’m still prescribed buprenorphine patch 20mcg x7 days for my chronic pain syndrome.

REPLY
2 replies
dimbulb | @dimbulb | May 22, 2023
In reply to @jenatsky "@dimbulb I too tried cannabis combo for pain but wasn’t successful until I increased my CBD..." + (show)
@jenatsky

@dimbulb I too tried cannabis combo for pain but wasn’t successful until I increased my CBD 150mg 3x day and decreased THC 15mg 3x day that I found breakthrough pain relief. And I no longer need oxycodone for breakthrough pain. I’m still prescribed buprenorphine patch 20mcg x7 days for my chronic pain syndrome.

Jump to this post

Thanks for the tips, Tramadol does nothing for me but haven't steeped into anything stronger yet, sure am tired of waking up knowing that it'll be another day of pain, it's how I deal with it mentally that directs the day!

REPLY
jenatsky | @jenatsky | May 23, 2023

It took me a year of experimenting to get it right. I hope you find your sweet spot too.

REPLY
nativeoregirl | @nativeoregirl | May 23, 2023
In reply to @jenatsky "@dimbulb I too tried cannabis combo for pain but wasn’t successful until I increased my CBD..." + (show)
@jenatsky

@dimbulb I too tried cannabis combo for pain but wasn’t successful until I increased my CBD 150mg 3x day and decreased THC 15mg 3x day that I found breakthrough pain relief. And I no longer need oxycodone for breakthrough pain. I’m still prescribed buprenorphine patch 20mcg x7 days for my chronic pain syndrome.

Jump to this post

Hi glad you’re getting relief. How does the Buprenorphine psych psych 20 work out for you? My Mom had a heart attack while using that to get off Norco. They keep pushing me to do it but frankly I am able to manage with the Norco just fine and quite apprehensive about the whole thing. I am very drug sensitive and have PMR with they think GCA now and do not need anything else to deal with.

REPLY
3 replies
nativeoregirl | @nativeoregirl | May 23, 2023
In reply to @nativeoregirl "Hi glad you’re getting relief. How does the Buprenorphine psych psych 20 work out for you?..." + (show)
@nativeoregirl

Hi glad you’re getting relief. How does the Buprenorphine psych psych 20 work out for you? My Mom had a heart attack while using that to get off Norco. They keep pushing me to do it but frankly I am able to manage with the Norco just fine and quite apprehensive about the whole thing. I am very drug sensitive and have PMR with they think GCA now and do not need anything else to deal with.

Jump to this post

Patch work, I meant excuse the typo above!

REPLY
jenatsky | @jenatsky | May 23, 2023
In reply to @nativeoregirl "Hi glad you’re getting relief. How does the Buprenorphine psych psych 20 work out for you?..." + (show)
@nativeoregirl

Hi glad you’re getting relief. How does the Buprenorphine psych psych 20 work out for you? My Mom had a heart attack while using that to get off Norco. They keep pushing me to do it but frankly I am able to manage with the Norco just fine and quite apprehensive about the whole thing. I am very drug sensitive and have PMR with they think GCA now and do not need anything else to deal with.

Jump to this post

It works very well actually. I needed an initial bump up from 15mcg to 20mcg for it to work. I have no side effects or anything negative from it and I only have a sensitivity to NSAID drugs which I cannot take.

REPLY
nativeoregirl | @nativeoregirl | May 23, 2023

I’m the same with NSAID drugs. Still don’t want to switch as Norco has really worked for me over the years. Thanks for your response.🙂

REPLY
scruffy1 | @scruffy1 | May 24, 2023

This lead-in from the WSJ, 5-23-23 if you subscribe to it, very interesting article in the study of chronic pain:

Electrodes embedded in the brains of four people have captured a detailed and precise portrait of chronic pain.

The new work, published Monday in the journal Nature Neuroscience, points to brain regions that could be targets for future treatments, neuroscientists say, while adding to our understanding of why some people develop persistent, unyielding chronic pain.

REPLY
1 reply
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.