pain meds for hep c patients

[skb28642]

Dear Doc, I have fibromyalgia, rhuemotoid arthritis and hep c, i hurt like crazy every day. The peg andribv. didnt work, it knocked the viral load down but it shot right back up after 12 months of treatment. Ibuprofen doesnt help much at all and my dr. doesnt ant me to take pain meds. He doesnt want me on anything for the arthritis because it will affect my liver. At what point does taking pain meds help more than it hurts? My quality of life isnt very good. Id rather live better with pain meds than live longer without them. Any suggestions?

[arpren]

I take tramadol  as a pain killer the doctors here in australia won,t give you morphine unless you have  a cancer. the strict  government laws here on prescribing narcotic drugs actually led to people going into the illegal drug market and trying heroin and led some to getting hep c in the first place

[winner727]

small amounts of bud helps me w  everything from appitite ,sleep , mood , pain  but i would go slow on ANY pain meds i only take tylenol  twice a week , and that only if im between grows or drying

[fretboard]

There has been long standing debate about whether any morphine derivitive drug is safe on the liver.  I never met a morphine I didn't like, but now if I take even vicodin for a few days I don't feel well.  The rule of thumb that should be followed is is if you've never had a problem with drug abuse than you really shouldn't worry about it.  I wouldn't trust that rule of thumb either, but that's just for me.  Just one last thing, just cause your doctor says it's ok doesn't mean he knows whether it's ok or not.  Morphine and it's derivitives have been shown to replicate the virus, I'll place a couple of links, but you'll have to do the math yourselves.  later

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/10/051029093825.htm

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1603777

[Michelle867]

Like mammaglow, I am also on the Morphine ER and lesser immediate release tabs that I take in between.  I am in my 8th week of treatment and my doc says that the Morphine is fine to take.  I think one of the things to watch for is that alot of pain meds have alot of acetaminophen in them and that in high doses will affect the liver.  If you need to be on pain meds try to get something that is more of the straight meds and have less of the additives that will affect the liver.  Make sure that you have a doctor that you trust and knows which meds work well with the treatment.  I have been on the Morphine for several years now and yes it doesn't help with the fatigue but I'm tired from the treatment and everything else that I have medically wrong so without the Morphine I can hardly get out of bed from the pain.  I still have pain but at least I am capable of working and having some sort of a life.  Good luck and keep us posted on how you are doing.    Michelle

[mommaglow]

I also was in so muh pain that I was misreble. I was taking a dozed pain pills a day with no relief. I switched Dr's and my new Dr put me on Morphine ER. I take ine in the morning and one at night, on bad days (like the day after my shots) I need to take maby 1-2 imeadiate release tabs, but my life would be 100% better if it was not for the fatigue- never fails with this tx- and my dr told me it was safe for my liver- good luck

[jmjm530]

There are no doctors in this forum, only patients. If you want to ask your question to a doctor, you need to post in the professional forum here:
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/show/272

[m1956]

after my 54 weeks of failed treatment i too had a severe flair up of arthritus and bursitas as well and i was prescribed  xefo 8 mg. (lornoxicam) and it works really great for me

[Jody515]

Didn't mean to imply that it was a good idea for the immunosuppressants & steriods but it sometimes has to be done & I personally did it so just saying it can be done. Don't know anything about pain meds, seems there could be something, just not sure.

[JennyPenny]

There is a drug called plaquenil that may be helpful for the RA. It is liver-friendly. It is NOT a good idea to take immuno suppressants and steroids while on treatment or off. They are definitely harmful to a liver affected by a virus. If you do not have an addiction problem, opiates are also fairly safe for the liver.

[kiowa806]

Hey do i know how you feel! i am 43 years old and feel as if i am 80years old. Walk with cane.Wheelchair for longer trips.I had to go to a rhumotologist and was prescribed morphine and it has change my quality of life drastically.I can walk again.As i understand it the morphine is the less destructive on the liver than the other drugs for pain.Anyway it has helped me a great deal.Just a suggestion.

[parkbob]

I dont care what the Drs. say When your in pain take what you need to get out of it.just don;t over do it.

[Jody515]

So if you relapsed, aren't you going back on treatment? And if you are on treatment, inspite of what your dr says you can take the necessary steriods or immunosuppressants at the same time.  I read another post out there today, where someone named cottoncandy relapsed again for the 3rd time I think she said but she is doing treatment just in a diff way this time-talk to her