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1325672 tn?1290084214

Drug holiday

Is it a good idea to take a drug holiday? So I wont get used to them. I know it will be hard. But I feel like they are not working that good.
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655875 tn?1295695107
Well, I do personally think this is a good idea, but when your pain is unmanaged with the medication you are taking, this is merely impossible to do.  This would be impossible for me to do this with my pain not controlled well.

The other factor is that I follow all the doctors orders to a capital T.  My one script says take one tab three times daily.  Now, if it said take one tab three times a day as needed, that would be a different story.  I feel it's very improtant to follow the doctors instructions the way they are written, so you don't be getting yourself into trouble.
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Avatar universal
I have heard about some people doing this and it working for them.  I have never done it myself.  I have, however, changed medications and that has worked pretty well to keep me on a fairly low dose.  (Although one person's idea of "low dose" is different than another's.)
I would say talk to your doctor about it and see if they have had patients have success with it.  That way they can help you taper if you both decide it's what you should do and they can be aware of what you're doing and if you need to call for higher pain levels, etc.
Please let us know how it works for you if you decide to do it.  It's always good to hear of other's experiences with treatments.
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535089 tn?1400673519
That's a good question. I have been absent from MedHelp for sometime now for that very reason.

Because I am facing yet another Surgery for 3 additional Herniated Discs, I was forced to go off of all my pain medication so that when I have the Surgery, the medicine would work.

I have spent the better part of a month coming off of it all. I have been in terrible pain and the OTC meds just don't work. With the help of my Doctor and my Husband, it was possible to comeoff of it all.

So yes, I think it's a very good idea to take occasional breaks from the Narcotics.

My best,
Mollyrae
Helpful - 0
547368 tn?1440541785
Hi Grampy,

This is a very good question and can only be properly answered by your physician. In some instances it can be beneficial. In the long run I am not sure it makes any differance in the long run for tolerance.

Some physicians promote drug holidays while others deem them useless. It will depend on several factors and in the end it will be up to your physician. Please don't do this on your own.

Mollyrae's case is different than yours as she requires surgery and she was under the advice and supervision of her physician.

So Grampy please discuss this with your physician. Let us know how you are doing. It's always good to hear from you.

Take Care,
~Tuck  

.
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Avatar universal
Hi again Grampy,  

Yes, as Tuck said PLEASE don't do this on your own.  Talk FIRST to your PM Doctor. He will know what it the best for you.  

Are you having trouble with your meds working for you?  I HOPE that you will wait until he tries you on your LT (Long Term - acting) Meds along with the BT (Break Through) meds.  What he started you on is ONLY a starting point to see what you need to control your pain.  You aren't on that high a dosage.  Your Doctor is trying to find the correct combination of medication that will give you the relief that you so greatly DESERVE!!!

I hope that you are doing OK!!  Please give your Wife my Best. :).......Sherry
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Avatar universal
I sent you a PM Grampy!!......Sherry  :)
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Avatar universal
By all means make sure you talk to your doc before doing this. I think it is a good idea though. I am currently tapering down and should stop tomorrow. I was on 4 Norco a day and 2 Oxycontin a day. The pain definitely goes up but maybe not as much as you might think. So when I start taking my meds again I hope I won't have to take as many even though what I was taking was not that much to begin with. GL to you!
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356518 tn?1322263642
Hi Grampy,
  I suggest asking your Doctor about this as suggested by the others. Something else to keep in mind is the fact that when you do let the pain get so bad it will take longer and more medication to get it back under control. This is why Doctor's will tell you to take your pain meds when the pain starts as opposed to waiting because once your in a full flare up the medications will not work well.
I have heard of many people going off all of their medications to start over, I have done this twice in the past twenty years. I will tell you that when I did star back on my meds they worked much better.
Speak to your Doctor and do not do this own your own if you decide to do this:)
Helpful - 0
547368 tn?1440541785
Have you made any tentative decisions yet grampy? Have you had an opportunity to discuss this with your physican?

As Sandee, Architex, Sherry and everyone else has said please don't do a Drug Holiday without consulting your physician. It can be a bit risky, especially based on your medical history.

My Best,
~Tuck
Helpful - 0
1429373 tn?1284070414
I took a drug holiday once before surgery. It was something I decided to do on my own to see if i was suffering from that "drug induced hyper-analgesia". I lasted 8 days without med and then i went back to them. The only thing it proved to me was that putting yourself through it is not worth it...but that's just my opinion. I thought it might prove that I wasn't really needing the pain meds that much but in the end I saw how much they had been helping me. I have read where others were taken off drugs by their doctors and it scared me... was afraid i might end up in the E.R
Helpful - 0
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