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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by NikkiT2 on September 16, 2006, at 6:31:48
(History - nerve pain pain in right rm of vrious levels for past 12 years.. Had a setllate ganglian nerve block in march that went wrong and has left me with severe nerve pain in right rm, shoulder and neck, often now radiating into other shoulder)
I'm taking 60mg dihydrocodeine 3 times a day on average to control my nerve pain.. other meds aren't n option it seems at the moment (nothing "weaker" has worked, and tramadol sends me away with the fairies so I can't take it), but I am suffering really bad gastro side effects from the codeine.. I'm getting stomach cramps that just double me over, and switching from feeling very painfully bloated and unable to "go", to having noisy exposive diarhea.. my GP gave me some anti-spsmodics to try, but they really haven't done much.. the stomach pains wake me up atleast once a night, and I'm having to get up earlier in the morning as atleast 15 minutes of *every* moning is spent cramped over..
Does anyone know of any way to deal with these side effects? At the moment I can't work out whether its worse to b with the pain or the gastro problems.. I can go a day without taking the pain meds t weekends, but I always end up breaking down and taking them..
Any suggestions very very gratefully received..
Nikki
Posted by ClearSkies on September 16, 2006, at 17:00:45
In reply to Gastro problems from codeine.., posted by NikkiT2 on September 16, 2006, at 6:31:48
Sorry the pain relief is causing problems of its own... do you eat/drink/injest ginger at all? It has helped me with gastric distress, from feeling nauseous to indigestion to cramps. Ginger ale, ginger beer, candied ginger, and dried ginger root made into tea (which is really nice and citrus tasting).
A stool softener (such as docusate sodium), not a laxative, will probably make you feel much better.ClearSkies
Posted by NikkiT2 on September 17, 2006, at 13:45:29
In reply to Re: Gastro problems from codeine.. » NikkiT2, posted by ClearSkies on September 16, 2006, at 17:00:45
hey,
I take a stool softener each evening (5ml of lactulose syrup).. and I never go too long before going, so the problem isn't constipation..
Ginger hasn't helped (a ginger and lemon tea.. I'm not a big fan of ginger for some reason), nor has peppermint tea..Ach.. I'm just fed up with it!! *laughing*
Nikki x
Posted by ClearSkies on September 17, 2006, at 14:08:43
In reply to Re: Gastro problems from codeine.. » ClearSkies, posted by NikkiT2 on September 17, 2006, at 13:45:29
I'll keep thinking...something must be out there that can soothe you.
CS
Posted by Declan on September 19, 2006, at 16:44:23
In reply to Gastro problems from codeine.., posted by NikkiT2 on September 16, 2006, at 6:31:48
That amount of dihrocodeine made my guts more or less nonfunctional.
Psyllium husks may help.
I ended up thinking it would be easier not to eat.
Posted by NikkiT2 on September 20, 2006, at 4:06:02
In reply to Re: Gastro problems from codeine.. » NikkiT2, posted by Declan on September 19, 2006, at 16:44:23
Today they are functioning.. Oh boy are they functioning.. They are functioning very loudly and very regularly and very painfully..
And I'm at work.. with shared bathrooms..
And now I am bleeding (99% sure its just hemmorrhoids, but its been going on for a few days now).. which I *know* I should get checked out.. but I've already got doctors looking at my girlie bits on friday, and not sure I can face anyone looking *there* too!
So very very not happy *l*
This is the end of the thread.
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