IBS and no help sight...need help

Hello, and thank you for your reply.  I am being very careful, because I know you can't fool around with these pain meds.  I would rather not take them, but the pain, emotional and psychological effects are just to much.  Yes, I have a wonderful supportive husband and two great kids.  Thank God that helps too.

Anyone who supports someone using painkillers "does not have your back" trust me on this. This might make one feel good now, but it only will lead to further complications and totally mess up your digestive system off because of the ongoing constipation opiates give you. Also, opiates are extremely hard on your kidneys and liver. The six years I was on Vicodin for extreme back pain, my kidney function went from a 5 to a 3. I now have to take potassium supplements. I went off of them cold turkey 8 months ago and fear another blood test. Please don't encourage people to take pain meds with an opiate epidemic in this country.

Okay Josephine,  thank you so much for your input.   However, I have to intervene to your post to Aubreymae.  First of all, I have taken Vicodin before for knee surgery.  I NEVER take them with alcohol or any pain medication.  Vicodin contains acetaminophen which is in Tylenol.  If someone said they take Tylenol everyday for pain would that concern you.   The maximum amount of Acetaminophen is 4000 mg per day.  That is what damages your liver and kidneys not hydrocodone.  Maybe you have other issues with your health that would make your liver and kidneys numbers change or maybe you took the opiate with other meds containing acetaminophen.?  Or maybe you drank alcohol during your use.  I take one 500/300 Vicodin per day when it is necessary.   I have been through hell and back, tried every and I mean every med in the book to help with my everyday chronic pain.  As well as holistic and herbal supplements.  Nothing helps! I have two children to take care of and a lot of responsibility I cannot spend my days in bed with a heating pad.  I have  had test after test after test.  No one can help me.   So if you think that one Vicodin a day for the past 6 months is making me sick.  You should educate yourself.  Addicts get addicted to everything, it doesn't mean these meds should be taken off the market.  I go to a pain specialist who is trying to find out why I have the problems I do.  Until then I can function like a normal person, not miss weddings, cancel vacations and have horrible anxiety do to the pain.  People smoke it rots your insides and can kill you, alcohol can kill you, pot can give you lung cancer.  I am monitored by a pain specialist every month I give a urine sample.  My blood pressure, blood tests..my kidneys and liver are fine.    Unless a person has experienced what I have they should shut up, because I am not going to suffer anyone.  Also, not every person that takes opiates gets addicted and ends up a junkie, thats just ignorance talking. Your also not supposed to stop them cold turkey.  I take fiber supplements and have a bm every morning and night never constipated.  So please don't preach.

Dear Josephine, 

I apologize. I can see that

my expression of sympathy to Jennifer could be interpreted as a cavalier suggestion to encourage her to prioritize "pain relief " above all concern for addiction to opioids. 

I am truly sorry for your pain. I think the discussion between everyone in this forum highlights the unbelievable level of frustration we all have in common.

The many stories shared here seem, at times, to confirm a fear that the medical profession with all the current imaging technology still falls short in its diagnostic acumen. Even more troubling is the revelation disclosed in a recent Ted Talks series. Shocking, but the medications we take are reviewed by the FDA and we assume there's evidence these meds ( not opioids) have been shown to help us. This is not exactly true. The medications often times are shown to be effective in only 30% of patients. This percentage varies, but the lesson shared was that meds aren't ever forecast to help the majority of patients who take them.  Never knew that. So.... I suppose it's better than nothing? Not according to the math. We're all suppose to know enough to ask our doctors about the "NNT" of the particular drug were taking. What the heck is that? It stands for " number needed to treat".  With " statins", cholesterol medications, there have to be three hundred people taking the drug in order for one person to benefit. I encourage you to see the lecture by Daniel Levitin. Open YouTube search for Ted Talks and type in "How to stay calm when you know you'll be stressed". This title may not seem to be appropriate, but just watch the short video, it only lasts about 15 minutes and it's humorous.

My humble opinion is, that while we in this forum all understand that our personal experiences of success and failure aren't shared with the promise of similar results, the offerings we make are all made with a genuine desire to help. After you learn a bit about the odds we'll be helped through the science of medicine, you may decide that our helping each other through sharing our stories may have as much potential for success.

Again Josephine, I am sorry if I upset you. Your response, offering your warning of great risk was well expressed and I'm glad you shared your fears in this forum.  I hoped to share my beliefs that Jennifer deserves to have her pain resolved and you only wanted to warn her of the great risks associated with side affects and addiction. 

I don't know you and will never meet you, but I respect your opinions and love you for taking the time to care.

Bless you!

Aubreymae

A wonderful informative post, thank you

I am sorry my effort to empathize caused such a reaction. Although, the discussion between you and Josephine illustrates the frustration better than anything I've read or heard. Josephine has suffered greatly from side effects and the pain of dependency maybe, but she was, I believe trying to protect you from the danger and harm she experienced. Your reaction reflected the conundrum. I hope you will give Josephine the benefit of the doubt. I apologized to her as I apologize to you. This forum is a blessing and I don't ever wish for anyone to detract from the intent we all share to help.

I reference a suggested viewing of Ted Talks in my response to Josephine and ask you to watch as well.

I want us all to be encouraged to be proactive in helping ourselves and each other. 

Bless your heart.

Thank you Aubreymae,

My post came from my heart. I do care about the people on here, and try to give the best advice I can and to share my own experience. I do care about Jennifer. I apologize if my wording was not right and certainly did not mean to offend or hurt anyone. I will remove myself from this Discussion and I hope everyone feels better soon and have a wonderful evening.

Josephine,

     Please continue to share your heartfelt opinions. Your experience and advice is needed. I wish these issues weren't so painful for us all. When you suffer pain with little promise of a cure and you are witness to the efforts of so many, like you, to reach out to total strangers to try and offer help, it makes you realize that much of what divides us politically has a much greater chance of being resolved, if there was a forum for people to use without trying to fuel an argument, but by just trying to help express differing points of view. Naive isn't it?

This forum needs you. 

Hope you'll continue helping.

Goodnight 

Hi Josephine, I am so sorry to hear about your situation . IBS is no joke, it really causes havoc in ones life.  However, I am taking Citrucil, 2 to 3 capsules a night before bed.  I go to the bathroom every morning by 9 am.  The Vicodin has actually helped my digestive system work better if you could believe.  No more diarreha or constipation.  I was going to the bathroom up to 7 times a day some days.  I wish I could help you, I feel terrible.  Do you have any other doctors you have not been to yet?

Yes, Vicodin, will help with your digestive system because it is a pain med. Therefore you will feel no pain. Digestive, cramping, IBS, diarrhea. It will make you feel no pain at all. It dulls you of any feeling, except feeling a sense of well being. That is why so many people get addicted to this sense of well being and "high". Painkillers are not the way to treat IBS, not even one Vicodin a day. If you are not in pain, this is called abusing painkillers. I urge you to go off Vicodin. Trust me. Don't go down this route. Stay with the citrucel and look for other medication or fiber options for digestive issues. But believe me, withdrawing from painkillers, even one a day is the worst feeling ever. This will not resolve your IBS. Just a bandaid. Yes, I just bought citrucel and made an appointment with a dietician. But the pain meds permanently messed me up.

I take Buscopan and Nurofen for IBS if my flare up is persistent and it helps prevent agonising pain.  Sometimes Buscopan is enough on its own but on occasions I have to take Nurofen as well.  Fortunately, my flare ups are few and far between now. 

See my post to you Josephine,  I have tried everything....and I don't fell HIGH, I feel normal..good luck but please don't think everyone is going to end up like you.

Vicodin can be very addictive and habit forming. They are not meant for people who have diarrhea. They are meant for people who have had back surgery, bulging or herniated disks, sciatica, knee surgery, etc. Have you tried a dietician? Do whatever you want, but painkillers in the long run will not help you. It will hurt your kidneys. They are not good for you. I am only trying to help and give advice. I'm sorry you don't want to listen. Do whatever you want. I don't care. Good luck.

Acetaminophen is what damages your kidneys, acetaminophen is in Tylenol.  People die from overdosing on acetaminophen poisoning because they take to much.  It's not just "diarreha"  It is pain and cramping in my lower abdomen that radiates to my lower back and sometimes down my legs.  I have a spastic colon that spasms.  My doctor also gave me Xanax 10 years ago which is also addictive.  I could not function, I don't think you understand.  Some people smoke until their 90 and die healthy.  Some people smoke or don't smoke at all and get lung cancer.  Everyone is different.  Just because that happened to you it doesn't mean controlled and monitored pain meds are going to hurt me.  I smoked for a year in college, and quit in one day.  Stop putting your story and attach it to mine.  Your not me.  Ibuprofen hurts your liver and kindneys, Advil, motrin, Diclofenac ALL can hurt your liver and kidneys when not taken AS DIRRECTED. If you take more than directed you will get sick! with any drug.  You are not educated in this, but you are giving a lot of advice.  I will do what I want and so will you.  And yes I have been to two dieticians, three nutritionists, three gastroenterologists, four gynocologists, a neurologist, a reumotologists, yoga, acupuncture...should I continue.  Three colonoscopies, two endoscopies, two pelvice CT scans, two MRI's 16 x rays.  12 different medications including all natural vitamines. I will stick with the one Vicodin  only 300 mg of Acetaminophin.  Take care

I also have spinal stenosis, two bulding discs in my neck a pinched nerve in my shoulder blade and a herniated disc in my back.  Thank you