Dysfunction
Journeyman
Reged: 09/30/03
Posts: 77
|
|
for the past few months, i have had heartburn almost every day, and it seems to be getting worse. everything i eat or drink seems to be rough going down as well, difficulty swallowing i guess it is called? even with small bites of food, it hurts going down my throat, even swallowing 1 hydro usually is painful. it feels like my throat is too small??!
what i'm wondering is, could this be a side effect of hydro? i never had much of a problem in the past, but since this has been occuring since i've been taking hydro on a daily basis, i am wondering if it's related.
thanks for any input... i am curious to hear from others before i have a chance to see a doctor about this problem.
|
DaggerEyez
Journeyman
Reged: 10/18/02
Posts: 50
Loc: USA
|
|
You can have a narrowing of the esophagus, I don't recall the medical name. Not related to hydrocodone as far as I know.
You could aslo have a problem ... a growth or cyst near your thyroid.
I'd have a doc check it out.
 Good Luck
|
Greycie
Old Hand
Reged: 07/08/03
Posts: 461
Loc: Pacific NorthWest
|
|
I sometimes get acidreflux as a side effect of the hydro. Problem is, you can't take cimetidine with it- try pepcid, but talk to your doc.  That's what mine gave me.
--------------------
"I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Voltaire
|
Dukey
Journeyman
Reged: 09/24/03
Posts: 88
Loc: New England
|
|
There are all kinds of gastro problems you can have and they dont have to be causes from side effects of meds. Go see a gastroenterologist!
I had "heartburn" symptoms like you and ignored them eventually they progressed to chest pains finally after having a endoscope stuck down my throat they discovered I have a hiatal hernia. Depending on the kind surgery may be needed to correct it, guess what I get to have surgery because I let mine get so bad.
So save yourself more pain and discomfort and go see a doc. It's not going to get better on its own.
PM me if you have any questions. Good Luck
|
Dysfunction
Journeyman
Reged: 09/30/03
Posts: 77
|
|
Quote:
I sometimes get acidreflux as a side effect of the hydro. Problem is, you can't take cimetidine with it- try pepcid, but talk to your doc. That's what mine gave me.
why can't i take cimetidine with it? i just bought some yesterday & have been taking it since then....
|
Greycie
Old Hand
Reged: 07/08/03
Posts: 461
Loc: Pacific NorthWest
|
|
Contraindicated with hydro. Read on your hydro what NOT to mix with the meds- it specifically states not to mix hydro with cimetidine. I'd stop taking that and talk to your doc. about some other med.
--------------------
"I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Voltaire
|
Dukey
Journeyman
Reged: 09/24/03
Posts: 88
Loc: New England
|
|
are you sure? the drug interaction checker @ drugtore com doesnt list an interaction.
|
Dysfunction
Journeyman
Reged: 09/30/03
Posts: 77
|
|
ok, i found this information on tagament and pain medication:
Narcotic pain medication like Codeine, Demerol (meperidine), Buprenex (buprenorphine), Darvon (propoxyphene), Dilaudid (hydromorphone), MS Contin or Kadian (morphine), nalbuphine, OxyContin (oxycodone), Percocet (oxycodone and acetaminophen), Stadol (butorphanol), Talwin compound (pentazocine), or Vicodin (hydrocodone and acetaminophen), Vicoprofen (hydrocodone and ibuprofen) may show increased central nervous system or respiratory (breathing) depressant effects. Consult your doctor for advice on how to take these medications together safely.
|
Greycie
Old Hand
Reged: 07/08/03
Posts: 461
Loc: Pacific NorthWest
|
|
Hmmm... I found something else that specifically stated not to take cimetidine with hydro- I'm busy trying to locate it. I ran across it by accident one day- so I don't recall where just that I thought it was interesting and that it explained perhaps why my doc. gave me pepcid vs. tagamet this last time
--------------------
"I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Voltaire
|
LostShopper
Enthusiast
Reged: 05/10/02
Posts: 205
Loc: Deep South
|
|
My husband suffered the exact same symptoms as the original poster. Turned out he had not only a hiadal hernia, but also something called Barrett's Esophogus due to the acid reflux. He was prescribed Nexium and it has been a miracle drug. Not only has he suffered NONE of those sypmtoms, but Nexium also helps repair damage to the espophagus that acid reflux could have caused. The very doc that put him on Nexium has also had him on hydro at the same time, on and off, and I always ask about drug interractions when my husband goes to the doc. This particular gastro doc assured me that this combo was safe.
Of course, talk to your own doc, but after literally a decade of avoiding certain foods, sometimes having to sit upright to sleep and trying every antacid med available, both OTC and Rx, the Nexium is manna from heaven. He is now able to once again enjoy the foods he likes, and sleeps the night through without getting up umpteen times to swig Maloox or what have you.
In the case of your swallowing problems, it sounds exactly like what he experienced with the hiadal hernia. Doc put some sort of scope down his throat and "pushed" it back in place, for lack of a more medical term.
|
night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
|
|
I had similar symptoms on a higher dose of methadone. I wonder if it is possible that the decreased saliva production ( a direct result of hydro--or any other opiate) could cause or exacerbate heartburn???
Only specific things would cause it, though, I didn't have it all the time. Couldn't drink orange juice, eat tomato-based foods. Only highly acidic foodstuffs made me get heartburn. I don't have this problem any longer on a lower dose of methadone. Certainly could be coincidental.
I also took Tagamet and didn't notice any difference in how the meds affected me at all.
--------------------
Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
|
IMSUSCOT1
Threadhead
Reged: 10/23/02
Posts: 874
Loc: usa
|
|
All opiates slow gastric motility....that means the food you eat stays in your stomach longer, your stomach churns out more acid as a result and voila' Heatrburn!....you may want to talk to your doc about adding reglan....but first I recommend eating small, freuqent snacks vs full meals.... you should also have this checked, though, as it could be something more serious like reflux, GERD, a iatal hernia, or even esophogeal cancer......SEE YOUR DOCTOR
|
Dysfunction
Journeyman
Reged: 09/30/03
Posts: 77
|
|
thanks for all your replies.
once i get my insurance figured out & find a new doctor, I'll be getting this checked out.
|
shadowrose40
Stranger
Reged: 10/23/03
Posts: 21
Loc: NC
|
|
HI
It sounds more like GERD- Gastric reflux disease- that is a common cause of chronic heartburn. However, that doesn't explain the swallowing problem- unless there is damage to the esophagus.
I'd suggest that you see a doc and be checked out- not to be an alarmist, but there are several severe possibilities with difficulty swallowing!
--------------------
Please help promote fibromyalgia awareness. Visit http://www.fibrofoglights.org today
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit 
Reply 
Quote 
