Steve623
Banned: multiple board accounts. Disregard the feedback provided by this user.
Reged: 08/24/04
Posts: 89
Loc: NY, USA
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I've been on hydro for over a year. My out-of-pocket Internist (I do not use my PCP on my LOUSY insurance) Rx's 4x/day yet I've never gone over 3 per day and have built NO tolerance to them; specifically 10/325. I have a legit pain issue.
Recently - with the HORRIBLE weather this past week - I took an additional 1/2 pill and it was a HORRIBLE experience - I felt as tho I was having a "heart attack". Luckily, one of my salespeople (a female) came to my rescue with a sedative. Apparently it was a panic attack and she gave me a sedative. I was fine within 1/2 an hour.
My question -
Have any of you experienced the above?
Also, have any of you built no tolerance after prolonged (over a year) use?
Thank you -
Steve
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edward73
Journeyman
Reged: 04/30/04
Posts: 58
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I personally have never heard of that but everyone is different. Hydro is sooooo addicting, tolerence can rise in no time flat. Do you ever take day's off? Every couple of months Ill take a holiday(usually 3-4 weeks) to give myself a break. Otherwise the med would have it's 'hooks' in me much more than it already does. Glad to hear it's not an issue for you, you are fortunate.
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Steve623
Banned: multiple board accounts. Disregard the feedback provided by this user.
Reged: 08/24/04
Posts: 89
Loc: NY, USA
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I'm sure I have taken days off. Many days I get by on one pill or two. Honestly, I don't keep track.
I also don't get the "buzz" I hear so many people speak of - except for that ONE time I mentioned and it was a nightmare nothing pleasant.
Guess I'm the oddball. Thanks for your reply
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bb123
Stranger
Reged: 01/14/04
Posts: 2
Loc: Southwest
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Steve 623,
My sister has had a similar experience, she is very sensitive to hydro which she takes for a spinal issue similar to mine. It makes her very nervous and panicky, not sedated at all. She now takes them with Soma and food, and that allows her to receive pain relief without feeling like her heart is racing. Maybe that would help if you need to take that additional half again?
Take care,
bb123
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JeanneLynn
Member
Reged: 05/16/04
Posts: 104
Loc: The Bible Belt
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Steve,
I've had the same experience as you. I'm relatively light on the hydro as well, usually 1-2 tabs a day (I break them in half most of the time). Last week, I was having a really bad day and I took extra half and I became sick, just like you described. I appear to have no tolerance to hydro and I've been taking them for a while. I also feel none of the "euphoria" that others describe sometimes, except for the relief of the pain going away. I don't believe that I'm physically addicted either, because I've went a day or so without having any medication and it doesn't seem to induce the horrible withdrawals that I read about. I think I noticed the last time that I was a little more irritable than usual, but nothing else. Maybe because the dosage is smaller than usual? I'm not sure. Or maybe you don't feel the withdrawal until you have been off them for three or four days. I know I can get addicted to things because I can't deal with not having cigarettes or caffeine daily.
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CARLITOS_WAY
Enthusiast
Reged: 06/27/04
Posts: 204
Loc: WASHINGTON, USA
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My wife takes no more than 1/2 of 10 mg hyro and never feels the need for them, she just usually gets a good nights sleep out of it, or a afternnoon nap, from the pain gone, and the sedative affect. She tries not to take them unless she really needs them and if she takes more than usual she gets the usual nausea. Unlike myself I can take any amount without nausea, but becomes tolerant very quickly. So I must use discipline.
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ML63
Member
Reged: 02/08/03
Posts: 172
Loc: Upstate New York
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I've found that while I haven't a need to take more hydro for the same level of effectiveness, I can't just stop taking them cold turkey. I usually take four 10/500's a day and have been doing so for almost two years. So far that takes care of the pain even on rather long physical days. So a couple of months ago I decided to try a "hydro holiday" and skipped my dose at night and went to work the following day without my usual pill in the morning. I worked a 14 hour day and boy was I miserable by the time I got home! I was experiencing pain all over my body, not just my knees which is what I take them for in the first place. I was also VERY fatigued and had the beginning stages of diarrhea. All this after a rather short 30 hour "holiday". So while the hydro continues to work as it should and I don't feel the need to up my dose, I absolutely go through all of the classic withdrawal symptoms if I don't continue my usual regimine. I also learned how true it is that taking a dose in anticipation of the pain works much better than a dose AFTER the pain strikes. The only time I thought I had reached a tolerance level was when I switched to the 10/325's from 7.5/500's for a couple of months. Here I was taking 25% more hydro, but they just simply didn't work. I went back to the 7.5/500's and the problem was immediately solved. I eventually started taking the 10/500's and so far they always work well. If I ever feel the need to increase my dose I plan on first trying the 10/650's. I'd rather go with more tylenol alone than increase the hydro. That little "hydro holiday" was kinda scary when I thought about the trap I've set up for myself if I'm ever cut off all at once for some reason or other.
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dws1
Newbie
Reged: 04/27/04
Posts: 47
Loc: FL
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U take 4 10/325's, do the 10/500s work better I switched to 10/325's b/c of the tylonol content. I take 4 at a time so I figured less tylonol was better. I think the max a day should not go over 4gms but i not absoluly sure that someone can't go ove that if taken over a period of time. Anyhow I am in college here and I had to go for a job in Miami I forgot my meds boy was I sorry! Just my luck it seems that alot of the people at my job , i was doing a runway job, are on some sort of pain med. So I was ok, and that 5 hour drive back from miami wasn't soo bad. Its good money and pays for my med school so I go through the hassle. The reason why I get these jobs is my height I'm 6'00 tall, thats also one of the reasons I have back problems. By the way does anyone know how I can get rid of my spinal sugery scars? Nothing seems to work. I always have some w/drawl from my meds, hot flashes added pain etc.
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ML63
Member
Reged: 02/08/03
Posts: 172
Loc: Upstate New York
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Quote:
U take 4 10/325's, do the 10/500s work better I switched to 10/325's b/c of the tylonol content.
I believe that the Tylenol content has a lot to do with the overall effectiveness of the hydro. Having been my own guinea pig, there is no doubt in my mind. The drug companies trotted out hydro with lesser amounts of Tylenol after all of that bad press regarding liver damage. IMHO though, if you're taking so many Something/500's that the Tylenol becomes a liver damage issue, then you're taking the wrong pain med in the first place! When Tylenol was all I was taking and before the hightened awareness, I far exceeded the 4000 mg per day more times than I wish to admit. Lucky for me that I never suffered any ill effects, so I've never been concerned with taking a max of 2000 mg a day. I only switched to the 10/325's because the OP doctor suggested it. Little did I know that the reduced Tylenol would make such a difference, but it did.
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Steve623
Banned: multiple board accounts. Disregard the feedback provided by this user.
Reged: 08/24/04
Posts: 89
Loc: NY, USA
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Everyone here has been so helpful, I thank you all for your responses!
I hadn't eaten the day I took that extra half. I'll have to keep that in mind. We're so busy most days I usually take all my meals home with me after work.
I can relate to Joanne (thank you) in so many ways too. Truth be known, I do get aggitated at times but attributed this to financial pressure and pain.
I'm divorced with two kids in college. I rent an apartment, my ex still lives in the house (she takes care of everything but the mortgage and taxes - no hard feelings between us) but I'm paying monthly for 4 separate residences, cars, tuition,etc.
I had surgery 2+ years ago on C4-C7 which left me worse, progressively worse than before the surgery. Another thing I attributed to irritability.
I try to stay active and optimistic, like all of you.
Thanks again for all your insight
Steve
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pwptds
Journeyman
Reged: 09/02/04
Posts: 88
Loc: Highway to Heaven
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Hi, I was just reading your post and was thinking, it may help you to eat before taking them? Or drink a glass of milk. I know that if I take them on an empty stomach, espically in the morning, I feel kind of like you were describing. But with all of the symptoms you had, it does sound more like a panic attack than the pill. Stress can sneak up on you like that, even if you don't feel stressed at the moment!
You are lucky that you don't build up a tolerance for them. I've been on them for a few years, and I may have to change my meds because I have to take more and more of the hydros just to get the relief from the pain.
Whatever it was, I hope it gets better 
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