No Other Options?

Hydrocodone makes me violently ill. I'm told it's not an allergy but a "sensitivity". Call it whatever you like - I don't want to take it. It makes me sick. In the past, when I indicated that I was "sensitive", I was still prescribed hydrocodone along with an anti-nausea drug. I don't really know what happened to the drugs that didn't make me sick, like Darvon and Percodan - although I did look them up and it seems that Darvon isn't effective (could have fooled me) and Percodan is no longer suitable for me because I take an anti-coagulant. And it's very possible that over the years I may have developed an intolerance for them, as well. I was so pleased to learn about Tramadol. As I understand it, Tramadol is what is prescribed for people who are "sensitive" to hydrocodone.

The instructions were to take one tramadol tablet before I went to bed. Who would have thought I'd wake up sick? Violently ill would have been an improvement. At least it would have been over with quickly. With tramadol I woke up nauseous and stayed that way until I was forced to get out of bed for 15 minutes which resulted in being ill (aka vomiting, puking, tossing cookies - choose your euphemism.) After that, I started to feel better.

In some ways this was worse than hydrocodone. With hydrocodone, I typically throw up within 30 minutes of ingesting it.With this stuff, I was green around the gills all day.

I had to let the doctor know that we needed to try something else. Fortunately since this doctor is thoroughly modern, I'm set up on his web-based system and all it took was a quick message to let him know that it made me sick and that we'd need to try another option.

But then the message came back that there were no other drug options. He told me my best only option was an orthopedic surgeon. Surgeon?? Surgeons have knives!

I've long been a believer in "better living through chemistry" and now chemistry was going to let me down. But to say that my ONLY option is an orthopedic surgeon? He doesn't know me. I will try diet and exercise. I will try acupuncture. I will try massage. I will try chiropractic. I will try dancing around the fire with a mask. Only when all other options have failed will I seek the assistance of a surgeon.