tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6833607.post7226325243530443059..comments2023-06-14T03:36:55.988-07:00Comments on Head Nurse: How the fuck do you people do this?Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16520599099436383317noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6833607.post-78389478087086434582010-06-21T15:39:00.842-07:002010-06-21T15:39:00.842-07:00I have spent 5 years having to take a narc based s...I have spent 5 years having to take a narc based substance for my bowels. At first they had me on double the dose I am on now. By choice I lowered it once the condition stabilised. You do just get used to it, if I miss a dose or take it too late, hello toilet for about 4 hours. No one cn function productively that way. <br /><br />Once in university the pain became really intolerable, I took another dose so one didnt live in the loo nor have an accident. Unfortunately the pain wore off within an hour, I was left pretty much non functioning for the next 11 hours. The girl who sat next to me saw me nodding and agreeing with the tutor with no real perception of what was going on, she saw my eyes and said "oh my god your off your face!', I was, and it wasn't pleasant. Now I use smaller dosed fast acting meds instead, which wear off after 3-4 hours as a top up.<br />I had to explain to someone I worked with (whom was medical also) that no I wasnt a stoner, if my pupils were a bit myoptic, that without these meds I would have no quality of life and cant function (would crap oneself to death) they understood. <br />When on them long term side effects are minimal, one can function and if you are wise you only take the minimal dose needed.<br /> Diabetics need insulin, sometimes if they muck up a dose the consequences can be fatal or coma inducing, however people dont have issues with hiring a diabetic, nor question there productivity.<br />A chronic disease is a chronic disease whatever body system it effects.MEDICALBOOBOOShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12238357586852121228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6833607.post-45545835641853561442010-06-17T12:29:27.451-07:002010-06-17T12:29:27.451-07:00Well, after years working Hospice large narcotic d...Well, after years working Hospice large narcotic doses don't freak me like they used to. My very first terminal patient was 95 lbs soaking wet and on 400 mg MSContin bid with 70-100 Roxinol prn for breakthrough, and she was walking and talking fine.<br /><br />Meanwhile, I have ortho problems similar to your co-worker, and have advanced over the last decade from Motrin and Ultram to Oxycontin 60 bid with Norco 10/325 for breakthrough. With this, I work full time, drive, and live a pretty normal life other than moving slowly with a limp for the first hour of each day. It is this or go be an unemployed invalid, which does not appeal to me at all. The biggest drawback is that I have to skip the eggnog at Christmas and Cosmos' on girls' night out....but it beats the alternatives. Besides, I have a five year old grandson and want to dance at his weddking.<br /><br />Mama Bear, RNAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6833607.post-57150511872080307682010-06-16T19:03:59.556-07:002010-06-16T19:03:59.556-07:00I had a patient this week with Crohn's disease...I had a patient this week with Crohn's disease who clearly had been taking a lot of opioids for a long time, building up his tolerance and dosages sequentially. Would you believe... 130mg of MS Contin, TID? That is a TON of morphine, and for him it was not a thing. Crazy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6833607.post-79228583849499930862010-06-16T13:46:00.674-07:002010-06-16T13:46:00.674-07:00I can't do caffeine after 8 pm, or I'll be...I can't do caffeine after 8 pm, or I'll be awake all night.now I'll take morphine in the hospital without incident. yes. the pain is at a 10....morphine. 7..... maybe a tylenol 3. ya learn quickly which one is going to do the job.I don't like taking them at home, because you never know if you're going to need to go out.to rescue a kid....(I have 5 of em - 2 live at home with me).Brendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10262188591250669438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6833607.post-35381060794838656532010-06-16T05:47:05.282-07:002010-06-16T05:47:05.282-07:00Everyone has different reactions to medications. A...Everyone has different reactions to medications. As someone with chronic pain, let me tell you that can really suck. Nothing like being put on a medication that should help my condition only to have off the wall side effects instead of relief. The Lyrica commercial isn't lying when they list dizziness as the first possible side effect. That crap made me so dizzy that I would barely turn my head and the whole world would start spinning. Not something you want when you have to climb ladders. Migraine medication has given me horrible chest pains or made me so nauseous that I was better off with the migraine. Benedryl makes me wired not sleepy. Even nyquil doesn't knock me on my ass unless I'm already tired. Depending on the dose of a narcotic, it will either make me itchy, or knock me out and wake up itchy later. It's real fun when I still have to function but need to take a pain pill because I have to take the lower dose which takes teh edge off but I end up itchy so I have to take a benedryl and end up wired. It takes a lot of trial and error to figure out what works for you. If you have a chronic condition, you have all the time in the world to figure it out. If it's an acute injury, most docs aren't going to change meds unless you have a severe reaction so you have to keep track of what worked or didn't work this time so you know what to tell the doc next time. We're still working on what meds are best for me.pitanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6833607.post-62493323860127697252010-06-16T04:46:36.633-07:002010-06-16T04:46:36.633-07:00More than my one cup of regular coffee per day and...More than my one cup of regular coffee per day and I have a caffeine induced panic attack. I try to never have anything stronger, I hate the feeling that I am not in control of my faculties.messymimihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10649529601786689712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6833607.post-43055985304752849392010-06-16T01:28:30.565-07:002010-06-16T01:28:30.565-07:00Hi - big fan of your blog, usually a lurker though...Hi - big fan of your blog, usually a lurker though ;)<br /><br />I've always wondered exactly the same - if my brain chemistry's off... Caffeine makes me fall asleep, even in small doses, any type of recreational drug (of the few I tried in college) generates the exact opposite reaction it does in most people.<br /><br />Glad I'm not the only one ;) Hope your shoulder gets better soonpinkundinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04994450142485371131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6833607.post-52401185130007938822010-06-15T21:37:31.139-07:002010-06-15T21:37:31.139-07:00People can act differently to narcotics. I know pe...People can act differently to narcotics. I know people who get violent from morphine or who have vividly frightening hallucinations from hydrocodone. <br /><br />Until I lost health insurance my pain drugs were tramadol and morphine. Tramadol ER helped me be able to use my hands in the morning [now this is a luxury] and function throughout the day. Morphine was for the really bad days. When the pain is that bad there are no "fun" side effects, yet I get the joy of "morphine brain", where cognitive functions go to hell. Once after 3 months of MSER I found that I could not read a short story [by the time I'd turned the page I'd forgotten what I'd read] or play solitaire [I couldn't do basic math or realize that black and red weren't the same color]. Cooking was restricted to the microwave because stoves can start fires when forgotten.<br /><br />Also, oral morphine and IV morphine are very different. I've occasionally gotten a little fuzzy from taking an oral morphine dose when it's been months since the last one. IV morphine, on the other hand, makes me understand heroin addiction. First time I had IV morphine [for a kidney stone] I had the same reaction as Little D: I was in horrific pain and I could care less. Ow, yes, this is a 10 out of 10. Yes, it really hurts badly. Why am I so calm? Must be the drugs.Moosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10397412122635951126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6833607.post-87527307180677258592010-06-15T21:23:22.554-07:002010-06-15T21:23:22.554-07:00Interesting! We just covered this kind of thing in...Interesting! We just covered this kind of thing in my pharmacology class. I was mildly surprised to find that it all gets slapped with the same label. "Idiosyncratic reaction" seems to be medspeak for "um, yeah, heck if I know what's going on there."<br /><br />Me, I get weak and shaky after one ibuprofen.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16076856042658008396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6833607.post-89276221904898456012010-06-15T18:13:32.187-07:002010-06-15T18:13:32.187-07:00Same here. And I'm so thankful.Same here. And I'm so thankful.Humincathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12558151563475903716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6833607.post-33648256744385633882010-06-15T18:01:16.939-07:002010-06-15T18:01:16.939-07:00I'm with you on the narcotics. I (very vaguely...I'm with you on the narcotics. I (very vaguely) remember a morphine drip after my appendectomy, and, without slurring AT ALL remarking to the doctor "oh it still hurts, I just dont CARE! I could DIE and not care!"<br /><br />On Tylenol 3, I curl up into a little ball of vertigo and don't move. I don't know how anyone can stay UPRIGHT on the heavy stuff.Alpine, R.N.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02560998014555307666noreply@blogger.com