[F][/font]What I'm wondering is if Percocet can be "stair-stepped" with 1)Ibuprofen 2)tylenol 2's or 3) vicodin... I have prescriptions for all 3...the percocet is the main one I have to take for chronic migraine and a degenerative neck problem...but sometimes the meds. don't work the way they should...by "stair-stepped" I simply mean taking one of the other 2 meds listed above approximately 2 hours after initial dose of Percocet. I hate having to take meds! But when I have to, I want the pain to stop so I can get through work/kids/church etc.
Thanx!
XoXo
Mychele

shygrneyzs

I think the best answer is going to come from your Doctor. If he/she prescribed them all to you, then call his office and ask to speak to his/her nurse and explain your concern.

MycheleXoXo

Nod Nod...I left them a message last week...He's only in my area one day a week so he's rather hard to get a hold of...just thought someone here might know =) Thanx...I'll just wait for them to get back to me, or for my appt. next week...which may, in fact, happen first... Thanx!
XoXo
Mychele

KeepItSimpleStupid

Percoset has Tylenol in it. Vicodin has tylenol in it. APAP, Tylenol and Acetominophin are the same meds.

What are the strengths of Percoset, Vicodin and Tylenol? Percoset is available in multiple strengths and so is Vicodin. A sample strength for Percoset is 7.5-500. The 500 is the strength of Tylenol. Also certain strengths of Percoset are available in generic and some are not.

Ibuprofin acts differently and is a totally different type of drug, so there should be no problem add that to Percoset.

Tylenol has been associated with liver damage when the maximum dose is exceeded.

Do you know what your migaine trigger is?

KeepItSimpleStupid

Off the top of my head, I know that 500 mg of Tylenol every 6 hrs is OK, but don't know the upper limit.

Ask your doc about Soma, a muscle relaxor for the neck problem.

Also ask about Neurontin/Gabapentin for both the neck problem and the chronic migraines.
For theraputic migraine prophalaxis, you can go to really large dosages, like 3600 mg/day in a divided dose, but you have to ramp up gradually. Neurontin may also be beneficial for the neck pain at lower dosages.

Narcotics are not recommended for migraine, but you seem to be already taking them. Can you describe your trigger and symptoms? If the symptoms fit, I have another drug up my sleave to ask your doc about?

MycheleXoXo

Wowsers...a lot to digest and answer Ok...I have Tylenol 2's 300 mgs of the actual tylenol i think and the vicodin i believe has 750mgs of the tylenol...the percocets i have to take are the smaller ones...325mgs of tylenol...i do know the upper limit of tylenol is 4000mgs (from my family doc just the other day) and the max of ibuprofen is 2400mgs per day (from same source)

as for my migraines? the only known triggers are hormones (every menstrual cycle and they go crazy if pregnant) and stress/sleep schedules getting messed with...one other is if i get a sinus thing or allergy thing...

been dealing with these things for 16 years...have tried just about everything and been through several docs...the neurologist i had found nothing and just kept giving me meds that i wasn't able to take...(ie. topomax caused severe eye pain/chest pain but he kept upping the dose despite this...he also mixed drugs i found later u shouldn't mix)

anyway...suggestions are welcome! don't be surprised if i've "been there, took that"...
Thanx!
XoXo
Mychele

KeepItSimpleStupid

OK, the Tylenol thing is covered.

Meststrual Migraines. Talking to my doc, I'm not female, but he prescribed a drug for me to try for my migraines which he said was used for menstrual migraines. This drug is Frova. It needs to be taken a few day before the expected migraine.

Sinus and allergy, you need to treat with sinus and allergy meds.

Topamax is know by some users as Dopamax. I'm included in that group. It didn't help either. I'm in the same boat with migraine meds. I probably took that.

I HAD a really cool doc and have been to two headache centers. Me and the cool doc used to bounce things off of one another. We used side effects and cost and probability of working. I now have one tall potent cocktail available at my disposal for weather-triggered migraines. I even tried Botox at "our" expense. About 30 injections total in the forehead, neck and shoulders.

You didn't say how the migraines feel to you. In other words, describe what they feel like.

MycheleXoXo

Frova...blech! That was one of the too-many-to-name meds I've been given, tried and had zero luck with...this neurologist I saw was horrible...I went in to see him weighing 130... he prescribed many meds...within one year i weighed 175 and was still climbing! (being a recovering bulimic, that is NOT a good thing) He'd yell every time I went in wanting to know why I was gaining so much weight, calling me fat and telling me I was lazy and needed to eat less, move more...(DUH) then after I ended up in the E.R. cuz of an erratic heart rate that was due to a medicine (Elavil) being mixed with caffeine of all things that dr. suddenly recalled that Elavil causes weight gain! Went off that med. and it took me 2 1/2 years to get back to 125! That was the least of his "crimes"

Anyway-for now I'm waiting on another round of MRI's in February with another neurologist...we'll see how that one goes...not much to do for the migraines from the aspect that I simply cannot take any triptan medication...raises the blood pressure sky high and causes chest pains...I'll take the pain vs. the stroke, thank-you-very-much!

As to what my migraines feel like...Starts with the white light that'll float down the left or right side of my periphial vision (depending on what side the migraine will strike) Then I get an intense throbbing behind either eye that spreads to the back of that side of my head, sometimes into my neck...when the pain gets extreme, my face (on the side of pain) will get numb and tingly...basically, they suck...I'm at a loss anymore. It seems like there are no viable solutions out there for me...

Good luck with your migraines!! I hate to hear of anyone who has to go through what I know is a living hell at times! Keep the suggestions coming, if you have any! If I hear of anything I'll be sure to throw some your way as well!
Thanx again!
XoXo
Mychele

KeepItSimpleStupid

Not that headache. That one I've had once in my life when I had the flue. The famous "ice pick headache".

I'll fess up and give you what I have to chose from in order from least to most effective:

Magnesium suppliments.

1) Neuontin 900 mg up to 4x/day
Lessens the intensity
2) Fiorinal (Aspirin/Cafeine/Barbituate sedative)
Up to six per day
My version of Aspirin
3) Percoset 7.5-500
My version of an evening medication. Won't keep me awake like
Fiorinal might because of the cafeine.
4) Oxycontin 10 mg. 0-30 mg 2x/day; 12 hour relief possible
Very Narcotic

5) Zomig
Cerebral blood vessel reducer - Will only help on the worst headaches only. Often
combined with an ice pack.

6) Ativan - taken rarely when headaches interfere with sleep

So, there you have it. A pretty impressive cocktail which is not well liked by most physicians.

The tried meds:

Frova –
Works, but too difficult to manage
Namenda – (Dud)
Botox – Not beneficial enough for the cost
Lyrica 50mg Try to dose to 3 tablets 3x//day
(Interferes more with ED)
Hydromorphone/Diluid 2 mg (Oxycontin better)
Amtirpyline 10mg – 50 mg
Lyrica 50 mg
Side effects: Not better than Neurontin, side effects worse
Ambilify 10mg
Doxepin 25 mg
Biofeedback script Deemed not a candidatel
Kepra 500 mg 2x/day Side effect: Short Temper
Oxycontin 10 mg x 3 Works.
Cymbalta 30- 60 mg
Zoloft 25 mg
Wellbutrin 100 mg
(100 mg 2x/day does counteract Neurontin male side effect)
Lexapro 10 mg
Zonegran 100mg
Depakote –
Zyprexa –
Prozac –
Effexor – (unknown) severe stomach burning)
Imitrex Injection and Imitrex tablets
Relpax – Similar effectiveness as Zomig
Topamax –
Suplements

CoEnzime Q10)
Vitamin B6)

So there you have it.

EDIT: Ativan Added to list on 1/4/07

J_9

Very interesting list of meds KISS. Just watching the thread basically to see if I can learn anything.

I did notice that you have been treated with antipsychotic meds for migraines? Hmmm, really interesting.