Angela, I really feel your pain when it comes to this issue. For the first two years on Dialysis I had severe pain with the needles giving me burning agony for 3 hours EVERY treatment. I was pretty miserable so they prescribed 500mg of Vicodin. The pleasant part was what a stupor it put me in, so it seemed Dialysis was going by faster than usual. The negative aspects were pretty pronounced though. I started having terrible digestive issues with vomiting and continually upset stomach. At one point I was up to 3000mg three days a week. I wouldn't take it otherwise, so it was a manageable addiction I guess. I rarely take it now and have a personal stash just in case they're needed, but it's probably been 6 months.
I guess my question to you would be what kind of pain issues are you having. Are they during Dialysis or because of the side effects?
I truly feel for you when it comes to pain issues. Medical professionals figure if you're alive, they've done their job, but if you're suffering, it's not their problem. This has been one of my main issues with the medical issues ever since I was a child.
Take care Angela.
My pain is in my ankles due to AVN (Avascular Necrosis). I have had an ankle fusion in both ankles for AVN back in 1995-1996, however due to years on prednisone (not on it now), it has come back and I need a ankle replacement. I also have it in my knees but not as bad. So it hurts to walk, stand, just even sit/lay there. I'm currently on 20mg on pepcid twice a day since my transplant so I have no stomache issues so far (knock on wood).
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