Bad Side Effects From Medication

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi All, hope you are having a good Sunday.

This is my second post and I got some great replies on my first, appreciate that.

I went back to cover a shift I had promised to do a few weeks back yesterday, I didn't enjoy being in to be honest, mainly because of the side effects of the medication.

I've been taking 60mg codeine with paracetamol 4 times a day and naproxen twice a day for 9 days so far. The first 5 I was taking diazipam too, I also take venlafxine 75 mg at night that I have been on for years.

I find the first hour and a half after taking the codeine I'm very drozey, headaches, confused, sick feeling, I'm urinating a lot, trapped wind, wind and have stomach pain because of the codeine, I am taking a laxative at night that kicks in the following day, but generally feel real rough and when the tablets start wearing off the pain is a lot worse.

When I'm at home I'm sleeping a lot but yesterday I was up at 7am back from work at 4.30, ate and took tablets around 5.30 then fell asleep, woke about 9 and took some more with food and my anti depressant but stayed awake until 2.30. I couldn't sleep, my mind wouldn't switch off and I was having very vivid images kind of slightly hallucinogenic, so I got up, had some more food and tablets and got to sleep shortly after.

I really hate these side effects especially considering they don't take all the pain away but I know over the counter medications don't touch me.

Have any of you had similar effects or got any advice, I can't keep taking all this long term, it can't be good for my body.

Thanks

Chris

2

Hi Christophe, are you taking any medication to counter the effects of the naproxen on your stomach. Naproxen can cause signifying problems to the lining of your stomach wall, and maybe more the cause of the naproxen. Codeine is more constipation in lower levels but more sedative in higher doses. I've just been started on pregablin, as was previously on gabapentin but it wasn't helping. Has your doctor looked at any other pain relief? Venlafaxine can be used to help pain as well as used as an antidepressant.

Sometimes the more medication you take, the more pain you are in.

Can you try having some time without the medication except your normal prescription - Venlafaxine, and then just take pain relief when the pain is bad. Heat is a really good and effective way of helping with pain. Hot water bottles or the heat patches you can put on your back. Topical Voltarol can also help.

Everyone responds differently to medication. I have experienced constipation so stopped taking the co codamol and now just take it once a day. I have tramadol for the really bad pain, and take that when I get home from work. I do find if I take strong pain relief too near to going to bed, that I'm wide awake for a couple of hours.

You could try taking the Venlafaxine when you get up, many antidepressant cause weird dreams and nightmares, so we normally suggest taking it in the morning.

You could ask your doctor for a referral to a pain clinic, they could monitor your pain for you and the medication.

3

Hello Chris.  Sorry to hear you're having such bad effects from the meds.  I take Naproxen twice a day but also take one Lansaprozole tablet to counteract the effect of the Naproxen on the stomach.  I hope you're feeling a lot better soon.  There is nothing worse than constant pain.  I take the painkillers (Co-codamol and paracetemol) and an Amitryptiline tablet.  It helps but doesn't take the pain away completely.  It must be ten times worse when you have to go to work.  I hope you get relief soon 

4

Thanks for the reply Angie

I have been on venlafaxine over 10 years so I can't change it to the morning, always took at night.

If I am on nothing but venlafaxine or even with paracetamol and ibrufen I am in crippling agonising pain so I can't stop taking them, perhaps I can try just 30mg of codeine a time.

My doctors are usuleless so I'm going to swap and see what they say.

I'm using a hot water bottle all the time and it dose help and stretching.

5

Hi Joy

The co codomal hardly touched me.

I'm awaiting an MRI so still don't know what exactly is wrong.

I am going to change my doctors and find out about the counter acting tablet for the naproxen that you take.

My doctors are terrible, if you read my first post you will see why.

I'm staying off work until I see a specialist now and get the scan.

Thanks for replying

6

Morning Chris ,

 You appear to be taking lot of prescribed drugs , I only took one at a time . Codienr is awful I refuse to take it and put up with the pain. I have just been put on Tramadol avoid it at a cost Started Wednesday on a reduced doseage and instantll the side effects kicked in spent all day yesterday in bed was sick , severe headache , could n't  pee . Todays drugs are worse then the ailment . I rest with a hotwater bottle andhave been advised to use frozen peas as an a ice pack , should try morrrisons rather that Tescos they are bigger. Hope you feel better but I would question all the tablets you are taking.

David

7

I read about tramadol and other things, think I will stick with codeine as the naproxen dosent take the pain away.

I use a hot water bottle a lot, I used peas for a few weeks, had enough of them.

I really need to change doctors to get better advice and medication advice. Idon't suppose you or anyone else knows is I can change while am awaiting my appointments for an MRI and physio?

Thanks for the reply?

8

Hi

I took ranatidine to counter the effects of the naproxen as the other one made me even sicker, ask your GP about Methacarbamol it's an antispasmodic I was taking with co-codamol and naproxen, with all 3 mixed together it did eventually work but took a good month or so. I ended up on Tramadol when my back seized I was only on it 4 weeks and the side effects were awful (caused muscle spasms in my right leg) withdrawal was even worse.

On the plus side, I had surgery on Saturday and had the disc removed and the nerve moved back into position, my surgeon said he wasn't surprised I was in so much pain, I'm home now and had a great sleep last night, it's a bit uncomfortable sitting but that's normal for a few weeks apparently. I'm only on paracetamol and ibuprofen now (early days I know) no leg pain though :-)

Hang in there you will get sorted x

9

Glad your operation went well, hope you continue to improve.

I have got the lansoprazole, stomach pain has stopped but I think the combo of stuff is messing my head.

Had a much better day yesterday, seemed to have no pain in my calf and ankle in the morning, did a 2 mile walk, no limping and can put pressure on that leg, not sure what's happened.

Pain came back last night and is here today but noware as painful as it was, don't know if I'm healing or its the tablets masking it , frustrating not knowing.