PBC and pain meds for other issues at same time

[shubb]

I take 3 different narcotics for pain. one 4x day of which has acetomenaphin-Norco 10/325, (which im trying to get changed, have to take stomach meds due to acet. tears up my stomach. )plus hysingla ER at nite, and gabapentin 300mg 3x day. then the calcium 1500mg & vit d, and simvastatin for cholesterol, tumeric supplement, levothyroxine for thyroid, famotidine,Fosamax. all these meds daily.. (joint pain from arthritis for yrs, then back surgery -(screws and pins still in )is what put me on disability and on all pain meds. ).are they going to work like they should, and will they make liver issues even worse? I cant do without all these- esp the pain meds- for last 10 yrs, on disability already..but should I inform the pain specialist of the PBC, and will PBC have an effect on how medications work, or not work?

[butterflyEi]

Hi shubb

Wow! that is a lot to cope with. I think I would tell the pain specialist that you have been diagnosed with PBC, I assume that you have been prescribed URSO so you may need advice on the timing of your meds to get the best out of them. Unfortunately some medications can cause problems such as the one giving you tummy issues but the side effects may be outweighed by the benefit to your condition. For myself I have 6 different medications and needed advice from the pharmacist on timings to get the best out of it all.

best wishes

[shubb in reply to butterflyEi]

ty, no urso yet. this new PCP ordering mrcp? now, after ultrasound abnormal. theres a mass or something on ultrsound. after Mrcp then well know what happens next.i would hope urso or newer one. yeah its going to be quite interesting timing alot of these. its already tricky. im just hoping that meds will still work. im used to heartburn and sour stomach most days. Its proof to the pain dr. I Have to get off the acetomenaphin ive been trying for yrs, have tried 3 other pain meds, they didnt work. I have find an alternative to the norco, without fillers.

[mrspeffer]

I am saddened to hear you are having to take some many medications. I was in a horrible auto accident right before my diagnosis, some 20+ years ago. The first thing they did was prescribe Norco for pain. Then when the LFT's were constantly high, they switched me to oxycontin. Needless to say, i was totally addicted to this until i decided to get off of it after 3 years years. Norco is not the first choice for pain for us. And having to take something to counteract the effects seems ludicrous. I had to ask myself, if the pain was so bad that I needed the drugs, or was the addiction ruling this decision. For me, I was useless on the drugs, and I was able to find other ways to manage the pain syndrome I was in. I hope your pain lessens as time goes by. Nobody knows what it's like unless they have gone through it. I have taken Gaba before, but found it not to be effective. I use Nature Thyroid instead of levothyroxine, as I need the energy from the T3 component in it.

I have joint pain and back pain everyday and have turned to enzymes and medical marijuana capsules for relief. I do not have to take too much, but the combination does help me get through chores and life. Interestingly enough, my Osteo went from porous to penia when i started my yoga practice back up. Plus I do take my calcium/D3/magnesium combo. I have no thyroid or parathyroid, so I need 3000mg calcium daily to maintain a low normal.

Only you know what you can and cannot do without, but do let your doctor know about your liver. There are so many other meds out there to try. My hope is that you are able to find moments during the day when you do not notice your pain. Hang in there

[gwillistexas in reply to mrspeffer]

I was reading your post. I noticed you take Nature Thyroid. Is that OTC? We’re struggling with my thyroid. I was hyper from January through April. Dr finally had to drop doseage to .88 mcg. Scheduled to recheck in July but I think I need to go sooner...like next couple days. Getting that draggy feeling. I’m at a loss & sure my dr is as well. Ocaliva can mess with thyroid levels.

[mrspeffer in reply to gwillistexas]

Nature thyroid is by prescription. The problem with it is that it is currently out of stock in some dosages at some pharmacies. I think Armour also has a t4/T3 component. The Nat. Thyroid has made a HUGE difference for me which i noticed after about 4 days. There are other "natural " formulas too. Just google and you'll get a list in no time.

Sure hope you get some answers soon. Thyroid is so fragile...I remember how draggy i was feeling on Synthroid(straight T4). Best of wishes to you.

[gwillistexas in reply to mrspeffer]

Thank you. I take levothyroxine & have for years. My thyroid is a little tricky since I don’t have my gland. I do still have parathyroid glands. You’d think I’d be large but I’m small & always have been. Thanks for the info.

[mrspeffer in reply to gwillistexas]

Of course. I do not have glands either plus no parathyroid...I too am little

[gwillistexas in reply to mrspeffer]

Oh...makes it tough. As far as I’ve been told my parathyroid is still good.

[CBCB]

I'm not sure where you live but with the pain Meds you are taking you would automatically qualify for a Medical Cannabis Card. I believe you could throw out all the pain Meds. It truly works incredibly well. Even CBD oil if Cannibis is not legal where you live.