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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What's The Substitute For Norco Which Can Relieve The Lower Back Pain In A 45 Yr Old Female With Sciatica, Degerative Disc Disease?

Hi. I am 45 year old female with bulging/herniated and degenerate disc disease. I also suffer from sciatica. My pcp does toradol and cortizone shots which help the sciatica and he has me on Norco 10/325. This medicine makes me feel like my hair stands on end and i feel i could jump out my skin..so it makes me feel like im on speed. What other pain medicine can i ask him to prescribe that would take away the EVERYDAY pain in my lower back. Please help! We have a great relationship but he prescribes norco. seems period, end of sentence. I dont want to lose him but i need something that manages my pain not get me high. thank you for your time, Angela
.........so i proceed to send you my email with hopes of help for a single mom on many disabilities and at wits end only to find i have to pay for an answer. thanks for nothing. very discouraged
Tue, 4 Feb 2014
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Orthopaedic Surgeon 's  Response
Hi there.

Its really difficult to get off narcotics once you have got used to them.
Let me be very clear in saying that a disease of your nature will get permanent cure only with surgery (disc removal).
One cannot keep taking medicines forever as they have their own side effects.
Delaying the inevitable will only make things worse and will compromise with the results of surgery.

The step wise treatment in your case would be :
1. Start with gradual taper of the narcotics and side by side start on a short course steroid therapy like Methylprednisolone under strict supervision.
The regular precautions of not bending forward and not lifting weights along with regular physiotherapy and diathermy will continue.

2. Fentanyl skin patch can be added to the above protocol in case of insufficient relief.

3. Local epidural steroid injection by an orthopedician.

4. Surgery in the form of Discectomy if all the above measures fail.

I hope my advise has helped.
Good luck

2. If after a short course of steroid
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What's The Substitute For Norco Which Can Relieve The Lower Back Pain In A 45 Yr Old Female With Sciatica, Degerative Disc Disease?

Hi there. Its really difficult to get off narcotics once you have got used to them. Let me be very clear in saying that a disease of your nature will get permanent cure only with surgery (disc removal). One cannot keep taking medicines forever as they have their own side effects. Delaying the inevitable will only make things worse and will compromise with the results of surgery. The step wise treatment in your case would be : 1. Start with gradual taper of the narcotics and side by side start on a short course steroid therapy like Methylprednisolone under strict supervision. The regular precautions of not bending forward and not lifting weights along with regular physiotherapy and diathermy will continue. 2. Fentanyl skin patch can be added to the above protocol in case of insufficient relief. 3. Local epidural steroid injection by an orthopedician. 4. Surgery in the form of Discectomy if all the above measures fail. I hope my advise has helped. Good luck 2. If after a short course of steroid