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Is testicular sensitivity a possible side effect when taking methylprednisolone 4mg dosepak 21's?
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∙ 10y ago
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∙ 10y ago
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Can you take a medrol dose pack with hydrocodone?
Yes, methylprednisolone (Medrol Dosepak) and hydrocodone can be taken at the same time, provided your doctor says it is okay. For example, these two medications are sometimes prescribed together to treat the inflammation and acute pain associated with a herniated spinal disk.
Can you take a medrol dose pack and melatonin together?
Benadryl is a histamine-blocker to help relieve allergy symptoms. Medrol dosepak is a steroid to help relieve inflammation. There are no reports of interactions between these two medications.
How long will a prednisone injection control your sciatic nerve pain injected into the buttock not the nerve?
Depending on the type of shot (whether it was an epidural or just a steroid shot), and which nerve is being compressed by the disk, and how bad it is, will determine how long it takes to start working. Also, if your doctor really put the needle in your buttock and not the small of your back where the pain is (not the nerve - it takes a special procedure for that) then I'd wonder what he/she is doing, and think about getting another doctor. That's not where it's supposed to go. Steroid shots don't control or reduce pain - they reduce the inflammation of the disk pressing on the nerve and the back spasms associated with it. It's the back spasms and the nerve pressure which cause the pain in your legs. Depending on the type of shot, there's sometimes a specific period and procedure for how long they wait. For example, if it's an epidural (you'll know if it is - before I had major structural problems in my back that needed working on I used to get epidurals all the time - they're not fun. Imagine a steel shank being sunk into your back next to your spine about 4 inches to deliver the steroid. In those cases, they allow for 3 shots, with checking every week to see how much you've improved. If you haven't improved they give you another at the end of the first week, second and third weeks. If you don't have any improvement by the third shot, they start talking about surgery, but in reality it's after the second shot - they rarely give a third. If you've just gotten a steroid shot to reduce the muscle spasms, it'll wear off pretty fast, within about 2-3 days - they don't last long at all. If you can stand to take Flexeril, it'll loosen you up and stop the back spasms and allow the pressure on the nerve to relax. Trick is you have to take it for a couple of days to really notice the effects, which will knock you out pretty good. Other than that, your doctor probably told you the standard lines about lying on your side in a fetal position, pillow between the legs to reduce hip pressure and spine pressure, etc. I've actually found it's more comfortable laying on the floor with your butt up againd the front of a couch (the bottom) and your legs on the couch itself, so your back is flat on the floor. The idea is to reduce all pressure on the flat of the back, so the nerve pressure can relax and the spasms can stop. Sciatic pain is bad, but trust me, do what your doctor tells you to do, and use the 'net to learn as much as you can about your particular problem. There's much worse pain that you could have to endure if you don't take care of yourself. After 3 major spinal surgeries, and having to take some of the strongest opiates on the planet for the past 9 years and likely the rest of my life, I WISH all I had to deal with was sciatic pain. I relish those days. If a shot doesn't last long enough for you, talk to your doctor about getting a Prednisone dosepak or a 9 day course - that'll loosen you up real good. 2 years ago before my last operation my L3 disk finally collapsed (when I mean collapse, I mean bone on bone with the vertebrae - that's the result of the disease I have) none of my opiates were putting a dent in the pain, and as a result of constant chronic pain for the past 11 years (I've had disk problems for 20) I have an extremely high pain and opiate tolerance. I had an idea about using Prednisone to reduce the inflammation enough for the opiates to work, as I also have asthma, and I normally have a 9 day course on hand for emergencies. That did the trick - I wound up doing several 9 day courses (if you don't know what "courses" mean with Prednisone, it's 3 pills a day for 3 days, then 2 pills a day for 3 days, then 1 pill a day for 3 days. You can't just stop Prednisone or you run the risk of heart failure). I gained 60 lbs in the 2 months I had to do it before my surgery, but it at least allowed the opiates to work. So consider it as a possibility. There are a couple of good sites I use and contribute to - one is a spine site, the other is a pain site. They are: American Pain Foundation. Spine Universe Another good item if you don't have one is a Thermopore pad - if you've ever been to a Chiropractor some of them use 'em a lot. They only cost about 75 bucks, give you moist heat in about a minute, and is a godsend for back pain of any type.
How do you cure pain in the lower right side of the back that radiates to the right front hip bone?
The pain you're describing is a possible disk herniation at the L3/L4 disk area. You can further determine it if the pain goes past the hip, across your thigh and stops at the inside of your knee. In such cases, if it's been more than a week, at the very least you need to get a facet injection or an epidural to relieve the inflammation, but also either an MRI or CT to determine the extent of the problem and the underlying cause.Regardless though, the pain indicated is usually disk related - it just depends on where the pain originates and how far it goes. Sciatic nerve pain (from herniation of the L5/S1 or L4/5 disks) tends to radiate laterally to the hips, but also down the back of the legs. The L3/4 disk nerve though, is unmistakeable - it originates along the side of the spine just below the middle of the back, goes down the spine, across the waist and across the hip, then across the thigh until it stops at the inside of the knee.Use the Interactive Spinal Chart at the link below to help determine which disk is giving you problems.If the pain is irritating this nerve path, you need to see a Neurosurgeon (not necessarily for surgery - they're just the most qualified to diagnose and help you since they deal with it every day) ASAP.1. Stay off your feet and get as much rest as possible.2. Take an anti-inflammatory to reduce the swelling and muscle spasms3. Don't sit if you can avoid it (sitting is the worst position for your back other than standing)4. When you're lying down, lie on your side in a fetal position, with a cushion/pillow between your knees and one behind your lower back, and one in front of you to hug. The one between the knees keeps pressure off the lumbar area; behind the back keeps you from rolling over onto your back, which is a bad position also; and the one to hug keeps you from rolling onto your stomach, which also puts pressure on the lower spine. If you have to sleep on your back, make sure your legs are raised to the point where your lower back is flat on the bed. Your legs should be in a "Z", like a sitting position only lying on your back. Sofa cushions are usually big enough to put under your legs.Alternatively, you can lie on your back with your legs on the sofa, with the back of your legs against the front of the sofa. I've spent many hours like that when lying in bed wasn't helping. Sometimes a hard, flat surface is required to get all pressure off the spine.Aside from the nerve pain, you'll also be hit with severe muscle spasms from the trauma that's caused. This tightens up the entire area, making the pain even worse. Normally a doctor will prescribe a good muscle relaxer like Flexeril, but Valium (or Valerian Root, if you like herbal alternatives) works also - anything to relax your body.If the pain continues past 3-5 days, then the damage is probably bad enough to require an epidural or facet injection (local or target steroid injection) to reduce the disk swelling. The problem though is that they take time to schedule, as it's considered a minor surgical procedure; as such, by the time your appointment comes up the pain is usually gone anyway. Anything scheduled more than 3-5 days is worthless, unless you're at a point you can't walk, but in such cases they'll usually get you in ASAP anyway. If they can't get you in, ask your doctor for a course of Prednisone, or a steroid dosepak - they work just as good in a pinch (no pun intended). Prior to my last spinal operation, I had to use Prednisone for about 8 weeks to keep the inflammation down just so the opiates could work.Pain Meds - at some point, if you don't have any (or you've already used up what you have) you'll be screaming for some kind of painkiller. If they've determined you've got a disk problem, you'll usually get at least a couple of weeks or a month worth, but if it persists, you'll need something to counter the impression you're just looking for more drugs, which unfortunately is something all people with real pain must deal with. You should start a Pain Diary right now - you can download one at the Partners Against Pain link below.One thing to always remember - if you go in to see a doctor, or go to a hospital, and you have real pain, don't immediately start asking for painkillers or you'll likely be tagged a 'drug seeker' and won't be taken seriously, even if you have a real problem. It sucks, but until things change it's the way things are in the medical world right now. I've been a formal Pain Management patient for my spinal problems for 11 years now and I've seen the worst the profession has. I've also been tagged a DS by a doctor who was subbing for my regular doctor, and when I had a real emergent problem (my cervical disks at C5/6/7 were flattened). That bitch nearly caused me to have my left arm permanently paralyzed, and I didn't even know she had done that until I finally saw another doctor and nurse who knew my history very well. It was so bad I literally had to drop everything to have surgery done.If you're referred to a Neurosurgeon (don't go to an Orthopedist, they know squat about nerves) you'll probably be asked to fill out a Pain Assessment form anyway, which is part of a pain diary. By starting to document your pain now, you'll be in a better position later if you need pain meds, as real pain is difficult to fake, as is a pain diary. Pain is subjective; what may be excruciating for you might be nothing to me, so a diary also helps the doctor see how the pain is affecting you relative to your documented symptoms in the diary, and what you've done to care for yourself.OTC Meds - there are 3 OTC meds that I use when I don't feel the need to take any Percocet (I use 10/325's, about 150 per month, and they're not my primary pain med):1. Bayer Back and Body Aspirin - works fast.2. Tylenol E/S Rapid Release Gel-Caps - because I use so much Percocet (I've used the same amount for about 13 years now) and Percocet is a combination of Tylenol and Oxycodone (where 10 is the Oxy and 325 is the Tylenol amount) I don't use Tylenol unless I feel that adding to what I'm already taking will help. These work the fastest.3. Aleve - Aleve is Naproxen in non-prescription form. Prescription dose is 500mg, and you have to use it for a couple of days to get any benefit. It's the one NSAID that doesn't have any problems like the others, aside from things like constipation. Always take it with food and a lot of liquid. If you're not prescribed prescription Naproxen, or if you need it and don't have any, Aleve is a great substitute. Just remember to take enough for prescription dosage.HeatHeat therapy has always worked for me. Some use ice, but cold makes me worse. There are a couple of things you can use:1. Salonpas Patches - I've used these for years. 20 years ago you could only find them in an Asian market, just like Tiger Balm, but you can get them at Wal-Mart or on the 'net now. Great for targeted nerve pain.2. Thermophore Heat Pad - If you've ever been to a Chiropractor, you've probably used one; most of them started using them a few years ago, though I've been using them for almost 20 years. It's an instant moist heat pad - the flannel covering draws moisture from the air and the body. You can get it with a timer switch or one you have to hold down. You can find them at some pharmacies (usually ones near medical offices or hospitals) or you an order one from the Thermophore site at the link below. The "Standard" (14"x27") is the best size.Staying off of your feet can't be stressed enough. Like most of us, you'll probably need to go to a doctor to get a note for your employer who still has a kindergarten mentality when it comes to sick leave. The more you stay on your feet or sit, the longer it will take to heal.
You are 13 and have severe back pain What should you do?
First, get off your feet and stay off as much as possible. This includes sitting as it puts pressure on the lower spine. Of course it depends on the location and severity of the pain (someone as young as yourself probably hasn't had much pain experience and your tolerance may be much lower), but regardless, the cause needs to be determined. The type of pain is indicative of the cause. Sharp, radiating pain means that a spinal nerve is being compressed, most likely by an adjoining disk that has either bulged or fully ruptured (herniated) through the disk membrane itself. There is no mistaking this kind of pain - those who have never felt it can never understand how strong the pain is. It feels literally like you've got a large heavy gauge needle in your body and it's being turned and twisted around. If you're able to walk without much discomfort, then it's likely not that bad, but if you can feel it radiating down your legs, then it's a serious matter. The best specialist for this is a Neurosurgeon - they deal with it daily. Others aren't as readily able to detect the subtle signs that indicate serious damage. Something else I want to stress is that your age or health has no bearing on your condition whatsoever. My first back problems began when I was 16, but I blew it off to playing football (I was DT) in High School. Later in life as it got much worse, I was diagnosed with a hereditary spinal degeneration condition that can be aggravated earlier in life by certain things - including (you guessed it) football and weightlifting. The point is, if you have any back problems in your family history, you can never be too careful. If the pain has lasted more than a week, and is still as strong or worse, then you should see a doctor ASAP to get pictures taken. Until then, you should keep a Pain Diary, which is a record of when the pain is strongest, the type of pain it is, how bad it is on a 1-10 scale (10 being worst) date, time, etc. and what you were doing before it happened, along with any meds. I've included some OTC meds I use frequently when I don't feel the need for using Percocet, my secondary pain medicine. Below is a copy of an older post on Pain that I always keep. It's primarily for disk problems, but the information is relevant for most back pain problems. --- If you go to a doctor, there are several things they'll tell you to do: 1. Stay off your feet and get as much rest as possible. 2. Take an anti-inflammatory to reduce the swelling and muscle spasms 3. Don't sit if you can avoid it (sitting is the worst position for your back other than standing) 4. When you're lying down, lie on your side in a fetal position, with a cushion/pillow between your knees and one behind your lower back, and one in front of you to hug. The one between the knees keeps pressure off the lumbar area; behind the back keeps you from rolling over onto your back, which is a bad position also; and the one to hug keeps you from rolling onto your stomach, which also puts pressure on the lower spine. If you have to sleep on your back, make sure your legs are raised to the point where your lower back is flat on the bed. Your legs should be in a "Z", like a sitting position only lying on your back. Sofa cushions are usually big enough to put under your legs. Alternatively, you can lie on your back with your legs on the sofa, with the back of your legs against the front of the sofa. I've spent many hours like that when lying in bed wasn't helping. Sometimes a hard, flat surface is required to get all pressure off the spine. Aside from the nerve pain, you'll also be hit with severe muscle spasms from the trauma that's caused. This tightens up the entire area, making the pain even worse. Normally a doctor will prescribe a good muscle relaxer like Flexeril, but Valium (or Valerian Root, if you like herbal alternatives) works also - anything to relax your body. If the pain continues past 3-7 days, then the damage is probably bad enough to require an epidural or facet injection (local or target steroid injection) to reduce the disk swelling. The problem though is that they take time to schedule, as it's considered a minor surgical procedure; as such, by the time your appointment comes up the pain is usually gone anyway. Anything scheduled more than 3-5 days is worthless, unless you're at a point you can't walk, but in such cases they'll usually get you in ASAP anyway. If they can't get you in, ask your doctor for a course of Prednisone, or a steroid dosepak - they work just as good in a pinch (no pun intended). Prior to my last spinal operation, I had to use Prednisone for about 8 weeks to keep the inflammation down just so the opiates could work. Pain Meds - at some point, if you don't have any (or you've already used up what you have) you'll be screaming for some kind of painkiller. If they've determined you've got a disk problem, you'll usually get at least a couple of weeks or a month worth, but if it persists, you'll need something to counter the impression you're just looking for more drugs, which unfortunately is something all people with real pain must deal with. You should start a Pain Diary right now - you can download one at http://www.painfoundation.org/Publicatio... One thing to always remember - if you go in to see a doctor, or go to a hospital, and you have real pain, don't immediately start asking for painkillers or you'll likely be tagged a 'drug seeker' and won't be taken seriously, even if you have a real problem. It sucks, but until things change it's the way things are in the medical world right now. I've been a formal Pain Management patient for my spinal problems for 11 years now and I've seen the worst the profession has. I've also been tagged a DS by a doctor who was subbing for my regular doctor, and when I had a real emergent problem (my cervical disks at C5/6/7 were flattened). She nearly caused me to have my left arm permanently paralyzed, and I didn't even know what she had done until I finally saw another doctor and nurse who knew my history very well. It was so bad I literally had to drop everything to have surgery done. If you're referred to a Neurosurgeon (don't go to an Orthopedist, they know squat about nerves) you'll probably be asked to fill out a Pain Assessment form anyway, which is part of a pain diary. By starting to document your pain now, you'll be in a better position later if you need pain meds, as real pain is difficult to fake, as is a pain diary. Pain is subjective; what may be excruciating for you might be nothing to me, so a diary also helps the doctor see how the pain is affecting you relative to your documented symptoms in the diary, and what you've done to care for yourself. OTC Meds - there are 3 OTC meds that I use when I don't feel the need to take any Percocet (I use 10/325's, about 150 per month, and they're not my primary pain med): 1. Bayer Back and Body Aspirin - works fast. 2. Tylenol E/S Rapid Release Gel-Tabs - because I use so much Percocet (I've used the same amount for about 9 years now) and Percocet is a combination of Tylenol and Oxycodone (where 10 is the Oxy and 325 is the Tylenol amount) I don't use Tylenol unless I feel that adding to what I'm already taking will help. These work the fastest. 4. Aleve - Aleve is Naproxen in non-prescription form. Prescription dose is 500mg, and you have to use it for a couple of days to get any benefit. It's the one NSAID that doesn't have any problems like the others, aside from things like constipation. Always take it with food and a lot of liquid. If you're not prescribed prescription Naproxen, or if you need it and don't have any, Aleve is a great substitute. Just remember to take enough for prescription dosage. Heat Heat therapy has always worked for me. Some use ice, but cold makes me worse. There are a couple of things you can use: 1. Salonpas Heat Patches - I've used these for years. 15 years ago you could only find them in an Asian market, just like Tiger Balm, but you can get them at Wal-Mart or on the 'net now. Great for targeted nerve pain. 2. Thermophore Heat Pad - If you've ever been to a Chiropractor, you've probably used one; most of them started using them a few years ago, though I've been using them for almost 20 years. It's an instant moist heat pad - the flannel covering draws moisture from the air and the body. You can get it with a timer switch or one you have to hold down. You can find them at some pharmacies (usually ones near medical offices or hospitals) or you an order one from the site: http://www.thermophore.com/ The "Standard" (14"x27") is the best size. If you have specific questions, email me through my Wiki email address listed at the top of my Supervisor Bio page (click on my username link).
