hi jean!

my personal rule of thumb is that if an injury or surgery is very recent,
then don't let the pain get ahead of the pills at all--stay ahead of the
pain!  otherwise, if pain isn't too/as overwhelming (as recent injury or
surgery), then as needed is fine.

here you go . . . offering a piece of see's dark chocolate covered almonds
(a christmas prezzie).

kate

I'm not sure as to whether one should take pain medication on a regular
schedule, or as needed.  I know if it is done on as needed, the pain has a
chance to get too bad before the medication kicks in.  Any ideas?  My pain
varies from day to day.  I keep track on a calendar and will see a series of
days with one every four hours and then there are other days when I don't
seem to need that much.  I'm fortunate in that my arthritis was caught early
and the medicine (Arthrotec) they put me on works quite well.  When I read
the messages from a lot of you, I feel like I don't really belong here yet,
but then I'll hit a couple of bad days or more and it's move over in the
sandbox and pass the chocolates.  I'll bring the whine.

Its funny how we seem to have days like that.  Feel good for a few hours and
wonder what all the fuss was about.  Sometimes I'll start thinking my
arthritis isn't all that bad compared to others, and in a lot of ways it
isn't.  And yes I'm grateful.  But then I also remember its why I'm now
profoundly deaf.  There wasn't any pain involved in losing my hearing and it
took a few years so I tend to forget about what destroyed it.

If it weren't for modern surgery and implants I wouldn't be able to see
either.  Had cataracts in my early fifties thanks to good ole prednisone.
Asthma gets most of the blame for that, but its the same ole crappy immune
system.

Jo

I'm just now catching up, but here's how i do things.  My ultram & tylenol
are ordered as neeed.  For me to function and sleep decently, I generally
need to take them 3x/day.  I automatically take it on rising and almost
always take it before goig to bed.  (the exception being when I am so tired I
forget it, which generally means I'll sleep through pain anyway.)  The third
dose comes somewhere in the afternoon, depending on what I'm doing and how my
body is behaving.  Sometimes, i just take 2 extra-strength tylenol if it's a
really good day or if, as on last Sunday, I nap for most of the afternoon.

The ain meds don't really get rid of the pain, they just knock it down for
most of us, and I imagine that includes you.  My thinking is that with a
cronic situation such as ours, pain meds are to help you function better AND
care for yourself better.  Without them, I'd exercise even less, move around
less and wouldn't feel up to preparing healthier meals.  I'll take them as
soon as I feel that balance start to tip, though sometimes I'm distracted and
wait too long! Anyway, though the order says "as needed", my docs know my
thinking about taking them to help me live a healthier lifestyle and approve
- especially as it's ultram rather than a frank narcotic.

Oh, and as for being here - it's partly to keep you from getting worse!  
And/or to hlep you know what you need to know if you do get worse.  (I was in
near-remission when I first showed up, mostly lurking, but when things went
wild again, I already new about all the new treatments, surprising my docs!)