Hello doctors - I am the patient.
I developed a severe reaction to hydrocodone after 8 years of near-daily use. Note: I remained on a very low dose - 10mg a day with very little variation.
For 8 yeas I never had a problem but recently (November) began experiencing severe symptoms, specifically confusion, ringing ears, distended stomach and severe bloating.
I never had a single problem with any of these before. The symptoms I'm most worried about are the ringing ears (which haven't stopped ringing in 3 months) and the confusion, which is severe and very frightening. The confusion comes on as soon as I metabolize the drug and lasts until its out of my system. When I do not take the drug it disappears completely. Over the last three months I have tried 8 times (in 3-5 week intervals) taking one half of a 5mg pill in hopes that the results would change but it happens every single time. The confusion is like not being able to easily remember simple things like my address or social security number. I will also feel highly disoriented and a great sense of despair until its out of my system.
To me that seems like a developed allergic reaction - is this possible?
WebMD list ringing of the ears and confusion as severe reactions that you should seek medical help for but when I tell my doctors the low dosage I was on and the way I didn't build up my tolerance, they no longer take it seriously and I can't get any more thought out of them because they think "only an addict" has adverse reactions, and they are busy and they dismiss it, but I need to understand why my ears never stop ringing and why I get severely disoriented if I take even a half-pill. Since this happened I had to quit taking it completely except the 8 times I tried taking half a pill. Today was the 8th and last time I am ever going to try it.
But I think its important. If I'm ever injured in the hospital, I think I might die if I'm given a narcotic pain medication while unconscious.
How can I (safely) find out if it is only hydrocodone I'm intolerant of, or if it is all opioids? How can I find out how severe a health risk this is on my body, or if I've become allergic to it?
To answer most of the questions I know you will have to try to find out if it is something else, and about the allergy:
1. No - my tongue doesn't swell up
2. No - I don't have trouble breathing
3. No - I don't have an unsteady or altered heartbeat
4a. Yes -I have been tested for:
* complete blood count
* liver enzyme
* thyroid
* blood sugar levels
* pancreatic function
* gallstones (ultrasound)
* renal problems (urine)
* chest x-ray
* brain scan
* HIV/Hepetitus
4b. Yes - all of these tests came out normal.
Physically they tell me I am fine. During the onset of hydrocodone intolerance I suffered physical symptoms, specifically a yeast infection that lasted a month and abdominal reaction to the Fluconazole they used to treat it (lost 12 pounds). The lingering effects are the ringing ears and the gastrointestinal symptoms (similar to IBS) which are as yet undiagnosed after a few examinations. I am worried about the ringing in the ears, the IBS-like symptoms, and the severe confusion that comes with taking the drug even once.
Can someone tell me what is going on? I will respond with all the information you could possible want.
KTJ
I developed a severe reaction to hydrocodone after 8 years of near-daily use. Note: I remained on a very low dose - 10mg a day with very little variation.
For 8 yeas I never had a problem but recently (November) began experiencing severe symptoms, specifically confusion, ringing ears, distended stomach and severe bloating.
I never had a single problem with any of these before. The symptoms I'm most worried about are the ringing ears (which haven't stopped ringing in 3 months) and the confusion, which is severe and very frightening. The confusion comes on as soon as I metabolize the drug and lasts until its out of my system. When I do not take the drug it disappears completely. Over the last three months I have tried 8 times (in 3-5 week intervals) taking one half of a 5mg pill in hopes that the results would change but it happens every single time. The confusion is like not being able to easily remember simple things like my address or social security number. I will also feel highly disoriented and a great sense of despair until its out of my system.
To me that seems like a developed allergic reaction - is this possible?
WebMD list ringing of the ears and confusion as severe reactions that you should seek medical help for but when I tell my doctors the low dosage I was on and the way I didn't build up my tolerance, they no longer take it seriously and I can't get any more thought out of them because they think "only an addict" has adverse reactions, and they are busy and they dismiss it, but I need to understand why my ears never stop ringing and why I get severely disoriented if I take even a half-pill. Since this happened I had to quit taking it completely except the 8 times I tried taking half a pill. Today was the 8th and last time I am ever going to try it.
But I think its important. If I'm ever injured in the hospital, I think I might die if I'm given a narcotic pain medication while unconscious.
How can I (safely) find out if it is only hydrocodone I'm intolerant of, or if it is all opioids? How can I find out how severe a health risk this is on my body, or if I've become allergic to it?
To answer most of the questions I know you will have to try to find out if it is something else, and about the allergy:
1. No - my tongue doesn't swell up
2. No - I don't have trouble breathing
3. No - I don't have an unsteady or altered heartbeat
4a. Yes -I have been tested for:
* complete blood count
* liver enzyme
* thyroid
* blood sugar levels
* pancreatic function
* gallstones (ultrasound)
* renal problems (urine)
* chest x-ray
* brain scan
* HIV/Hepetitus
4b. Yes - all of these tests came out normal.
Physically they tell me I am fine. During the onset of hydrocodone intolerance I suffered physical symptoms, specifically a yeast infection that lasted a month and abdominal reaction to the Fluconazole they used to treat it (lost 12 pounds). The lingering effects are the ringing ears and the gastrointestinal symptoms (similar to IBS) which are as yet undiagnosed after a few examinations. I am worried about the ringing in the ears, the IBS-like symptoms, and the severe confusion that comes with taking the drug even once.
Can someone tell me what is going on? I will respond with all the information you could possible want.
KTJ
