(no subject)

[telophase]

Finally ran across some sort of way to quantify pain. I like quantifying things. It puts them in boxes that I can deal with.

The Mankoski Scale. Going by this, my migraines are usually 6-7, with the worst going up to 8, and some hovering around 5 (you have to ignore the painkiller column, since OTC painkillers are infeective* in my migraines, and I seem to be an opioid non-responder, so codeine et. al produce no effect whatsoever on me). My back, OTOH, is currently at 2-3, goes up to 4-5 if I've done something stupid. But was at about 6 a year ago.


* I like that typo for 'ineffective' too much to change it.

Comments

[mistressrenet.livejournal.com]

MIne are around 6-7 too, though OTCs will work, but only Aleve in decent quantities. They gave me codeine for my migraines once. Never. Again. They say opioids aren't particularly effective for migraine anyway.

[telophase.livejournal.com]

I had some hydrocodone given me by the first doctor I saw about the migraines, since he wasn't sure if they were cluster headaches, tension headaches, or migraines, so I got samples of Relpax and Vioxx and a prescription of hydrocodone, and told to try them all in turn and see what worked. The Relpax worked, yay.

I've tried the hydrocodone once or twice more for other aches and pains to see if it was effective (nope), and am hoarding what's left for the next cold I ahve where I'm coughing a lot to see if that has any more effect than codeine on me. Codeine - nothing. Zip. Not even a good high out of it; it's like I'm drinking water, and when I get coughing colds, the coughing gets /bad/ and they keep giving me codeine. NO MORE! NO WORKY!!!!

And then I came across the term 'opiod nonresponder' and that made sense to me. I've had Vicoprophen before, when I broke my toe, but it didn't produce a really obvious effect and I think the ibuprofen in it did more for the pain than the Vicodin, so I'm not yet thoroughly convinced that I'm an opiod nonresponder, but the next time I go in for something that they want to give my an opiate for, I'm going to explain all this.

[rushthatspeaks.livejournal.com]

That is the *most useful thing ever*. Thanks.

[telophase.livejournal.com]

Yup. Next time I've got something that hurts, I'm printing this out and taking it in with me. I didn't realize how close to the top my 8s were. :D

[kittikattie.livejournal.com]

Ver,y very useful.

My half erupted wisdom teeth rank at about a 5-6, and on some days can hit a 7; my joint pain is a 3-4 unless I've been walking or standing on my feet for long periods of time, and then it's a 4-5 with occasional 6.