Drugs

Since I have been through cancer treatments, a hip and shoulder replacement, various dental proceedures, aches and pains from arthritis and my back 'going out'.
I have been prescribed and used vicodin, percocet, lortab, tylenol 3, and morphine in a pain pump. Also probably every OTC pain pill. NONE really do the trick. Some mask the pain for a short time but none make it really go away. Then there are some meds that don't really help the pain, but they make you float around so you don't really care. I have read on the net about what is for mild to moderate pain, moderate to severe pain, etc. But I know they don't work the same way for everyone.
What do you folks recommend? What works for ya'll, what doeasn't.

I'm on a monthly script for vicodin from the pain clinic; it manages things fairly well, unless I get a pinched nerve. In which case, I pop a flexeril. I also have Neurotin, which I take nightly.

Since I've been on the Cymbalta, I've noticed my use of vicodin is down considerably. My pain level is down to about 1/3 of what it was before. Doesn't mean I'm totaly pain-free, but it's a little more manageable. There are days it's a little worse (I can't say there are days it's better).

And there's my little black and white furry pain pill, who will come up and lick my arm and purr for me if I get really out of sorts. She's purring up a storm right now and I'm not in too much pain (or maybe that's the cranberry-cherry wine).

My Dad and by DH both used neurontin for their diabetic neuropathy. It made them both stupid! I swear. My Dad was a brilliant man and after a week on neurontin he couldn't do simple math stuff, he forgot how to do stuff on his 'puter. My DH did a lot od electrical work in the Navy. After a couple of weeks on neurontin, he couldn't wire a simple light socket. They both stopped.

I couldn't take neurontin either -- I had severe depression and thoughts of suicide......that scared the s__t out of me, and I stopped taking it .  That was after I had the hip revision, and ended up with drop foot.....the foot gave me more pain than the incision for the hip.

I am very blessed to not have much pain - when I do I can take a couple extra strength tylenol and that takes care of it.