Your Doctor can change the drug you are taking to another drug and still provide an equal amount of pain relief for you.
The following lists provide examples of how one drug can be stopped and another started to provide approximately the same amount of pain relief.
These conversions are approximate and may not be exact for all people, however they may serve as a guideline for use.
1.) This list is for medications usually given for MILD TO MODERATE PAIN. (TO VIEW THIS CHART: GO TO ABOVE WEBSITE!!)
Drugs may also be changed from one way of taking to another way, such as from injection to pill or vice versa. The following list is again an approximate conversion and should be used as a guideline only. The medications listed below is given in equal doses, in that all drug doses are approximately equal to other drug doses in the same column.
2.) This list is for drugs given for MODERATE TO SEVERE PAIN. (TO VIEW THIS CHART: GO TO ABOVE WEBSITE!!)
All the medications listed require a doctors prescription. If you feel you may need to change from one pain medication to another or from one route to another you should answer the following questions and be prepared to give all the information in your answers to your doctor.
1.) How long have you been taking the medication?
2.) How often have you taken the medicine, and exactly what times and what amounts of medicine have you taken in the last 4 days?
3.) What is your highest and lowest pain rating in the last 24 hours? (On a scale of 1 - 10 with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain you can imagine.)
4.) Are you able to sleep at night or rest during the day?
5.) What activities have you been able to do in the last 48 hours?
6.) Do you have constipation, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting?
7.) Do you feel groggy or light-headed?
8.) What can distract you from your pain?
9.) List any other side effects you feel you are experiencing.
If you have questions about the pain medicine you are taking or concerns about effectiveness or side effects, you should consult your Doctor, Nurse, or Pharmacist.