Nubain and E.R.
Hi All, I only recently found that Nubain can stop a migraine, after my doctor gave it to me at his office. Prior to knowing about Nubain, whenever I went to the emergency room (not very often!) I had to ask for Demerol, because it was the only thing I knew of that worked. As you can probably guess, as soon as I told them at the E.R. that Demerol is what works for me, they immediately treated me like an addict. This was very insulting and frustrating, but I have read that Demerol can act as a heroin substitute for addicts, and apparently junkies often ask for it. I've noticed that some of the people on this list have a medical background, and even if you don't, maybe you'll know the answer to my question: Is Nubain a drug that heroin addicts ask for at the E.R., or have I finally found something that only a migraine sufferer would want? I doubt my doctor will prescribe the Nubain any time soon, so I may have to continue to go to the E.R. every now and then. However, I avoid going there even when I'm in horrible pain, simply because I cannot stand the way they treat me. I'll bet I'm not the only one here who feels this way. Good luck to all! Take Care, Laura
Hi Laura, I use Nubain at home....doc and I have a great deal of trust in each other and I never ask for refills too soon. I only use my meds as prescribed. This is very important in a doctor/patient relationship and if you run out of meds before you are supposed to it raises a huge red flag. If you have a good relationaship with your doc and never call in early for refills, you may want to ask him about getting your Nubain for home use. I have to warn you though...most HMO's will not cover it and you MUST use phenergan with it and it's expensive. I paid $104.00 for 1 vial of Nubain and 25 ampules of Phenergan. I don't think that addicts would present in the ER for Nubain as it is an agonist/antagonist narcotic and would probably send then into immediate narcotic withdrawal. Hope this helps. Hugs from Jan
more from Jan on this... Most Dr's office's carry Nubain or Stadol injectible. If you are in the throes of a 10+, it would be a good idea to call during office hours and ask for an injection....all they can say is no. My former PCP was female and a migrainuer and she told me that she had read an article that stated that Nubain worked better for females whereas Demerol worked better for men. Something to do with chemistry I suppose. Maybe Corrine could help you more on this one than I. Hugs from Jan
Hi Jan, Thanks so much for the Nubain information. It's the only thing I've ever found that actually stops one of my long-lasting migraines. Last time I went to my doctor's office for a shot, the nurse said something about Nubain being "only for emergencies". I understand that, and wouldn't need to use it that often. I've been seeing my doctor for a long time now, and I think he trusts me pretty well. You're absolutely right about it being a problem if you call in too early for a refill. I admit that I did this once several years ago. I was desperate, in the midst of a two-week migraine, and my doc had never told me how long I was supposed to make my meds last. I was only taking three T3's per day, but apparently I have to make 30 T3's last for a month--no matter how long my migraines last. I know that now, and have never requested a refill early since then. If my migraines keep lasting so long, I will eventually ask my doc about Nubain for home use. Do doctors worry that a patient will actually get addicted to Nubain? I can't even imagine someone actually liking how it makes them feel; it just puts me right to sleep. I was wondering, do you take Nubain every time you get a migraine, or save it for just the long-lasting or especially severe ones? I think I remember your doctor said it was okay to take it once a week? I only get about two migraines a month on average, lasting anywhere from three days to two weeks or more. I would think it would make the most sense just to get rid of the migraine on day one, rather than having to take Tylenol with Codeine every day for ten days and still suffer terribly from the pain. I guess I'm just wondering if Nubain can be used right away as an abortive. Is this how you use it? I'm not sure what the nurse meant by "only for emergencies". I'll ask my doctor; I would think that any migraine that lasts for more than three days would qualify as an emergency. I think the nurse agreed with me there. If my doctor tells me I have to wait until the fourth day of a migraine to take it, I would abide by that, even though I think it makes a lot more sense to just get rid of the migraine on day one. Thanks again, Jan. Take Care, Laura