This blog about liver pain is written in an entirely different place than my first blog or YouTube on liver pain. A lot has changed since they found the tumor on my liver and I had the Tace chemo procedure. Like most of you, I try to handle pain bravely. If I am going to moan and groan, I do it in privacy. Having chronic pain during hepatitis C treatment for 43 weeks taught me a lot about pain management. I was the image of long-suffering endurance most of the time. But recently there has been a huge shift in my ideas about pain. I’ve had to look at drugs that are safe for liver pain. Do you wanna go down this road with me? Whether you’ve had pain or love someone who does, I think we have a lot to share. Let’s take a look at types of pain, medication, pros and cons, and the mental stress of living with pain.

I divide pain into 2 categories.

The first one is chronic pain. You know the dull constant throb in the background of your life. It can be anything from joint pain and stiffness, or a stress headache that lasts for hours all the way to a 24/7 feeling of general discomfort. The achiness that makes you feel like even your toenails hurt. I always get the idea that if I change positions it might help. On the other hand, I don’t want to move because then the pain might relocate to a different spot. So I usually sit or lie very still and burrow up to my chin in covers and try to sleep. Covers always help.

Then there is the acute pain. The sudden sharp stabbing like a nerve has been hit. The sort of pain that makes you kind of twitch. Like recently I was sitting in the chair after dinner. Some family members were here and the area where the liver tumor is got a sharp stab. It was like an ice pick was driven into my chest. I got twitchy. I fidgeted around trying to get comfortable. I arched my back. I rubbed my tummy. My legs got curled up under me and then they went back to the footstool. I hurt so bad.

Your pain may be from nerve damage, such as neuropathy. It may be joint pain from autoimmune illness or hepatitis C treatment. It may be liver pain, or back pain. Whether it is a chronic pain or occasional sharp jabs, you need some relief!

Let’s talk about drugs that are safe for liver pain. NSAIDS or aspirin products are NOT used due to bleeding, kidney, and other problems for those with severe cirrhosis. Some that are prescribed are hydromorphone, Tylenol (acetaminophen), and oxycodone. Also percocet, vicodin, and vicoprofen, which have ibuprofen and acetaminophen in them.

To read this entire blog entry and learn about drugs that are safe for liver pain, click on IHelpC.com