Long Term Use of Only Certain Prescribed Pain Relievers?

I have a relative who is uninsured and takes fiorciet for migraines and ultram for back pain. She says that these are the only medicines that work for her. She has tried going to doctors, hospitals, free clinics etc. and trying ibuprofen, aspirin and all sorts of other things both prescription and otc. The doctors keep giving her the run around since she has no insurance and keep saying that nothing shows up on the blood tests.

She wants me to buy her some fioricet and ultram (with a prescription of course). She got a doctor to write her prescriptions for it. I am concerned that long term use of this medicine can mess her body up. I am also wondering why "nothing else works" for her. Should I buy the meds? Money is no issue...I just don't want to supply something that is not helping her get to the root of things and may be hurting her in the long run. Please give me some good nonjudgemental advice. 10 pts will be given. Thanks. The relative is 46 years old almost 47.

I am concerned that this doctor she has found to prescribe for her is not caring about her because she is uninsured and cannot pay him a lot and is just writing her pills to shut her up.

Also, if she should come off of the fioricet and ultram, what are good pain medicines she can suggest to the doctor for her to try?

She has had migraines since childhood off and on. The back pain started about 6 years ago and is getting no better, if not it may be getting a little worse.

ask her doctor about maxalt-mlt for migranes they are kinda spendy but they work miracles they are not a pain killer but work on the cause of the migrane they work wonders for me and they work FAST

If you think that there is a problem, there probably is.

Fioricet is a muscle relaxant with tylenol and caffeine. Ultram is a non opiod pain reliever that acts on the same receptors as opiods. If she has a prescription for them and they work for her, I see nothing wrong with filling the prescriptions. She is doing nothing illegal and is in pain with the migraines and back. It would be nice if OTC NSAIDS worked for her, but it sounds like they don't. That only leaves other, possibly more potent meds to help her. She can become dependent on the meds, but sometimes you have to weigh her quality of life in to this. Is she irresponsible? Does she act like she's high all the time? If not, she just may be one of those people that needs stronger meds to battle chronic pain. Try to be supportive and watch for warning signs that she isn't handling the drugs or life anymore.

I've been taking hydrocodone (loratabs) and oxycodone for years along with Neurontin for a spine injury. If you are concerned about her condition look for a pain management clinic in your area. They are the only ones that have been able to help me for the 10 years I have been injured.

When they give you pain medications for chronic pain over a long period they should do a blood test to test for liver functions every 6 months.

here is something I have done for several years and I have found it to be a very effective way to communicate pain to the doctor.
Have her keep a daily journal of when she hurts, where she hurts, how bad the pain is, and how it is effecting what she can and cannot do.

Take it with her to the doctor and let him look it over. It's hard to remember everything when you only have a few minutes with the doctor and you are nervous anyway.
It doesn't have to be anything fancy. A loose leaf notebook is what I use. It will really help the doctor understand her condition and treat it.
Good luck

The meds you stated if used over a long period under a doctors care will be fine.

I'm 56 and still kicking after having a fracture neck due to a drunk driver.

As long as she is monitored by her prescriber, you should have nothing to worry about. The fact that she is on Fiorcet concerns me, but for another reason, it doesn't really work on migraines. The best migraine drugs are the triptans. The first one will go off patent this year.