Question- how long do people stay on meds after TX? I am 8 months out after radiation and I have 2 main issues: dry mouth and pain in the area that they did by boost.

So I have been on Lortab for about 7 months (I was on morphine during radiation-no chemo) and I wonder how long is too long? Or what is normal?

I don't personally think there is a too long. Pain management is a quality of life issue, and you need to be on the meds until you don't need them... then eventually reducing the dosages over a period of perhaps a month to get off them altogether. Leaving them too soon sets up its own set of problems. I was on pain meds for a year, so without knowing other

I almost wrote in yesterday with a similar question for my husband, but he has been out of treatment a lot less long - radiation ended 12/5/06. He had been doing better for a couple weeks. He had been up and about and out of the house and back doing his camera thing on eBay.

He had a great CT scan on Tuesday 1/23/06 which perked us both up. But this week he has felt pretty miserable again - really can

All of the Docs I have talked to have said the trick with pain meds is to stay ahead of the pain; what you can do if you feel you've had enough is to cut back just a little and see what happens in a week (some meds build up in your system and take a while to reduce; the reverse is also true which is why one has to stay ahead of the pain). If that's OK, then reduce again and wait.

Patience is a virtue here, and I would advise marking the dates/dosage on a calendar because it's easy to lose track when you are on these kinds of meds.

Thanks everyone for the feedback. It was very helpful. My ENT wants to get me off the Lortab and although my dosage has decreased since treatment ended I still have to take it for pain in my mouth and right side of my jaw. Motrin, even 800mg, is just not enough. I know everyone heals differently but it is good to know that I am not crazy or unusual to experience pain at this point in time.