A prescription NSAID (that stands for Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug) is a pretty powerful pain reliever. There are also several non-prescription NSAIDs like aspirin, Aleve, and ibuprofin. Tylenol is not an anti-inflammatory drug, but it can relieve pain that does not involve inflammation. If an anti-inflammatory, especially a prescription one, is not managing pain effectively, it is time to move on to other options, and the next option is usually a narcotic. There are a few kinds of narcotics that are not derived from opiods, but only a few. You are probably aware that there has been a crisis of the mis-use of opiods in our country and there has been a big government crack-down on the prescribing of opiod meds to even legitimate patients whose pain requires the use of opiods. That includes cancer patients. There should be someone on your care team who can prescribe an appropriate medication for you and you and that person will need to agree on the ways that you will work with that person to comply with the limitations of the laws and to be sure that you are using them appropriately. (Most cancer patients are not going to sell them on the street. Others who seek pain medication prescriptions may have that in mind!) If there is not a person like that on your team currently, then someone on your team should be able to give you a referral to a pain management specialist. Some pain is a likely result of having cancer and of the treatments for cancer, but when over-the-counter meds and other treatments like heat or cold therapy, physical therapy or massage, yoga or acupuncture are not helping, you have the right to have your pain evaluated and managed. Sometimes you have to be the proverbial "squeaky wheel that gets the grease" to get what you need. Be persitent until you get the appropriate care to manage life!! Hugs and prayers!!

Hi Diedre, can you tell us where the pain is and what kind of pain? You mentioned wanting to throw up, is it a stomach pain? While on chemo I would get nausea, but not pain- at least not until the intense bout with constipation. If the nausea is driven by the meds, do you think it is the chemo, or an oral pill? If the pain is at the mastectomy site from a couple of years ago, perhaps the issue is scar tissue. We're here if you want to chat! Hugs!

I had no pain after my mastectomy that extra strength Tylenol didn’t take care of PTL! But those drain tubes!!