The chart I usually use shows that 30mg of hydrocodone is equivalent to 130-200mg of propoxyphene. Referring to the starting dose of lortab, 5mg of hydrocodone would equal 21.67mg-33.33mg of darvocet and the doses of darvocet that are generally prescribed are 50mg or 100mg. Statistically speaking, darvocet 50mg is more potent than 5mg of hydrocodone, about the same as 7.5mg of hydrocodone and less potent than 10mg. 100mg of propoxyphene is more potent than any dose of hydrocodone.

Fundamentally, the problem with these charts is that in some cases, they use "ranges"....Like they do for the propoxyphene. Well, 130-300mg is one big range!

Furthermore, it doesn't necessarily mean it's the same for everyone. If the Darvocet isn't working, I would tell the Doc.

Hope this helps.

Ex

[QUOTE=Luvmypugs;3555556][FONT="Tahoma"][COLOR="DarkOrchid"]

Hi everyone, hope all is well. I have a question regarding Darvocet and Hydrocodone. Can anyone help me with the comparison? I have looking on the internet and can't find any comparisons. How does one Darvocet 100/650 compare to Hydrocone? How many Darvocets would it take to equal a 10mg Hydro? I am curious because my Ortho doctor gave me a script for Darvocet yesterday. I have been on Ultram 50mg off and on for a while and find they don't work as well anymore. I know Darvocet is supposedly a very weak drug.

Propoxyphene is related somewhat to demerol, both of which produce unhelpful metabolites. This is the main reason that neither are used much any more. Besides that, it is fairly weak, and many respond unfavorably to it. What I don't get is the progression from Ultram to Darvocet?

[QUOTE=Luvmypugs;3555556]My MRI showed a torn meniscus, lots of fluid and that my kneecap is tracking to the side on the bone and not in the groove like it should. But insted of surgery (again) he want's me to start Celebrex and PT 3 times a week ?.?.?

I'm sorry you are having to go through this. I know all too well how it is. I was born with the outer groove underdeveloped and suffered dislocating kneecaps all through my early years, lasting 'til 1981. Maybe my experience can be of help, especially why PT is really a good idea.

My knees are the reason why I'm in PM, and have been since the mid 90's. I started with surgeries in 1969 to adjust the muscles and tendons to stop my knee caps from tracking to the outside, very similar to your problem. Only my knees would actually dislocate which was horrifically painful. Since I was only in Jr. High at the time, they had to avoid the bones as they were still growing. So both knees were operated on at the same time. It was successful for a few years until the dislocations started again, along with arthritis.

Both knees were reconstructed in 1978 and 1981 respectively. Total knee replacements were experimental at the time and I was too young for that anyway. This ended the dislocations, but the damage from the arthritis and the sports had already cause permanent damage. Since then I have had numerous procedures to clean-up the joints and one to adjust the length of my right tibia which added some spacing between the lower and upper leg bones, to help reduce bone-on-bone grinding since all meniscus had disappeared years before. It is now SOP to have patients endure PT before any knee surgeries to strengthen the joint and muscles for surgery and recovery.

I believe the doc is ordering PT to strengthen the muscle group at the lower-inside end of your quadricepts to help pull the kneecap more inward when your upper leg muscles tighten. This actually does work but it takes strength and help from a pro to learn how to activate and work that muscle.

I believe the new surgeon is simply refusing to get involved in the previous doc's botched job. I find many surgeons do not want to get into fixing what other surgeon's screw up. They can't know who you're going to sue when the fix job doesn't take.

After a certain age meniscus can no longer be repaired surgically. It really is a good idea to try and strengthen the leg muscles through PT. If you can get the patella to track properly this way then you can wait that much longer before venturing into total knee replacement. Most of the better orthopedic surgeons no longer do clean-up surgeries. As obvious as it sounds to get in there and remove the excess fluid and floating particles, statistics show that these kind of surgeries provide no real long-term benefit. My last such surgery was in the middle 90's and they just won't do this again. I actually wish I could get one more clean-up, since I've got some bony particles that are getting caught in the space created by teh loss of meniscus which causes lots of sharp pain and brings me to my knees literally from the pain.

Celebrex is an outstanding anti-inflammatory. Take it if you can. I'm allergic to all drugs that contain sulfa so I can;t take it. I wish I could.

Best of Luck!

steve