I do have another question.With m.s.contin which I realize is morphine sulfate and percocet or?

M.S contin is just morphine in an extended release formulation. I'm on 100mg twice daily with Dilaudid(hydromorphone HCI) 4mg four times daily for break through pain. I was thinking of trying Opana because I know that sometimes you don't have to up the dosage of what you are taking,but just change to a different drug of comparable mg's. I want to know how the Opana is working for you. Do you think it would work better at a higher mg? You probably know Lorecet is just 10mg Vicodin. Dilaudid works very well but they do not make an extended realease version in the states. It is available in Canada & the U.K by the name of Paladone. I'm lucky I have a doctor who is very understanding about pain control. Opiates are under prescribed because of fear of abuse or dependence,but in people with cronic pain issues it really doesn't matter because in all likely hood thier going to be on the meds the rest of there life anyway.

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Dilaudid is commonly prescribed to cancer patients because they don't care if they become addicted because they will die anyway. Thats a hard way to get the meds you need to control your pain. I've had 2 C-1 C-2 vertabrae fussions and sometimes even with the strong narcoticts the pain comes right through if I don't catch it early. Sorry I rambled on,but back to the Opana. Does it work as good as the 100mg of M.S Contin when it is working but does not work long enough,or does it just not work as well? Thank You.

I am a prescribed patient on Narcotic pain medicine maintenance. I take 100 mg MS Contin 3 times a day and Oxycodone 30mg for break-through. I have been on pain medicine for about a decade and on MS Contin for a few years and its effectiveness has diminished and am thinking about trying Opana to see if my tolerance will be lower and medicine will be more effective.

I have to say, that it is plain stupidity to take someone who has been on MS Contin 100 for some time and move them to Opana at what is less than 1/3 the strength and think it will be effective. I understand that your doctor wants to put you on the lowest amount of medicine that will be effective but that is a ridicules expectation that less than 1/3 of your previous dose will help you. It may even cause you withdrawal symptoms and if you are older or have heart trouble could put you in real danger.

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I am lucky that my regular doctor will treat me and I do not have to see a “pain specialist practice”. My mother has to go to one and they treat her like a child. They make sign some contract and take a oath and make you feel guilty or dirty. The doctor generally has no personal experience with chronic pain and has just found their niche picking up patients that no one else wants to deal with because of fear of the DEA or state. They have extra insurance for the limited exposure and don’t have to cure anyone or feel the pressure of a life or death emergency.

I have to say I am tired of being made to feel like a drug addict as well, especially by every medical practice where I have fill out a medical history or current medication list. I just had to have a unrelated surgery and everything was pleasant and respectful until the pre-surgery review of my medication list. I went from nice conversation and respectful consultation to eye-rolls, whispers and a flat out statement from the surgeon that I am on my own for pain after I leave the hospital that evening “which I planned for and my doctor had made sure I of” but I was insulted and felt the same surgeon that was so nice really thought I was scumbag drug user just from the information on my chart/ I never asked him for anything but he assumed I would ask and hound him for narcotics for eternity.

I am ranting now, but can see the same statements from everyone how we are made to feel “shady, shifty, like drug addicts who can not be trusted”

Hope some of this helped.

Chris

Opana is oxymorphone & is stronger than M.S Contin & is NOT made from lorcet(percocet) oxycodone.Opana is a derivitive of oxcycodone. You were on a high dose of M.S Contin(I was on the same dose 2x daily with Dilaudid(hydromorphone) for B.T pain. I think in your case your Opana does is to low that's why your needing both. It's to bad there are ALOT of doctors who think so many people are jury abusing them & as a result alot of people are not getting the pain relief they need. If your doctor isn't so close minded that he isn't willing to discuss your issues with your meds,I myself would try to talk to someone over his head or switch doctors,tell them what worked & what didn't & is not another foc like you had,I'd think you'ed get some help with your pain control. First I would ask your present doc to up your Opana.

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This is to the person who also answered your question,Opana is not covered by alot of insurance companies,I had very good insurance & it wasn't covered under mine, so it might not be that he doesn't want to write it for you but is limited by your insurance company. Hope this helped both your questions.