[cmcook223]

my insurance company will no longer cover oxycontin meds.need help trying to figure out what medicatiion is the closet thing to replace it. have severe back issues and have been taking it 3xds daily for about 6 years and it works well managing the pain. dont know what to try? my doctor told me to research other meds to see what we can change to. any info will help me tremendously. Thank You cmc

[Cats Meow]

Why, doesn't your doctor know? That's a weird thing to say.

Maybe you don't know, but now Mallinckrodt makes a generic Oxycontin maybe they will cover it.
In your situation, I would ask your doc to write me a script for Oxy IR. The next closest drug to OC is Opana ER, but it costs more then OC, next to that in a CR would be MS Contin, Avinza and Kadian (all morphine CR).

[Cats Meow]

15mg Oxy IR equals 20mgs of Oxycontin, so it would need to be written Sig: p.o q4h prn for pain

[cmcook223]

I needed to research what my insurance would cover {I didnt word that comment correctly oops} My concern is that after 6 years of taking oxycontin what will be just as effective and would a different med need to be a higher mg to do the same releif
Thank you for replying cmc

[Cats Meow]

Okay, I see.
Six years on OC and only on a 20mg, that's really good, since OC is the strongest CR pain med, taking anything else would mean a stronger dose. Since oxycodone works for you, it only makes sense to stay on it, switching to anything else, even oxy IR will be a krap shoot trying to dial in titration. If he switched you to morphine CR he'd probably try you at a 30mg, but it might take 50mgs to acheive the same analgesia, whatever he switches you to it'll take some getting use to. First see if your insurance will cover generic OC (oxycodone ER).

[cmcook223]

Cats Meow
taking 20mg 3x daily and inbetween doses i take 6-8 oxycodone 5mg so whatever meds i decide on will go along with regular oxy. Really need a time release that works ????

[Cats Meow]

I have already answered your questions, in a CR there's only 3 choices, well 4 if you count Ultram ER, Oxycontin, Opana ER, and Morphine CR. Opana ER is the first logical choice after OC, but it's very expensive, your best bet is morphine CR, it's cheap and along with your Oxy IR it will do the job.
Don't get talked into Methadone, it's not a choice for you at this time.

[cmcook223]

Cats Meow
Thank you very much for all your help.It all just became quite confusing to me.So thanks again

[stric8645]

try suboxone. it will help you come off the oxy and make the pain go away

[kingcotin]

F.Y.I...As of 2009 PURDUE PHARMA, once again has sole rights to mfg. Oxycotin ER, there will not be any more generics mfg [once sold out]...MERIC PHARMA [I think] was the last to be allowed to mfg. them to end some time mid/late in 2008 in court settlement... they were allowed to sell what stock was left. My pharmacy said that what stock is left would likely be out in Dec.'08. So if any of you have been getting the runaround for receiving brand/generic the past 4-8 months w/ins. provider...[like Medicaid for me] which I can not tolerate and had to get a P.A. every 3-6 months for "brand only" 80mg ER . Then in Dec.,on the 2nd month of an already approved P.A. I was caught off guard and took home generic. By the end of the week I figured it out. They were round not oval like I had seen before...week and cause me a rash and swelling of lower ext...I did not mean to run on about me...WIKI search will tell you the conversion, titration(?) etc about the "OXY" family and lineage...Once I found this stuff I was amazed how I felt [everyone metabolizes different]...since '03 off and on...its a very sharp two edge sword {oxy}...the end.

[kingcotin]

If I were you...and oxy-based works for you, stay with it. All of the Accident/O.D.'s I know of were when you start mixing stuff.
I also back up (?) she said about "Methadone"...for some reason the past year I've run into or heard of more people getting this cocktail [methd.& oxyIR.] or morphine, etc...If you cant work it out with just oxycodone/roxicodone [IR] and insurance will not cover the Oxycotin[ER], then ask your doctor to help you get w/PURDUE, P.A.P...It will send them to you free [-$25 to process per/month] if you qualify...but from what your taking, you just replace the ER manually[take more IR] like she said ...I think...did she not? Any way I hope I have helped...the hardest part[for me is still] is accepting reality what you physically can do...and what you used to do...peace out<<<

[razorXray]

Originally Posted by cmcook223

my insurance company will no longer cover oxycontin meds.need help trying to figure out what medicatiion is the closet thing to replace it. have severe back issues and have been taking it 3xds daily for about 6 years and it works well managing the pain. dont know what to try? my doctor told me to research other meds to see what we can change to. any info will help me tremendously. Thank You cmc

I would just say Percocet 10-325 or 10-660, 4 of those equals 40mg of oxycontin(according to the internet)

But I'm sure it will help, and its HELL of a lot less expensive