[curbow]

Hey cats meow I have seen your name on a couple other sites mabey you can help. For almost 6 years I have been taking various forms of codene, the last 2 years I have been on morphine sulfate 15mg er,(2@day) and oxycodone ir 5mg (4@day). Last spring and also this july I have tried to ween myself off of them, I can put up with the sickness I feel in my guts, but I haven't figured what to do with the total lack of energy and the depresion that just will not go away. I feel like a failure because I gave up once again this afternoon and went back on them. Of course my body and mind think they are all better now. Have you heard of stategies to get past the lack of energy and depresion that seems to overtake some of us when getting off these drugs? I would appreceiate any advice. curbow

[QUOTE=Bubbi;

PS. Methadone maybe cheap but it is the most dangerous opiate around and I find it hard to believe it has become the Chronic pain med of choice by most docs.
Bubbi[/QUOTE]

MY Reply: Methadone is NOT the most dangerous med used for chronic pain, it is great for pain relief, lasts a very long time, and not a huge dosage for pain relief needs to be used.

My husband had 3 unsuccessful back surgeries and is on Methadone for pain. He takes four (4) 10mg of Methadone for pain per day and has been on that same dose for 3 years. It works well for him.

Dr's tend to use it because it is NOT as addictive as some others: Percocet, Dilaudid, Morphine, Oxycontin, etc.....plus it is very inexpensive. My Husband has NO Insurance, and the price for 120 Methadones per month is only about $40.

Originally Posted by 13ghosts

For knee and back pain, I am currently on MS-Contin 60 twice a day with Hydrocodone 10/350 for breakthrough pain. I find that the MS-Contin partially alleviates the pain, but certainly not for 12 hours at a stretch, so I still generally take 3-4 of the hydrocodone a day to be completely mobile, and even full relief from that is short-lived. I was considering switching to oxycontin, but from what I have read I would not be gaining anything, really, except a higher bill at the pharmacy. I am guessing I could go up a bit in the mg of the MS-Contin and see how that works.
.

I am also on MS Contin for pain. 60mg in the a.m. and 60mg in the p.m. I also find that it does NOT last the 12 hours it is supposed to. It also doesn't seem to work as well. I used to be on Oxycontin, but who can even afford that now!!?? Even with Insurance, Oxycontin is VERY expensive. Thats why I had to switch to the Morphine, and I do take 2 5mg Percocets for Breakthru pain.

Originally Posted by cooknwoman

I am checking to see what the difference is between MS Contin vs Oxycontin mainly for the cost -- generic that is - since there is no more oxycontin (Oxycodone) - the cost is phenomenal to say the least!!!

I AGREE with the expense of Oxycontin, it is HORRENDOUSLY expensive due to no more Generics.

Thats why I has to switch to MS Contin....but it doesnt seem to work as well for my pain. I am on 60mg in the a.m. and 60mg in the p.m.

[Robert_325]

Debpurpletiger ......Drs DON'T prescribe methadone because it's not as addictive as percs, vics or whatever. It's cheap, it's good for lifelong chronic pain that you never plan on stopping taking and it's an effective pain medication. It also doesn't contain acetaminophen like the fast-acting opiates like percs, vics, etc.

Methadone is one of the most addictive opiates available. That's why it's a "last resort" medication. Whoever told you methadone isn't as addictive as a percocet is terribly misinformed and confused regardless of what they do for a living. That person could be chief of staff at a hospital and they are WRONG if they think methadone isn't TERRIBLY addictive.

They do use it due to the cost being inexpensive but methadone is one of the most difficult drugs to w/d from that exists. That is a fact! Hope you never have to experience it or you'll see what I'm talking about. God bless.

[enviroman63]

Originally Posted by JOHNNY LATS

I have had bad migraines for the past 2 years. I went to several doctors and all they give me is Imitrex (which does not help, at all). Every doctor I go to will not give me anything like Vicadin or Oxycontin. They tell me it is not used to treat headaches. How do you get them prescribed so easily? Am I just going to the wrong doctors?

I here ya On the Migraines headache's, sometimes to much Oxycotin can trigger them actually, Have you ever tried Imitrex for your Migraines , As this has been the Magic Bullet for me, Opiate Pain Killers do very little for Migraines for me.
But one Imitrex wil Wipe it out alltogether it's Truly the miricle Drug for them.

[Robert_325]

I agree. RX opiates can cause headaches, they are NOT the best medication for headaches for MOST people.

In addition to the Imitrex you could also try Zomig. Zomig has proven to be the most effective RX medication for headaches for me. We are all a little different but Zomig is incredible for migraines in my experience. Doesn't get you high in any way at all but it will flat knock out a migraine. You might want to give it a try. God bless.

[CassyB]

I have found these postings to be very informative however I would love to find an alternative to what I'm currently taking or trade my back in for a new and improved model. I suffered an on-the-job back injury in 1987 at age 24 (diagnosis: 2 bulging discs + degenerative disc disease)and had my 1st back surgery in 1996 to remove 2 discs. Thus far, I've had 4 back surgeries and 3 discs removed from my lower back. I started out on vicodin (1987 - 1996) but after my 1st surgery that no longer worked for my pain therefore I was put on dilaudid. That worked for a several years however by the 3rd surgery even morphine would not touch my pain. Because dilaudid was short acting I was put on MS Contin 3 tablets (100 mg ea) every 12 hrs and have been taking that for at least 5-6 yrs now along with valium (only when the spasms are off the charts). I took it upon myself to reduce my dosage due to fear of addiction. Therefore now instead of taking my meds twice a day I now take it only in the am and have reduced it to 2 tablets instead of 3. It is only when my back goes out that I will take 3 (100 mg) tablets + valium as needed......I try to suffer through the pain in the evening. I noticed that when I was exercising regularly (walking 2-6 miles every day) that I didn't need the medication nearly as much plus I dropped 55 lbs just from walking. Unfortunately I've put the weight back on and my pain level has intensified greatly for I wake up in pain every single day. The MS Contin works but I'm so tired of having to take drugs just to get out of the bed every day not to mention the deep depression I've been going thru for years as a result of excruciating pain every day and inability to do normal every day things that so many take for granted. I know that daily exercise will improve my situation greatly but it's so hard getting motivated again and by the time I get off work I'm so tired and in so much pain that I feel like a zombie and can hardly move. My doctor had recommended me going to a methodone clinic however I was afraid of addiction and didn't want to be associated with a drug addict. I've been told that I will suffer back pain for the rest of my life however I refuse to accept this prognosis. I feel like I'm a walking pharmacy and God only knows what my liver must look like........there has got to be other options out there in this technological age and I refuse to undergo any more back surgeries. Severe pain and depression is not a good mix and I'm open to suggestions...........

[lapurplerose]

What I know about these drugs is this. Ms Contin which I take 30mg three times a day, for severe pain, no thrills, is that it is made up of morphine. Oxycontin, which I have not tried, is in the codeine family. I have been on Ms Contin for years. It does not relieve my pain 100% but it takes the edge off. I have been wondering if Oxycontin would relieve the pain better???

As for addictive qualities. I am in the medical field, and there have been studies done on real pain suffers and pain medication. People who have true pain do not have natural "opiates" in there bodies like people who do not suffer with pain 24/7. Because of that true pain suffers do not get a high on pain pills. Our bodies normally have opiates to help relieve some pain. That is why people who really do not have pain get a high on pain relievers. Pain reliever are "Opiates" so they are getting a double dose. Pain suffers do not experience a "high" unless they take a huge quanity of the drug. People do not understand true pain suffers. If they could only walk a day in our shoes, I would know for sure they would never say we are drug seekers. We only seek relief.

Best of Luck

Rose

[Cats Meow]

I can't believe Debpurpletiger said "methadone is not as addictive..."
Methadone is THE MOST ADDICTIVE DRUG ever invented, no question! That was a ridiculous statement, and she should know, me thinks she has some purposely hidden agenda, and I believe she even takes it herself.
And btw, methadone isn't an opiate, it's an opioid.

[jacy53]

I have to say all the fed back here is nice. I have had chronic pain for many years with out any long acting meds to no avail. Once i tryed fentenal i found a new calass of pain relieving meds that help to relive most of the pain. The fentenal did not transfer properly and was inconsistent. I complained to my Doc and he put me on MS Cotin. I found it was not strong enough so I asked for oxycotin. I did it and it made me feel sick and dirty. I took extra in an attempt to make it work and got dope sick. I asked to go on MS Cotin and he did. It has been almost three years. I have had to increase the dose over time. I now take three 100mg & three 30mg three times per day as well as three 15 mg imediate release for breack through. If I did not have this pain medication working in a long acting way I would be back on the up and down rollercoaster effect. I have to say that with multiple disc bulging in neck and back, as well as facet, & arthitis, are a recepie for life long lack of good quality of life. Lets face it if any of you have had chronic moderate to severe pain life sucks bad. I also have to tell you that i have had ulnar nerve transposition and carple relase. The nerve damage radiating pain is alway there and at different levels. No pain meds including Lyrica or Amitripilean work on radiating nerve pain. Thanks for having me on this site, and look forward to any reply on my content. I find when i write sometimes i do not say every thing i intended this is the case here so lets keep helping each other through support and understanding to fight this monster called chronic pain. JC

[jacy53]

Well my hats off to u all. This forum is great full of imformation. I have to start by saying chronic pain can steal ones life away in a long drawn out fight for survival. I should know i am living proof. I see the talk about oxycontin being stronger than ms contin. I am on ms contin at 130 mg three times a day as well as 15 mgir three times as needed for breack through. I have increased dose over a three year period. I just increased by 30mg 30 days ago and fell i need to increase again in an attempt to help control overall pain. See i am a walking pain ball, i have three bulging disc in my neck, and lower back as well as facet desease and arthitis. It dose not end there i also have nerve damage on both elbows and wrist. I get a back injection every two months and it really helps with the pain in my back and legs. My fingers cramp up bad when griping things. The radiating pain in my arms hands and fingures is very overwhelming. I have tried all nerve blockers to no avail. I share this with you in hopes of gaining knowlege of the treating of pain with all of you and your finding in wisdom. So please writ me so I can not only better understand but like they say letters are written never meaning to send well I am writting and sent it hoping talking about it will help a bit. There have ben days i can not reason with staying around to have pain. The one strong thing that is keeping me going is a big word you may all be able to relate to. GRANDCHILDREN. So lets continue the dialog and help each other live with pain. Will oxycontin work better? Live is grand if is has good quality of life.

[cheekysod]

deb,
ask anyone who knows what they are on about, methadone will grab you like no other drug on the planet.
where do you get your information from, anyone on the street even knows methadone is more addictive than anything else..
usually once you are on it, thats it. hooked for life.
its a bloody hard road getting off it.
you should be careful of making blanket statements like that, specially if they are incorrect..

[jacy53]

Sorry every one i posted yesterday and could not find it being my first time here so please read both you will get my drift. thanks

[aJ85]

Hi my name is Adam, I'm a grad student at Penn State and have also been suffering from headaches for quite some time now - approx 4 years. I was previously prescribed to oxycontin 20mg x 2 daily and fiorinal#3 for faster relief. I strongly believe that these medications work unquestionably at relieving my pain. I have recently began seeing a new doctor who continues to try different triptans or antidepressants to treat and prevent the pain. His attempts are unsuccessful and meanwhile I am in continual pain. I would like to return to a regimen that works so that my life is not so disrupted. My doctor continues to switch medications by none seem to work and I don't want to flat out ask him for it because then I'm worried he will be even more hesitant. How is the best way to approach him about this?

[doc.rose]

Why don't you go see a neurologist? They might have some more answers. Good luck!

[glad2bfree]

Hello. I have had severe headaches along with gut surgeries since a teen for 30 years. I have been prescribed basically every oral opiate made, i.e. methadone, percocet, oxycontin, fiorinol, Dilauded, immediate release oxycodone, demerol, morphine etc. etc. etc. Methadone was effective for me for a while but it eventually didn't work as much and the doc wouldn't increase it. He triggered a failure so I got off it, NASTY withdrawal. Actually Fiorinol helps me a lot but DON'T accidentally take too much since it WILL cause a desent into bizzarro world which is a bad experience and loss of control. Again, for me, my go to primary med for headache is Excedrin, and it markedly helps the other opiate meds work a lot better because of the cafffien. However, now I choose the only pain relievers I take besides Excedrine which are Ultram, Fiorinol, Xanax. This seems to be a good combo for me and does not have all the hastles of true opiates. The one medication I wished I NEVER tried was Duragesic (Fentanyl patches). Research has consistently shown the opinion it is 75 to 100 times stronger than morphine and is perhaps THE strongest opiate on Earth by a LONG shot. It works well for a while, perhaps months or a year or two. Eventually its efficacy reduces substantially and the dose can no longer be increased. The moral to this medication is that once it has its hooks in, there IS NO ESCAPING a SERIOUS NIGHTMARE WITHDRAWAL if suddenly stopped. This potential IS ALWAYS LOOMING over one's head. Stressful. Coming off relatively comfortably requires a step-down reduction. I pleaded with my doc to try going from 200mcg to 150, to 125, 100, 75, 50, 25, 12, then off. I experienced that HORRIFIC withdrawal on numorous occasions during regular use because they poop out before 72 hours are up or fall off me just at the 48 hour point. I therefore requested the step down, spending 2-2 day doses of each strength. I came totally off pretty quickly and was mostly just exhausted for several days. I was EXSTATIC I came off!!! I BEAT THEM! FREE AT LAST! Unless one is terminally ill, this drug I found was entirely a scourge even though taken strictly as directed! Finally, IF I ever wound up taking an oral opiate again, I would be sure to take Excedrin along with it for best efficacy. I just watch the combined amount of acetominiphen since it can harm the liver. I feel liberated now being off those opiates and am starting to shed that accumulated stress associated with them. I understand PAIN i.e. from failed surgeries to migraines. My own conclusion is that I'd rather use the combination I mentioned above instead of the true opiates. Still need to be careful BUT not nearly the same potential for total disaster as with opiates. Hope this was enlightening as I suffered substantially over several years to finally wind up with my own conclusion. Talk A LOT with your doctor about implications before taking anything. Be educated, Be well, Be Free!

[Scoliosis]

I suffer from moderate - severe scoliosis which brings me severe chronic pain + I started getting SEVERE migraines Sept 09 - I spent 3 days in the ER and then in my bedroom for 2 weeks thereafter.

Never had them prior. Naproxen - 500mg, and a few other things did not work.

I was, at this time already taking 10-15 , 5mg percocets for my other pains and found this was the only thing that took the edge off ... a little.

Subsequently, after visiting a pain specialist + rheumatologist (for other things), I now take 3-4 , 20mg oxy's and they do help a little with my migraines.

Originally Posted by TY_maroney

ok who is proscribing 40mgs of oxcontin 4 times a day for headaches need to lose there license that ********ing crazy

[JPMoneyStock]

Hey Zack! You mentioned that you are in Ontario so am I. I was wondering if you are in Toronto or close like mississauga or etobicoe because I need to find a new doctor my doctor is prescribing me oxycontin 40mg 4x a day and oxy IR 20mg 2x a day. I have to find another doctor because he will not work with me and was giving me 80mg 2x a day expecting it to last 12 hours which it didn't and finally gave me a in between med oxy IR but they are not covered and I cant afford it especially when he wont let me see him less often. I have to see him every week which is ridiculous and more expensive because I have to pay the dispensing fee which is what cost the most not the meds. I tell him I want to see him less and he wont let me which is frustrating but not so bad now because I freaked when my appointment being 9am and I was put 5th when I was at the door when it opened so now I go 1st or 2nd so I am in and out but still to go every week is too much. I also asked to eliminate the oxy IR and to change it to the regular since they are stronger and covered. I am luckey if I can walk more than a block with no pain in my ankle and knee and it has been getting worse he just doesn't listen. He also gave me a hard time when I had to go away for a couple of weeks and didn't want to give me a script for so long. People I know go 2 times a week some 3 times some 1 time a month. I also want to try MS Contin to see if it last longer which I heard it does from many people. So if anyone is from Toronto and has a good doctor who is willing to work with his patient and help especially when I take my meds the way they are supposed to be taken. Thanks and I hope the best. Please email me anyone who can suggest a new doctor. j.p.italy@live.com

[deedee3003]

Originally Posted by Robspace1

I take Morphine Sulphate (ms) Contin 60mg. 3 times a day. Never had the other. I also take Norco 7.5 twice a day. It has very little of the liver damaging drug, Acetaminophen, in it like Vicodin does. Norco is smaller and should be used by anyone wanting to take care of their liver. No Tylenol either.
The MS Contin works but like the others it's addicitng and your dosage will go up and you will find your body needing it. If I run out too soon, I pay for it with a bad case of depression and diarea and just a lousy feeling all over. So, if you want just the good news, well, it works, but like any other opiate pain killer, there is a withdrawel to go through if and when your out. After 3 years on these, I'm about ready to wean myself off.

When people talk about withdraw I think for the most part they mean withdraw in relation to when they are getting off the drug for good not every month when you run out of meds. Why would you put yourself through that torture every month?? If you take you meds as perscribed you won't run out and go through withdraw. If this happens to you frequently then either your Doctor needs to increase your dose or you are abusing the meds and running out before you are ready for a refill. If it isn't working for your pain tell your MD you need it increased.

[deedee3003]

I am reading through all the posts and some of you know what you're talking about and others really don't have a clue. I am a retired registered nurse. I have chronic pain from herniated disks in my cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions of my spine. I have forminal stenosis which makes the pain shoot down the nerves in my arms and legs. I also have horrible headaches that shoot up my neck into the back of my head from the highest injured disk. Zach, I would suggest you get a MRI on your cerivical spine and see if there's a herniation that is causing your headaches. If your headaches are responding to oxycontin and not fiorcet or the other migraine meds then it might be disk disease. Someone on here said it's not an opiate it's an opiod about oxy or ms contin and sounding like they are the authority on this matter, well guess what? An opiate and an opiod are the same thing. I agree with the person who said Methadone is the worst drug to take unless you know for sure you will be on it for the rest of your life. It is one of the strongest meds (stronger than oxy or ms contin) Fentanyl is very strong also. I was on oxycontin 40mg every 8 hours. (or tid, three times a day) for about 4 years. My new insurance won't cover the cost of oxycontin (the price is outrageous). They use to have a generic but the makers of oxycontin are in court suing the generic makers because they want to make their huge profits all to themselves. To me there isn't much difference between the oxys and the ms contin. There's alot of debate over this. They say that the oxys are suppose to be twice as strong but I don't believe it. The person who posted on here and said they have to go to the doctor every week to get pain meds and your friends go 2 or 3 times a week is insane. Your doctor is a quack and is in it for the money. Any honest doctor will see you often in the beginning to adjust your meds to get you up to the point of pain relief. Then you should only have to go every couple months. I think it's hysterical that there are people on here asking for other people's doctors so they can go to them. Like the Penn student and the person in Ontario that is trying to get Zach's doctor's phone number. OMG I would never give my doctor's name out. There aren't that many doctors out there that will give anyone with a headache or some vague pain strong meds like these. They want a diagnostic test like a MRI that shows proof of your pain. Although in Florida I think it's easier. The doctors have to show the medical board why they are prescribing these strong narcotics to people. Wow I have really rambled on here. There is one last thing I want to say before I stop and this is very important. Sometimes other medication you are taking can make your pain worse. For example I took Wellbutrin for depression and it made my pain go off the richter scale. I went on and off it a few times to make sure it was that causing it bc it worked so well for the depression. My doctor figured out that wellbutrin causes some people's muscles to tighten and that's what it was so check your other meds. You never know. Take Care.

[cantare]

I think it's helpful to read about the experiences of others, but it can be tricky to determine their relevance. Personal anecdotes do not carry the weight of controlled clinical studies, and the advice you get often makes implicit assumptions that are inapplicable to your condition, presents subjective perceptions as universal truths, and/or projects the advice-giver's preconceptions, politics, and sensitivities onto your situation. (This can apply as much to doctors and other health professionals as to semi-anonymous forum posters.)

I suppose Zack is long gone, but I strongly suggest you ignore blanket prejudices against entire classes of drugs (opioids, e.g.) and unqualified statements like "Drug X doesn't work for migraines" (which really only means "Drug X didn't work for my headaches.")

"Migraine" is often used as a catch-all term for "really bad headaches". In my case, I was diagnosed with "atypical migraine" consisting of frequent severe periorbital headaches without many of the classic migraine symptoms (auras, photophobia). They weren't sinus-related, and they could be either bilateral or unilateral.

They responded to a combo therapy of naproxen & imitrex (effective about 40-50% of the time) and vicodin (hydrocodone--which almost always worked in the remaining cases). My neuro and I looked in vain for an effective pharmaceutical prophylaxis, but we did identify a few things that might trigger my headaches.

My half-sister also has "migraines" which respond best to Fioricet (a butalbital combo). Completely different from me.

The best thing to do isn't to ape someone else's solution--it's to find a decent neurologist who puts patients' agendas ahead of the DEA's and is willing to spend the time documenting your 'triggers' and exploring various regimens until you find one that works.

[Crash Test Dummy]

Hi everyone. Sorry to reserect a very old post but I found this site and saw that some of you have the same issues with pain that I do. I suffered back and neck injuries during a 20 year career in Law Enforcement and also from playing football. I had a Lumbar diskecotomy and fusion at L5-S1 and an ACDF at C5-6 and C6-7 with titanium plates at all fusion points. It was discovered during my surgery that I had a healed fracture of C7. I was too big for the cadavar bone that the Doctor had for my surgery but he took the fragments from the broken vertebrea and put them in some kind of plastic cage thing and put those in the spaces between C5-6 and C6-7 and then the titanium implant. He told me I was lucky I wasn't paralized when the fracture happened...I jammed my neck when the injury happened and fell to the ground unable to move for several of the scariest moments of my life. This happened in 1997 and I suffered with chronic pain that progressively got worse until my surgery in 2008. I had done physical threapy 4 tiimes and had several rounds of being on pain meds for months at a time until finally reluctantly having surgery. The decision to have surgery came after getting SEVERE pulsing headaches in the back and side of my head that seemed to radiate from my neck and every time I coughed or sneezed my armes would feel like they were on fire and I could not move for 20 to 30 seconds after the sneeze while the pain in the arms occurred. I had cord impingement at both spots that were herniated and the fractured cervical vertebrea and the rest of the disks were dehydrated or bulging w/o cord compression. I'm now 2 years post surgery for the neck and 3 years for the back. Both surgeries FAILED and I suffer from chronic pain. I lost my job due to not being able to return to work w/o pain meds, they told me there wasn't any position I could have while taking pain meds as a cop "can't be under the influence of a controlled substance" on duty despite the dozens of homicides I worked on Oxycontin and Percocet that even the Sheriff knew I was taking and working but did nothing because they needed me at the time and I was not showing any signs of being on pain meds except the pain was mostly absent and I could walk. My Major even walked over to me at a scene and discussed the case with me while I took a Percocet and she even commented to me "your neck hurting you?". Now that I don't have a job, too young at 42 to collect my pension w/o a 5% penalty for every year under age 55 I'm on unemployment that's rapidly runn ing out. I can't afford to go to a Pain Management Doctor due to VERY limited funds and the family Doctors that give you a discount for services and only charge a max of $90 per visit refuse to write pain medicines due to fear of "looking bad" even though I produce a BOOK with all of my medical records. I'm ashamed to say that after being a cop for 20 years that I have to resort to buying meds off the street or going to the Emergency Room and looking like a junkie drug seeking only to get a script for about 10 lortab 5/325 if the Doctor took pity on me after taking x-rays and seeing my implants. There has to be something I can do to legally obtain the correct pain meds that I need to be able to function in a nearly pain free condition....no pain meds have ever made me completely pain free. Surely there has to be an affordable and legal option for me and I know that there has to be others in the same rotton situation I'm in. Shame on the government if not. Fine reward for my service to the community and risking my life....suffering in extreme pain w/o any avenue to obtain some relief. Sorry for the long and whiny post...can anyone help me and give some advice? Or give me the name of a good hitman to put me out of my misery....I joke about that but do sometimes think that a viable answer and alternative to living in pain...dying, not the hitman part. I hate to admit to that but severe pain that is nearly constant will depress you and I admit I've sometimes considered ending my life as a viable solutiion...has anyone else been in that much pain or am I just being a wimp?

[Crash Test Dummy]

Originally Posted by tripsixes

I agree with several of you that took up for Zakk. He did in fact specifically request not to be preached to. I believe thjat in order to get respect and someone to listen to what you have to say, even if you are being hypocritical, then you first have to Give respect, and also listen to people just they way you want people to listen to you and respect your wishes, I saw firsthand that quite a few of you did nothing at all but disrespect Zakk and downgrade him. Heck, if I was him, which I am like him in a similar way, I wouldnt hurt either if I had a great doctor who cared enough for me to Not let me hurt. Well, I have a pain management doctor that treats me just like that. She is very caring of me and the pain that I have, and she gives me really good medicines. But she is also a very self-conscious doctor too, and she monitors me very closely. I have a very good reputation built up with her and her nurses/ assistants. That is a whole other story, and I am sure I will share it some time.

But back to the question at hand posted by Zakk. Zakk I just want to say that I have taken both the Oxycontin And the MS Contin. I am currently on the MS Contin, and I take 30 mg tablets 3 times daily. As a breakthrough medicine, my doctor is giving me Oxycodone 10/325mg, and I take one of those 5 times a day. Very good huh? Anyway, I was put on Oxycontin briefly for about a month after gall-bladder surgery. I had to go back to the doctor and request a different pain medicine. The Oxycontin caused me some very bad sside effects. It gave me severe headache, and it also caused me periods of confusion, and I think a time or two I heard sounds and people talking that weren't there. It made me feel just terrible. I went back to my surgeon and told this to him, and he said that others have had similar side effects, and then he put me on Dilaudid, which worked much better.

I started seeing my pain management doctor about 1 1/2 years ago, and I was already taking Oxycodone 5 mg through him. He said he would treat me with it for a few months until my appointment with the pain management doctor. Well She started me on the higher dose of Oxycodone (10/325mg), and also started me on the MS Contin as the longlasting pain medicine. Well I have to tell you that the MS Contin works way much better that the oxycontin. It doesn't cause me any confusion at all, nor does it cause me headaches, or anything. And it just helps me be way more functional. I can certainly tell when it is releasing more of itself into my body. I don't know, it just seems to work more smoothly for me than the oxycontin did. And I saw where one of these guys claimed that MsContin caused weight gain. That is a false statement. It hasn't caused me any weight gain at all. If anything, it has helped me lose weight by helping me be more active and pain free. I think maybe that person's weight gain was caused by him refusing to step away from the table (lol); but not by MS Contin. I have been taking it for almost two years, and it hasn't done that to me at all.

Zakk, rest assured and feel comfortable that, IMO, you would probably do much better if you Did get your doctor to switch your medicine from Oxycontin to MS Contin. maybe, like it did to me, but maybe your Oxycontin is enhancing your headaches and making them worse. In either event, you should really give the switch a try. And Zakk, you can email me at
1chosenbygod@att.net if you wish to discuss this more, and also, if you make the switch to MS Contin, I would sure like to hear about how it is working for you; because I think you would do much better on that. Thanks for listening Zakk. I hope this helps!---------------Tripsixes

Hi Tripsixes, I found your reaction of hearing people not there while on OC and being switched to Dilaudid very interesting as I never has the hearing voices issue when I was on OC but did hear VERY SCAREY voices telling me things like "I was a loser, my life was over,...etc" while on Dilaudid. I wonder if that is an alergic reaction to the meds or would you have the same reaction to all Opiates if it was an allergy. Maybe it was a bad reaction with another med that you , and I, was taking at the same time. Interestingly, I once heard voices and had bad dreams while taking Percodan but have never had a reaction to Percocet. Since Oxycontin, Percocet, and Percodan are all Oxycodone with Percocet having Tylonol and Percodan having asprin...and I doubt but could be very wrong that it was the aspirin that caused the adverse reaction absent while taking the OC and Percocet I suspect it could have been posibly a reaction with maybe my BP meds or something else. I've never had any kind of adverse reaction with MS Contin. I will NEVER AGAIN take Dilaudid or Percodan....I was VERY SCARED when I heard the voices even though the cop in me kept me saying out loud that it wasn't real and I knew that the voices weren't real but that didn't help...I could still hear them and was very scared.

[Crash Test Dummy]

Originally Posted by Debpurpletiger

MY Reply: Methadone is NOT the most dangerous med used for chronic pain, it is great for pain relief, lasts a very long time, and not a huge dosage for pain relief needs to be used.

My husband had 3 unsuccessful back surgeries and is on Methadone for pain. He takes four (4) 10mg of Methadone for pain per day and has been on that same dose for 3 years. It works well for him.

Dr's tend to use it because it is NOT as addictive as some others: Percocet, Dilaudid, Morphine, Oxycontin, etc.....plus it is very inexpensive. My Husband has NO Insurance, and the price for 120 Methadones per month is only about $40.

I have to kind of disagree with you slightly on this one.I heve worked probably over 100 narcotic pain medicine related deaths in my career and the potential for accidental overdose on Methadone is HUGE. The main issue is the long life it has in the body. I have never taken methadone myself but do know that the primary use of it is as a drug rehab med that was widely used until Suboxone came out. It has in the past been extensively used in the detox of Heroin addicts and addicts that use Oxycontin recreationally by crushing and injecting just to get high. Additionally I have worked MANY deaths of those using OC via injection as they fail to realize that crushing defeats the time release design of the med. Fentonyl is just plain DANGEROUS! I have workrd lots of deaths caused by malfunctioning patches and there are now lawsuits due to deaths from the patches. Additionally, I've lost count of the number of persons that died from overdose after just losing their minds on the drug and eating the patches and one lady had 15 patches on her body along with one in her mouth. When I had insurance my Pain Management Doctor had started to write me a script for Fentenlyl and I REFUSED it...he said it was a first for him having someone refusing a script for narcotic pain meds and then I told him why. He then began to tell me the dangerous effects of the Tylenol contained in Percocet on my liver and the fact I demanded the 10/650 Percocet over the 10/325 and I told him the extra Tylenol worked better for me and if he refused to writr the 650 and only wrote the 325 I would just take Tylenol on the side. I think that the narcotic pain meds by themselve don't work as well as Percocet with the exception of the OC and MS Contin and I think their superior pain relief is due to the high dosage and time relief....kind of "take it and forget it". Something that people not suffering from severe chronic pain issues can't seem to grasp when they call us "pill head junkies" and accuse us of walking around "high". If you are in severe pain, you will not ever get a euphoria or get "high or stoned". If you take meds like Percocet, OC, ..etc and aren't in severe pain, yes you will get high. I honestly believe that it is the way the human body reacts to the meds and when you are in pain it works the way it is supposed to. I also firmly believe that is why I was able to function at work while taking OC 40 mg 2x a day with Percocet 10/650 4X a day for breakthrough pain and drive a police vehicle, worki cases, and even qualifying on the pistol range....actually shot a better score....on OC..lol. I was very careful, looking at myself in the mirror and asking myself if I was ok along with having several co-worker friends I asked to look at me hard and judge me as if I was a DUI and let me know if any issues occurred. I was never told by anyone that they were concerned and was even told they were amazed at my absolute sobriety and that I showed no signs of being on pain meds.

[ramcgahey]

Zack,
I have just had my meds changed with in the last 4 days from Oxy to MS Contin.
I did it due to insurance changes and coverage for that rip off med Oxycontin. You should go to a site like I did where they have a scale showing all the pain meds and rate them from a medical stand point in strength. Im sorry I cant remember the site but google and youll find one thats a true medical statistic.
Morphine is a Level 10 in the scale, its the strongest paine med there is currently and runs in the scale with Diladid. I just went from 80mg Oxy 2 tabs bid(twice a day) to MS Contin 100mg in the same form 2tabsx2day. Okay one thing that people have to understand is that Oxycodone/Oxycontin all those Roxy ect and Vicodin/Norco are the top abused (not lectureing) pain meds in the US today. reason is the feeling you get from them besides just pain relief, they give a euphoric feeling as well. My pain management DR is an addictionoligist as well, so he explained that I would not expierience the euphoria in the morphine as I had in the oxycontin.
Today is day 4 for the switch and so far Im fine, the morphine has more of an drowsiness feeling to it than oxycontin but pain is my main concern, My pain that I am use to is a 2-3 at all times with the meds, and its the same and I can function but I am adjusting to the drowsiness and the strength of the morphine. I also have 30MG oxycodone for break thru as well if needed.
I hope I was of some help and Ill post again in 2 weeks to let people considering the change because its a lot cheaper, and that oxycontin can be if you loose controll a nightmare, I have seen it in a few friends. Where as the morphine is eaiser not to abuse. I have been on pain meds for 11 years so I have not increased my pain meds in the last 6 years and its work too, but I dont want to be Michale Jackson.(sorry I wasnt lecturing, just sharing)
Well good luck and if I can help in any way again let me know, I have a great Doctor.
Roger

[ramcgahey]

Zack,
I have just had my meds changed with in the last 4 days from Oxy to MS Contin.
I did it due to insurance changes and coverage for that rip off med Oxycontin. You should go to a site like I did where they have a scale showing all the pain meds and rate them from a medical stand point in strength. Im sorry I cant remember the site but google and youll find one thats a true medical statistic.
Morphine is a Level 10 in the scale, its the strongest paine med there is currently and runs in the scale with Diladid. I just went from 80mg Oxy 2 tabs bid(twice a day) to MS Contin 100mg in the same form 2tabsx2day. Okay one thing that people have to understand is that Oxycodone/Oxycontin all those Roxy ect and Vicodin/Norco are the top abused (not lectureing) pain meds in the US today. reason is the feeling you get from them besides just pain relief, they give a euphoric feeling as well. My pain management DR is an addictionoligist as well, so he explained that I would not expierience the euphoria in the morphine as I had in the oxycontin.
Today is day 4 for the switch and so far Im fine, the morphine has more of an drowsiness feeling to it than oxycontin but pain is my main concern, My pain that I am use to is a 2-3 at all times with the meds, and its the same and I can function but I am adjusting to the drowsiness and the strength of the morphine. I also have 30MG oxycodone for break thru as well if needed.
I hope I was of some help and Ill post again in 2 weeks to let people considering the change because its a lot cheaper, and that oxycontin can be if you loose controll a nightmare, I have seen it in a few friends. Where as the morphine is eaiser not to abuse. I have been on pain meds for 11 years so I have not increased my pain meds in the last 6 years and its work too, but I dont want to be Michale Jackson.(sorry I wasnt lecturing, just sharing)
Well good luck and if I can help in any way again let me know, I have a great Doctor.
Roger

[Kevinm78]

i have had severe daily headaches for about 15 years. They are classified as "migraineous variant". I have been through every headache and pain clinic in Southern California. I have tried just about everything, including having an occipital nerve stimulator implanted in the back of my scull a few years ago. It didn't work.

I am currently taking MS Contin. I am very happy with the medication. Since I am getting a steady release of morphine throughout the day I don't feel like I am on anything. Living with short acting pain medication was miserable - with the constant up and down of the medication and the accompanying mood swings. I have used the Duargesic patch, but I like the "smoothness" of the morphine much better.

Part of the problem with headaches is the rebound effect short acting pain medications cause. They can actually make the headaches worse. Having a constant stream of medication has been my solution. I am also taking an anti-seizure medication that helps. There are several of these drugs that help with headaches. The one I have had luck with is Trileptal. It has been so effective that I have not had to increase my pain medication for years. In fact, as my dose of the Trileptal has increased, I have been able to reduce my daily intake of the MS Contin from 240mg to 60mg.

There are two other great time released morphine meds that you only need to take once a day: Kadian and Avinza. Unfortunately most healthcare plans don't cover them and they are expensive.

While a good pain doctor is a necessity, I would recommend seeing a headache specialist. There are many medications that can help chronic headaches, and lower your need for opiates.

Good luck. I feel for you.

[Ladynpaindaily]

Originally Posted by JOHNNY LATS

I have had bad migraines for the past 2 years. I went to several doctors and all they give me is Imitrex (which does not help, at all). Every doctor I go to will not give me anything like Vicadin or Oxycontin. They tell me it is not used to treat headaches. How do you get them prescribed so easily? Am I just going to the wrong doctors?

Hello JohnnyLats,
I am a migraine sufferer myself and have been treated with a lot of various meds for migraines. The best one is the Imitrex injections AT home. I know the pills form doesn't do the trick like the injection does. Another med for migraines is Maxalt and also Midrin, but I highly recommend the Imitrex injections AT home and NOT the pill form. It gets rid of the migraine in seconds with the injection form.
Vicodin and Oxycontin are use for moderate to severe pain such as severe back pain, an injury, etc and is not used for Migraines.
People who are prescribed Vicodin and Oxycontin usually are dealing with chronic physical pain that has nothing to do with migraines. Sorry, I wish they did. I hope this helps at least.
Sincerely,
Ladynpaindaily

[ramcgahey]

Hi I just wanted to share a continuance on my experience with the change in my meds from Oxycontin 320 mg a day with Oxycodone 30 mg tabs for break through pain, and then changed to 100mg MS Contin tabs with the Oxycodone as my break through med. Well Ill tell you the MS Contin was an experience after being on Oxycontin for over six years and the same dose. I was functioning and fine then insurance changes made it to expensive for the Oxycontin. Well Morphine did not agree with me I had allergic reactions and I felt to drowsy all the time it was hard to do things since I’m on Xanax as well. Then someone tells me go on the Fentenal patches and I refuse to do that for all I have heard.
I am back on the Oxycontin and Oxycodone and I have to take more of the quick release because I cant afford the 80mg tabs of Oxycontin and I have to use the 60mg tabs with a limit of 90 a month (insurance). I think all these pain meds really depend on the person and they react different in everyone. Most people swear by Oxycontin and I have to agree even though I know Morphine is stronger, but the medication is a more of an energetic med for me and doesn’t drag me down. I also got hives and some other reactions to morphine.
I have been on pain meds from a back injury for 10 years and was even forced at childhood to use them to because of an enormous growth spurt. I have hit my pain threshold and have not increased my meds for 7 years. One thing I want to share though that I hope all people listen SOMA is a very bad drug. I used this med for 8 years constantly and it was bad, my new pain management Dr got me off it and I am so alert and I feel so much better its great. So just a warning if you are thinking of or are taking this med drop it just for a bit and see the difference in your life. I promise that most of you will not go back.
So Good Luck To All