Xtampza ER and Diarrhea: What Users Say

• Jac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 17, 2019

For Chronic Pain "Have severe shoulder pain along with other bone problems and was taking OxyContin 20mg twice a day and seemed to get a lot of relief and able to sleep at night and get through most days without too much suffering. Living in Ohio has forced my doctor to take me off the OxyContin and prescribe the Xtampza 18mg twice daily. What a terrible medicine this turned out to be, constant diarrhea with nausea and almost zero pain relief! I had taken the OxyContin for 19 years and it worked great for my chronic pain. Ohio should be ashamed for this action, some of us take our meds as prescribed and are responsible law-abiding citizens!"

• Ram...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 29, 2020

For Chronic Pain "This Xtampza is totally useless for pain management as it does not work. Rather, I feel this drug was created to be big pharma's version of Kratom. In other words, it was designed to dock in opioid receptors and stop withdrawal symptoms, but ineffective at removing pain. My personal experience was a pharmacist putting a bug into my doctor's ear and recommending this instead of the oxycodone I am used to taking without any negative side effects. Sadly, after taking Xtampza, it interacted with some food and it gave me burning diarrhea for 2 days! Not to mention the high frequency hiss in my head that felt like my brain was in the frying pan! I had to call the doctor and explain the reaction, and he put me back on my usual drug. Afterwards, I went back to my normal self. Now, a month later, I understand why the recommendation as it costs $800 a bottle, and it's no wonder I was put through this nightmare for no good reason."

• Rob...
• November 21, 2019

For Chronic Pain "I'm a long-time sufferer of chronic pain, with degenerative arthritis in my back, herniated disc, and bursitis, and arthritis in my hips. I was on morphine ER, and it wasn't working as well. I've been on the same dose for 5 years. The doctor suggested I try Xtampza, comparing it to OxyContin, which I had been on many years ago until my insurance would not cover it anymore. Well, she could not have been more wrong. I have been on Xtampza for 10 long-suffering days and have made an appointment to be put back on my morphine ER. Even though it did not take care of the pain thoroughly, it is still better than the suffering I have had to endure taking Xtampza. They need to throw this in the trash, do not waste your money! It did not work even as well as my morphine did, and on top of it, I have had constant diarrhea since taking it, and my stomach has been chewing at itself, or at least that's what it feels like."

• In ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 16, 2020

For Chronic Pain "This has to be taken with a fatty, high-calorie meal for it to work correctly, and anyone in pain knows that eating is the last thing you want to do. I’m force-feeding myself, gained 13 pounds in two weeks. Xtampza is making me have uncontrollable diarrhea and gas that I haven’t left home since I started it for fear I would poop myself in public. I get no warning, it just comes out as if I’ve lost control of my bowels. I’ve noticed a few undigested pill capsule shells as well. The nightmares! Last night I was being chased by my mother's ex-husband with a shotgun. I don’t know what happened, but I do know that’s not normal. Overall, this is a horrible medication! It doesn’t work, makes you rapidly gain weight, hurts your tummy, makes you poop your pants, can’t digest the shells, and gives you nightmares... yeah, I’m good... just give me back the meds that work already!"

• Che...
• September 13, 2019

For Chronic Pain "I too was forced to use something other than MS Contin. Xtampza was chosen, and I suffered through it for 3 weeks before calling my physician in tears to let him know that I had no relief whatsoever from the pain, and as well, I was experiencing headaches, diarrhea, and deeper depression. I was then given a prescription for Belbuca film. Would have liked to try it, but insurance doesn't cover it, and it costs $475 a month! What are we to do???"

• Kat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 20, 2022

For Chronic Pain "I've been a pain patient for nearly 20 years due to Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Switched from generic MS Contin 15 mg twice a day to Xtampza 13.5 mg twice a day. One word: torture. Constant GI upset with diarrhea and feeling like my insides are writhing with worms. A complete lack of dreaming (no darkness, just like being turned off and on again) with horrifying intrusive thoughts and mood swings. Pain in parts of my body where I didn't have pain before, or where pain was previously well-controlled. Feeling dangerously high and then going into total withdrawal (I kept the Narcan on my bedside table and told my family to check on me). I took it with a fatty meal, the same meal every time, and had a different experience every 12 hours. At no time did I feel safe taking this medication. This has left me feeling terrified to try anything else and suspicious of my doctor's reasons for switching me. I firmly believe this medication was manufactured to scare people away from opioids."