Xtampza ER and Pain: What Users Say

• Hop...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 1, 2021

For Chronic Pain "Due to a forehead injury, I have chronic nerve pain. But my excruciating pain was well-controlled when I was taking OxyContin 20 mg AM & PM, with 4 Tramadol and 4 Percocet 10 mg a day as needed for breakthrough. But that all changed when insurance would no longer cover OxyContin and the pandemic hit, and there is a shortage of generic OxyContin 20 mg. Now I take Xtampza ER 18 mg. I take it with a high-fat food as suggested, and this medication is useless. I'm so depressed and not sure how much longer I can go on. My doctor mentioned putting me on Dilaudid ER and Dilaudid 10 mg 4 times daily, but Dilaudid is stronger and I would rather not have to take something stronger when the alternative lesser medication used to work fine! But I can't go on like this much longer! For those that Xtampza is effective for, I'm very happy for you, but for those of us that it is no help, or in my case, I think it makes the pain worse, it's devastating! God bless you all!"

• RMD...
• July 26, 2020

For Chronic Pain "Have been in pain management for 45 years. Have been on morphine twice daily and oxycodone three times a day for years. It needs to be increased. But like everyone else, I am at the mercy of the dictatorship. Maximum dosage is achieved and, according to the government, my pain is under control and NO INCREASE IS ALLOWED. Doctor suggested Xtampa because OxyContin was denied. I started going through withdrawal within two days. Pain increased severely and side effects were horrid! My doctor put me back on the morphine, and I am back to my normal. Although the doctor swears it's a good drug. Look up how much kickback doctors make on prescriptions, sure they want you to try it, whether it works or not! Best of luck to all members of Club Pain!! In ratings, I can't do -10 so here it is!"

• Nyt...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 4, 2019

For Chronic Pain "This drug made my nightmare even worse. In the 5 months I was on it, it caused me to gain nearly 60 pounds! Over 10 pounds a month! I had to literally buy bigger clothes every 2 weeks. Thank goodness for thrift stores! As for the pain relief, it didn't do as well as the Opana that I was on prior to the Xtampza. Then Opana was pulled from the market suddenly, though, supposedly in the reaction to the 'opioid crisis,' so I needed something to replace it, and the doctors gave me Xtampza that fall. I suffered with worse pain relief and rapid weight gain for 5 months, until they finally switched me to something else! I would not suggest this medicine to my worse enemy! You may not suffer from the extreme weight gain like I did. You may get better pain relief than I did. But beware, because some of us have *awful* side effects from this stuff!"

• Der...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 2, 2020

For Chronic Pain "I was on Fentanyl 50 mcg per hr, changing the patch every 48 hrs, before asking to be switched to MS Contin 60 mgs TID, and that stopped working after over 3 years of being on the same dosage. Finally, my doctor suggested I switch to Xtampza ER 36 mg BID. Once I switched to Xtampza ER, my pain not only increased, but my breakthrough medications had to be increased to Roxicodone 30 mg every 4-6 hrs PRN. Finally, after 3 months on Xtampza, my doctor put me back on Exalgo 16 mg/24 hr and left me on the Roxicodone 30 mg every 4-6 hrs PRN, but I hardly have to use more than 3 of those per day and am no longer suffering any pain."

• Ken...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 7, 2021

For Pain "I was on OxyContin 40, my insurance forced me to Xtampza 36. Compared with name-brand OxyContin, Xtampza is better for me. It works within 40 minutes, and it lasts 12 hours. OxyContin took 90 minutes to start working, and it stopped working after 8 hours. I wish I had Xtampza years ago. You must take it with food, taking it with no food or a very small amount of food is assuring you that you will experience pain and withdrawal that day. Since it's so expensive, make sure you are eating an orange, a bagel, or a cup of yogurt is enough, no need for a full meal. If you can't swallow the giant Xtampza capsule, you can open it and mix the contents with whatever you're eating."

• Mom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 5, 2020

For Chronic Pain "Xtampza does not work. It says take 1 every 12 hours. For me, it lasts around 3-4 hours max. I also take 800 mg ibuprofen. Oxycodone 10/325 worked well. It would give me 4 hours during the day, where I was pain-free. I felt like I had a little bit of a life. Anyway, I fell, which caused a compression fracture in L1 on my spine. My doctor knows how much pain I'm in and prescribed me oxycodone 20 mg. My insurance made me get the 'generic' one. So now I have to go to a pain clinic. My appointment is on the 10th. So, that's my story. It does not work."

• Cor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 14, 2021

For Chronic Pain "I have been getting physical therapy, doing physical therapy anyway as epidermal delta cortisone shots into shoulder, back, and well-diagnosed pain, varicose veins, rheumatoid arthritis, torn tendon, and neuro-pain. I've been taking OxyContin 80 mg CR every 12 hours, with lidocaine patch, until the OxyContin was not covered, so I was now prescribed Xtampza ER 36 mg twice daily every 12 hours. It made me have withdrawals, sweats, changes in behavior, and not much analgesic pain help. This medicine makes people bloated and drag their butt around in pain all day. And nobody wants to take something that just gives poor sleep from pain that keeps you awake and bad dreams of how you still have pain. It should be remade or off the market of pharma for false advertising."

• MS ...
• October 17, 2022

For Chronic Pain "I have found that it works very well in combination with immediate release. I have tried several different medications for years, and this is certainly noticeably much more helpful in managing severe pain. I would recommend use in combination with immediate release. I suffer from multiple pain management complications from spinal fusions to remitting progressive MS. This combination has helped me get through many days of very difficult, painful flare-ups, from bilateral sciatica to a crushing sensation in my left arm, which is constant."