Xtampza ER and Withdrawal: What Users Say

• 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!"

• Ski...
• July 13, 2018

For Chronic Pain "I have taken all the usual prescription opiates over the past 14 years almost daily. Xtampza is very inconsistent and dangerous and therefore ineffective. My experience is that it is not time-released. The withdrawal is the worst, yet I paid a lot of money for these fancy capsules, which are just a marketing scheme. I would not recommend this so-called pain med to anyone. Big pharma guinea pig!!"

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 17, 2021

For Chronic Pain "I was just forced to this Xtampza after having been on OxyContin ER 40 mg x 3 a day for over 10 years. I never had any issues with Purdue Pharmaceuticals OxyContin. This Xtampza is a joke. Dr. is force tapering & switched me to 36 mg Xtampza ER 2 x a day. My dose was lowered by 40 mg a day in one go. I'm experiencing horrific withdrawals, and this medication is NOT working at all. Twice a day is not enough. The bioavailability is all over the board and way too inconsistent, depending on high-fat food. This medication should be pulled off the market. Does NOT last anywhere near a 12-hour period. The 'studies' showing it does are a damn LIE. It's all about the addicts now. Guess what? Those addicts will keep using & move on. However, chronic pain patients are being force tapered, thrown to the streets, and left to fend for themselves. Many are paying for this with their lives. Something needs to change here. We need to get louder or nothing will change this suffering."

• Fre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 27, 2022

For Chronic Pain "A big caution - this drug requires you to have a gallbladder and a fully functioning bile system or your body will not absorb it. If you are being taken off another opiate, you will suffer major withdrawal symptoms as the Xtampza won't be absorbed and you will have stopped your original opiate. Can you spell cold turkey? It happened to me and it sucked!"

• 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."

• 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."

• 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."