Cyn,

please beware of Lyrica and Cymbalta. Those are the two that really impacted my health for the worse - the Lyrica put my into diabetes (normal 85 blood sugar for my entire life and then 400 - 500 blood sugar within three months.) (And the work comp docs didn't even notice, as my eyesight was going, I was so sick, and then I saw the blood test, as I get all of my tests for my records, and then I had to keep waiting for the non-work-comp insurance to pick up treatment for diabetes. It wasn't until I'd gone to ER several times that non-work-comp finally got their act going. I STILL have diabetes and although I've gotten my blood sugar and diet down perfectly, I have tried several times to go off of diabetes meds, which cause weight gain, and can't stay off of them. I am so mad about the Lyrica, as you can see.)

Cymbalta, even though it seems to help Momz, did NOTHING for me. Also, Cymbalta is actually an antidepressant, and should not have an immediate "by one pill" effect, but rather you have to take it for several weeks (or more) for the effect to build up as a result of having a certain level in your system. If you go into a deep search on either of these drugs, and my pharmacist assisted me in this, Cymbalta does create weight gain, (although many antidepressants cause an initial weight loss, after several months this will reverse, and weight gain is the ultimate result.) Lyrica is known to interfere with blood sugar - they do not go as far as to admit that they cause diabetes. But "interfere with blood sugar" is a horrible statement for the company to admit, when it is prescribed to diabetics with nerve damage!!! I am shocked frankly that this goes on.

P.S. What I meant by the "partier" phrase is that methadone is not known for it's "off use" by selling it on the black market to party, whereas people do sell the oxy for use in partying. I don't understand it, as I NEVER got high on my oxy - the pain receptors were always so overloaded with the pain that I never got a "fun" or "party" effect from either of these drugs.

As for whether Opana ER is effective after one has used oxy or methadone, I don't think it matters. I think that "tricking the brain" is the key, by using something new, to try to fight the nerve damage pain reaction. The pain management doctors do discuss this - so it isn't so much that one is "higher" on the pain killing level, as much as it is a different formulation and may be effective simply because the brain is used to one drug or another.

In comparing Methadone to Oxy, I can say that with Oxy I felt more in command of my mind, and didn't actually ever feel high. (Topomax was another story! That stuff scrambles the brain I think.) But with Oxy, I felt more difficulties with digestion, bladder and kidney.

With Methadone, my skin is worse, I have these terrible dreams, but the good side is easier digestion and much less impact on bladder and kidneys.

I am not exactly comfortable sharing all of this information about these meds, but I know so many of us have to resort to pain control via meds, so I try to share what I learn. I'd really like to learn more about Opana ER, as I've heard of three people now on it, but not really any comparison.

I'd also like to be able to get Fentanyl for night relief, but so far the doctor refuses...

The next step he wants is a spinal stimulator, so now I've got to research that before I go further.