>>though the conversion charts say that 20mg oxycontin equals 30mg MS Contin, for me, we have found that I do fine switching from 20mg oxycontin three times a day to 15mg MS Contin three times a day.<<


Hello Liz,
I am surprised that you get good relief from that amount of MS Contin,
compared to the 75 patch.
Goes to show that we all react differently to pain meds.
I am going to ask the doc one more time about the oxy's. Looks like his price theory doesn't hold water anymore, especially now that they have the generics. It wouild be much cheaper for me to be on the generic oxy's.
Your experience with both of the generic patches, tells me that it is not in my head, the different brands do have different results. That's what I was looking for, someone who has tried them both.
Would you have stayed with the patch, if they didn't cause the rash?
Was the pain relief as good with the patch as it is with the Oxy?

I think the idea of changing meds every so often sounds like the way to go.
I think I'll try to get the doc to let me try something else, for that reason.
Hopefully he will let me try the oxy this time, if not, maybe methadone.
I was talking to my pharmicist, and she was the one who mentioned the methadone.

>>>>It was just recently that the doc added the option to take a 4th pill a day, and that was not a tolerance issue but a pain increase issue.<<<<

For me, I have a hard time telling the difference, I mean, am I am in more pain now, or is it part of the tolerance thing?
It very hard for me to tell if I am more pain because the drug isn't working as well, or if my pain has increased. I always blame the tolerance, maybe I'm wrong.
I am surprised that you have been able to stay pretty much on the same level for so long with the oxy. I have friends that have to be increased every year, one of them is now up to 40mgs twice a day, with a few 10mg oxy IR's
as needed. That make me wonder about oxy tolerance.
I was doing just fine on my 75ugram patch until I changed to the generic.
I don't know what to do now, maybe just go back to the brand name, and pay the extra $40...
Thanks for your replies, I do appreciate it.

Peace
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