Oxycontin OC & OP?
 

For those of you on the higher pain killers such as Methadone, Oxycontin 80mg, and Dilaudid. I thought It of great importance to discuss the new brand name Oxycontin that may or may not all ready be flooding your pharmacy stock piles. Purdue the creator of the brand name Oxycontin has created a new version to release into the market Oxycontin OP (meaning instead of OC on one side it will now have OP). Now from speaking with patients on these new versions its a mixed debate. Half are saying its like the generic once put out before by another company trying to make a generic for sale instead of paying brand name costs. Problem with that earlier generic was it was severely less potent as as anyone that was on them can tell you. It as well made some more nauseated and sick, Purdue the creator of the brand name sued the generic company and brought it back to being a sole monopoly for them. But this new OP is being put out as the new brand name to be from now on. Like I said some are finding it to be just like the generic that other company put out others are finding it to be ok. I would like to hear how each of our fellow members on this forum are dealing with this new OP. I agree I like the reason for the OP as its been engineered that ignorant abusers of the med can no longer snort or shoot the med up. The problem is whether its less potent and we get ripped off like last time. I'm hoping it words as well as the last one without problems. So if anyone is on the new Oxycontin OPs yet please respond with how your doing. I'm interested to see how others are dealing with it. The sick part is they are still charging just as much for this new one and I for one if I find its not working like the originals am going to switch to another medicine cause I'm not going to spend money for a weaker pill. So anyone on these and wanna chime in?

Lordwood, My oxy is still OC so i cant chime in on that aspect, but i am curious about the OP. I realize right now there is a big problem with oxy abuse by drug addicts but I wonder if it will just cause them to use more oxycontin to get the old high. Just as we will be forced to take a higher dose to get the old OC relief.
I am definitely for the company making changes to help stop the abuse problem but why should we pay a higher cost for less of a drug? You would think insurance companies would have a major problem with this. momof4

If I were you save as many as you can of the originals on days that are more bearable for you cause everything I'm hearing about these new OP ones is nothing but us (the actual users that use them to help us go on in life) are being screwed over. All of this because a womens son died from chewing up a 80mg and dying from it so she sued the company and somehow in our messed up courts won. These new OPs are just like you said weaker and will mean we will have to use more to make up for it. When the company is putting preventable abuse above those of us for which the pill was intended we know the company has nothing but money on its mind. Why must the ignorance of others cause us more pain and problems. Im sure before long they will change the pill again to make up for this "weaker" result but the problem is them toying with our pain till they make it right. Thank goodness I also have my Dilaudid. Its nice to meet you RNcrps2 or momof4 hope you have having better days.

Lordwood, Your right it doesnt seem fair. I am curious if we would have more side effects taking a higher dose of OP to get the same relief as OC. I have enough side effects that i would opt to change to methadone instead. (have tried all other narcotics and other combinations) Just taking narcotics is stressful to me. momof4

SOOO Disgusted!!!
 

Im am very disgusted with the so called newly formulated Oxycontin OP's! First off I do not snort, crush, inject or anything other then swallow my med's. I know so people like to say well if you were'nt snorting them u'd be ok. So I was in a horrible motorcycle accident a few years back. I almost lost my leg and I had my knee and hip replaced. I suffer from chronic pain. I do not have medical insurance so my monthly pain med's cost around $1850. I take 4 80 mg OC and 4 10 mg percocet for break through. It worked perfectly for my pain. All the sudden they come out with these OP's which I got last week. I took one as I should in the morning around 7 am, by 8 am I was in really bad pain so I took another, well let me tell you NOTHING! By 9 am I needed to take anotherbut I was scared to get sick or god forbid OD! But I was in a lot of pain, so I took another and that took my pain away a little. So all this week I need to take 2 if not 3 to get my pain away and to feel like I did with the original OC's. This is frickin NUTS! I will run out of my meds early and really cant afford to buy more. Purdue says they are the same that its the same chemical make-up it's just that they added something in there so people cant alter them, well I say BS! There is NO WAY that thats true. I have been on these for 5 years and know what the differece is. I don't know what to do now. One more thing, you think the FDA had a problem before, huh, you watch now all the deaths and rehabs filling up because all the abusers now turning to Heroin or something strongerthat they are not used to. This is not good people not good at all. Mark my words when I tell you this is just a start of something that is going to turn out a million times worse if the FDA and Purdue don't figure something out. Thanks for your time and I know in other forum's I had read Im not the only one speaking my mind, theres a lot of unhappy people. God Bless...

Hi, I am new to this forum, and like you I am in pain and not pleased at all with the oxycontin OP. I had mine refilled four days ago. I take methadone for breakthrough. I do sometimes have flare-ups with pretty bad days of worse pain. I thought maybe I was having that at first, then it hit me that it was because of the change in the medication. I have had four back surgeries and have low back pain that goes into my hips and down my legs. I've placed a call to my doctor today. Maybe he'll change my medication.... I don't know. Think I'll call Perdue too. I appreciate the fact that it's to prevent people from crushing it. I don't do that. I just want some quality of life afforded to me by being without horrible pain.
Best thing to do is to call your doc and let him know. I'm sure he is getting a lot of calls on this problem. He could increase your dose or change your medication.

Welcome whitefawn nice to meet you. I think I'm simply going to have my doctor switch me to an even higher dose of Dilaudid to make up for this pathetic excuse of a pill now.

I was wondering if anyone has ever heard of Levo Dromoran and if anyone has been on it to know whether it helps or not. Looks like a new option I might take instead of staying with these pathetic excuse for pain pills.

New oxycontin AGAIN?!
 

I have personally talked to Purdue before about how the LAST time they tried switching these. The makers, the pharmacists, and the doctors claim they are the same thing. Any change in the chemical make-up of something IS different! For 2 months I watched my husband suffer not only in pain, but being pill sick as well. People that have been on a certain medication for a long period of time WILL suffer. My husband has been on this for 10 years unfortunately. I have also watched another friend suffer as well. I can understand a person just starting the medication being fine, but the ones like my friend and my husband SHOULD NOT BE SWITCHED. the makers of this product have NO CLUE what other effects this medication has. I have heard my husband complain of all sorts of physical symptoms being pill sick. And to the makers, pharmacists, and doctors; these are effects that ARE NOT in your head, they will NOT pass or subside, and are not pleasant to hear or watch a loved one go through! It is exactly like those who suffer from heroin withdrawl! The doctors in the hospital, I have watched treat my husband so embarrassingly and humiliatingly because they do NOT understand how someone suffers! These pills should have had more research done before they did this to America. I do not want to have to watch my husband or my friend suffer because of the ignorance of another that has not taken them for years. :grouphug:

New Generic Oxycontin with OC on them
 

I went to my pharmacy 2 weeks ago & they asked me if I wanted generic or brand. I told them brand and that I didn't know there was a generic. They filled the prescription with brand name ones and they were the OP ones. Today I went back to pharmacy and inquired about the generic and asked what they looked like and who made them. The pharmacist said that she thought the same company (Purdue) made them. I asked if I could see one and was surprised that they had the OC on them and looked exactly like the old brand name ones. I asked if I could have them and that's what I got. I did think that there was alittle difference in the OP ones, but as far as I can tell these new "generic" are exactly like the old brand name ones. I'm not sure if Purdue is making the new ones that say OC because the manufacturer on the prescription bottle and on the paper work the pharmacy gives says the manufacturer is Ethex. Hopefully these stay available.

This is very interesting. I go for my script in a little less then 2 weeks so I will see what goes. Hopefully my pharmacy has the new "generic" that look just like the old brand name.

Walgreens was where I went.

**************************************************

Has your doctor considered that you aren't able to get much benefit from the Oyycontin because you are also taking Methadone which is blocking your opiod receptors ?

Some info - It's not a "new" generic, it's actually old, it's from the Purdue lawsuit over their patent a few years back, they have a contract to allow certain manufacturers to sell generic OC, but it's a quanitity amount only - so once it runs out its over. And they are only allowed to sell it to certain pharmacies, Walgreens being one. Other pharamcies can't even order it.

It's actually brand name "old" version OC (old meaning before this OP stuff) Ethex buys it from Purdue then sells it under their name. So you are getting brand med for generic price.

But again, they were only allowed to sell a certain quantity, and once that runs out, there will be no more generic, and then only the new OP will be on the market. So don't get too attached . . . . It is not likely to be around for much longer, expecially with the new OP being so unpopular. It was estimated a few months ago that the supply would run out in January 2010, but with the new mess, I would guess it will go much faster.

Here is the press release about Ethex and Purdue's settlement:

"ST. LOUIS, MO – June 9, 2009 - KV Pharmaceutical Company (NYSE: KVa/KVb) of St. Louis, MO., today announced it has entered into a settlement agreement with Purdue Pharma L.P. of Stamford, Conn., in regard to the patent infringement lawsuit between the two companies. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, KV Pharmaceutical Company acknowledges that Purdue Pharma’s OxyContin® patents are valid and enforceable and infringed. In exchange, Purdue will grant KV Pharmaceutical Company certain limited non-exclusive, royalty-bearing, non-transferable rights to sell in the United States generic versions of the drug OxyContin® (oxycodone HCl controlled-release) for a limited period of time. The Companies have agreed to continue to discuss the final location for the manufacturing of this product.

KV Pharmaceutical Company is a fully integrated specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, markets, and acquires technology-distinguished branded and generic/non-branded prescription pharmaceutical products. The Company markets its technology distinguished products through ETHEX Corporation, a subsidiary that competes with branded products, and Ther-Rx Corporation, the company's branded drug subsidiary."

new & improved
 

well I was take the new the last 4 days and not doing very good bad side effects thank god i read this last night and found out was going on I found some of the last of the oc's and i might end up in the hospital because of the new and improved B**L S** make shure if you are having problems call PURDUE @ 1-888-726-7535 and press#2

Well everyone first I truly feel sorry for all of you who have to deal with this oxycontin BS. But, and I know everyone is going to scream at me, but maybe it's a god sent in disguise. About 6 years ago when I switched my whole team of doctors to what I have been told is the best orthopedic facility not just in the US but the world. Anyway the first thimg the pain doctor told me is and I quote him is "the first thing if you are going to be my patient I won't rx the oxycontin". He helped me go to something else overtime and just felt that drug is a good drug and works great but the addictiveness is so severe he truly has never seen anything like it. So maybe this is the time for all oxycontin users to switched to some other long last time release medication. Being truthfull Oxycontin is truly the best pain medication I have ever taken, it works fast, takes the pain away but just comes with to much risk. Please all think about it..

Gabbycakes

same problem !! NO GOOD !!
 

:mad::mad:

I am with Gabby - My docs have never prescribed it for me for the same reason - they felt it was just way too addictive. So I've never tried it.

I was on 75 mcg of Fentanyl for 9 months (100 mcg for a short period when my head was a real mess). In my haste to get off of it I made myself sick as a dog. I truly hope NEVER AGAIN to have to go on the stuff. I think I am long over the acute phase of my RSD and have settled into the forever "cold" chronic stage. I get ketamine infusions on a regular basis which have made a difference in a lot of my symptoms - but, I will never be "normal." I still need pain relief on a regular basis.

The most I am willing to consider now on is Fiorcet for head pain and an occasional oxycodone if things are really bad (which doesn't do much for me). Amazingly enough, after years of heavy meds, I have found that 800 mg of Motrin is is actually a pretty good pain reliever. Especially if taken with a caffeinated beverage which gets it into the system quicker.

Have a nice weekend everyone, XOXOX Sandy

Each person is different it seems you and gabbycakes are Very sensitive to higher pain meds effects. I do agree why most doctors don't prescribe it because usually they feel its to much for you. But some of us are in a different field from you where even Dilaudid, Oxycontin and Methadone are not enough. Then to make things even worse we lose the power of Oxycontin in a decision to hit the addicts and caring less about the actual most important people the patients. Sadly thing is there so stupid because addicts are going to still abuse it so the only ones there hurting are us the users that are actually prescribed. To switch peoples meds and make something that not only is weaker but making a lot sick on top of there troubles all ready, is horrendous and mistreatment of the patients well being. I know people just like you and gabby that are sensitive and some even more to the point even very weak ones make them sick as hell. But you cannot regulate what others should do unless you have been in their shoes.
Purdue screwed up big time and someones gonna sue them over the fact of making them sick and misleading info. Purdue will regret there decision in time.

As a side note to those that were on the Oxy and are having trouble now with these worthless OPs my recommendation would be to switch to Dilaudid or Methadone. Dilaudid in higher amounts is a wonderful med.

I just refilled my oxycontin and luckily got OC.

Where you from?

I am so disappointed with the new formulation on the OPs... I have been on the original formula the last 2 1/2 years and now have been able to have a life back. I just got out of the hospital with another back surgery on the August 31st. During my stay in the hospital I have no pain control from a dilaudid drip but as soon as they put me back to oral meds OC 80s the pain subsides. Of course with the help of break throw meds. Unfortunatly they could only give me percs for breakthroughs as roxys are not an option due to new regulations. Once released I filled my script and got the new OP80...what a joke of a med. Constant headache since taking, constant pain.
I would have to say the new OPs are far less potent as the originals, not to mention the polymers that have been added. Do you think they have researched the results of plastic in the human body long term?! Of course not but since this stops abuse I guess us legitimate users have to suffer more long term problems! This will be followed up with a class action lawsuit once people start dropping like flies from toxicity from plastic polymer. Give it 5 years max before we start to see the major propblems from large amounts of polymers injested from OPs.
As far as abuse, the DEA is using this as population control! Watch, they will let the people and want the abusers to switch to H. Then the government will release a huge load of bad tar and let the death toll rise and call it Accidental Overdoses! Way to control population and screw the people...got to love our country!
Sorry, I am just one ****** hurting patient that again has to find a way to survive in life again rather than be productive! :mad:

I am more then with you as are most of us on this issue Prue. The way there screwing us over is atrocious! You have every right to be angry as hell with the rest of us as this is complete BS. I do have one question what level of Dilaudid were you on in the hospital? 2mg bags are the most common. Thank you for posting and hear from you soon

Wanted to clarify my comments in regards to the Oxycontin dispute. First Oxycontin is/was one of best pain control medications and I have taken it and honestly miss it and I never had any problem taking it, it was my Pain Doctor who would not continue to give it to me so if I wanted to stay with him I had to switch. I felt his reputation and what he was saying he could do was better for me then the oxy and it was the correct discision for me. I also don't get how Didaudid is compared to oxycontin, one is a morphine based and not time release and oxycontin is time released, that is where the danger and abuse comes in, and oxy truly is just a time released percocet without all the acedaminaphen(tylenol). And methadon is a man made product again not time released and works in a completely different way. I was told its not a breakthrought type of drug and needs to build in your system before it truly begins to work. I'm not a doctor or pharmacy spec. but I have been at this for 6-7 years with 7 surgeries many added parts to my arm and 3 - 5 day ketamine inpatient infusions so I think I have some experience in the area of pain medication. I also go to a very good doctor many of you know him and have asked me about him.

It's truly ashame that because we or most of us are on medication managment we really don't have any control of our destiny. We are controlled by the FDA and have to deal with the consequences of irresponsilbe people when it comes to pain drugs. That is truly why the oxycontin takers who really need it are having a problem it's really not because of the FDA or Purdue, honestly. I hope at the end of the day everyones pain is under control and feels secure once again.

Good Luck,

Gabbycakes

My response you quoted what not only to you and if your on a medication if dropped its for one of 3 reasons either its effectiveness wears off/ no need for it, your allergic, or your doctor feels your gaining to much of a dependence or adverse effects from it. Dilaudid is another potent drug from the opiate class. 4mg of Dilaudid is equal to that of 20-30mg of Oxycontin so one can quickly see with higher dosage you exceed Oxycontins strength. Dilaudid as well has a longer effect over the day then Oxycontin. A lot of RSD patients find relief with use of this drug. Methadone is another and is extremely potent it may take longer to effect but is worth it completely. Think of it as a chart at the top you have methadone and then under you have Dilaudid in higher doses as well as higher end Fentanyl (patches and pump) then Oxycontin 80mg. I have been in this field for over 7 years now and have been to quite a collection of specialists as well as through the med line. In regard to the point of whose fault it is while its reckless and childish of the abusers its the FDA that needs to be responsible, just because people abuse items does not mean they(the addicts) should be the ones we base our choices on. As the FDAs responsibility is to take care of us not the addicts. The problem is while physical therapy and no medications does work well in some cases and those others that can get away with blocks, they are a world of difference from those of us with internal and internal full body. Once your RSD reaches the point of control over your body even to the point of causing respiratory failure there is no question that meds are a must its just the hard job of trying to find a level that works enough. Ketamine is a complete joke as most of us know. If you can work with nothing I'm extremely happy for you gabbycakes seems your a fortunate remission, but unfortunately not all of us have that ability.

Also new so sorry 2 hear about your pain
 

My hubby also takes methadone for breakthrough pain, an UNGODLY amt of it. The 80 mg OC's are also at all time high, which is ridiculous! This is Because he has been on it for 10 years. And I feel so bad for all of you that take your medication the way you are supposed to, just as my hubby does. These doctors, pharmacists, and makers absolutely have NO CLUE what they are talking about when it comes to these medications. and should listen to not only their patients but I think those who have had an addiction to it before to learn more. Think about it, a person that was addicted to heroin and is in a methadone clinic {not talking from experience either, I have friends} they can tell you more about something than any doctor, pharmacist, or maker of a drug! And from what my hubby looks like after taking that generic Watson brand before that's exactly what he looked like for 2 months, someone that was going through heroin withdrawl. They finally put him on the methadone for the sickness, because let's face it; methadone really doesn't take away the pain. I know this cause he keeps me awake at night after the five screwed up back surgeries worker's comp put him through. I wish you all the best Denise.:grouphug:

Lordwood,

First when you say you have been at this for 7 years also, I believe you stated in a previous post you are around 19 or 20, so you where 13 and collecting data from doctors? I do not have any reactions from meds. I take and get whatever I need so don't mistake what I say or put words in my mouth. And I am not in remission I suffer everyday just like you and all of us who have this disorder. I have had decided to try other modalities to change the way we all have to live with RSD, drugs are not the answer all the time, but I do take them when I need them and sometimes everyday. I hope I cleared up your misunderstanding.

Also, there are quite of few people who agreed with me so I really don't know what to tell you...
Gabbycakes

Also, it is dangerous to quote comparables in dosage of extremely dangerous medication unless you are a doctor or pharmacologist. If mis-used based on your post things really could go very wrong. Please be carefull.

pain relief from meds
 

I think what is most important is that we get the relief we are needing and looking for as best as possible from what ever the medication that the Dr. prescribes for us. If they change a drug that no longer works as well then we need to work with our Dr. to find a new drug that will work and replace the old one.

Sure its a p.i.t.a. but we have to change along with the way they are making the new pain meds so they are safer for everyone or so they say. I don't like it any more then anyone else here but we have no other chose but to deal with it . We are to small as a whole group to fight this against the big giant drug co. They have more money than the government has right now. Insurance Co. are next with the big money to control what happens with how drugs are made.

Blame the new administration with their health reform this is why mine and everyone else's premium's took a big jump. I now pay more for less coverage.

Both the drug and insurance companies control what goes on with our drugs not the government. And over the next 3 years it is going to get even worst. So sit back because we are in for a long bumpy ride until the next election for the white house. This is when we need someone that is going to fix this mess that we are now in and needs to stop this from continuing. While watching national new on the 3 stations what adds do you see every time. All drug adds for you name it. Just 2 years ago on these same time slots where auto adds. Also you now see more and more insurance adds as well. These are the people with all the money. So as long as the government tries to push the drug makers they will fight back by take away from us the little people by making our drugs weaker so we have to buy more and then blame it on the FDA. It is sad but true. This is my 2 cents.

I've been dealing with specialists since I was 1.5 years old as I started with Ulcerative Colitis and then it went to crohns. I've had more health issues then most people have in there entire life. I've dealt with RSD specialists since 13 so don't mistake what I say or put words in my mouth. What other "modalities" physical therapy? HBOT? Nerve blocks? Or perhaps there new method of freezing and killing the nerves they choose to do it to? I will not even list ketamine as its a joke and a lot agree with that and I'm not just talking little infusions I'm talking also about those that get the full schwartzman routine. My apologies as from most of your posts you act like your in remission. In regards to your additional post I have 2 pharmacists that are family friends as well as doctors. I was thrown into this insane world of RSD just like many others who started younger and yes we actually do know quite a bit as we've had our lives stripped away and quite a number of years dealing with it. Just because your older does not mean you know more. Hopefully you can understand that others do actually know what were talking about.

Dear Austin,

I'm so sorry that you have been sick for so long - what a bummer. And that there are so many other things that some of us attempt to use as much as we can to compensate for the absense of strong opiates in our system that you find you can't tolerate.

It seems that you have had a really hard time of it. Life is just SO not fair.

After being on a medical LOA for my RSD for a while, I really wanted to go back to work, and knew that I couldn't do it on the meds I was taking. So I needed to do something to help myself. Ketamine infusions have helped me get SOME of my life back. (I'll never be like I was before the RSD.) I'm so sorry that it's not something that seemed to work for you when you saw Dr. S. Have you considered consulting with Dr. Getson in NJ? He's not too far from where you live and is really one of the nicest docs I have ever met. I bet you would like him a lot. And he will help you with everything - your meds, your belly, migraines, possible ketamine, etc. He talked to my doctor up here in RI when my case was transferred up here a few months ago. He's just a great guy.

What would be wonderful is if maybe you could plan to go back to school someday.

Hyperalgesia, or rebound pain, can occur when you've been taking really high doses of meds for a long time. You won't find out if that is the case until you've come off of them for a day or so. I think that happens to me with all the Fiorcet I tend to take for my headaches sometimes....

What's interesting is how many hits this thread has had - obviously Oxycontin is a med a lot of RSDers have taken, and the change that the drug company has made to the formula has impacted many users. My doc wouldn't prescribe it for me though, he said it was too addictive. I have the 5 mg. Oxycodone for occasional use when needed, most of the time I just take Fiorcet for my head pain.

All the best to you, Sandy

SandyRI I have attempted other options and they all turn to be nothing but complete waste of time. If dealing ok without meds then there is a clear difference between you and most of the rest of us. As we do not have the option of something else as we have all ready be there done that. *edit*
On the concern of "Hyperalgesia, or rebound pain" this is not an issue as I've been off my meds for a full week and nothing happened while in the hospital and then was off them for over 2weeks when my insurance switched. These meds are nothing more then false hope which is better then nothing at least Im doing something. I'm glad to hear ketamine helped you. I am currently in the process of getting with a doctor out of New Mexico that does a different way with the use of ketamine compared to the others as well as higher doses.

Lordwood, please..
 

Lordwood...

I have been reading these posts flying back and forth... unfortuantely, I caught your last post prior to the edit version and I want to pipe up and say please, take it outside..those posts are not necessary..This whole RSD group are like family to me, I care about them..lets not go there..

Sandy RI and Gabbycakes (I am sure as well as you and all of us here)... have and paying a very big price with our daily struggles due to RSD. Gabby and Sandy are merely trying to help with experiences and facts. Please, don't take any of it personal...our Personal trumps, good and bad are all in an attempt to tame this mean disease..Please, no more darts just concern, support and caring for one another here..

I hope you have a nice day and keep us posted on how you are doing...

Take care, Kathy

The other members and I were having a discussion on the actual item at hand, before and somewhat during the time gabbycakes decided to chime in that she knows better then the rest of us so I simply defended the others. I'm finding many won't speak up for their views as they've become to used keeping quiet and don't like to disrupt. Thats sad as when your a family everyone should be able to speak up on anything as well as you shouldn't have one that believes there in control, no others that are truly being sarcastic and getting away with it.

This post is meant for those effected by Oxycontin.

Sorry but this thread has gone totally off topic and become personal and negative and we do not allow that here. I have already had to edit a previous post and had hoped not to have to intervene again.

As always, should anyone be unhappy with a post from another, please use the report button and all of us mods will get a notice, discuss the report and take action if it is required.

My PM box is always open if there are problems that need to be addressed.

As most members have quite enough to deal with from their illness, we would prefer if those with personal disagreements keep those off the boards and rather try to resolve things in PM please, either with us or with each other.

thanks. I will be locking this thread now as it has taken a negative turn.