I commented on this subject in my recent post called "Has 3 new pain doc appts...new ideas". So, you can find more details there if you need them. Anyways, my new pain management doctor wants to take me off my Oxy ER 30mg twice a day & Oxy IR 30mg three times a day. He wants to switch me overnight cold turkey to Opana ER & Opana IR. Ive been taking the Oxy since 2007 & it is just not as effective. Also, I have gastroparesis caused by the RSD & possibly the opiate use. I vomit daily, up to 20 or so times a day for about a year now i guess. Not fun at all. So, the doc thinks trying the Opana to improved pain relief & possibly help my stomach is worth a shot. Waiting for insurance to approve it now. So, if it is, I will make the switch ASAP. Problem is, my doc said I will go through horrible withdrawals & may have to be admitted to either a detox center, hospital, or maybe hospital & have to be completely sedated where I wouldnt wake up for 4 days. I want to try the detox at home & see how it goes. I have Xanax & they are giving me Clonidine to lower my blood pressure & chill my body out some during the withdrawals. So, gotta play that by ear.........my question is.....anyone have any experience using Opana to treat RSD???? If so, how did it compare to other pain meds you have tried??? Any input would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks!!!!

You mention in a prior post that your body is extremely sensitive to withdrawal from drugs. Please take the advice of you doctor. If he/she predicts horrible withdrawal and suggests hospitalization why would you consider going through it at home? I can't think of a worse aggravating factor to gastorparesis than do it yourself withdrawal.

Please reconsider. Take care!

Dear Firegirl,

When I was able to get off all medications after my last ketamine infusion I did have to go through withdrawal. In my opinion, and this is only my opinion, it was harder then anything I have gone through during this injury, including the 7 surgeries, which included titanium pieces being inserted in my body.

You are just switching medications so I don't know how much withdrawal you will have. If I'm not mistaken even though oxy and opana are two different type of drugs I believe that they are all started with poppy then broken out into different chemical makeups. You could probably find it online or ask your RX they would be the best ones to ask. But if your doctor thinks you will go through withdrawal I would take him serious. My doctor gave me beuphnenorphine(spelling), but I was completely getting off everything so I don't think this would be used but you could ask him. I believe it is also called suboxen. But I also hear there using it for pain control also. So really ask your doctor. But please discuss this switch with him in detail, and not to be blunt but I don't want to see you suffer, it really is the worse,at least it was for me. I remember my doctor discussing it with me and he was very stern with me like o.k. really if you don't take the beuphnenorphine you are going to suffer and I won't take it. So we tried adtivan and he said to me, "This is not going to work", I was back in his office in 48 hours and once I got the beuphnenorphine within a day or 2 I felt better, know where near normal and it took about 3 months before I felt normal. Just telling you all this because I was warned and did not listen, why I don't know. I trusted my doctor but never going through that before or ever knowing anyone who did I could not believe it was that hard.

Again, please discuss all with your doctor. Just a FYI to prescribe beuphnenorphine the doctor must have a special license to write for it, at least in NJ and NY.

All of the above are just my opinions and not advocating for any treatments. Please check with your doctor before making any kind of changes.

Good Luck

gabbycakes

Pain doc wants me to try to detox from home for 1st few days & see how it goes so he knows what action to take next....really sedated rapid detox, detox clinic, etc)...and go from there. I have withdrawn from opiates back in 2008 & it was horrible & made the RSD so much worse. It was during that time when my RSD spread to my foot. We discussed using Suboxone, but he was not a fan of it bc he said I would just have to come off the Suboxone next since I cant take it forever & that would not be fun & I believe him. I have a few friends w/ past substance abuse issues that take it to stay clean & when they dont have it they get really sick to the point that they may as well be coming off opiates. Also, suboxone is EXTREMELY expensive & my insurance does not cover it. I already take Xanax, so I will have that to help that process. Also, they are gonna give me Clonidine to help, but doubt I will be able to take it bc last time I took it my BP got WAY too low & I had to quit it immediately. But, I will give it a try. My BP on a normal day is usually 90/60. Doc did say that the difference bw Opana & Oxy was enough that the withdrawals would be severe. Guess I will just have to play all this by ear & just see what happens day by day. Thanks for the advice!!! Please let me know if you think of any other info!!!

Dear Firegirl,

I did got off the suboxone within 3-4 months and never had to take it again. But I have heard of people staying on it and having trouble getting off it?

If I think of anything else I will post.

Wish you the best.

gabbycakes

I have done the "Cold Turkey" withdrawal from
Morphine 2 times in 8 years. It was my own
Choice - I needed to prove to myself Iwas
Strong enough, BY MYSELF, to get off of the
Narcotics I had been on for years.

I was successful, but it was Hell... Unnecessary
Hell! Follow your Doctor's advice. You can
Stand it for the first few days, THEN YOU WILL
NEED HELP!

It isn't pleasant, but this is RSD - WHAT ABOUT
RSD IS PLEASANT????

L