lostmary, yes the doctor did give her a discount card from a Opana packet. I've been told the doc needs to fill out a form and fax to the ins co.
CZZ74, my wife has her regular pharmacy that she deals with but her doctor said to go to this particular one because the doc is known there and thought there would be less hassle, I suppose.
Also, what is the difference between these Opana drugs ie Opana ER and PM?

Now it seems a new battle is brewing with the insurance company. I just found out the insurance company refused the doctor's request for my wife to receive Opana. They said Suzy must take regular morphine first before they will consider Opana. She must take it for a month and if she doesn't take well to it they will consider Opana. You know, we do not have an HMO policy, but sure seems like it. I'm really sick of these people.

IS THERE A LAWYER INVOLVED WITH YOU ON THIS MATTER? If there was, he/she would nip this is the bud,pronto. The ins. comp. is attempting to take the cheapest way out. This is so sad, and your poor wife and you, stuck in the middle. I hope your doc steps up to the plate and talks to the ins. company to explain WHY Opana ER is superior to morphine.

Dew

The only lawyer we have now is one specializing in SSDI. We had another who was looking for a connection with her former employer and health insurance company to see if she was terminated from her employment do to the insurance company's negligence releasing both parties from any obligation pertaining to her RSD.
BC/BS told us Opana is not on their list of drugs because it is relatively new. The insurance company wants Suzy to take what they consider a generic version of Opana which appears to be morphine sulfate for one month first. 4 30mg per day and 2 60mg time-release per day. She started it yesterday and became somewhat ill from just one 30mg. Dew, Suzy seems to think that Opana is just like morphine and may make her ill anyway. I've explained that it may not be just like morphine even though it is morphine based, but it may not have certain side effects as morphine. Can anyone attest to this? Thanks!

Usually is there is anything else out there my insurance co would want me on it. I didn't run into any trouble with it. Of course, each insurance co is different. If it makes your wife sick, then what I would do is let the dr. know, and he can report that she can't take it because it makes her too sick. the other thing I might do is wait out the month, without actually taking the morphine, then go for the Opana ER. Especially if her dr will give her pain meds during that time to cover her pain. Opana is kinda new, it's been out for about 3 years now. It was out in the 70's but it was pulled from the market because of the high it gave. The company reformatted the drug to take the big high out of it, and then they put it back on the market. If you go to pharmer.org you can type in Opana er and get a lot of information about it. but somehow, I think you will have to wait out the month. Has your wife every been on the morphine. If so, that should cover the requirement of having tried it. I hope it works out

Hugs
Mary

I started Opana ER about 2 1/2 weeks ago. I did not get sick, nor did it give me a "high"

What I have received from Opana ER, recognized by me, my family and sis in AZ, is a glimpse of the former Dew(Linda), before RSD. The woman that smiled all the time, and laughed. The woman that enjoyed being around others. The woman that could be free of the constant, chronic pain from the RSD. The woman that wanted to travel, and did, to visit my sis in AZ concerning her pancreatic cancer ordeal. I felt useful, and I want to feel needed, as it assists me in finding significance in this crazy world. I was helping someone instead of someone helping me. It is a miracle in my life in reference to the last 26 months of hell that I have endured, since RSD entered my life.

Granted, I have had a couple of nights that were my usual insomnia episodes, before Opana ER; however, my PM doc told me that Opana ER would help me sleep better, and will lower my pain,substantially.The PM doc's exact words,"All will be well in your world, as this drug will assist you with the pain and sleep issues." I will be increased in doseage from 10 mg twice per day,to 30 mg,twice per day on 5/26/09. The first night on Opana ER, I slept 8 hrs in a row! Since then, my sleep has cut back between 5-6 hrs in a row.

Let's face it, no sleep makes anyone a mess: emotionally, psychologically, and physically.

I hope your wife gets to try Opana ER as soon as possible. Please remember, each of us are individuals and don't follow the same path. I am hoping your wife responds well to this pain medicine.

Good response Mary.
Dew! I'm happy for you!

If she gets sick from her meds, call the Doctor! Doesn't she suffer enough? The meds are to reduce that!

Lots of ins. companies are trying to get their patients onto methadone, because it's very inexpensive. I've been on it since about 90-91, through different dosages, and it must be treated with respect, (No different than any of the meds in this discussion).
Some people get upset about the label's that have been attached to it (because of it's use for heroin addiction, that's the point, no high).
For me, it's effective, it doesn't wear off, i.e. I don't have to raise my dosage because time has gone by. I only need take some miralax with it, as I've gotten more sedentary.

Wish all the best!

Pete
asb

Suzy has been prescribed, amongst many others, methadone which she became very ill from, percocet, same reaction and a couple others I don't remember. She handles vicodin and oxicodin well. She is trying to ease into the morphine but I don't have high hopes. She will most likely wait out the month and reapply.

I am allergic to morphine, but can take Opana. I personally do not like Opana as I am still on 10mg in the am and in the pm with no pain relief!!!

I was on Opana ER 40mg 2x a day for 16 months. The last 4 months I noticed that I got really bad headaches all the time and pain relief for only 3-4 hours at a time. My PMD put me on methadone at 15mg 3x's a day. This has helped with my pain and no more headaches.