I am glad you found relief for your pain - it does makes an amazing difference in your life, doesn't it?! I started taking 5 mg methadone 3 times a day about a week and a half ago, and it significantly reduced my head pain. I didn't realize how depressed I was until I wasn't so depressed. I have also been able to sleep more. So like many of you I feel like I have some of my life back. Percocet by itself wasn't working for me anymore. I wish I could get rid of all of my pain...

Just the name "methadone" or "oxycontin" or "morphine" is pretty freaky, especially when you are still working. If my co-workers knew I had large bottles of percocet and methadone in my workbag I'm sure they would be horrified!

Another good thing about reducing our pain levels is that it allows us to move around more. When my head hurt I tended not to do as much. Now I am getting out and walking further, working more in the yard (nothing too strenuous, though, I'm still afraid to do too much), and cleaning up the messes my kids tend to leave all over the house. Hopefully that is good for things.

What is Opana derived from? I know Mary said she had to up her dose after a while to maintain the same effect on her pain. Dew - did you also have to increase your dose after a short period of time?

thanks, Sandy

http://www.rxlist.com/opana-er-drug.htm

I found this site helpful;however, you can goggle Opana ER, and find many more sites.

I was prescribed a 30 day supply on 4/28/09( 10 mg twice per day;12 hrs apart). That did wonders for my sleep,immediately. My pain was no longer the main focus in my life. I was able to travel to AZ and then back to OK, in a car,hubby driving,over 13 hrs one way..with many breaks to stretch and walk. I was so happy to feel good again without that "drugged" feeling. I also con't my other medications. I am now living my life instead of existing.

I will see my PM on 5/26/09, at which time he will increase my dosage.
I am not sure exactly to what dosage. I thought he said to 30 mg twice a day??? Then, I will be placed MMI, maximum medical improvement, and have maintenance appts. with PM doc every 3 months.

Before Opana ER, RSD's by-products of pain and insomnia ruled my life. The week before I started Opana ER, I had maybe 10 hrs of sleep in 7 days. I was devastated to say the least! The first day on Opana ER, I slept 8 hrs in a row

It con't that way for a about 5 days..then I started having less hrs in a block of sleep: 6-8 hrs..then 5-6 hrs. Say what you will, you go without sleep in 7 days except for 10 hrs, which were napping here and there;this product changed my life for the better. Sleep regenerates all of us. Sleep heals. The pain no longer rules my life,totally.

DEW,
For some,
the "Euphoria" is the pain relief.
For me, percoset always made me feel as if my feet weren't quite touching the floor.. (Oh, I'm hang gliding again!)
I only took them for two (weekend) periods after tmj surgery, long ago.

But, straight pain relief, without the Buzz, is where it's at!
(Am I being cruel?)

The point is, the closer you can get to "Living a Normal, YOUR Normal life, wether that be raising children, working, driving, etc."
That's success, at Managing RSD.

Then, we must deal with our bodies aging.
(The alternative is not good).

So, back to the "Triangle of RSD management"

Meds = Your Doctor and You

Mood = Your neuropsych doctor and You.

Body = Excercise, You!

Keep that body ready for retirement, even though you may feel that you're retired, or simply "existing" now.

Do I practice what I preach?

A Question for another day....

Pete
asb

I don't have enough experience with meds yet to know the difference - I didn't even realize how much pain I was in until I wasn't. I don't think Percocet really works well for me anymore...I should talk to a doc about an alternative at some point. I use it for breakthrough pain now, along with the methadone, and probably take a total of 3 - 4 pills a day...

Just reading about these meds makes me want to take a nap! But unfortunately I am at my desk (working on something that is not very interesting).

Have a good one, Sandy

That's tough but we have to be...