I see my PM doc tomorrow,5/26/09. Almost 30 days ago, I was scripted Opana ER, to mix with the cocktail of meds I take everyday.

Opana ER was and still is an amazing medication for pain relief and assists my sleep. I had immediate results of peace, sleep, and pain was not the focus of my life. I was able to laugh, and my smile was back. I forgot how it felt to be almost pain-free. Life was GOOD!

So, tomorrow my Opana ER will be increased, I will be MMI( maximum medical improvement) concerning WC, and a maintenance plan of meds, and PM follow-up appts will be booked every 3 months for me, indefinitely.

It has been storming for the last 3 days, off and on. This is normal for a Memorial Day Weekend.

I take my meds on time, everyday. The burn still breaks through, and my sleep is now down to 4 hrs.

I awoke to the front of both quads, just above my knees, feeling like they were on fire. It all came back to me, like a slap in the face..the evil pain. I still had to wait 2 hrs to take more pain meds. I have lortab 10/500 mg, for break thru pain. It doesn't work for me, anymore. I took a Xanex, to calm my anxiety.

I used my TENS Unit, and it just irritated me more than helped me. I placed Lidoderm Lidocain(5 %; 750 mg) patches on each quad..yet, my quads are bigger that the size of the patch. I wanted to place ice on my quads so bad;however,that is a big no-no!

Memorial Day is the holiday that we remember, mourn, celebrate... the brave soldiers that fought and died for our country;also, our loved ones that have passed on.

For me, it started out as a day to remember what my worst burning pain felt like. The pain that I had almost totally put out of my mind, since I started Opana ER that is added to my other meds.

An odd dream filled parts of the 4 hrs I slept. I was going somewhere in a building and the journey was like a maze..that kept growing. I felt so tired from trying to get out of this building. I was trying to meet up with my husband and son. My mom,deceased in 1992, and father, deceased in 1983, were guiding me through the building. I couldn't keep up and was lost, and felt helpless. I awoke with that sizzling, burn inside my quads, and I was sweating through my night clothes and pillows. My hubby was sound asleep.
My son stayed the night and was in his old bedroom,sound asleep.

Have any of you experienced anything like this?
It is like my meds are wearing off sooner than before, and all I could do is wait the 2 hrs to take my morning cocktail of meds.

I look forward to my visit with my PM tomorrow.

I appreciate your comments and input.

Thanks,

Dew,

As you may know, I went to see the new Star Trek movie in IMAX on Sat. Show we went for, sold out. Waited a few hours, lots of standing, walking up an "endless ramp", then waiting in line. The movie was so intense, OMLord all those effects, and sound. I find that dreams can be just like that, SO REALISTIC, and I of course have been there too, (funny I didn't see you) , but, it seems to me, and I'm no sleep doctor, but DREAMS, can be a real Energy drain, and, while doing that, cause "exercise" or strain, to our bodies. (Depending on the dream, of course).

I could barely move yesterday.
I'm still stiff in the quads/calves and arms/shoulders/neck, today.

I do believe that dreams do this.

Also,
I think you're dealing with the "titrate" effect, (for lack of a better term) of Opana.
It's time for them to raise it, hmm, how coincidental that they know it's a month?
I hate to predict, that this will happen all over again for you.

As we all know, there is No Pill, Injection, or Procedure that will Cure us of the Pain.

All we can do, is "knock it down" some, the best we can, and "Manage" it..

Anyone who is looking in a Pill bottle for to be "Pain Free", is like looking in a wishing well.

I could take a thousand mg. of methadone, and I'd be pain free, for a while.
For a while, being the keywords.

DEW,
I'm so sorry. You've had a good month. And, you're going to get a lot more!
I'm sorry that the pain came rushing back!
Although, it gave you warning, on a day off. Not while at your sister's, etc., that it can still take an upper hand, with your body.

You're right, it's a very reflective day, and I get those kind of "dreams" too.
Trapped within. Missing loved ones there, guiding us to where? Home?
I'm ready.

You are a very "Feeling" person. Nobody around you, would change that, and I doubt you would, for all the Opana in the world!

That's why you''re so beloved!

Pete
Asb

Thank You for your kindness.

Hi Dew,

I'm SO sorry to hear that you are in so much pain right now!! It must be so awful to have a big break from the pain and then have it all come rushing back! I hope it settles down for you real soon and you are in my thoughts and prayers!!!

I agree with what Pete said, that it sounds like your body is building up a tolerence to the meds and that they might need to be increased if they can.

Ketamine used to work well for me and bring my pain down from an 8 out of 10 on the pain scale to about a 5 and half but now it hardly touches my pain. My doctor has increased it and it works a little well but he thinks that my body has built up a tolerence to it and that eventually, it will stop working completely. I think that is one of the reasons why he doesn't like me taking it all the time.

I hope that your appointment tomorrow goes well and that your doctor is able to give you something to help with your pain levels!!

You're in my thoughts and i'm sending many pain-free 's your way!!!

What incredible luck to have an appt with your doc just as your med starts to loose its effectiveness! I hope it's in the morning.

Good luck. Sorry about your sleepness night. It stinks when that happens. Do your hands still work well? Maybe you could pick up a hobby like knitting to help take your mind off the pain.

I wish you well. Keep us posted. Sandy

I also feel lucky to be able to see my PM tomorrow morning. I was wondering how the doc would know that I would need to be upped in Opana ER in almost a 30 day period? I last saw him on 4/28/09.

I have other meds in my daily cocktail increased;however, the need for the increase was not so apparent as it is with Opana ER.

What is that all about? Is it because it is a stronger medication than the rest? The reason my PM doc placed me on Opana ER was that my pain was out of control, and I had slept maybe 10 hrs. in a 7 day period. I was a wreck

Any thoughts?

DEW,
How did you feel as the day went on?
Get any better?

I think, the titrating up of the Opana, is like you said, how tired you were when you started, then that passes mostly.
I imagine, just guessing, that so too does some of the pain reducing effect.
Every med we take, I think our kidneys and liver fight hard to cleanse it from our systems, and so too, our nerves get "used to" the attack on the pain.

How was that for technical?

Pete
Asb

I was able to take my meds at the end of that 2 hr wait, and within a 30 min period, I found some relief. I lightly napped on an off during the day, taking my meds on time, as usual.

It was a very lazy day for hubby and me. I went to bed for the night just before midnight, and here I am, up at 3:05 AM

I see my PM in 8 hrs/37 min.

Dew,

I'm so sorry!

I was wondering why you were so quiet. That's so not like you! It's been storming here too... odd isn't it? So many miles and in a different place... Huge balls of hail came tumbling down out of the sky, 6cm in diameter. I kid you not! It's not entirely over yet...

I hope your appointment goes well today. Let us know what happened.

I have no idea why your meds started to wear off like that... maybe it's just time for the dosage to be upped. Maybe that's it?

Wishing you all the best for your appointment and do mention it to the doc! Please express your concerns for this happening in the future. Is it that your body is getting used to the meds? I don't know, but what if the upped dosage at one time wears off too and loses its effectiveness?

Sending many thoughts and I hope today you get some answers and direction. I am not sure about the meds but it sounds like either you are in more of a flare up of pain or the dose is now too low or maybe something else needs to be done. As for the patch I can't tolerate them but I know Mrs D says how key placement is and it is not on the area always where you have the pain it is where it originates so you may want to ask her. The sleep/anxiety/pain I can really relate to as I go on very little sleep from the cycle. I am on meds to help but they do nothing. I am not sure what my point is other then I can relate. Sending many better thoughts