Johanna, hope you're feeling better. I am not thrilled with pain meds because I had a problem in 2001 with oxycontin. Anytime a doctor mentions it I bristle. I was on so many different meds that I don't even recall which ones. I KNOW they are necessary for pain but sometimes docs prescribe too easily and as me, the patient, say sure, whatever you say. I had to be admitted to Columbia Presbyterian for 2 weeks. I was admitted on September 10, 2001. I watched from my hospital window the second plane hit. What a kick in the you-know-what after they have taken you off of all medication and you are away from your family! Then finding out you know people who were there and were killed. Great detox and rehab.

Sorry for going on but sometimes it happens. Right now just taking percocet and skelexin. I think a glass of wine sounds good right now. First going to give my 4 year old a bath. Then get on pj's. Then maybe wine.

Linda

Victoria,
How frustrating, but it sounds like you may have a success story with your computer - finally.
An hour hunched over like that would make me into a twisty doll. I can relate to the aches and pains - hope that you are better now so you can have a wonderful time at your friends wedding. Take those meds & fly happy.
Sorry to hear things still bad with mom. That stinks. Meanwhile you have much to do.

Johanna,
Thanks for the reminder that those patches can go on my back too. When that knife starts stabbing my back, that is just the thing to use to help ease that horrible pain. I can't get it there myself so I'll have to remember when my husband comes home. I think Opana is a great alternative to Oxy.

Jane,
Sorry about the trauma of 9/11. Glad you shared it with us though and hope you are feeling better. Your words about the evening in pj's with a glass of wine make me relax. It's been a long time since I've had wine - hope it worked for you.

Barbara,
I thoroughly enjoyed the pictures of your festival. The weather looked like it was a perfect day. I'm sorry if you had to miss it.

Redjp
Your anger at the medical system is appropriate. When it fails a young woman who was obviously ill is horrible considering that with prompt treatment cervical cancer is curable. I hope that made the front page of a local paper. And how are you doing?

LinJane
Hope you find the right cocktail of meds so you'll feel better soon.
Skelaxin didn't work as well as zanaflax for me, but the dose had to increased gradually.

Best wishes to all,
Hope

Hi Hope,
I'm doing pretty good- thanks for asking! More importantly, how are you?

Yes, that woman's death was totally unnecessary. She not only made the Houston Chronicle numerous times, she was also the subject of numerous reports and interviews on our local news. She was also ABC New's person of the week one time too.

LinJane...that is to ba to hear about the trigger point injections causing you more pain, normally when I am having spasms I will see him and him and he will inject anywhere from 4-8 spots and by time I reach the parking lot I can usually start to feel releif. Also, I can understand your fear about medications, after what you havve been through how devastating that must have been to witness first hand! In the beginning I was RX'ed Skelaxin, however I coud not take it as perscribed because it made me tiered and I was still driving a fuel tanker and the two just did not mix

Victoria... I hope for your sake that all the issues with your 'puter will be soon behind you and that all your travel plans go well>>> take a breath or 2 and maybe the same goes for a Valium or 2 with the parents **or just mother**

Johanna... this Opana, is the stenghth similar to an percocet 10/325 or more so like an Oxy-contin 40mg? I and sure alot of others here like the idea of no extra acetominophen **bad for the liver** one could always take a tyelenol if need be. Hope you had a relaxing and rejuvenating message

Hope & Red... always a pleasure having the 2 of you pass through

DiMarie... carrying this over from another thread, I just wanted to tell you I hope you are able to enjoy your family gathering with the love and support of those whom are close to you!

Goober is starting to pace back and forth and I can feel him, I wasnt able to take my am Oxy and I do not report to the hospital till 9:30 surgery is supposed to be @10:00... I have a feeling I will not be in before noon and Goober will be screaming, though Mr/Ms anesthesia may be able to quell Goober in the mean time!

Oh well did way to much typing and do feel each and every key stroke... I wish each and eveyone a good pain free day Mark~n~Goober

send all the good vibes I have to Mark and I hope that the surgeon is in a good form!!!! ALL THE BEST WISHES FROM ME!!!!
Have you already thought about selling Goober on ebay - maybe someone is interested in a second-hand Goober????

I still have troubles with my shoulder but in 7 days I will go to the rehab-center and I hope to find relief there.

Wish a very good day to all!
Barbara

Hi Mark,

Best of luck and I hope that you will be able to tame goober!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No pain no gain as seen in another post!!!!!!!

love and hugs,
Victoria

Hi Ya'll,
I have a lot of concern over the fact that people are feeling judged here. I have said it before in a previous post to which I felt was harsh and judging.... Check the judgment at the door this is a support forum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today I pray for the peace and sanity for all to be able to support each other with our thoughts and experiences and allow all to express their thoughts......and take them with a grain of salt if they are felt as judging.....we are all human yes, but we are not always understanding what may be asked with a question and of course tone of voice and concern can't be conveyed except by words.....and they have the ability to be misunderstood or misinterpreted.

Love to all and peace to all

Victoria

OK, I asked the pahrmacist about this when it was first prescribed. I am calibrated in Vicodin equivalents because that's what I started on. Opana is a ~12 hour long release medication, vicodin is of course a short acting med ~4hours for me (your metabolism can make it different for you!)

I am usign these as a base- but I think both percocet and vicodin come in different strengths, so check yours.

vicodin= hydrocodone 5mg/tylenol 500mg
percocet=5 mg oxycodone/325mg tylenol
Opana ER= 10mg oxymorphone


1 10mg Opana ER = ~4 vicodin over 12 hours (or 20mg hydrocodone)

1 10mg Opana ER= ~3 percocet over 12 hours (or 15mg oxycodone )

I am not as sure about the percocet, as I only asked the pharmacist directly about the vicodin. I also don't really know anything about oxycontin as I have never been on it.

The opana is a lot easier on my stomach and my bowels than taking the equivalent vicodin. Also, since it is a different kind of opiate, a person may react differently to it than to hydrocodone or oxycodone as in vicodin or percocet.


** disclaimer: I am pretty sure about this, but I am just an engineer- not a pharmacist ask your doctor for more info!!!**

I am just suggesting that using opana in place of a short acting medicine, if you are taking it regularly, is a lot easier on me in terms of rememebring to take it and in the way it hits my system (much smoother delivery on the long acting med)

as always- you have to do what works for you, but i have found that many doctors are not familiar with Opana because it is new. The fact that Dr Jordan likes it so much is meaningful to me because I really trust his judgement. So I offer it just as something that people may not know is out there for them.

have a great afternoon...off to the chiro.

Johanna

PS, Opana ER also comes in 5mg and 20mg strengths. I was taking 20's 2x a day right after surgery, but now I take a 10 mg 1 or 2x/day depending on how bad i feel.

Hi guys,

Check this site out and see if you can plug your meds in to see what it would be in other meds.......
http://www.medcalc.com/narcotics.html

Take care
love and hugs,
Victoria

I'm thinking of Mark and hope old Goober has taken a hike. phoebe