The doc took me off of Methadone about 4 weeks ago (from ox) and I notice good and bad results. The good is that I can go to the bathroom. Good, I sleep a little more often.

Lots of bad dreams though. Lot of Anaconda dreams. The Meth folks I've met seem to run the gamut and are quiet and don't seem to be partiers, where as some oxy heads I found questionable...

The pain is almost but not quite the same. I have MORE pain now. It comes on and off slower, so I can try to meditate it better since it's not so fast.

I have really icky scary MINI dreams. They must take place within a second, but they're so complete and detailed. It's horrifying. Sometimes I am not sure what's real or not real.

I am going to ask him about Opana ER and ask if that would have less of these frightening effects, and I am completely bedridden... Because I'm out of it my insurance co. and attorney are making some mistakes, but I just don't have the ability to couter act their failures to respond...I HATE THIS.

I mean to write an "up" New Year's hopeful resolution, but maybe I need to get into the doc and ask for help.

I think you should call and ask about a med change - icky dreams are not fun at all.

You have been on some heavy duty meds
Cyn has not been on heavy meds as some of you.
My system doesnt tolerate it

I dont think Opana ER will do much for you considering the types of meds and strengths you have been on.

My 12th day in bed and the Opana took me out of the intense pain thanks to Dr. Jordan.
However, I'm still sleeping all day due to being drugged out
I still feel CRPS symptoms but not nearly as bad

He suggested Lyrica and Cymbalta and I balked
THANK YOU but cant you just give me a morphine shot every 3 hours?

Tam- i'm sorry about the dreams.... sleep is hard enough to come by, God knows you don't need to have it marred by nightmares. Its weird- the last 2 weeks or so, i've had some really strange, frightening, vivid dreams too. I hope that you feel a little better soon! At least the pain comes on a little more slowly.... i think i prefer that to getting blindsided by it. lesser of 2 evils, i suppose.

Cyn,

please beware of Lyrica and Cymbalta. Those are the two that really impacted my health for the worse - the Lyrica put my into diabetes (normal 85 blood sugar for my entire life and then 400 - 500 blood sugar within three months.) (And the work comp docs didn't even notice, as my eyesight was going, I was so sick, and then I saw the blood test, as I get all of my tests for my records, and then I had to keep waiting for the non-work-comp insurance to pick up treatment for diabetes. It wasn't until I'd gone to ER several times that non-work-comp finally got their act going. I STILL have diabetes and although I've gotten my blood sugar and diet down perfectly, I have tried several times to go off of diabetes meds, which cause weight gain, and can't stay off of them. I am so mad about the Lyrica, as you can see.)

Cymbalta, even though it seems to help Momz, did NOTHING for me. Also, Cymbalta is actually an antidepressant, and should not have an immediate "by one pill" effect, but rather you have to take it for several weeks (or more) for the effect to build up as a result of having a certain level in your system. If you go into a deep search on either of these drugs, and my pharmacist assisted me in this, Cymbalta does create weight gain, (although many antidepressants cause an initial weight loss, after several months this will reverse, and weight gain is the ultimate result.) Lyrica is known to interfere with blood sugar - they do not go as far as to admit that they cause diabetes. But "interfere with blood sugar" is a horrible statement for the company to admit, when it is prescribed to diabetics with nerve damage!!! I am shocked frankly that this goes on.

P.S. What I meant by the "partier" phrase is that methadone is not known for it's "off use" by selling it on the black market to party, whereas people do sell the oxy for use in partying. I don't understand it, as I NEVER got high on my oxy - the pain receptors were always so overloaded with the pain that I never got a "fun" or "party" effect from either of these drugs.

As for whether Opana ER is effective after one has used oxy or methadone, I don't think it matters. I think that "tricking the brain" is the key, by using something new, to try to fight the nerve damage pain reaction. The pain management doctors do discuss this - so it isn't so much that one is "higher" on the pain killing level, as much as it is a different formulation and may be effective simply because the brain is used to one drug or another.

In comparing Methadone to Oxy, I can say that with Oxy I felt more in command of my mind, and didn't actually ever feel high. (Topomax was another story! That stuff scrambles the brain I think.) But with Oxy, I felt more difficulties with digestion, bladder and kidney.

With Methadone, my skin is worse, I have these terrible dreams, but the good side is easier digestion and much less impact on bladder and kidneys.

I am not exactly comfortable sharing all of this information about these meds, but I know so many of us have to resort to pain control via meds, so I try to share what I learn. I'd really like to learn more about Opana ER, as I've heard of three people now on it, but not really any comparison.

I'd also like to be able to get Fentanyl for night relief, but so far the doctor refuses...

The next step he wants is a spinal stimulator, so now I've got to research that before I go further.

Hi Tam,

I believe that those who get 'high' on Oxycontin are chewing it in large does. Absolutely insane behavior. Methadone, I have never tried and don't care to unless nothing else was available.

After a few years of trying different pain meds, including Oxy, (which I could not tolerate), my Doc started me on low doses of Kadian. Kadian is a form of morphine in a time-release form. Over time it has been increased, but not really too much.

I found it to be a great option. It does cause some drowsiness and I do not dare think of driving or anything requiring coordination for at least 2 hours after consumption (Once at bedtime and once mid-day. Actually, I feel pretty good, but my husband can always tell when I have taken it. He says I slur my words a bit and seem unfocused...but I FEEL fine!

Anyway, I don't believe it impacts weight, my Neurontin does that, but in the end it's worth the trade off.

I am very concerned about your depression and of course THAT can cause many physical problems that you may not be aware of. Even though your brother had issues with Seroquel, I have found it to be a godsend and it works FAST! Might be worth a try.

I do hope you find the 'right' combination for you this year. It took me about five or six years to find a mix that I can live with and function reasonably...considering.

I have heard a lot of complaints from patients who have tried the spinal stimulator, but again, everyone is different. Consider asking about Kadian and Seroquel. I am VERY sensitive to medications, so they might be helpful to you as well.

Anne

Hi Tam, i dont know if you remember me or not but you helped me out a few years ago. I had my surgery in March 2005 and am getting along pretty well. I wanted to share with you what I did as far as meds go - I don't like the way oxy makes me feel and have a very low tolerance to that kind of stuff, so I started taking 2 advil liquid gels and a half oxy 3 times a day. Sometimes I take a whole oxy with the advil(depending on the pain level). I have found this does the trick for me. I spoke with a Dr. who runs a pain clinic in San Diego and told her what I was doing and she said that's what she tries to get people to try because the advil is an anti-inflamatory and the oxy kicks in from there. I don't know if this will help you, but you never know what is going to work until you try it. I hope you find the right mixture for your pain and can get back to your old self again.

Bev