Re: out of oxycodone

[Guest guest]

It can be scary to run out of meds. I am in a bad spot myself because I lost

insurance and have not yet been approved for disability.

Just breathe, meditate and do the best that you can.

It will pass. Good that you know your limits and are keeping yourself

distracted. Yes, by all means check in. That's how we help one another.

Ellen in TN

> Kitty wrote:

> No withdrawals as I did it, but today I have none and am sort of scared.

Scared of the pain and scared of the withdrawal.

[Guest guest]

> Kitty wrote:

> Recently saw my Primary Care who gave me a hard time about the oxycodone and

Gabapentin I take (prescribed by my physiatrist).

Kitty,

Gabapentin is known for giving " memory fog " and the look like hell remarks and I

just got some same remarks from my Sister which I didn't like as she is a drunk

and doesn't look so good .

She mentioned I bend over and don't stand up straight , well when I am tired and

I had just drove six to seven hours to get there and it was midnight what is

expected .

Don't listen to those remarks and put lots of make up on the next time you go.

Look at the side effects for Gabapentin and maybe that is what needs to be

tapered or addressed, not oxycodone especially if you have taken that for

awhile. Good Luck. Bennie

[Guest guest]

I can relate well to your dilemma but I don't believe you must taper off one

painkiller before starting another. I know I couldn't tolerate it. The other

thing I have to say because of my own recent experience is you may want to have

additional tests done. I have redone the EMG and had bloodwork done.

Surprisingly the bloodwork showed vitamin b deficiencies especially no vitamin B

3 at all. I also had excessive zinc. Both of those findings might explain my

increasing pain alone and together as well.

Add onto those findings the worsening herniated discs, the spinal stenosis, the

moderate to severe osteoarthrritis at every disc level and it all seems

perfectly understandable that my pain level has shot off the charts. My

neurologist started me on B12 shots and I am taking vitamin b supplements in

megadoses along with vitamin C.if these deficiencies are of any significance I

should have nerve regrowth and some lessening of pain in 3 months according to

the neurologist as that is how long it takes for nerves to regenerate.

The EMG was awful but showed peripheral neuropathy so I have a more medical

diagnosis.

I had been previously told I had fibromyalgia but that diagnosis is questionable

now. I think it was also a relief for my neurologist who seemed more

understanding about the pain level and prescribing vicodin along with Tramadol

and amitryptiline. I hate that I have all these terrible things but it's more

measurable and tangible and that is a positive. There is even some hope of

improvement if the vitamin deficiencies are dealt with and the nerves

regenerate.

a

> Kitty wrote:

> so we decreased my oxycodone with the intent of starting a slow taper to the

lowest point possible. Well, I couldn't stick to the new dosage and ran out 4

days early. Basically, when I knew I couldn't make it to the end of the month I

tapered very fast.

[Guest guest]

Strange thing about fibromyalgia is that I have to change my meds every 6 months

or so. Just changed my pain meds from demeral to oxycodone. I take the

Gabapetin too, but they give it to me for nerve problems some of which I am sure

comes from the Fibromyalghia.

Sleep? Yeah, well, they gave me some meds for my restless leg syndrome so if I

take that soma and a nerve pill and a headache pill. With that combination of

meds I can usually get some sleep.

It is a very hard life to live like this. When I remember being able to not

only walk anywhere I wanted to but I could ride a bike as well. I cannot walk

further than like four blocks now without my legs hurting so bad I have to sit

down.

[Guest guest]

Neurontin (gabapentin) causes memory, and other cognitive problems,

oxycodone rarely causes cognitive problems in chronic pain patients.

Neurontin, on the other hand, will take an a genius IQ and bring it

down to about 50 (at doses as low as 400-500mg per day).

My doctor always INCREASED my opioids when I looked like hell. Looking

like hell is usually a sign of being under medicated.

Chronic pain patients do not respond to opioids the same way as

non-pain patients or even acute pain patients. I would bet anything

that you would feel better with less gabapentin and more oxycodone.

Most side effects (except constipation) caused by opioids wear off as

you develop tolerance (most take a couple of days, but some take as

long as a week).

It doesn't seem like your doctor is very knowledgeable.

If I may ask, what doses of oxycodone and gabapentin were you on?

Steve M in PA

> Kitty wrote:

> Recently saw my Primary Care who gave me a hard time about the

oxycodone and Gabapentin I take (prescribed by my physiatrist). She

told me I looked like hell (I barely sleep, duh!) and wasn't as

sharp/aware as I used to be.

[Guest guest]

Hi Will,

 

I also have painful leg problems, and they are just getting worse.  I was

wondering, if I may, what does your doctor prescribe you for your restless

legs?  I have sciatica, radiculapathy, spinal stenosis, bulging and slipped

disks, all lumbar so far.  No surgeries or injections. Oregon insurance won't

pay for it.

 

I am trying to find new ideas for pain relief.

 

Thank you for any suggestions or ideas,

 

Take care, Coleen  

 

ps.  It is very hard to live like this.  I used to love to walk, hike, ride my

bicycle, even stand in the kitchen for hours and cook.  Not any more.

> wrote:

>Strange thing about fibromyalgia is that I have to change my meds every 6

months or so.  Just changed my pain meds from demeral to oxycodone.  I take the

Gabapetin too, but they give it to me for nerve problems some of which I am sure

comes from the Fibromyalgia.

[Guest guest]

I have been on oxycodone for about 5 yrs. I have some of the side effects you

describe. Over time they disappeared. I have trouble sleeping sometimes. Your

trouble sleeping may have nothing to do with the codone which usually makes you

tired. You should consider other causes also.

if you are having alot of pain and the oxy works consider staying on it. If you

are dealing with high pain levels you are not going to be able to rest!

You could also talk to the doc about lowering the oxy by adding a nonopid pain

med like tramadol.

Huge gentle hugs, tami <smile>

> Kitty wrote:

> I'd recently become aware of some serious memory losses and had been

considering how I could change my meds. When I saw my physiatrist later that

week I told her about the fuzzy head and memory problem so we decreased my

oxycodone with the intent of starting a slow taper to the lowest point possible.

[Guest guest]

All,

There are equilivancy dosages that relate to all opiates and I have never heard

of a Doctor tapering to start another medication. Because of tolerance to one

medications, pain management doctors rotate medications when they are not

effective anymore. " Medication Hoidays " are done so that when you take a

medication, supposedly you experience a more effective effect when you go back

on the opoids. Many members here do that but it seems the Doctor has not

explained that.

It is very common to have a Vitamin D 3 deficiency and Vitamin D depends on

other Vitamins for absorption especially Vitamin B12, Magnesium, Calcium and

Phosphorus. Your zinc is excessive because your other vitamins are low. I

remember a very smart Doctor I had that told me that I had a high white count

because the problem is my low blood count and we treated my anemia and my high

white count was no longer high.

Many research articles state that Vitamin D helps pain to decrease. It is

important to have all your vitamins tested along with your intrinsic factor

because the intrinsic factor tells what you can absorb and if you have an

absorption problem.

This website http://pain-topics.org/clinical_concepts/vitamind.php is just one

that supports this. I am glad your Doctor is addressing this. When I had my

thyroid taken out, I had zero amount also and my ENT doctor said if your lips go

numb, you are deficient and I have that and know that.

Research states that these vitamins help bone pain, arthritis, back and hip

pain, fibromylagia and other disorders (MS to be one) and builds the immune

system. I know that B12 is hard to absorb and shots are the way to go and

sublingual that you can buy in the health food store. My Doctor let me give my

own B12 shots and you have reminded me to get mine checked as one article stated

that canker sores are a sign of B12 deficiency and I have had recurrent

occurrences of those. I hope you get better and you have encouraged others to

make sure your vitamin levels are checked.

The Survival Guide for the Intractable Pain Patient by Dr. Forest Tenent which

can be downloaded from paintopics.org or by itself talks about how to titer and

rotate opoids (painkillers) and the importance of vitamins and other

supplements. It is an important guide for any pain patient to read and eye

opening. Good Luck. Bennie

[Guest guest]

> wrote:

> Strange thing about fibromyalgia is that I have to change my meds every 6

months or so.

> Sleep? Yeah, well, they gave me some meds for my restless leg syndrome so if I

take that soma and a nerve pill and a headache pill. With that combination of

meds I can usually get some sleep.

,

It has been found that the most important aspect of helping fibromylagia is

getting sleep as the REM sleep (the deep sleep) restores us and helps with

fibromylagia. Most patients with fibromylagia have sleep problems and I

encourage any one with it to get a sleep study and you will be so surprised the

amount of tossing and running you do in the night time. The Elavil

(amitriptiline) was first given and still given to assist with sleep and

fibromyalgia.

It has been called myostosis in the past

Following is Job’s vivid description of his physical anguish: “I, too, have been

assigned months of futility, long and weary nights of misery. When I go to bed,

I think, `When will it be morning?' But the night drags on, and I toss till

dawn…And now my heart is broken. Depression haunts my days. My weary nights are

filled with pain as though something were relentlessly gnawing at my bones.”

(Job 7:3-4; 30:16-17 - NLT)

Another well-known person who reported fibromyalgia-like symptoms was Florence

Nightingale, an English army nurse during the Crimean War (1854-1856) who was a

pioneer in the International Red Cross Movement. Nightingale became ill while

working on the front lines and never really recovered. She was virtually

bedridden much of the rest of her life with pain and fatigue resembling

fibromyalgia until her death in 1910.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com/od/fibromyalgia/p/historyfm.htm and

http://thyroid.about.com/cs/fibromyalgiacfs/a/fibrothyroid.htm discusses the

effect of the thyroid function and fibromylagia.

Wow, what an incident I was diagnosed with Hashimoto Disease of my thyroid being

attacking itself.

I did not get any of these disorders until I had immune problems with problems

with ruptures of my breast implants (four sets!) I had these done due to a

deformity and I share this from a medical perspective. I got symptoms of

connective tissue disease which I was diagnosed with and I demanded them to be

taken out and my Doctor refused but finally did with legal threat.

I had starting getting Reynard's symptoms and fibromylagia symptoms and I

recently read an exert from a supplement which I did not copy but wanted to

share the explanation which I believe all pain patients need to address also :

Our immune system condition. The article states:

Auto immunity is the root cause of a huge majority of diseases and

disorders such as :

• When Autoimmunity attacks the thyroid gland, the industry terms used are:

" Hashimoto's Thyroiditis " and " Grave's Disease. "

• When Autoimmunity attacks the layers of the skin, common industry terms often

used are: " Eczema, " cea, " " dermatitis and " Psoriasis. "

• When Autoimmunity attacks the colon, the industry terms often used are:

" Diverticulitis, " Diverticulosis, " Ulcerative Colitis, " and " Proctitis. "

• When Autoimmunity attacks the joints, the industry term used is " Arthritis. "

• When Autoimmunity attacks the muscles, the industry term used is

" Fibromyalgia. "

• When Autoimmunity attacks the pancreas, the industry term used is " Diabetes "

• When Autoimmunity attacks the tear ducts of the eye, and/or the saliva glands

of the mouth, the industry term used is " Sjogren's Syndrome. "

• When Autoimmunity attacks the small intestinal tract, the industry terms

often used are: " Crohn's Disease, " " Celiac Disease, " " Leaky Gut Syndrome, " and

" Chronic Fatigue Syndrome "

• When Autoimmunity attacks the stomach and digestive environment in general,

the industry terms used to define the resulting consequences are: " Gastritis, "

" Ulcers, " " Irritable Bowel Syndrome, " " Acid Reflux, " " GERD, " " Hiatal Hernia, "

and " Barrett's Esophagus. "

• When Autoimmunity attacks multiple areas of the body simultaneously, industry

terms also exist identifying the particular combinations of the assault, such as

" Lupus, " where we commonly witness the attack hitting the joints, skin, kidneys,

blood cells, heart, and lungs.

So as pain patients we have to be advocates for ourselves and with vitamin

deficiencies, immune support problems, and monitoring medication therapy, we

must take care of our bodies so it can take care of ourselves. So I have to get

out of the bed and make the appointment with the immunologist again as I missed

the first one and take it seriously and it is so hard when you feel bad.

The body is a whole body and pain is my partner, unwanted, but I must

take care of it. Restless leg syndrome that I have I take caltrate (calcium and

magnisium) and it helps so I wonder if there is a deficiency there? Well, I

have rambled but wanted to share the weird things I found about fibromyalgia and

other disorders. Bennie

[Guest guest]

Hi Bennie,

I want to thank you for that wealth of knowledge that you have taken the time to

share.

I have read on some medical reports about my auto immune deficiencies. Now I

have to go back and check it out when I feel better.

It is so true. Another thing I have a problem with is my right tear duct. I

really don't know what to do about it. Many years ago I went to a doctor and he

had me lie back in this patients chair and he tried putting some skinny wire or

? down my tear duct but it would not go.  He put it down my left tear duct and

it went just fine.  He said the right side was closed. He said surgery might

help. Has anyone else Ever had this happen to them before? I can't wear eye make

up because my right side ends up smearing somehow. You reminded me of that

Bennie when you were talking about tear duct problems and our auto immune

system. I probably can't do a thing about it as it has been like over 10 years

that I even saw this doctor. I would try to fix it if I could though.  First of

all I would like to wear a little make up, I feel low enough as it is and I want

to get my hair done somehow but that is hard also as I have to sit for awhile in

the beauticians chair.  I have sort of thin, greying, med. brown hair. It is

greying nicely I might add. gotta be happy about something. I wanted a perm

and there is a hair salon that I found that is very reasonable.

Thank you again Bennie, it is good to be back

gentle hugs, Coleen

ps. Take care and hang in there.

> Bennie wrote:

> I recently read an exert from a supplement which I did not copy but wanted to

share the explanation which I believe all pain patients need to address also :

Our immune system condition.

[Guest guest]

Wow that is a lot of good info.

Ok #1-Elavil  I cant take it I tried twice an it put me out for two days

straight to where I couldn't function at all so can't take that.

#2 I love what you said or listed about Autoimmunity, Fms and everything else

that comes with it is so hard for others to understand but that is a pretty good

listing of what goes on not to say everyone suffers all of what you listed but

it is usually things that no one can see that we suffer from and it depresses us

because we are treated like scam artist who are out to get free meds or such

instead of the real truth that we are in so much pain sometimes we can't take a

shower or even sit at a dinner table to eat.

Anyway thanks for the info.

[Guest guest]

Bennie,

 

I was told that I am low on Vitamin D also, along with the vitamins that help

you absorb the Vitamin D.

I was taking Walmart's generic 50+ vitamins every evening with my dinner but

have not done so lately.  I am not sure I am absorbing those big pills.  I also

take Methocarbamol (soma) about every 6 hours for muscle spasms.  That

prescription also helps me sleep.  I also take Benedryl to help me sleep.

 

Thanks again for your input, I will see what works for me. 

 

Is it better to take vitamins in pill form or is there another form that our

bodies will actually absorb better?  Just wondering

 

For now, Coleen  

> Bennie wrote:

> It is very common to have a Vitamin D 3 deficiency and Vitamin D depends on

other Vitamins for absorption especially Vitamin B12, Magnesium, Calcium and

Phosphorus.

[Guest guest]

Tami wrote:

> I have been on oxycodone for about 5 yrs. I have some of the side effects you

describe. Over time they disappeared. I have trouble sleeping sometimes. Your

trouble sleeping may have nothing to do with the codone which usually makes you

tired. You should consider other causes also.

>> Kitty wrote:

>> I'd recently become aware of some serious memory losses and had been

considering how I could change my meds. When I saw my physiatrist later that

week I told her about the fuzzy head and memory problem so we decreased my

oxycodone with the intent of starting a slow taper to the lowest point possible.

All,

The Neurotin (gabapentin) is more likely to have caused these problems are they

are common with it and lowering the dosage of something that helps you pain is

not good.

Keep the pain dairy and show what is helping and what is not and your issues so

he can have a documention of problems and ask to put it in your records.

It is amazing how Doctors address your issues when you bring a summary of your

issues written in a format they use every day. Bennie

[Guest guest]

That sounds like me sometimes.

I end up hurting more when I tolerate it most of the time. And I never

understood that. If my head explodes or my shoulders hurt I endure it until I

can't stand it anymore.

I am waiting on a pain clinic to let me know what to do, make an appt or find

another place. They are just hard to find around here.

G

> Now that is one of the best questions ever ' Will I ever get to that point of

being pain free?'

[Guest guest]

Our insurance pays for my migraine medication at $50.00 for 90 pills (after

500.00 ded is made per person) of Zomig when they are a 50.00 a pill, only due

to how the doctor wrote the script. I know better though in how to take them,

they just last me longer. If it isn't the zomig it is my Xolair shots of 1500.00

a vial for allergies and asthma.

> Steve M in PA wrote:

>I can't believe your insurance refuses to pay for generic oxycodone. My

insurance pays $50/month for 150 30mg pills. Oxycodone isn't as cheap as

methadone, but it is still relatively inexpensive.