I will be going off Oxycontin soon.

I would be interested in knowing what other pain meds ARE on the list that you would have to choose from. The slower the taper the better...I see ALOT of people posting on here with the same fear as you, and I wish I could do something to ease the pain from it, but the fact is if you really want off..it won't be easy and it is going to take some hard work, but it is possible. If your new benefit plan will cover Suboxone, then I would consider doing that for sure....but only on a short term basis to detox. I hope that it works out for you! I wish you well!

I just checked the Formulary. Suboxone is not covered, nor is methadone. *Sigh*. I may have to ask my doctor about doing an in-house treatment or something for this. I can't be monkeying around. I have issues above and beyond that are serious and may be seriously affected by a sudden abrupt withdrawal. I have a blood clot in my brain that was found on an MRI in 2001. Stems from a blood clotting disorder I had from birth, but nobody knew about until 1994 when it was discovered. I am on warfarin for life. I was just diagnosed with hypertension on March 5 and am on 4 new blood pressure/diuretic meds to try to get that stabilized. I am waiting to get my gall bladder removed, but am controlling the pain by diet and not eating fatty foods etc, but that system is sensitive. I am also low thyroid since about a year ago. I have a disease called Pseudotumor Cerebri which I was dx'd on Nov 2, 2001. It mimics all symptoms of having a brain tumor without actually having one, but I do have a blood clot lodged in my brain...causing back up of cerebrospinal fluid. My CSF (spinal fluid) does not absorb naturally in the body, and has nowhere to go, so it builds up pressure in my brain and on my optic nerve causing the worst headaches one can imagine, and lumbar back pain. (that's what I use the Oxycontin for). The only relief and only way to get Spinal fluid off a person's brain is by spinal tap. Because I have a blood clotting disorder as well, it's very risky...risk of infection. SO bla bla bla bla yada yada. I have a lot going on medically, and I have been managing it for 10 years. (The Psuedotumor stuff) the high blood pressure is new..it was 240/143 on March 5. It wouldn't go down, I was in the hospital for 4 days, they discharged me when it was 180/100. Still high, but started me on a cocktail of meds and I now take my BP at home daily on a cuff I got myself. It's now down to the 133/88 range. Much much better, not the stroke range like before!!



I just know though, that starting the withdrawal of oxycontin is going to mess with all my disorders and it's gonna go haywire, and I am scared to do it alone without help. I mean, I know I need SOMETHING for pain....but the withdrawal symptoms scare me more than the thought of the pain.



The list has the following that are covered, but I have been on them all except DILAUDID. That is what he is starting me on May 9.



Percocet, Darvocet, Tramacet, Demerol, Morphine (in all forms), Fentanyl patches. those are all covered by the formulary, but they do not work for me, at all. I hope Dilaudid works.



Can you think of any other pain med that I have not mentioned?



Thanks so much for your encouragement. Sincerely scared about this looming withdrawal. Bad timing too, company coming from Western Canada, my cousin and her 2 little girls and I will be 2 days into the withdrawal when she gets to town. There will be many family gatherings and barbecues while she is here with everybody...i hope I am not too sick to take part!

AnnieD70 wrote:

Opiatefreeme wrote:

I would be interested in knowing what other pain meds ARE on the list that you would have to choose from. The slower the taper the better...I see ALOT of people posting on here with the same fear as you, and I wish I could do something to ease the pain from it, but the fact is if you really want off..it won't be easy and it is going to take some hard work, but it is possible. If your new benefit plan will cover Suboxone, then I would consider doing that for sure....but only on a short term basis to detox. I hope that it works out for you! I wish you well!

I just checked the Formulary. Suboxone is not covered, nor is methadone. *Sigh*. I may have to ask my doctor about doing an in-house treatment or something for this. I can't be monkeying around. I have issues above and beyond that are serious and may be seriously affected by a sudden abrupt withdrawal. I have a blood clot in my brain that was found on an MRI in 2001. Stems from a blood clotting disorder I had from birth, but nobody knew about until 1994 when it was discovered. I am on warfarin for life. I was just diagnosed with hypertension on March 5 and am on 4 new blood pressure/diuretic meds to try to get that stabilized. I am waiting to get my gall bladder removed, but am controlling the pain by diet and not eating fatty foods etc, but that system is sensitive. I am also low thyroid since about a year ago. I have a disease called Pseudotumor Cerebri which I was dx'd on Nov 2, 2001. It mimics all symptoms of having a brain tumor without actually having one, but I do have a blood clot lodged in my brain...causing back up of cerebrospinal fluid. My CSF (spinal fluid) does not absorb naturally in the body, and has nowhere to go, so it builds up pressure in my brain and on my optic nerve causing the worst headaches one can imagine, and lumbar back pain. (that's what I use the Oxycontin for). The only relief and only way to get Spinal fluid off a person's brain is by spinal tap. Because I have a blood clotting disorder as well, it's very risky...risk of infection. SO bla bla bla bla yada yada. I have a lot going on medically, and I have been managing it for 10 years. (The Psuedotumor stuff) the high blood pressure is new..it was 240/143 on March 5. It wouldn't go down, I was in the hospital for 4 days, they discharged me when it was 180/100. Still high, but started me on a cocktail of meds and I now take my BP at home daily on a cuff I got myself. It's now down to the 133/88 range. Much much better, not the stroke range like before!!

I just know though, that starting the withdrawal of oxycontin is going to mess with all my disorders and it's gonna go haywire, and I am scared to do it alone without help. I mean, I know I need SOMETHING for pain....but the withdrawal symptoms scare me more than the thought of the pain.

The list has the following that are covered, but I have been on them all except DILAUDID. That is what he is starting me on May 9.

Percocet, Darvocet, Tramacet, Demerol, Morphine (in all forms), Fentanyl patches. those are all covered by the formulary, but they do not work for me, at all. I hope Dilaudid works.

Can you think of any other pain med that I have not mentioned?

Thanks so much for your encouragement. Sincerely scared about this looming withdrawal. Bad timing too, company coming from Western Canada, my cousin and her 2 little girls and I will be 2 days into the withdrawal when she gets to town. There will be many family gatherings and barbecues while she is here with everybody...i hope I am not too sick to take part!

Wow, has the doc ever suggested a "shunt" to run from your brain to your stomach to drain the excess fluid? As for the pain meds...the dilaudid is very good pain medicine and widely abused so just be careful on who you tell that you have them, I was on them for about a year after my retro-peritoneal abscesses, and I was also on methadone and duragesic..I took the dilaudid for any breakthrough pain, and it worked very effectively! My pharmacy delivered my meds at the time as I was not able to get around..I was signing the paper for my meds and it was windy outside and part of my paperwork went flying...well, a neighbors buddy chased it and got it, but being nosey read it and realized that I was just delivered 10-100mcg Duragesics, 90 methadone (40mgs) and 100-8mg Dilaudids. He tried everything to distract me and to get to my prescriptions, but I always lock them up, so even that didn't stop him from begging and trying to bribe me..So, I guess what I am saying is that it is a good pain med, take it as prescribed and simply be careful! I hope it works out well, keep us informed! Theresa

AnnieD70 wrote:

HI Annie I am Methedone reciept for about three years now. It is cheaper than suboxone and kills the pain. my Blue cross covered it as well Ontario works covers it. I also take clonidine and seroquil. I sweat profusely so the clonidine helps with that issue as well as my high blood pressure. My husband and I split up and I could not sleep for a few days and was very upset for months. My dr prescibed my the seroquil for nerves and to sleep. I am able to take 30 mg of this pill and i take 10ml and sleep beautifully almost too good yet other I know take 100mg of this 3 times a day and walk around normal on these. Anyhow Anne  ***this post is edited by moderator *** ***
private e-mails not allowed*** Please read our Terms of Use I am a 35 yr old mother who works full time and was very hesitant to go from percocets and oxy's to the methedone program. : ) good luck

I can't believe how many people here in Ontario are in the same or very similar situations as I am.  I was told today that I'm being taken off the oxyneo because of a reaction I had (which was actually to ativan, not oxyneo, so try to figure out the doc's logic on that one! I'm still trying.)  It has been the only medication that has allowed me to function somewhat normally.  Although I'm often still in a lot of pain, the oxyneo reduces the pain to an average of maybe 7 or 8/10 rather than the 10/10 that it is without it.  Like you AnnieD70, I've never shoved the c**p up my nose or in my arm or anything like that, but I have had a few instances where I've run out for a couple days from taking a few extra or taking them a little closer together for times where I have more pain than usual. The withdrawal is hell!  Up until last November I was also on seroquel for insomnia and I found it didn't help with the withdrawal symptoms at all!  Not to mention the dry mouth and the unbelievable grogginess the following day.  I have not tried clonidine or suboxone and my doctor has suggested I try methadone.  Anyone who has gone with this method, I would love to hear your thoughts and/or experiences with it.  I am absolutely terrified about the withdrawal and the prospect of how much pain I'm going to be in without the oxyneo.  I'm also sick to death of being treated like a criminal simply because I'm on this medication. Did I ask to be in excruciating pain? I think not!  It's really sad that our health care system is set up so that those without money are forced to suffer like this.  And if I hear one more doctor tell me that long-term use of prescription narcotics is actually what is causing pain, I swear I will slap them!  So tired of hearing about "pain receptors in the brain" or "opioid tolerance" or  "psychological or physical dependence" blah blah blah.  I had the pain for 12 years before I ever took a single medication for it, so try again! The problem is that all these people who buy it off the streets or scam it out of their doctors to knowingly abuse have caused the government to regulate these medications so closely that people who have chronic, debilitating pain and truly need these are all lumped in with the rest and doctors are being told to get their patients off narcotics altogether and we no longer have control of our own bodies.  I think I know my own body better than some government official or doctor covering their own ass!  Well, good luck to the rest of you and please feel free to comment on anything I've said.  Would love to hear what you all think.

I had an alergic reaction to the new oxcy. It was way not good. I finally had to get off of them and I had been taking them since they first came out until the new ones came out. It was not easy at all but the first two days were the worst. By the third day I started to calm down. By the 4th and 5th day all I had was a total lack of energy and sleep deprivation. It took a couple of weeks for me to get my sleep patern back to normal. Saboxone is a great way to get off them. I have had several friends use it and they had no withdrawal at all. Just don't let them keep you on it. They said they took one the first day and one the 3rd day and it was over. Be careful because saboxone is extremely addicting as well.

I don't think all of you will have to worry about addiction.  You are all on incredibly powerful opioids ie (Hydromorphone, methadone, fentanyl, oxycodone)  You have tolerance and dependance of these drugs due to the simple fact that you medically need them for severe chronic pain.  Without a doubt, you will all be dependent on these med's no matter what.  You're in it for the long run.  I just wish you all the best of luck in being able to have the best quality of life you can.  Just a little insight, the difference with "Addiction" is different than "dependance" with addiction the person is taking the medicine to achieve a high(they are also dependent as well).  You may be dependent on them, which comes with the whole opioid deal, but you are not addicts.  If you ever need to cut down on your dose or stop taking your med's, I'd suggest do so very very slowly and with the help of a doctor.  Best of luck you guys! :)

Baclofen 10mg 3x daily got me through the hell of withdrawals.