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Why isn't this Oxycontin working!?

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Posted 11/7/2009 4:27 AM (GMT 0)
I have severe pain in my back from an existing condition that suffered a new injury on top of it about 1 month ago. I am miserable. I was taking small dose of Vicodin for about 2 years but Doc became concerned when my pain increased to such an extent that the Vicodin was no longer effective. I am PRAYING for surgery after I get my next MRI in a few days but, he temporarily gave my Oxy. 10. 1-2 every 12 hours. 1 did NOTHING. I tried 2 but, it makes me a bit too dizzy if I even consider more than that. It just does not work. I am in AGONY. Feels like a broken bone that won't heal. I thought OXY was this amazing pain killer. Has anyone else experienced this with Oxycontin? I was so hoping it would help. In the mean time, I am just in AGONY. Any suggestions?
Posted 11/7/2009 4:44 AM (GMT 0)
Hi im Wv.girl,It seems your in alot of pain.My Pm Dr gives me oxy 30 mg.But i also have a pain pump.I have four herniated disc in Thorasic area.Plus just had Lung surgery on my left Lung.I had breast Cancer in 2008 .Had a mastectomy on left breast.Then just a few months ago found cancer in my left lung.I am having medicine changed in pump next week.I have Dauladid in pump.Its making my ankles and feet and hands and stomach swell. So my Pm dr is going to change the medicine.Do you have a pain pump?You should talk to your pain management dr.he will know what to give you.I know its frustrating.I have been constapated cant get rid of it either.I guesss thats cause of pain medicine. Hope you find something to help you. Wv.girl.
Posted 11/7/2009 5:24 AM (GMT 0)
Hello Crohrer00!... I'm so sorry to hear that your in so much pain there. Is your Dr a PCD or a PM doc? The med that your on are considered a class 2 drug, and I'm guessing if your PCD perscribed it to you, and it is not working, he will probably either up the dosage or give you something else to try for the pain. Please call him right away, and let them know that it is not giving you any relief. It sounds like surgery has already been discussed between the two of you.....is that correct?, or is it wishful thinking because of the terrible pain your in. There are many steps to take before considering surgery, such as PT or Epidurals. I have done the PT and continue to do it on my own now. I have also had 5 Epidurals to date, and am now looking at surgery on my lower back L4-L5. The 10mg of Oxycontin is the lowest dose that they make, and it looks like there is plenty of room to go up on the dosage. However, you may need a different pain med that will take a different pathway to help with the pain. Again, call your PCD as soon as possible! Have a good evening, and I'm sure there will be others that will come along here to give you some excellant advice.
Posted 11/7/2009 5:43 AM (GMT 0)
Croher00 - I'm sorry for the amount of pain that you are in. Unfortunately, pain meds are about trial and error - to get the right medicine, right dosage, etc. I've had meds that didn't work at one point - but then did months later and vice versa. So, where as oxycontin is a blessing to some people, it just may not work for you or maybe isn't a high enough dose. You are on a pretty small amount, so it may be that they just need to raise it... I'm not sure about the dizziness that you are experiencing - it could be that it's new to your body, or again - that it's not the right med for you.

Anyway, I don't know how your doctor works... if he/she is available over the weekend or not. But I'd try calling them as soon as possible, be it tomorrow or Monday.

Do you have any Vicodin to get you through this? Or had it quit working completely?

Again, I'm really sorry are suffering so much. Obviously, I know the ER isn't fun - but you can always do that if things get too bad. Maybe an injection or something would help get you through until you can reach your doctor.

Feel free to post more, and I really, really hope you feel better. --Tina
Posted 11/7/2009 6:05 AM (GMT 0)
There are a lot of reasons why that medication is not working for you. It could be anything from it not being in a strong enough dose to your body not being able to process the med for it to work to your long term use of another narcotic medication desensitizing you to it.

As mentioned your best bet is to contact your doctor ASAP and tell him what is going on and ask for help.


If I have learned anything over the years about medications it is that there is no such thing, at least not yet, as a wonder drug. Everything from aspirin to tylenol to morphine to codiene to penicillion has been touted as wonder drugs and while they are great drugs they are not a "cure" all for what ever ails people.
Posted 11/7/2009 6:35 AM (GMT 0)
crohrer00

You mention that the your Doictor prescribes Oxycontin 10 mg tablet taking 1 or 2  tablets every 12 hours is that right? And you said one tablet did nothing for your pain, and two tables made you way to dizzy is that right? But did taking two tablets help your pain at all or did you mainly just notice the dizzyness? The reason I ask is of course you need to talk to your Doctor, the dosage just might not be strong enough for your pain or this might not be the right pain med for you. But with that said  taking two  if it helps the pain then know that the dizzyness will probably go away in a few days after your body gets used to the medication, as this can often be a side affect of this med when you first use it! Usually this is just temporary and does not last. So since your Doc told you that you can take two tablets  you might want to try that for at least a couple of days to give it a chance to work and give your body a chance to adjust to it.  Just be careful   and don't do much till you get used to the medication!  Just follow the instructions! I hope the MRI shows something that they can work on and fix!  Good Luck to YOU and also Welcome to HEALING WELL Chronic Pain Forum!

White Beard

Posted 11/7/2009 10:10 AM (GMT 0)
crohrer; The one thing I want to relay is that pain medication does not take away the pain that we all feel. It only masks it to the point where even though it is still there, we just don't care about it. Or at least that is my view on the whole thing with scripts. I also wanted to introduce myself as I probably have not yet. I'm one of the regulars here and have been suffering with Lower failed back syndrome, Nerve pain, knee pain, arthritis, along with menopause (if you are a guy I know you really don't wanna hear about that, but it too comes with its own problems). I wanna welcome you to the boards and hope that you will stay with us for as long as it takes to damper that pain of yours.

Hugsss

Scarred
Posted 11/7/2009 5:07 PM (GMT 0)
Wow, I am so happy to find others who at least understand where I am coming from here. You all have a lot of experience and I am so grateful to find people who are living through this. I have had 3 kids. This is WAY more painful. The worst thing I have ever endured.

Now going on 3 years with it, but recently has become excessively painful and unable to deal with it. I really really appreciate all of this advice. I am a type 1 diabetic and 38 year old woman. I have tried the epidural injections. It was the second most painful thing I have ever had done. HOLY COW and the steroid has bad effects on my blood sugar!

I am praying that after this next MRI there may be a doctor who can fix the trouble. It is L3L4 stenosis, arthritis and disk bulge in the same spot. I can not put ANY pressure or touch the area on my spine it is so inflamed. Have spikey pin feeling and pain down my leg as well and terribe terrible cramping feelings that go down my leg all day.

Anyway, the 20mg does work better but not enough to even mask the pain. I continued with my huge amounts of aleve and ibprofen yesterday in combination to the OXY to try to reduce the swelling and relieve the pain. I can't sit down. It is agony. I have never experienced anything like this before in my life. I don't have a PM doctor yet. I have been seeing my PCP. I don't know if anybody here has had this issue but, the stigma attached to these drugs makes me nervous. I'm nervous about being on these drugs and I am praying for a miracle surgery to get rid of the trouble. But, 3 years of searching and still, I am living like this only now it is absolutely terribly painful. I will call my doc on Monday and see what he thinks as many of you suggested.

Please share your advice and stories with me. I love knowing that I am not alone.
Posted 11/7/2009 5:32 PM (GMT 0)
crohrer, You sound like a good candidate for the surgery. It may relieve some of your pain, and for that fact all of it. I know its no fun at all! Be careful with the pain med's as they are only a mask for the original problem. You have to be very careful not to injure yourself further while on them. Yes there is a stigma about the scripts for pain meds, but at this point, I really don't care! When you get to the point that you need them, and it sounds like you do, I don't worry about what anybody thinks! Also if you are working, some company's have a Zero Tolerance Policy about the Pain Med's.....so it might be wise to keep quite about this to your coworkers. I'm not sure this is good advice to give here on this, so I'm hoping someone else will chime in here on this subject. My company has a Zero Tolerance Policy, but I have been careful not to broadcast what I'm taking. I have a high tolerance to most pain meds, and appear normal to others while on them. Driving is an issue too, and it's best not to drive while taking them......thats what I'm telling you....however we have to do what we have to do at times. I'm sure someone is going to slap my hands for saying this to you :( Have a good day, and I hope you find relief soon. Take care now.................and Scram! :) it's my way of saying I love you as a friend! :) We all need a little love! :)
Posted 11/7/2009 5:59 PM (GMT 0)
Crohrer i have had low back surgery in 2001.L4L5.I have a fusion there with a cage and two spike lookin things .lol.Then i came to wv in 2006 from florida and fell on ice and snow .Now i have four herniated disc at thorasic 7 8 8 9 910 10 11.Plus have degerated disc disease and artheritis.Now i have a pain pump plus i take oxycodone 30 mg.They are gonna change my medicine in pain pump because its causing swelling in legs ankles feet sstomach.Its called dalaudid in pump.They are gonna switch me to fentynel.I hope you get well.Thanks for listening.
Posted 11/7/2009 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
WV.girl, how did your fusion go with the L4 and L5 after you had it done? Was is successful for you?....and were you glad you had it done. I too, am looking a t surgery in February in February for L4 & L5 fusion.
Posted 11/7/2009 10:58 PM (GMT 0)
Screaming Eagle, it helped me for like 7 months.After ive been in pain since.Still am.The pain is in both legs and low and middle back.Feet too.I now have thorasic disc out too.The drs dont know how much someones pain is.Sometimes i think they just are so busy they dont care anymore.I hate to say that,but i feel like that.You ,may have a good dr you like.If thats true stick with him or her. I wish you all the luck and support with surgery.Let me know,how you do.Ill be thinking of you. Wv.girl.
Posted 11/9/2009 6:06 AM (GMT 0)
wv.girl
I do understand what you mean about "some Doctors don't know how much someones pain is" Before I started seeing my PM Doc I had experienced that allot with some of them! I also have bad Thorasic Disks along with Cervical and lumbar, a few weeks ago I had my second Cervical Disk fusion at C5/6, I had C6/7 done many years ago! I have a herniated disk at L4/5 but the docs say it is not bad enough for surgery yet, But the Thorasic disk they just will not touch, all the surgeons tell me the surgery is to risky for what benefits I might get! my T-12 is herniated and torn and I have bone spurs and bulges at T3 and T8 that is the reason for the pain meds! They tell me as long as they can keep me reasonable comfortable on the meds, well that is the way it is. So I can empathize with you on your back pain! I hope the change in the pain med in your pump works out well for you! I also hope you don't mind me asking but how is it going with you, since the surgey on your lung? Were they able to get it all? Have you had to have follow-up chemo or radiation? I don't mean to be prying or anything I was just wondering how you were getting along, I used to work on an Onco unit, and I know how difficult it can sometimes be.
I do wish you well and Hope that you are doing at least better!

White Beard
Posted 11/9/2009 11:07 AM (GMT 0)
White Beard,i m home now but having some problems.Ive got lot of coughing up green stuff.Im callin dr today.He said he got it all.I dont have to have chemo or radiation.Thank god.Im in alot of pain in low back and middle back.There suppose to change my med.But they turned my pump down and said they have toturn down again till i can have pump changed.Mean while,im in alot of pain.My daughter is here with me .Helping me.Thank you for asking about me. I see you have had alot of disc problems.Do you take oxycotin and percocet?If so i need your Drs name.I need to go to him.Oxycotin helps my pain but my dr wont give it to me.Ive had cancer and everything wrong with back and my pm still wont give me oxycotin.Thats what i was on in Florida.
Posted 11/9/2009 4:33 PM (GMT 0)
wv.girl

For quite a while I was on Vicodin and Vicoprofen but my Doctor said I was having to take to much of it to often to control  my pain! So he put me on Oxycontin, that med has literally been a real Godsend for me in the fact it controls the pain very very well with no dopey drugged feeling side affects!  That is the best thing by far! I do not like that feeling of not being  all there so to speak!  I do take Percocet for break through the weaker ones 5/325 and I only take them when nothing else works, most of the time sittiing down in the recliner and llistening to soothing music helps allot! Just getting the pressure off my back!  Anyway I had been taking  OC 40mg every 12 hours, but this past summer it was changed to every 8 hours, which works allot better, for me. I was always finding the last 4 hours of the 12 hour cycle was just not taking care of the pain!

Anyway I am glad to here that you did not require additional chemo or radiation, I hope that you got to see your Doctor today, as that coughing up the green stuff does not sound good,  let us know how that turned out!

 Take care and Good Luck to You!

White Beard

Posted 11/10/2009 5:11 AM (GMT 0)
C-
Have you ever talked to anyone about Radio Frequency Nerve Ablation? I have the same dx's as you & that's what they did for me & it really helped. Of course, everyone is different, but it was a great option for me while I wait for something better to come along than fusion surgery (fusion kinda scares me, to be honest). I'm not 100%, but it definitely did help. I'm very sensitive to pain meds as well, so I really wanted to find something that would help without having to be on meds. I also just got a home traction unit & that helps some as well (my 4th dx is mild scoliosis & it seems to help doing the traction).

anyways, I sure hope you find something that works for you.

take care,
frances
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