HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Meds Change

Support Forums
>
Chronic Pain
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 11/6/2007 11:07 PM (GMT 0)
I saw a new pain doctor yesterday and she switched me from Oxycontin 80 twice a day to something called HCD which is a compounded medicine with 60mg hydrocodone and 200mgs acetamenophin.  It is also controlled released.  Has anyone used this before?  She has me taking it 3 times a day and so far, it is not helping me as much as the oxycontin I was previously taking.  I've never taken hydrocodone before so I don't know the equivilancy to the oxycodone, but could anyone help me with that?  I hope on my next appointment, she'll switch me back to what was working for me.

-Storm

Posted 11/6/2007 11:38 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Storm,if you don't mind me asking why did your doctor change your pain meds?/I am not sure about the dosage that you have giving but I am sure there will be some one that can better answer your question.I do know that the 80mg Oxycontin is stronger than Hydrocodone and this may be why you feel like it is not helping.If you can give a little more info we can help you better.
Posted 11/6/2007 11:58 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Storm, someome will be along soon I am sure that can answer your questions about the medication. I am like Curley, if the medication you were on was helping, why in the world would she change it. I don't understand that. Susie
Posted 11/7/2007 6:46 PM (GMT 0)
Oh I HATE this medicine!!!!  I am vomiting every time I take it!!!  I take it, 45 miunutes later I throw up.  Every time I've taken it so far I've thrown up.  I stopped in at the office today to let my dr. know this, and he said he'll Rx nausea meds.  I told him I already have 2 different types of nausea meds including supposotories.  He said he'll send a different kind of supposotory and that I need to give the medication a fair two week trial.  I just hope that nausea medicine he's going to give me helps because I absolutely cannot stand the idea of vomiting three times a day for two weeks straight.  I don't want to be a baby about it and I would like to tough it out and give it the fair two weeks, but when is enough enough?  I suppose I'll try that nausea medicine tonight and see where that goes...Sorry for venting... :)

-Storm

Posted 11/7/2007 7:07 PM (GMT 0)
I would just ask the dr for something else . I too take a med for stomach and if he wanted to add another , what tha??? I aint going to be throwing up all the time . there are other meds with  out nausea side effects.

Posted 11/8/2007 5:46 AM (GMT 0)
maybe he put you on to much and you will get use to it in two weeeks
Posted 11/10/2007 3:13 PM (GMT 0)
My Dear Storm,
Hydrocodone is definitely weaker than oxycodone, by approx. 50%. Of more concern to me is the fact that the doctor introduced the element of acetominophen, which is like a hot knife to the beautiful butter that is your liver. By all means, express concern about this and ask for acetominiphen-free alternatives. My good doctor agreed that oxycodone would be a viable (and more effective) alternative for chronic pain. I currently have good results with pain management using a dose of 60mg four times a day. Word of caution: Withdrawal may not kill you (as is the case with the 'pines') but it certainly is no fun. Just be sure to reserve a few doses in case of refill delay. This will prevent a rather hard time as your body detoxes. Often times, we discover a better treatment than our doctors have thought of. In such cases, it is defineitly in your best interest to have a 'heart-to-heart' with your primary care provider. AS always, just past escape, I remain Ascii28 - God Bless.
Posted 11/13/2007 6:49 PM (GMT 0)
Update!

Thank you all for your replies.  I went to my primary care doctor today as an emergency appointment.  Enough is enough!  It's been nine days that I was on that hydrocodone 60mg/APAP 200mg 3 times a day and I have been sick as a dog the whole time.  I told my primary care dr. that I am tired of it and I don't think it's very ethical for that pain specialist to allow me to be nauseated and vomiting for nine days.  She agreed with me and she is going to take care of my meds from now on.  I was so happy because she is SUCH a nice doctor.  I've been sick for three years now so I've seen plenty of doctors and she is one of, if not the nicest I've ever met.  She put me back on the oxycodone and I'm feeling better already.  Yay!

-Storm

PS - Does anyone have any ideas on why that hydrocodone made me so sick???  My doctor isn't sure but she said everyone has different reactions to different things, and even though the two meds are only slightly diffferent, it's still a possibility I could be having a reaction to something in the hydrocodone.  I just wondered if anyone here might be able to elaborate on that at all...

Posted 11/20/2007 12:30 AM (GMT 0)

Hi there,

I have not posted here in quite some time due to my divorce, 3rd fusion surgery, and having to move 5 times...ugh!

But I wanted to write real quick to answer that you were probably so sick due to horrible withdrawls from being on the Oxycontin and then the Dr. switching you to a much lesser potent narcotic. Were you on true Oxycontin? Or oxycodone with apap? (generic for Percocet?) If you were on extended release Oxy at 160mg a day...that was a HUGE drop for your system and was totally irresponsible to make you suffer such awful withdrawls without titrating you....

I am so glad that your Primary is taking care of you now....Gosh...I hate to see stories like this and the whole time that Dr. knew exactly what you were on, and that what they were giving you was probably like a 75% decrease so quickly and of course you would be sick as a dog!!!!

Anyway, it's such a lesson for all of us to make sure exactly what a Dr. is prescribing for us....

Blessings,

IngyBo

Posted 11/20/2007 4:24 AM (GMT 0)

Hello, I'm glad you are back on the right track with your meds.  Maybe your pain doc was worried about prescribing the Oxycontin.  I've read on WebMD that the DEA really watches Dr.'s that prescribe Oxycontin because that med is diverted so much.

Since the med he switched you to was compounded and it was an extended release, maybe you were allergic to whatever they used to make the med controlled release (the capsule or "glue" used to contain the medicine).  Just something that came to mind.

I'm relatively new to treating my chronic pain, but what I've learned so far is that not too many Dr.'s are willing to listen to us or prescribe the meds that really work for fear of addiction or diversion.  It makes me hate those who abuse meds and make it hard for those who are truly in pain every day to get the relief they need and deserve.

Posted 11/30/2007 7:05 AM (GMT 0)

                   If anything he should have prescribed hydromorphone 2mg or 4mg

             Sometimes switching meds every month or two can make a big difference in effectiveness and most of all, last longer.....

                                                  good luck

Posted 11/30/2007 11:38 AM (GMT 0)

   You go t so sick because that is a side effects . You must always check and google your meds . I always check even before I leave the drs office as to what side effects it has. If you read this  you will find nausea and vomiting are side effects.Please always check

     http://www.medicinenet.com/hydrocodone_and_ibuprofen/article.htm


Posted 11/30/2007 6:18 PM (GMT 0)
ALL opioids can cause nausea and vomiting, it is worse for some people than other. However it is also possible that she she began to withdraw, because a change from 160mgs of Oxycodone to 180mgs of Hydrocodone was probably a bit of a drop overall in the amount of opioids being taken in over the course of the day. The best way to tell if she was getting sick from withdrawal or simply as a side effect of the hydrocodone is to see if her pupils were dilated or if she had any of the other signs of withdrawal. The pupils being dilated though is usually the first sign of a person going into withdrawal and is also one of the most effective ways of telling if symptoms are from withdrawal or not.

Also switching to the 2 or 4mg hydromorphone would be a HUGE drop unless she took a lot of those pills. I think that 4mg of hydromorphone is about equal to 12mgs of oxycodone if they are both taken orally. is it either 12 or 15mg of oxycodone, either way it would have taken a lot of pills per day, and they are only a short acting med.

Anyway I hope you are doing better now that you talked to your doctor StormCloud9.

I hope that everyone has a pain-free day,
Circa
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply