pain versus WD's

Hi Badheartdude, I go through the same thing and I am on an extended release (oxycontin). It just doesn't last more than 7 to 8 hours for me.
So what I do is set my alarm an hour before I actually need to get up and take my meds, then go back to sleep for an hour.

This gives them time to start working so you wake up feeling much better. As far as being addicted, I think that your body is dependent on the meds but I truly doubt you are addicted.

This has always been a big topic on here, the whole difference between being dependent on your meds as opposed to being addicted to your meds. I am sure others will come on and have more to add on this.

Take care.

Bad heart dude,
You are taking an immediate release or more commonly known as a short acting opiate pain medication. Oxycodone, unlike Oxycontin is the short acting formulation of the same medication. The only difference is the dosing schedule. Like Damouthy said, getting up a bit earlier than usual, a half hour , might help and then take your usual morning dose and go lay down for that half hour before you have to get up.
I don't know what time you usually get up, but if it is more than your usual 4 hour waking dosing schedule, you may be experiencing a bit of withdrawal because of your body's habituation to having a certain level of oxycodone in your system.
Do you regularly take your oxycodone every 4 hours religiously during the day? If so , I bet that is what is causing the anxiety and the increased pain levels. Oxycodone usually lasts around 4-6 hours. If your dosing schedule is every 4 hours and that is how you take it, then a bit of withdrawal is going to set in an hour or so after the normal time frame.
You can try changing your dosing schedule in the evenings to 5 hours or 6 hours, to get your body used to a longer time frame and that might help with the overnights/early morning withdrawal.
Sandi

Hi badheartdude, nini here, I believe so many of us cp patients worry to much about being an addict.  You are not an addict as long as you are taking your meds as prescribed.  If you need to up your meds as happens over the years, its natural that you might need to increase your meds.

So many times at the beginning of my disability some 12 years ago, I also worried about being addicted to the meds.  Here is what I finally realized, without the narcotic meds needed to have a quality of life, without the meds, I would be so miserable I would not get out of bed most likely.

With the meds I take and will continue to take, I have a quality of life, I am never without pain, the meds are there to make the pain more tolerable not erase it completely.  I am fine with that, with the meds I can still play with my grandchildren, keep my home in good shape, cook meals for my family, etc.  While I can no longer work outside the home, I am proud of what I can contribute to my family, and to anything else that I can contribute to.  I am able to do some volunteer work, as it is volunteer, the hours are what I choose, on the days I dont feel good enough to go anywhere, I dont.

I love my life now, my pain is as controlled as it can be, I feel useful, believe me this took a long time to get to, I had many years of depression and feelings of worthlessness, I now feel usefull and happy.  Its a long road, but the only choice is to live the best you can with whats been thrown your way.  Without medicine I could not do that.

Sorry, I rambled on, I hope you find a way to get where you need to be. 

Kathy/nini

 

 

      Good morning Badheartdude!

         I have to say that I agree with Jag and NiNi53....they really hit the nail on the head. Actually, all of the replies are excellant, and these members have a lot of experience. When I read your post, it really hit home with me, as I have been going through the very same thing. It wasn't untill my Dr put me on Oxycontin X3 did I quit suffering the same symptoms as you. There is nothing worse than being in moderate to severe pain and the beginings of WD's!   Not fun at all!

      When your at the 2hr peak relief mark on your Oxycodone, I bet your outlook on life seems to be much better, ......then after that it is a down hill struggle....almost as if it is pulling you there as fast as it can. Our minds start to worry and stress out, and we wonder how bad it's going to get at the bottom. Actually, we know how bad it's going to get, because we have been there a million times, and know how bad it feels.

     We all have been there, and it is a dark lonley place....with feelings of dispair. Then we reach for that one thing, the only thing we have to help us...a pain med!....and we wait knowing it will be another painfull lonley 30min or so. As relief gradually hits....life seems to look a whole lot better, and we look back at those feelings of dispair....and think how in the world did I get clear down there. So again!...yes we do understand the cycle of short acting IR meds. While it does help with the pain, it is only short lived, and we ride that roller coaster all day long and into the night.

     This is the reason I firmly believe that if you are a long term chronic pain patient, then a person who is suffering like this should really be on ER med's, and the IR meds should be used for emergency pain above and beyond what the ER med's would normally take care of.

    I wanted to mention "Methadone" as a possibility, since it is one of the cheapest long acting ER meds that I know of. It can be a bugger to get used to, and the same to get off of if needed, but many of our members have done very well on this med. Again, I'm not sure if you have tried it, or if you may have had problems with it if you did.

     I recently started Cymbalta, and it has given me even more relief with the nerve damage, to the point I have been able to almost discontinue my BT med's. However, I have a bad habit of falling asleep early in the evenings, and have missed my 10:00pm Oxycontin med, and .......Boy Howdy!....I was in bad shape in the morning!!!

      Many of us are dependent on our meds, so yes!.. this is very common. I and many here understand the loss of quality of life and the outlook can be very dim at times. Please don't give up! Continue to seek support here. We really do understand and sincerely care!

       Keep plugging away at a solution with your DR...be open and honest with him, and share all of your problems. Let him know that you are going through WD's and still suffering. It has taken me two years to get my Dr to the point that he understood. I do have a good Dr, and he is compassionate, but he is not a push over by any means either.

      I think some of the Drug companys have rebates that may help you with the cost as well, so ask about them on your next appointment.

       Good luck, and let us know what else we can do for you, and again, please let us support you as much as you need it.

      We too..have a grandson, and I love that little guy!   When grandpa gets home from work, he runs to me and lays his head on my shoulder for a bit....then points outside....where we play! Last Friday we introduced him to the waterhose, and before you know it....he was soaked from head to toe! What a blast they are! We spoil them rotten...them send them home till next weekend.   Enjoy!

      I read on another post that you have filed for SSDI. Hopefully you will be approved for this, and it will generate some income to help with the pain med purchase.

       SE

     

I have tried both MS Contin and Methadone and experienced terrible reactions to the medications. Sweats, shakiness, racing heartbeat, I felt like i was going to die. Oxycontin ER is the only extended release medication i have found that my body will tolerate. i looked into the manufacturer supplied "discount" program, which only brought the monthly cost down from $400 to $320! I also was referred to a local free clinic, i was told they could help with medication costs, but because I still have a "catastrophic" insurance policy they cannot help me, the only service the un-insured. I am still currently receiving un-employment benefits from my last job which is keeping my families head above water but there is no way I can afford $320 for pain meds as well as the rest of my medication. I am praying to God I get approved for SSDI as this would allow me to receive a state medical card, therefore solving the prescription problems and allowing me to be able to get off this roller coaster of pain relief that is instant release meds. If anyone else has any ideas of meds or financial assistance I'm all ears:) and thanks again for your kind words and shoulders to cry on, I really need them sometimes.

Hi! I just wanted to that Purdue, the company that makes the time release Oxycontin had a program for people with lower incomes as long as one doesn't have too much in the way of cash assets. I say "had" because I applied a couple years ago. But I don't imagine they would stop now, you know?

And if you do qualify they mail the medications to your home, and you pay something like $25.00 per script.

Check out their website and look for assistance programs or call Purdue directly and ask them about it. You don't have anything to loose. :)

FWIW, my girlfriends mother gets all her medications that way. She owns her own home, has a decent pension, but she still qualifies for every medicine she needs.

Oh, and I know exactly what you mean about not being able to take other pain medications. I tried almost every one until I tried Oxycontin and that's the one that didn't make me sick or unable to function. It felt like a miracle to me.

And I'm new here so I really hope that I haven't said anything I'm not supposed to. I read the rules but some areas seem gray to me. I'm always afraid to post because of that. I'm in no way affiliated with Purdue, etc. etc. etc.