Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group oxycontin

I must say one day at this site and I am addicted!!! I have a question that am hoping some of you may know about. Before I was diagnosed with AS, I had "hurt" my knee (I was walking down the path and it went a way it shouldn't have. Now am told over a year later that it was part of the AS. The pain medication the dr gave me didn't help the knee at all. I went back and my dr was gone so saw her associate, she gave me Oxycontin to try for a week. I took it and it lessened the pain in my knee, but what I was most amazed about was my back didn't hurt. I was in shock, it took me a few hours to realize what was "wrong" lol It had been years since I had no pain at all in my back. And this was the first thing that ever took the pain away. But my dr was back from vacation and said she didn't want to give me any more since it could be habit forming. Does anyone else out there take this medication? and has it helped? or is it as I am learning... just another drug that helps for a short time? thanks again Pam

Hi Pam. I've been taking Oxycontin since December and it is wonderful! I actually get a few hours of partial relief from the pain. Most doctors I've seen aren't willing to prescribe it, or any other opiates for that matter, for chronic non-malignant pain. Luckily I have one who will. In my four years experience with opiates I've never had any tolerance, dependance, or major side effect issues, so if they give me my life back I'll take 'em! Good luck.
'Erie :-)

Yes, yes. You just told my story. I've been having horrible pain. The kind that makes me wish I could just die and be done with it all. My rheumy had already dumped me (that's another story), told me to take Tylenol, if I needed something for pain. THanks a lot! I went to my GP, and I looked really bad. THere was no question about whether or not I was in pain. He gave me a week's worth of Percocet to try. Made me into a new woman overnight. I didn't need to take them around the clock. Made them last 3 weeks. Just breaking up the pain cycle was great. I was able to walk some and I even managed to sleep at night. I cooked a big Christmas Dinner, I played games with the kids, I helped a friend sew her daughter's wedding dress. I called him back, he said he really wanted me to try a pain clinic first. They told me they didn't prescribe narcotics. I'm supposed to have steroid injections first. I refused the injections, and they refused pain meds. I called the dr back, he called the University Hospital. They told him the pain from AS was only mild and Darvocet should be more than enough for pain. It doesn't touch the pain at all. He said he couldn't give me more Percocet as it looked like I was already getting addicted to it. Give me a break!!!! It never gave me a buzz, only pain relief. Not sure how to go about getting something that works. Hold up a drug store? Or maybe the GP at knife point? Find something in a dark alley? Jump off a bridge? Call the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals? Not a whole lot of options.

The only drawbacks I could see to taking a pain med that cuts the pain are overdoing it, because you feel so good, and maybe, in the long term, physical dependence. Diabetics are physically dependent on insulin, and other people take blood pressure meds, anti-biotics, anti-depressants, and etc. But that must be different; I guess maybe it is immoral to ease someone's suffering.

I probably should have shut up a long time ago, but this is a hot issue for me. I am still upset, and probably will be for a long time to come. I look at my future and all I can see is a long, long road that is filled with nothing but PAIN!

Hugs,

Cindy

My sincere apologies for venting so vehemently.

Hugs,

Cindy

Chronic pain is one of the most undertreated conditions around, so many docs are so concerned about addiction and yet statistics show that people who use narcotic pain meds for PAIN are not likely to become addicted, although they might become dependent, which is a whole different story. I just read an interesting article that said when people need to up their pain meds it usually means they were under prescribed to begin with, if they are given the correct dosage from the get go there is no need to up it later. When I ruptured a disc last winter and two shots of Demerol in the ER just took the edge off the pain, my GP was out of town and I wasn't scheduled to see my rheumy for another week. So the stand-in GP told me to take extra strength Tylenol May she some day rupture a disc and have only Tylenol at her disposal. I should have called my rheumy, by the time I saw him the next week he was shocked, immediately put me on Demerol. A ruptured disc is a very painful thing. Even after the disc healed I had Demerol in reserve for the bad times, but fortunately don't need it any more as I am on a new med that has finally given me relief from the horrible aching hips and back.

Cheryl



Dogs mean it when they kiss you

Cindy... Please don't apologize for venting. I really appreciate your comments. Helps me to know I am not alone in this. If I ever find a discount back alley will let you know (hahaha) Take Care
Hugs...
Pam

Just wondering if your DR is taking new patients?? lol
Thankyou
Pam

Oxy was a God send to me. I was on it for about 6months. I do not know if I was given a high enough dose I was taking 40mgs 3x a day with 5mgs for breakthrough. Pain was invading my life to the point that I was a different person, not a good person. After my knee replacement I was still on oxy but a month later the doc took me off.
I wish with all my heart I could still have them for the really bad times I have but the doc is acting funny about my pain issues.
I have a funny feeling that he is thinking I have a drug problem. If that were true how come I went off the oxy and had no problems such as anyone would have if they were a true addict.The only thing I have now is vicodine 7.5/ 750 and I can take 4 a day. They take the edge off and that is all. Doc told me last visit he wants me off of these also.
I fought through this for 2yrs before I gave into the pain meds.
They were so concerned about me being comfortable in the beginning but now 3yrs later they are starting to treat me as a drug seeker. I am afraid to defend myself as they may think I am one.If they take what little pain control I have now I do not know what I will do.
Is it too much to ask to live life with as little as pain as possible or is that too much to ask.Doctor has had a hard time controlling my inflamation so why would he think I am not in pain. I get so tired of all of this sometimes I just want to stop taking everything and lock myself in the closet. Pain = Depression Depression = Pain no win game. Did not mean this to turn into a venting post.....but I have not vented for a long time so I guess it was time..................................... Annie


Work Like You Do Not Need Money
Love Like You Have Never Been Hurt
Dance Like No One Is Watching

I also agree with Cindy's comments. If I'm lucky, I can get my GP to perscribe vicodin, but normally I end up getting anaprox even after saying that it doesn't work. One of the other doctors in the practice even told me I'm too young to be on medication like that. Seems that I'm not too young to be in pain, just to take pain-killers. Good luck getting someone to perscribe more oxycontin for you.
-Jeff

Hi Pam,
I have to say that I am one of the lucky ones who have doctors that truly understand my pain and don't have the fear of prescribing pain meds to me.
Let me expalin to you somehting my doc explained to me and maybe this will help you to get a good pain med from your doc.
My doc put me on MSContin (time release morphine) and MSIR (immediate relief morphine). I asked him what was the difference between the MSContin and the Oxycontin and he explained that oxy is a synthentic type of morphine, whereas, MS is the real thing. I then asked him, then why are so many of these drug addicts and abusers looking for the oxy instead of the MS and his reply was "have you ever heard of a smart drug abuser?"
That gave me a chuckle. He did explained to me though that because the Oxy is a synthetic and has chemicals added, this makes it more addicting. The MSContin and the MSIR and still addicting, but not as addicting as the oxy.
I have been on the MScontin and MSIR now for 7 months and it has been a God send, however, I have learned how to manage it well, so I will never have to go up on it. This is important whenever you are put on a drug such as these. I know how easy it is for my body to build up a tolerance, therefore I would need to keep increasing the dose if I take it regularly. So because of this, I do not allow my body to build up this tolerance. I take the MScontin on a daily basis, but the MSIR only when I am in a bad flare and really need it which seems to be quite often, but when I do have days that I can tolerate a certain amount of pain, I cut down on it along with the MSContin. This way I know when the pain gets to the severe point again, I know I will not have to go over the maximum dose I allow myself. It can help long term if a person doesn't take advantage of it.
My suggestion is that you mention the MScontin and MSIR to your doc.
Maybe she will feel differently about giving you this drug. I feel everyone, especially with AS that has progressed and is very aggressive, deserves pain relief of this kind.
Again, there is a site that explains the pain of AS and I suggest you print it out and give it to your doc. It may make her sit up and take notice.
I don't know how to do links, so copy and paste this address to your browser.
http://www.asappain.com/a.s..html

Take Care and again, WELCOME to our second home.
Lisa