MS CONTIN

[JACEM5]

I keep posting trying to get as much info as I can.Am I ready to get off these things,should I get off,do I need to get off.I'm definetly scared to stop.I'm also the only one talking about stopping,my DR.just asks if my pain is controlled he never mentions if I'll ever be able to control the pain without pain meds.Ive never tried to stop and never run out,but from listening to all of you it dosen't sound pleasant.Even if I should be taking pain meds I can't help but think life would be better outside of the haze.

[jim526]

good luck, I have medically  used ms contin for 12 years 15mg/dy a small dose, and my body has become totally dependent on it;I have tried numerous times to wean off it I must warn you that the physical w/ds were unbearable to me, and I never could do it.  I got to  tiny  (like a few grains of sugar) amount but the agony became so unbearable I had to give in.

but in the long time period I accidentally found that I could easily switch from ms contin to tramadol.  This surprised my doctor and me, as I was able to do so from one night to the very next night without missing a beat.  I had gone to Ca and ran out of ms contin, but my doctor back in TN called in tramadol as next best.  I picked it up that day at the CA store used it that night and have been on it and off the msc for three years with no noticeable effects, except neither can i wean myself off the msc. I now am  73, so will need it the rest of my life but had rather be on tramadol than mscontin, expecially if i were in a nursing home or other such wonderful resting place for the for the elderly.  God Bless you and help you.  You are taking a potent mixture of drugs, so go easy as you try to drop them--only one at a time.    Jim in Tennessee

[JACEM5]

I take 300mg mscontin a day for degen.discs,plus percocet 10/325 for breakthrough pain.I'm also on ativan 1 mg 5xa day for anxiety,valium 10 mg at night to sleep,and zoloft 200 mg a day.I have been on the pain meds for about 3 yrs.

[dyblue]

listen to you body i your in pain take the least amount and you'll be ok. I I had real painb I'd take I'd just be careul not to abuse thats all.  you sound like you got it together alittle bit o pain in lie is enevitable ie getting old and stu I have more aches and pains  then when I was young can't take a piull everytime but you got real pain nothing wrong about ixing that.

[htp115]

i know you posted your situation before, but w/ so many new ppl here can you refresh me??? what do you all take? for how long? for what reason?

i suffer w/ chronic pain also from scar tissue and endometriosis, i've had 8 surgeries and a hysterectomy, so more surgery is not a good idea for me. i went to my primary care dr. and told him everything, that i take way too much meds (I was actually abusing them) and i want to get it under control. i know i will always be on pain meds in order to have any quality of life. but over the last 5yrs i've become addicted. i was openly honest with my dr. and he has been wonderful and understanding about it. i am on hydrocodone 10/650 and my goal is to make a 120 tablets last 3 months instead of 3 weeks!!!! to where i ONLY take them for pain, not to function. i was in the hospital 2 weeks ago, and until i heal, my dr's put my on oxycodone 15mg (with no tylenol in it) and want me to take it regulary for the next 4 weeks. to eliminate ANY pain whatsoever (i had 2 bleeding ulcers and lost 7 pints of blood, so until they fully heal i HAVE to take my meds to keep my blood pressure and stress level under control) the reason i'm explaining all this to you is because dr's have their reasons for you taking what they have rx to you. you should definintaly consult w/ your dr. before changin anything. it's obvious you are not abusing your meds (since you have NEVER run out early) but its 99% possible you will experience w/d's. especially if you have been on them for a long time, plus you are taking MS Contin.

so please post back to me w/ the info i asked you and i will try and help come up with a plan for you that you can (if you want) take in to your dr. and discuss.

luv ya,
tink  :)

[htp115]

how often do you have to take the percocet for breakthrough pain??? that alone is a good way to figure out how much you "really need" the MS Contin. do you take the percocet regulary, like every day or several times a day??? if you do then you more than likely need the Ms Contin for pain control. if you arent taking the percocet that much, then there is a good chance you could cut down the Ms Contin.  are you wanting to get off the pain meds all togther or just cut down??? at this point, if you want to attempt to cut down with out talking to your dr. first, i would suggest NOT taking the percocet to start for a few days and see how you feel. The MS contin is a very strong pain med. and after being on it for 3yrs, you will have w/d's if you stop taking it. since you're not abusing it, you may not experience alot of "mental" w/d's. but you'll still experience the "physical" w/d's. your body has adjusted itself to having it's "pain recptors" filled with the narcotics and if/when you take that away, it will have to "detox" the meds from your body  & re-adjust itself to fuctioning without them. you can "minimise" this by "tapering down" (which shouldnt be as big of a struggle, like it is for those of us who have been abusing and in turn now lack alot of "self-control")

considering your personal situation, i would not attempt trying this "cold-turkey". like i said i would try stopping the percocet first. if you find you're fine w/out them, i would then "taper" down slowly from the MS Contin. from what you said about your dr. i dont know how he would re-act if you told him. some dr's are very understanding and helpfull. but there are those dr's that will "discharge" you as a patient at the first hint that they think you are addicted.

there are ALOT of ppl here who have tapered and can help you with a godd tapering schedule. i myself  am here to help you in anyway i can. ask me as many questions you need advise on and i will do my best to answer.

hope this has helped you....

luv ya,
tink  :)

[JACEM5]

THe anti-anxiety meds can't help either.ATIVAN,VALIUM.