Opana

[peekawho]

Starting Opana tomorrow.  Has anyone been on it?  What can I expect?  I have Norco 10mg for breakthrough.

[peekawho]

It worked well last night, and I got my first good nights sleep in a long time.  Slept until 2:30a, which is a vast improvement!  

Will see if it continues.  Thanks for the input, everyone!

[el_em_en_oh]

I was on Opana 10mg IR for several months, and the only side-effect I experienced (besides my eventual addiction to it... but that's another story all together!), was excessive sweating and a slight urinary issue when I FIRST started taking it.

The sweating thing is self explanatory, but the urinary thing... let me try and describe, just in case it happens to you: I would feel like I REALLY needed to urinate, then when I tried to go, it would trickle out. My bladder was full, and usually my stream would be fairly forceful, but it would come out at a trickle and it would take me upwards of 5 minutes to basically SQUEEZE all the urine out. Uncomfortable, but not life-threatening in any way. I mentioned it to my PM at the time, and he said don't sweat it (no pun intended) unless it continues for more than a few weeks. It only lasted the first 2-weeks I was on it.

Besides those 2 mild side-effects and the expense of the drug... it's good stuff and works well for CP folks.

Good luck to you.

[steve396]

I didn't have insurance for a long time, but found a plan for people with pre-existing conditions.

It's called the bridge plan and cost $420 a month, less in some areas. Sounds to good to be true, but it's the real deal.  I don't think there any income guidelines, however does end in 2014.

Check it out at Nybridgeplan.com.  I'm sure it's available in each state, but don't know the website. Check it out! It's the real deal and is almost as good as my $1450 a month previous plan.  

[MissVera]

I took Opana er for a few months, then lost my insurance and found out it'd be around 380 for 1 month. Cant afford that, switched to morphine.

Opana er, for me at least, took away a majority of the pain with no real side effects. I still had pretty bad muscle stiffness that it just couldnt touch, but generally its pretty effective with an overall lack of side effects.

But everyone responds to everything differently. When i first started it, i found it didnt offer close to the effectiveness of the oxycontin i WAS on, but i adjusted over time. Sometimes you just need a reset.

[Tuckamore]

Hi Peek,

I have heard some good things about Opana. I have not taken it. I believe it is closely related to Dilaudid, which I produces a tremendous allergic reaction for me. Therefore my physician has never prescribed it for me. Please let us know how effective it is for you.

I do think some of our members are on Opana ER...hopefully they will see your post and respond.

Best of Luck,
~Tuck

[designgyrl]

Peekawho,  I took Opana for 1 month, it was ok but WAY too expensive for me so I had to get off the medication. It was 80.00 for 60 pills (WITH my insurance) so they put me on fentanyl and oxycodone, which is 20.00.  Opana seemed to work ok, Steve is right, it doesn't make you feel sluggish, or like you've taken narcotics, but then again I feel that either does the fentanyl patch.  I feel very normal when I'm on it, I just don't have any pain anywhere.  I hope this anwer helps, I'd say try it if the price is reasonable and give it a shot.  Let us know what you think of it.  

[steve396]

very good!!  It's a morphine-sulfate derivative and work for 12 hrs. in ER form.  I find it doesn't have that gross drug feeling that ms-contin of oxycontin has. I can't take that stuff.