Avinza???

[thisissohard]

anyone have any problems with Avinza? (morphine sulfate extended release). My dr said that it had an antagonist that made it non addictive.  He prescribed it to me alone with Norco (high dosage)- I stopped taking both, and it's been 6 weeks, but I'm still struggling.

[bmc1976]

My doctor mentioned Avinza to me a few weeks back. He told me it was less addicting than hydrocodone but said all narcotic pain meds are addicting but some more than others. I did a lot of research on it and have read some stories where people said they had withdrawals from it. But they did say they were very mild. I'm still trying to make my mind up on whether or not I should try it for my back and sciatic pain. I've been in a lot of pain lately so I'm tempted to try it. My doctor has always been very honest with me about everything. I just don't want to get back on meds but it is so hard to live a normal life living in pain.
Have you taken the Avinza? If so, did it help your pain at all?

[thisissohard]

YES, and prior I was taking kadian.  with both of them I felt minimal WD's. and if you have to take something, I would recommend either.  They don't give you the euphoric feeling that hydrocodone does.  I would not even take them some days, and never had a craving. I have a full bottle here in front of me and have no desire to take one. BUT I do have to warn you DO NOT DRINK while taking them.  I went out to lunch with a friend. Had only TWO beers, then, BAM while driving I felt like I was losing conciousness.  I wrote it off to something else, but I'm reading that there are severe warnings about this medication and alcohol.  In retrospect, I'm lucky I made it home that day. The alcohol causes a rapid release of the morphine, and could be fatal. so if you drink at all, do not take any morphine sulfates that are extended release!

[Mikeinthesouth]

Morphine with lil side efeects of wd?????

[thisissohard]

PS- there is a good chance that due to the interaction w/ alcohol they will take the medication off the market.  I only recommend if you are a non drinker and have no other options for pain relief. BUT DONT DRINK!, 2 beers and I was almost passed out at a stop light. I don't normally drink so I thought, I had to much, but now I know that's not the case.

[thisissohard]

yes, that's correct.  There is an antagonist that keeps you from craving it, so the likelyhood of addiction is not high. at least it wasn't for me.  It's not straight morphine like you see in the WWII movies.

[avisg]

thank you for the warning .......

[bmc1976]

I read many articles on the net and the warning not to drink was on every page. I have always been a social drink but I have never drank while taking my pain meds. Sure, I enjoy my beer but have always been to worried about the side effects. I'm still just nervous about trying it but having pain I'm just not sure. Thanks for the info.
brian

[thisissohard]

let me put it to you this way, like I said, I have a full bottle that was prescribed over month ago. I have taken maybe 2 when I had really bad WD's from the hydro. I have no desire to take one, yet if I had a full bottle of norco, I would be all over it!  That's why I don't keep it in the house. I will keep the avinza in case of an emergency (just wont drink)

[mustanggt]

Hey, I have been on Avinza for chronic back pain.  My pain doc prescribed it to me along with the Morphine Sulfate I was already taking.  The Avinza is an extended release Morphine.  Whenever you drink alcohol while taking Avinza, it breaks down the long lasting action of the pill, which causes a rapid release of all of the medicine into your body at once.  That is why you felt lightheaded.  It is really dangerous to drink alcohol with Morphine, and pretty much any other opiate.  Not only can it make you lightheaded, but it can supress your breathing, it can cause you to pass out, it can make you very sick to your stomach, and it can cause very bad, violent vomitting.  

As far as the effectiveness and the addictiveness of Avinza I can only tell you what my experience has been.  I have not been able to get a full night's sleep since I hurt my back 6 years ago.  The pain that I feel can keep me up for days on end, and even when I do sleep, I can't sleep more than 5 hours at a time without the pain waking me up.  So my pain doc decided to prescribe the Avinza for me to take at night time to help me sleep.  I would be very careful about taking Avinza if you are worried about becoming addicted.  Avinza is Morphine, and therefore, you CAN become addicted.  The longer you take this med, and the higher the dose you take, the more likely you are to become physically dependant on the drug.  I am having trouble understanding why you'r doctor would tell you that you cannot become addicted to this drug.  He is wrong.  With any opiate, you'r body can become physically addicted.  As you take opiates, you'r body and you'r brain get used to having a certain amount of the meds, adn if you suddenly stop taking the meds, you are very likely to go into withdrawals.  Please be careful, if you are worried about becoming dependant on the Avinza.  The less time that you take it, and the smallest dose that you take will help you to not become too dependant on the drug, but even in small doses and short time frames, you can still become addicted to Avinza.  I hope that this helped you with the questions and concerns that you have.

[bmc1976]

Thanks for the info. My doctor didn't say it wasn't addicting. He said it was less addicting than hydrocodone. But I see your point. Any narcotic can be addicting. Did the avinza help with your back pain enough to continue taking it? Does it make you tired throughout the day? I do not want a med that gives you the high feeling. Does avinza give you that? I've read a lot of info on the net and most say it does not. Once again, thank you for the info!
brian

[Mike_B_]

I would like to know more about this one.  I have been taking 2 hydro 5/500 a day for the last 2 weeks to ease off of opana er which was too strong for me.  I am seeing a new doc tomorrow to see if he can do surgery or if he is just going to give me new meds to take to help with the pain.  Is this working for you and is it controling the pain where you can do what you need to do in your daily life?  Or do you feel like you are on drugs and tried?  I am glad i saw your post.  I would like to know how its working for you and do most pharmacies carry it.  I had a heck of a time finding the opana when my doc put me on it.  And it was so hard to stop taking it and drop back to the hyrdo at a smaller dose.

[NautyOne]

Long acting meds. are addicting, but probably less than the so-called "break through" pain meds.  like Vic's and Perc's etc.  because they don't give you the buzz.  i did take the extended release morphine for a very short time and it was fantastic  1 pill a day and felt like my spine was numb--not my brain.  The name Morphine scares me, and I wont take it....but, it is effective.  Don't know about Avinza, but as long as you take it like your suppose to.......you know what i mean........dont' tamper with it.  you'll probably be ok.  I did notice when I tapered and constantly put small doses into my system, I had little to no withdrawal when I finally stopped.  So, maybe there is something to that?  dunno.  Just my uneducated guess.

Nauty,,,,,,

[Mikeinthesouth]

Why am I withdrawing so hard right now from morphine not the avinza though never heard of it. I did not take any hydro the last week of using morphine? This sucks so bad right now. I guess maybe I need to talk to dr about that avinza..........

[thisissohard]

Hey, I was on it for a few months, along with hydrocodone.  Being that the hydrocodone was more addicitive, I only took the avinza when I was in really bad pain.  I did NOT get a buzz, everyone I repeat, these do not give you a buzz. ALL meds can be addictive, but the reason they are less, is because there is an antagonist that blocks the "feel good" receptors in your brain from being affected.  these were great for pain, they make you tired, and if you do not have an abusive personality and you don't drink, then you shouldn't have a prolem with this medication or it's sister medication Kadian.

[thisissohard]

Honey, they are not the same thing.  dr's RARELY prescribe morphine outside the hospital.  if you're getting sheer morphine you either have a very serious injury that leaves you unable to work, or your getting it off the street somehow.  Please explain what you are taking and where you get it from. without that we can't help you.

[BornTwoRiff]

My doctor gave it to me to try to pull me offf 100mcg/ Duragesic when I first started weaning 4 months ago.. By the end of the week I was sick to my stomach but I think that was from the abrupt discontinuation of the patch.. Avinza killed pain better than /Duragesic but I was scared of it because dr said it was MORPHINE.. slow release.. Is it really that easy to come off of should I need it ?? did  you use it for 6weeks and just stop with no w/d??  I was only taking 30mg and it was great for pain..

[Mikeinthesouth]

Istant release morphine as I had broken my back and had surgery to stabalize the vetrabrae with implants. I have been taken out of work for a few years now and don't know what the future holds. I had ocycontin for a couple of years then they switched to morphine as to why I did not ask. I had at one time the time release morphine ms contin but that is no longer but I am sure I can be prescribed it again if necessary. I had the liquid morphine solution until moving on to the caplet pill from. I guess I just abused the hell out of all of it. All I can say is I have experienced withdrawals off of oxcycodone and the time release oxycodone as well and am dealing with the same withdrawals here today.

[troubleinohio]

just wanted to throw in my 2 cents since I have previously taken both MS Contin and Avinza. Everyone has pretty much covered all the aspects above but I wanted to add that I could not breathe worth a **** when taking the MS Contin (i have asthma and the MS made it much much worse). As for the Avinza i was able to take that for a while, for some reason it didnt effect my breathing as much (or maybe my asthma was just doing really well at that time, I dont remember) anyhow, i was only on it a short time and even so, I noticed it lost its effectiveness quickly on the same dose, and you cant increase the dose on that as its a 24 hour time release...you'd OD if you took more than one. But anyhow, thats my input on that, it didnt help my pain for long..

[TrayCee]

I have taken 90mg up 3x a day, the 24 hour time release is BS. It only lasted a few hours for me, but was very effective blocking pain.  It is also very addicting with sever withdrawls.  Its common sense people. Morophine=addicting

[Mikeinthesouth]

Thanks for clearing this up traci Morphine is morphine and the name will not make it any less hard to come clean off of. Mike I was seriously considering calling dr for appt. to try it. Time release less adicting????? If it sounds to good to be true it probably is.

[sterling_silver]

Your going to take Morphine for back pain? How is that going to help heal your back? It will only make your back worse. Morphine is for sucking chest wounds in the battle field.Maybe it's good, while they cut you out of your car after a bad crash. If you can walk, and sit at your computer, I really don't think you need morphine for your back pain.

[Army220]

Brian,

Stick it out and DO NOT TRY THE MORPHINE.  There are other alternatives bro.

You are doing so well.  Keep trudging along kiddo.  Like I said FRICK the morphine.  It will not help down the road.  You heading back to step one.  I know you know how much step 1 sucks.

Keep your mind busy and forget about the pills.

Wish the Best

Army

[bmc1976]

Never said I was going to take it. Just wasn't sure what it was so wanted information on it. My pain is from a failed surgery and I now have scar tissue hitting my sciatic nerve. The pain can be so bad at times I get dizzy and almost black out. It's like being stabbed by a knife in my hip area and protrudes down my leg.

[painveteran]

I have been taking Avinza for three years now.  I took vicodin, norco, percocet, duragesic and generic fentanyl patches, kadian, metahdone and oxycodone before I finally tried it.  I can truthfully say that it saved my life.  Both the neurosurgeon and orthopedic surgeon said that surgery on my neck would make the pain worse.  I have no other alternatives.

Addiction is only a problem when you have euphoria.  I have never experienced euphoria with any oral narcotic pain meds. Now injectable dilauded is a different story.  If you have euphoria (feeling high), then your pain is not bad enough to take the drug.  If you are like me, then you simply must take it.  It is as simple as that.

Sure, I dealt with the feelings of guilt that society imposes on "drug users", but society was not helping me with my pain.  If you have pain that is severe enough to require a time release MS, then you will be companions with either the pain or the drug ... for life.  This may be tough luck, but you must admit it to yourself.

Good Luck, and God bless you.  He understands that you are not a bad person.  He wants you to help yourself.  Please believe it!