Tapering down......

[Merri12]

I am tapering off norco well - i guess down to 2 1/2 per day - and talked to my Dr about something for my issues that is non addicting etc. something I can take when needed.

Gave me script for Nucynta to try and see if works. It is a relatively new drug. It is classified as a controlled 2 he said only because this is the first drug in a LONG time that has been approved. He has been prescribing it for well over a year and thinks it is great. His patients have no issues with it. There are studies where people have taken very high doses for extended period of time and can wean off a couple of days and stop with no horrible withdrawals. He said even if you stop at once you will only have very mild symptoms.

So wondering if anyone has taken it ? I have heard nothing of it here yet. My Dr said you won't see it talked about because it doesn't make you high or give the euphoric feeling people seek and wd's are not an issue.

If this is true, it will help our chronic pain people who need something without the addiction & withdrawal issues we all have here. And I will be so very happy.

Thanks.

[clean_in_ks]

Merri....I hear the desperation in you....you're already down to 15 mg....getting close to "jump" time....you can do it....and then you can stop hating yourself......the FREEDOM is worth the pain of w/drawals...let us know when you're ready to jump....we'll be here for ya~

[tooter212]

Merri, you can do this!!!  The longer your off the pills the less pain you have. You've got to give the brain receptors time to heal. You'd be surprised at how much less you hurt without the pills. I still hurt but much less than when taking the pills and it gets better every day. Hang in there, you can do this. God bless

[Merri12]

Thank you!!!  I just can't fo this anymore. I hated myself so much when i did heroin stupidly. I am starting to feel that way again. I don't want this to be my life. I want to be what O was before. I want to wake up feeling good in the morning, not sick from no pills.

My typing was bad above. I meant " my dr has alot of pain patients'. Not "loves of his pain patients too". Darn correct on my phone.

[ariley13]

My bf was prescribed this awhile back and I had never heard of it. He went ahead and tried it, and did not do well with it. He most certainly got 'high' from it, and he also said that it made him feel very 'weird' and not in a good way. He may have just had a reaction to it, but it  is an opiate and it does cause a high. I would just be very careful with it. Like someone said above, doctors also say Tramadol isn't addictive, and it is. I hope that you start to feel better soon. It sure can be miserable, and unfortunately there's not much that makes it better. You just have to push through. Great job on your taper and changing your route of administration. Keep on pushing forward and never give up!

[clean_in_ks]

Good for you!  I hope you won't take the Nucynta now....you're making such good progress with your Norco taper.

The gums and ear pain (imo) will get better and better.  Snorting really damages the the whole ENT (ear/nose/throat) area.  So proud of your week off snorting...that's HUGE!  Give yourself longer than a week on your ears and gums.....they are healing every day they aren't invaded by the demon drug.  Hope you are taking some vitamins, maybe drinking some Emergen-C, lots of water, and plenty of protein...in a protein drink, some eggs, cheese, turkey, tuna, peanut butter....the more protein we consume early in recovery....the faster our brains heal....water too.

[Merri12]

No i am not on any antidepressants. Only other medicine I take is Requip for my RLS and Iron.  

I did all the reading too. That is why I am asking if anyone has actually taken it and what their experience is. My Dr lives it and raved. He loves of pain patients too.

And thank you clean!!  Today has been good. No more snorting for a week now. Splitting my norco 10s in 1/2. It is 7:30pm and I have only taken 1 and a 1/2 today and feel good except for my gums and ear pain. Can deal with that. I am actually doing this.  I hope you are feeling better too.

[clean_in_ks]

First, congratulations on tapering down to 2-1/2 norcos and taking them orally rather than snorting them....that's HUGE PROGRESS.  BUT......

Nucynta....this "new" drug your dr is telling you is non-addictive and good for chronic pain patients is NOT CORRECT INFORMATION.  I am a chronic pain person myself....so I would love to find something to take for my pain too.  So I research every single prescription drug before I put it in my mouth.  I have to....I'm an addict and it's my responsibility to know the facts BEFORE I put any kind of drug in my body.  Not just take a dr's word for it.....that's exactly how so many people got addicted to Tramadol.

Not to get too technical...but here's what I've learned about Nucynta:

It is a mu-opioid agonist and a norepinephine reuptake inhibitor.
It's a Schedule II Controlled Substance....just like oxycodone.
It's a close chemical relative to Tramadol.
It is known to cause Hallucinations in some people (as mentioned in the very same thread you posted in the Pain Mgmt Community about Nucynta and MaryCarmel experienced these hullucinations along with other very negative side effects)

I'm not trying to rain on your parade here.  I just want everyone that reads this to know it's an opioid and also has one of the components used in SNRI antidepressants (the norepinephine).  It IS ADDICTIVE and some of the dr's that are prescribing it instead of hydrocodone or oxycodone are just as unaware of it's addictive properties as they were about Tramadol.

You said this about your dr...."He says he has no idea why it is classified as it is and says it is not a narcotic, especially control 2. I don't know."

It IS a narcotic.....and it is addictive......hope you will re-consider after reading this......and if you're already on an antidepressant.....that would also be a contraindication for Nucynta.

[tooter212]

Does your Dr think hydrocodone is not additive?  That is what I'm trying to get off of. It is VERY additive. The WD's are terrible. Some think tramadol is not additive either. I'd be very careful. I would love to find something for chronic pain too. I wish you all the best. God bless

[Merri12]

I know. What it states on the internet is not what Dr said. He says he has no idea why it is classified as it is and says it is not a narcotic, especially control 2. I don't know. I figure I can take one at night when my issues usually are the worst and see what happens.   My Dr is not happy that the rules have changed and Drs can't give refills on Htdrocodone anymore. That means you have to see the patient every month. He is trying to make it so he isn't swamped with apptments. Not a pill pusher. I should know by the next appointment how this medicine is.

Will let you all know. If it is as he says, it could help so many here and end the addiction cycle for those that have chronic pain.

[bambi2275]

Hi, I wish you nothing but the best, but from what I heard and read the drug nucynta is a class 2 narcotic the same as oxycodone...It actually stronger than norco's.  Be careful and read about it before ingesting it.  Good luck and take care

[Merri12]

I definitely will dropped off the script to get filled so will pick up soon. He gave me a savings card so i won 't pay more than $25. Alot more than the. $5 for norco but the potential benefit will outweigh that if it works.

[Today30]

Hi
Wow that would be great , please keep me posted on what you think of it as this sounds like a great alternative for those of us with chronic pain but want off the addictive stuff!