oxycodone to nucynta part 2

[misjoy]

I have had my surgery, now I want off this medication, I want my life back.  I went to my Pcp told him what was going on and he gave me a script for nucynta, told me to use this to come off the oxycodone, and then taper from the nucynta, I have read about this drug and now I am scared that I am just trading one bad drug for another.  I still have 1 percoce 5/325, my doc told me that it was ok to take the percs in between doses of nucynta if i really needed to.  I just want some more feed back from this,  I am really scared of withdrawl, before going to see pcp this last time, i tried tapering perc and experienced, sweats, restless body syndrome and aggitation.  please help, any feedback will be much appreciated, I am scared.  I have a child to take care of.  I want my life back.  

[Julia M Aharonov, DO]

Dear Misjoy,
I am so glad that you are on the way to recovery; you have had your surgery and now, are correctly addressing your dependency to narcotic medications. Over the few years of taking opiates, you have not only developed a dependency, but have most likely developed a condition called hyperalgesia that is caused by prolonged use of narcotics and proliferation of the opioid receptors in your body.  It leads to you feeling an exaggerated amount of pain.  Your body makes you experience more pain than there is a physical cause for.  
As you already know yourself it is important for you to get off of the narcotics. I am afraid, though, that going on Nucynta is just doing more of the same. Nucynta is just as addictive as any other narcotic medication. You may have luck with Suboxone, but we see many people in our clinic who get addicted to that as well, and we have to detox them off of it.  However it works for some if tapered carefully.
You are welcome to look at my website for info on drug detox and call us if you have questions. I also what to mention, that smoking impedes the healing process and will prolong recovery from any surgery.  I don’t know if you smoke, but if you do, it would be great for you to stop.  I understand how difficult it is, but smokers have much higher chance of chronic pain syndrome, because of their decrease ability to heal.
Good luck to you.  
  

[misjoy]

Thank-you so much for replying.  This situation with oxycodone has been a real struggle.  I took my last percocet on Friday 5/20.  I was taking the nucynta every 6 hours on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  Saturday I took only 3 nucynta throughout the day.  Sunday I only took 2, one in the am and one at hs.  I think that I could have gone without the night dose but my restless body and inability to sleep took over.  I have read about suboxone, I assume that my doctor does not have privileges to prescribe this medication.  I have thought about going to my communities outpatient treatment.  I am just hoping that I can taper off this nucynta and get my life back.  I am positive.  I have not abused the nucynta and have even taken less than prescribed.  

I will look at your website for infor on drug detox.  I thank you so much.