I had a great Doctors appointment today:)

[sandee1818]

I know alot of members have been having a really hard  time finding oxycodone in stock or at a reasonable price, I too have had this problem. I refuse to pay the outragous prices that are being charged and most will not accept insurance so I went in to my appointment today dreading it as I had already decided I was not going to get my normal prescriptions the prices are too expensive.  I was very worried that the choice my Doctor and I chose would not work and I was upset. I have been on the same medications for many years so I was so concerned that I would not find an alternitive and would be in pain until the shortage or price gouging was over. My wonderful Doctor was very nice and explained all the options and so we finally decided to try the hydromorphone 8mg every 3 hours.  I took my first dose when I got home as I do not drive when taking new medicines and about 20 minutes later I am pain free! For the first time in problaly 10 years I am pain free. I have always just stayed with the same medications.  

[sandee1818]

Don't worry I understand about the spelling. I think I got the idea.
I was in the same position. The cost and the medicines I was on not working well anymore as they once did.
I went in and ask the Doctor about the hydromorphone and my concerns about the dose and them not comparing. He agreed that 4mg would not equal 30mg roxicodone so he made the prescription out for one 8mg every three hours to make sure I was covered. Now I will have a lot left at the end of the month so I will tell him that and he will adjust it to a lower amount.
Just be honest about the cost of your existing meds and how much cheaper the hydromorphone is and see how he feels.
Now according to my Doctor and my experience the 8mg is equal to the 30mg roxicodone. Now each person is different and you may respond to a lower dose. Just speak honestly and see how it goes:)

[TwinsMommma]

btw...sorry for so many spell errors..some of my keys are sticking and my patience was wearing thin on going back and correcting them...

[TwinsMommma]

wow....i'm sooo glad i came upon this thread...especially since it is exactly the kind of info i needed before y next appt...but...i need to NOT get my hopes up b/c my doc may not be wiling...although, he might...he i VERY understanding and luckly he trusts me ...b/c hi nurse used to s his pet peeve is patients requesting speific meds...must be that i've been with him for 4 years...anyways...i'm on 40mg oxycontin twice day and 4 lortabs a day breakthru...this combo is much better than the opana, avenza and i've been on every kind of short acting seem like ...but i think this dose is around 10-20 mg too low...but....my insurance has denied my pre-authorization requesting i try ms contin and duragestic first b/c those 2 come in generic....that story too long...basically i do not want to contine to pay $400 a month for oxy...my dr and i r currently appealing the denial....i thought about asking him what he thinks about 20mg oxy( $240) with a 30mg IR oxy (cheap-genric) ...so at least it's 1/2 the cost..but not sure if it woul be too much of roller coaster....i don' know...saving that much money i can deal with roller coaster....i think...i don't know...I'M JUST SO SICK OF INSURANCE STRONG ARMING MY COURSE OF PM...anyways....maybe i will print this thread and show my dr....FINALY MY BIGGEST CONCERN REGARDING THIS THREAD IDEA IS THAT MY PMS DR WHO DOES MY PROCEDURES (RHIZOTOMY...ETC) DOES NOT HANDLE MEDS MY PCP DOES...AND MY PMS DR BEFORE I WITCHD FROM HIM DOIN MEDS BACK TO MY PCP (LONG STORY)....SAID HE DOESN'T PRESCRIBE DIALUDID B/C HE FEELS PEOPLE INSTANTLY BECOME ADDICTED....needless to say this was one of the reasons i have PCP handle meds.....i'm not worried about that ridiculs statement but a little worried how he would look at me if he were to ask what meds i'm on....and i feel like i should tell my current dr what he said...b/c if do not it make me feel shady or somthing....am i making any sense?

[Mollyrae]

Thank you so much for the advise. Wow, what a help. I am glad that I asked. I am certainly going to talk with my Doctor in Sept. when I see him again. This has gone on for way too long and not only am I tired of it, so is my Family. Call me a couch potato...that's what I feel like.

I wish everyone a fun, safe week.
My best,
Molly

[opus88]

Sandee I too am so happy for you to finally have found some relief!! wonderful news.
Enjoy your Sunday at the beach!!

[JadedSweetheart]

I have had the opposite effect as optimus.  When I first took the dilaudid and at random times I will feel almost "euphoric", but more like "foggy or dazed".  I would expect that occasionally with a stronger med, but it doesn't take away the pain!  It's very frustrating for me as I would rather have the pain relief.  It feels like the medicine is working backwards or something for me.
Now I am on 4mg only 3 times a day, though, and I have to stretch it out about 5 hours between doses, so that might be why it kicks in hard, because it's been a while since the last dose and it's worn off.  I don't know.  I've tried cutting them in half and taking them more frequently and that seems to help with giving continuous pain relief and no weirdness.
I am going to talk to my doctor about it when I see him next, which will hopefully be sooner than later.  It's been really difficult being on this dose and I'm having a hard time taking care of my family while my husband is working long hours.  
It's been very frustrating for me.  
I'm glad that other people have had good pain relief from it, and it encourages me to give it another try at, perhaps, another dose or frequency.  Sometimes I wonder if I'm immune to it or something because a whole 4 mg doesn't seem to work most of the time.

[optimus22mac]

I have been taking dilaudid and hydromorph contin for over a year, and it just works so much better than all of the others.  It is pretty high on the "big dog" scale...haha---it is thought of as stronger that oxycodone and others.  I never felt the euphoric or "high" feeling from it--never.  I always did feel some sort of euphoric feeling when I first started taking narcotics...or when my doses were increased...and because this is supposed to be the next step up from oxycodone (or one option), I expected to feel some type of weird side effect like that...and I did not.  That's why I always describe my pain relief as "subtle".  I think that some people who have tried it do not think it works because they are expecting some type of euphoric feeling upon starting it, and maybe when they don't get any, they give up on it? I also believe that you have to have it build up in your system a little bit...at least with the ER form...to have it really be effective.  

Mollyrae--I had tried fentanyl...when I first realized that the oxycodone was not working as well.  I was SO INCREDIBLY TIRED.  I stayed with it for over a month...and I could never keep my eyes open!  I really think there is no harm in trying the hydromorphone...it is a strong effective medication that allows you to function at a very normal level.  

Sandee I am so happy you are having success! I was as happy as you are now, when I switched...I think I actually posted when I switched last year...if you are interested, look at my posts--I just checked...July 2, 2009:)
Mollyrae...take a look at my posts about dilaudid also from last year, maybe it might give you more insight about the side effects:)

If anyone has any more questions and/or concerns about any of this, I'd love to help in any way I can:)

[sandee1818]

I hope it works for you:)

[Mollyrae]

Thanks fo rall the information in both posts. I really appreciate it.

I think I have made my mind up to at least try it and have a Pain Specialist involved along with my PCP who does my prescribing.

Kudo's
Molly

[sandee1818]

I also wanted to add that I slept great too. I had not been sleeping well at all and had decided to ask my doctor about giving me something for that but now I don't need it. It is my miracle medicine:)

[sandee1818]

Mollyrae,
I have really been so surprised at how normal I feel and with no pain. I do not feel tired as I was with the oxycodone and I get no euphoric feeling at all. I just feel like me with no pain if that makes any sense.I came home and took a half last night and that is 4mg and as I said the pain was gone and I wasn't tired just pain free. Today I tried the whole tablet after lunch to see if taking the whole tablet as prescribed would last longer and it worked great. I took it at around 2 and have not had to take another one! My Doctor prescribed them every three hours but thank goodness I do not need that much. It seems like when I took the whole 8mg tablet it lasted longer. The pain relief was the same I am doing really great.
I would definitely speak to your Doctor about it.I had no w/d symptoms either. I was taking 5 30mg oxycodone and 2 40mg oxycontin daily. I have been taking oxycontin since 1991 when it came out and only raised my dose twice from 20mg 2 a day to three a day and then to 40mg twice daily. I only added the oxycodone last year. It had just stopped working for me I realize now. Of course I did not realize this until taking the new medicine!
I was like wow I wished I had done this long ago.
I have no side effects , no nausea or euphoric feelings and no heartburn I was getting with the oxycodone.
I have not taken the Oxycontin and do not plan to unless I need it later for now I am set:)
I hope this helps Mollyrae.
I really appreciate all the support and kind comments everyone:)

[Mollyrae]

Cont......Or anyone else that has knowledge of Hydromorphone and it's effect would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Molly

[Mollyrae]

Sandee, I am very curious as to the side effects of the new medication. I have always wanted to try the Hydromorphone and was too scared to switch from the Fentanyl patch because of the potency and fearing that I would end up in some sort of W/D.

You said that it actually didn't make you so tired. Could you elaborate on this?
The Fentanyl makes me SOOO tired and I have been on the lookout for something that would be close to the Fent and also make me less tired.

I guess another fear is feeling euphoric. I don't like it as it keeps me up all night long and after a few nights like that, I am physically drained.

I would appreciate ALL the information you could give me on this.
Thanks so much,
Molly

[namnam46]

I'm so glad that it is STILL working well for you today. I was rally hoping that it would continue to give the same great relief that you got yesterday!!!

It's high time that you got significant help from your meds.

Looking forward to more updates from you....Sherry

[RunningMom]

I'm so happy for you are able to have relief.  I hope this medicine continues to work for you.

[JadedSweetheart]

I'm glad to hear a good report about the dilauded.  I'm really glad it's working for you.  As I said in PM, I was thinking that if the doctor had prescribed more than 3 4mg for me a day it would probably work just as well as the oxycodone.  
I'm encouraged now to give it another try.  
It's funny that you mentioned how we think of it as "big dog" medication.  When I went to the hospital for the not-a-UTI, I had to list my prescriptions to at least 3 nurses.  Each time they'd say "Oh wow", and I'd say "Yeah, not really".  I think I should have mentioned that I've been on opiate therapy for two years and maybe they would have understood.  I always take it for granted in situations like that that they understand what's going on with me.
I'm really glad to know it can work.  It seems like a better medication to taper off of than the oxycodone and with the price going up, my husband was ready to shell out whatever it took for me to be functional again.  This is very encouraging news.
Thank you for sharing! :)

[optimus22mac]

It's been a while since I had Oxycontin, but I don't remember any significant increase or decrease in price when I switched to the Hydromorph Contin.  I want to guess it's a little cheaper, but have to remember I live in Canada--so prices are different.  I did luckily just get the new insurance through my husband's work, so now we are saving a TON of money!!! If you add all of my prescriptions...we were paying about $650.00 per month!!! Now we pay $6.99 per prescription!! CRAZY!!!  If you do decide on the ER Hydromorphone, I hope you find it as amazing as I do...It works so well for me:) And the dilaudid I take is the 4mg pills, 1-2 up to 4 times a day.  When I switched, I was taking Oxycontin and Percocet, and was in so much pain...it just wasn't working.  I was amazed when I started the dilaudid because the pain relief happened, with no noticeable side effects--no tiredness, dizzyness...I was so happy!

[sandee1818]

I have noticed that I am not as tired and I just feel better. I had taken the oxycodone for so long it really had no more effect on my pain , I really see that now. I thought I was doing fine with the level of pain I was dealing with but I was not and now realize this.
The shortage has really been a blessing to me. I hope others find this to be true too.
The oxycodone 30mg here in Florida is so popular. Alot of the ones that come in from out of state people who come to the "pill mills" and this is why there is a shortage. My Doctor made the comment that Florida is like McDonald's 10 billion sold, referring to oxycodone.
The DEA shut down a couple clinics in Jacksonville on Thursday and I can only hope they will get to the many, many others.  

I am still supposed to be taking the oxycontin but have not as this seems to work by taking it every four to five hours and I see no use in taking more medications when I do not need them. I will have to email the doctor today and and let him know I am not taking it. I may need it down the road but for now I am good. He did ask me about the ER hydromorphone and I just decided to stay with the oxycontin and see how the new medicine worked with it.
Is the ER formula of Hydromorphone as expensive as the oxycontin is?

[optimus22mac]

Hydromorphone is Dilaudid...I take 8mg up to 4 times a day for breakthrough...along with my 24mg Hydromorph Contin (the extended release form) twice a day.  I find it to be an amazing pain reliever for me--and I am so glad it is working for you.  I found it to be a very subtle pain relief--meaning that I never really got any strong side effects when I first started taking it, I just realized my pain was much less a little while after taking it.  

[sandee1818]

You may have been in such pain after your surgery that the dose you received just wasn't enough to decrease the pain.
I know we as chronic pain Pt's consider some medications the big dogs so to speak but we should not view them this way as we all know whatever helps us function and have some quality of life is worth it in the end. I admit I was really worried about taking this medicine and I told the Doctor when we were discussing what to change my medications to and he just asked me one question, why would you be reluctant to take something that would potentially help your pain so you can get on with your life. That made me realize I do generalize medicines too much. Chronic pain Pt's do tend to see pain medicines this way as we try and stay on the lower dose and lower medicines but we have to look beyond that.

[mellie4]

I know a lot of people who say Dilaudid is terrific. I had it after my last surgery, and it was like I ate a tic tac. I was originally worried about it being too strong and was really worried about being on it.

[sandee1818]

It is Dilaudid. I should have mentioned too that I am only taking a half of a pill as it is not an extended reelease formula. So I am doing fine with 4mg and it last atleast 4 to 5 hours.
Thanks so much everyone. You all are so great:)

[mellie4]

This is great news! I am delighted for you.  What his hydromorphone?  Does it have another name?

[Sarajmt]

WooHoo!!  It's so good to hear you're out of pain. After everything you've been through, you really deserve it.  Enjoy your pain free days ahead!
Sara