Hello Mood Swings....up,down, all around.

[MamaAng]

Since starting the Oxycodone I have been a mess.  The pain is reduced but my emotional nerves are frayed.  I am bugged by everything and everyone!!!  My temper is short-fused, and I am not at all like that normally.  I have no patience with the kids and my poor husband keeps rubbing me the wrong way.  I keep trying to tell him it's ME not him but it has to be hard b/c I would just like to be left alone.  I hope this goes away soon.  I feel really shaky, too.  Is that normal?  I am still on the Fentanyl patch but only until tomorrow then I will be on the Oxycodone alone.  I literally don't want to be touched, at all, during the day.  At night I am okay with cuddling.  

One other question: Does oxycodone work best with or w/o food?  I know my hydrocodones' effectiveness was greatly reduced if I ate an hour before to an hour after taking it.  I can't tell, yet, which is better with the Oxycodone...

Thanks :)

[JadedSweetheart]

I know how you feel about your life just snowballing into pain and not having control over much of anything.  I've been lamenting that more lately, too, and I think it's been sending me into more pain.  
I'm sorry you had to quit your job.  I ended up getting laid off of my last job right around the time of my injury.  I had had some pain before that would come and go and had to leave a job because I couldn't physically do it.  It really feels bad, I know.  
I hope that you start feeling better now that you are off the patch!

[MamaAng]

Thanks!  I don't think it is w/d...well unless it is from switching from hydrocodone 10/500 to oxycodone?  I only had the patch for a week, and I took the last one off last night.  I have one left but no plans to use it.  I think some of my irritation could be with the situation itself.  I had a handle on things before the disk further herniated and complicated things.  Now I am having to deal with making a decision about whether or not have surgery and switching up meds and not having control over much of anything.  I am normally pretty positive and upbeat but I quit my job to get better and have ended up much worse.  I was doing great this past spring, I was even down to 1 pain/pill a day most days!!!  Then things snowballed and here I am on a stronger med and more pain.  My hands have been shaky, but it might be from the fentynal, it raised my heart rate and my blood pressure so I am glad to be able to take it off.  W/D for me usually starts with diarrhea and nausea and I haven't had either of those.  My mood is settling down a bit, at least today has been pretty good.  Thanks for all the suggestions and advice.  I appreciate it.

[troubleinohio]

also the shakiness-- do you mean your whole body is shaky or just your hands or what? Do you have diabetes or hypoglycemia or anything like that? Im not sure if its a listed side effect of opiates or not, but I do know that sometimes my sugar does crash after taking my medicine. I am a hypoglycemic though, have been for years.  Not sure if your shakiness is sugar related or a WD symptom though (or something else entirely unreleated to any of those things ) Im just throwing ideas out there for you..

[troubleinohio]

have you been tapering down on fent patch? I would presume so, thats not someting you just stop suddenly. Were you bumped down on its dosage and also waiting longer in between patch changes? I definitely think it sounds like WD symptoms (trust me Ive been through WD more times that lindsay lohan's been in trouble, lol) and extreme emotions is a symptom of WD. Do you have any other symptoms (such as diarrhea/gas pains, achy legs/body, chills/goosebumps, restless leg syndrome, insomnia, etc?)

[Tuckamore]

Hi Ang,

Your symptoms sound similar to withdrawal but if this isn't new I don't think that these are withdrawal symptoms. Everyone is different.  If I recall you just went on the Fentanyl last week. Did you have the

If you have been experiencing these mood swings and other symptoms prior to the  Fentanyl your assumption that it is from Oxycodone is probably correct. How long have you been on the Oxy? Sorry I don't remember.

I've had similar experience with narcotics. It took several months and a conscious effort to change the unwanted behavior. Actually I think it was underlying issues that the narcotic brought to the surface that I had to deal with. Could that be possible in your situation? My anger at the chronic pain and limitations it imposed were the real culprit. Once I began to deal with that I improved immensely.

So I know that what you are experiencing can change if it is similar to what happened with me. It'll just take some time and patience. Of course the oxycodone component can't be ignored and you should discuss this with your physician. He/she may have some solutions.

I have been directed to take my narcotics with food. Usually your label will contain that information. Your pharmacist is also a great source. I would consult with him.

Hope your PMP will have some answers for you. I'll look forward to hearing your updates.

[sandee1818]

I was told to eat one after before or one after after when taking Oxycontin. I think you are coming off of the fentanyl and experiencing some w/d symptoms maybe. Withdrawal is mental as well as physical. When did you put this patch on?
If the side affects your experiencing are not better in a couple weeks I would suggest talking to your Doctor about a change of medications.
Relieving the pain to a level you can function is great but not at the expense of having your motions go haywire. I know what you mean though about just being ill and not wanting to be touched. I get this way sometimes and it makes me feel horrible when i pop off at my Husband when he has done nothing but be incredibly supportive.
When is your next appointment, if you can hold out until then maybe you can try a different medication.
Good luck we will look forward to hearing how your doing:)

[toolmaker]

That sounds like me while I'm taking steroids.

[JadedSweetheart]

Personally, I think all medication works better with food.  I have a sensitive stomach, though, too, so I really need to eat or I'll likely throw up.  (Even not pregnant)
Your mood swing problem sounds like me when I'm in pain, like to a "T".  I don't want to be touched and I'm short with everyone.  
It's possible your mood swings might be you coming off the Fentanyl.  I don't know, though.  If that's what it is, it should go away a little while after getting off of it.  I felt really withdrawlish when I switched from Fentanyl to Morphine.
I hope you feel better soon!