Aa
morphine er vs opana er
I have been on morphine er 60mgs twice a day for my chronic pain among other issues. Yesterday I found out I had extensive nerve damage in my lower back. And my doctor changed my meds from the morphine to Opana Er 20 mgs twice a day. what is the difference? does anyone know? I tried to google and got nothing. I was just wondering if this is just a different brand name for morphine but stronger? thanks in advance for your help. Best wishes to all
The Opana Er 20mg is goin to be a lower dose for you. Why didn't they give you 40mg or 30 mg. Seems like your goin to have to get them adjusted. I've been taking Opana er and Opana IR for 10+ years and it's the only medicine that helps me without the nasty side effects. Also ask about getting Koloanipin. That helps me with my nerve damage I have in both my legs, lower back, hips. I've had 10 surgeries and have tried different medications and had a lot of problems bc I have that. I do t tolarate medication very well as it is so Opana ER, IR are the only ones along with the Koloanipins. Good luck it's hard to find something that works.
(I see this thread is old) But felt need to respond- I truly do hate the 1-10 scale. I'd like to develop a different one that has 1/4 marks or.... A second scale under the 1-10 that offers an "aggravating factor" or something...those 1-10 are too vague for me to be precise. However, I will say I certainly have BEEN in a 10/10 pain... And yes, I was in a hospital-I blacked out in the way to the hospital. Between that (it ended up being my 1 and only experience w/a very large kidney stone...I had a hard time just crawling down the hallway to get some help-from someone-anyone! I did not know what was happening, but it was nothing good...it was 100%bad. I could not stand up, sit up, just...intense intense pain. And quite frankly, passing out from that pain was a relief). So, between that and the moment I woke up (the 1st 2days) after brain & spine surgery- was by far the 2nd worst pain in my life. A 10 no doubt!
So, based on those 2 experiences, I know what a 10 is. And even on my worst, most painful days, I can simply never say 10. I usually hover at a strong 7 low 8 at my "worst", as I say. But the 2point difference between an 8 or 10 is huge! I've been in ER's(my Neurosurgeon sent me to ER) where I was 2wks. out from my brain being cut open, all neck muscles cut in 1/2&splayed open, all kinds of nasty stuff... I say an "8 or 9". Blinding by pain & worried. Yet the girl next to me comes in w/a 10/10 migraine pain, but the second the nurse leaves the room, she gets in her phone & proceeds to txt. and (I could hear the actual game) play games on her phone!!! Unimaginable! The hooked her up quickly...medicated her quickly too. But, b/c I'd just had brain surgery, they had to wait for the in all Neurosurgeon to call & see how to treat (I NEEDED an MRI/CT, bloodworm and then yes, pain control.
My point is...I find I've underrated my pain in the past. I very much know what my version of 10 is, which is supposed to be "the worst pain in your life". To me, a 10 is IN or headed to an ER in a serious way. These days, to not underestimate my pain, I make sure I say what it is, but I use "a strong" or "a low" #. My GOAL (through injections, PT, meds..d be happy at a 3/4 on a steady day to day. I know I'll never reach a #0 or a #1.
It does drive me nuts to hear someone say 10 and then proceeded to play candy crush game on your phone and call people.
Just my thoughts.
So, based on those 2 experiences, I know what a 10 is. And even on my worst, most painful days, I can simply never say 10. I usually hover at a strong 7 low 8 at my "worst", as I say. But the 2point difference between an 8 or 10 is huge! I've been in ER's(my Neurosurgeon sent me to ER) where I was 2wks. out from my brain being cut open, all neck muscles cut in 1/2&splayed open, all kinds of nasty stuff... I say an "8 or 9". Blinding by pain & worried. Yet the girl next to me comes in w/a 10/10 migraine pain, but the second the nurse leaves the room, she gets in her phone & proceeds to txt. and (I could hear the actual game) play games on her phone!!! Unimaginable! The hooked her up quickly...medicated her quickly too. But, b/c I'd just had brain surgery, they had to wait for the in all Neurosurgeon to call & see how to treat (I NEEDED an MRI/CT, bloodworm and then yes, pain control.
My point is...I find I've underrated my pain in the past. I very much know what my version of 10 is, which is supposed to be "the worst pain in your life". To me, a 10 is IN or headed to an ER in a serious way. These days, to not underestimate my pain, I make sure I say what it is, but I use "a strong" or "a low" #. My GOAL (through injections, PT, meds..d be happy at a 3/4 on a steady day to day. I know I'll never reach a #0 or a #1.
It does drive me nuts to hear someone say 10 and then proceeded to play candy crush game on your phone and call people.
Just my thoughts.
(I see this thread is old) But felt need to respond- I truly do hate the 1-10 scale. I'd like to develop a different one that has 1/4 marks or.... A second scale under the 1-10 that offers an "aggravating factor" or something...those 1-10 are too vague for me to be precise. However, I will say I certainly have BEEN in a 10/10 pain... And yes, I was in a hospital-I blacked out in the way to the hospital. Between that (it ended up being my 1 and only experience w/a very large kidney stone...I had a hard time just crawling down the hallway to get some help-from someone-anyone! I did not know what was happening, but it was nothing good...it was 100%bad. I could not stand up, sit up, just...intense intense pain. And quite frankly, passing out from that pain was a relief). So, between that and the moment I woke up (the 1st 2days) after brain & spine surgery- was by far the 2nd worst pain in my life. A 10 no doubt!
So, based on those 2 experiences, I know what a 10 is. And even on my worst, most painful days, I can simply never say 10. I usually hover at a strong 7 low 8 at my "worst", as I say. But the 2point difference between an 8 or 10 is huge! I've been in ER's(my Neurosurgeon sent me to ER) where I was 2wks. out from my brain being cut open, all neck muscles cut in 1/2&splayed open, all kinds of nasty stuff... I say an "8 or 9". Blinding by pain & worried. Yet the girl next to me comes in w/a 10/10 migraine pain, but the second the nurse leaves the room, she gets in her phone & proceeds to txt. and (I could hear the actual game) play games on her phone!!! Unimaginable! The hooked her up quickly...medicated her quickly too. But, b/c I'd just had brain surgery, they had to wait for the in all Neurosurgeon to call & see how to treat (I NEEDED an MRI/CT, bloodworm and then yes, pain control.
My point is...I find I've underrated my pain in the past. I very much know what my version of 10 is, which is supposed to be "the worst pain in your life". To me, a 10 is IN or headed to an ER in a serious way. These days, to not underestimate my pain, I make sure I say what it is, but I use "a strong" or "a low" #. My GOAL (through injections, PT, meds..d be happy at a 3/4 on a steady day to day. I know I'll never reach a #0 or a #1.
It does drive me nuts to hear someone say 10 and then proceeded to play candy crush game on your phone and call people.
Just my thoughts.
So, based on those 2 experiences, I know what a 10 is. And even on my worst, most painful days, I can simply never say 10. I usually hover at a strong 7 low 8 at my "worst", as I say. But the 2point difference between an 8 or 10 is huge! I've been in ER's(my Neurosurgeon sent me to ER) where I was 2wks. out from my brain being cut open, all neck muscles cut in 1/2&splayed open, all kinds of nasty stuff... I say an "8 or 9". Blinding by pain & worried. Yet the girl next to me comes in w/a 10/10 migraine pain, but the second the nurse leaves the room, she gets in her phone & proceeds to txt. and (I could hear the actual game) play games on her phone!!! Unimaginable! The hooked her up quickly...medicated her quickly too. But, b/c I'd just had brain surgery, they had to wait for the in all Neurosurgeon to call & see how to treat (I NEEDED an MRI/CT, bloodworm and then yes, pain control.
My point is...I find I've underrated my pain in the past. I very much know what my version of 10 is, which is supposed to be "the worst pain in your life". To me, a 10 is IN or headed to an ER in a serious way. These days, to not underestimate my pain, I make sure I say what it is, but I use "a strong" or "a low" #. My GOAL (through injections, PT, meds..d be happy at a 3/4 on a steady day to day. I know I'll never reach a #0 or a #1.
It does drive me nuts to hear someone say 10 and then proceeded to play candy crush game on your phone and call people.
Just my thoughts.
When describing the level of pain to your Pain Management Doctor, be as accurate as possible. Giving too high pain levels makes treatment very difficult. When I hear someone say they were or are in 10 or "10+ level, I know they are not being entirely truthful. If you are actually in level 1o pain, you better be in thr Hospital or in an ambulance on the way to the Hospital.... PERIOD!
Of course the Roxi 30 worked! And that's PRECISELY the reason doctors don't give them out -- because all doctors are sadistic, they want us in pain, and they want to keep us under their control.
Be honest. That's what ALL of us have thought from time to time.
But the truth is, nothing could be FURTHER from the truth. I'm going to explain.
It might be too late already...
But those of you who have been on a consistant dosage (e.g. 10mg Norco 3 times a day, or one percocet 4 times a day.... or whatever) and, for one reason or another (e.g. bad hair day, wife/husband yelled at you, extra sharp pain, counted your pills thought you had an extra one outta nowhere, etc., etc.) took DOUBLE the dosage, have probably noticed that you totally ruined/goofed-up your tolerance! And, like, really FAST, too! All of a sudden, that "one percocet" that worked so well suddenly doesn't have that "kick" any more. And, that's just from ONE slip-up! That one 10mg Norco pill that worked so well on your fusion pain suddenly just doesn't cut it.... All because you took a "double-dose" of that doggone OXYCODONE!
See, oxycodone is one of the WORST tolerance-ruiners if you don't take it absolutely *perfectly.*
And THAT'S the reason all these doctors you all think are so sadistic and "opiophobic" are so darn conservative when it comes to prescribing oxycodone. Many even prefer to give dilaudid (hydromorphone) or morphine or methadone, over oxycodone for this very reason.
So, yes, your 30mg of oxycodone is very, very powerful... and to compound the problem (making it worse) is that it ruins it's OWN tolerance, too! before you know it, that 30mg just won't cut it. There's something about that leap, going above 10mg. That's why so many doctors refuse to give more than 3 percocet a day.
Now there IS good news: oxycodone tolerance can DROP almost as fast as it shoots up. It takes a good 3 to 5 days of no oxycodone. But y'all know that's easier said than done. If you have a Safety Deposit Box at a bank, stick all your oxycodones in the Deposit Box on Friday, then because of the automatic self-sealing bank vault, you won't be able to touch them 'till monday... and 'voila' your tolerance will be back to normal.
If you really need more pain relief, and your doctor agrees that more meds is what you need, there's nothing wrong with more morphine. Just watch the side effects (i.e. ask your doctor if you can take miralax for constipation, etc.), but if I were you, I would thank my lucky stars my doctor doesn't prescribe more than 3x of the oxy a day...
Be honest. That's what ALL of us have thought from time to time.
But the truth is, nothing could be FURTHER from the truth. I'm going to explain.
It might be too late already...
But those of you who have been on a consistant dosage (e.g. 10mg Norco 3 times a day, or one percocet 4 times a day.... or whatever) and, for one reason or another (e.g. bad hair day, wife/husband yelled at you, extra sharp pain, counted your pills thought you had an extra one outta nowhere, etc., etc.) took DOUBLE the dosage, have probably noticed that you totally ruined/goofed-up your tolerance! And, like, really FAST, too! All of a sudden, that "one percocet" that worked so well suddenly doesn't have that "kick" any more. And, that's just from ONE slip-up! That one 10mg Norco pill that worked so well on your fusion pain suddenly just doesn't cut it.... All because you took a "double-dose" of that doggone OXYCODONE!
See, oxycodone is one of the WORST tolerance-ruiners if you don't take it absolutely *perfectly.*
And THAT'S the reason all these doctors you all think are so sadistic and "opiophobic" are so darn conservative when it comes to prescribing oxycodone. Many even prefer to give dilaudid (hydromorphone) or morphine or methadone, over oxycodone for this very reason.
So, yes, your 30mg of oxycodone is very, very powerful... and to compound the problem (making it worse) is that it ruins it's OWN tolerance, too! before you know it, that 30mg just won't cut it. There's something about that leap, going above 10mg. That's why so many doctors refuse to give more than 3 percocet a day.
Now there IS good news: oxycodone tolerance can DROP almost as fast as it shoots up. It takes a good 3 to 5 days of no oxycodone. But y'all know that's easier said than done. If you have a Safety Deposit Box at a bank, stick all your oxycodones in the Deposit Box on Friday, then because of the automatic self-sealing bank vault, you won't be able to touch them 'till monday... and 'voila' your tolerance will be back to normal.
If you really need more pain relief, and your doctor agrees that more meds is what you need, there's nothing wrong with more morphine. Just watch the side effects (i.e. ask your doctor if you can take miralax for constipation, etc.), but if I were you, I would thank my lucky stars my doctor doesn't prescribe more than 3x of the oxy a day...
You should remember the controlled substance agreement that you signed before opioid treatment was offered. I suggest that you reread that document very carefully. I read letters every day from elderly patients on long-term COT who have lost their access to medicine because of a small violation of their contract.
When you do not take your pain medication as directed, you are violating your contract, and put yourself at risk of losing your pain doctor along with access to your medication. Many others have lost their relationship with a compassionate pain doctor for doing less.
When one has signed a controlled substance agreement with a doctor to receive COT, one must abide by the rules of that agreement without exception. Accepting opioids from any source but that doctor, whether that second source be a relative, friend, licensed pain doctor, or your cat's veterinarian, is irresponsible, dishonest, and risky behavior.
While some pain doctors see this behavior within the context of pain management, most doctors see consider this "drug seeking" behavior as a sign of opioid addiction.
You just doubled your baseline dose, from 30mg to 60mg of morphine ER / day. You're being prescribed 30mg oxycodone / day for BT pain, which is already above average dosing for BT pain.
The ineffectiveness of your current medication and your desire to add 30mg oxycodone at night for sleeping, doubling your daily BT dose can mean a few things to your doctor:
1) Morphine is the wrong choice for your baseline medication. Perhaps you are a poor metabolizer of morphine. There are tests to assess your ability to metabolize various opioids -- perhaps your pain doc should follow up, or established the appropriateness of morphine via you urine scans.
2) your baseline dose of morphine is still too low to be effective.
3) your preference for IR medication may indicate developing opioid addiction.
Yes, #3 is shocking. IR opioids pass into the brain much faster than ER medications, and thus BT pain medications begin to work very quickly activating the pleasure centers of the brain. Some people enjoy this feeling (called a rush or euphoria), and become conditioned to seeking this feeling.
One must ask themselves serious questions about their own behavior, and provide honest answers to determine if they are becoming addicted to their BT medications:
-- Am I taking my BT medication too early?
-- Am I taking my BT medication when my pain is tolerable?
-- Do I look forward to that next BT medication like someone looks forward to that first martini after work?
-- Am I taking BT medication everyday, not as directed, and running out of these meds before the end of the month?
-- Do I receive a good deal of pleasure from taking my BT medications?
These are just some of the self-exploration one must practice when it comes to the use of BT medication.
I'm not accusing you of anything -- I'm only sharing the benefit of my experience of counseling chronic pain patients, and from being a chronic pain patient for over 30 years.
We all enjoy the relief we get from opioids, no doubt. But we must all learn to control our use of them so that they continue to provide pain relief, today, tomorrow, and 30 years down the road.
If you are still having pain, talk to your doctor. He/she may propose other treatments that can help reduce your pain by a point or two, helping you get through each day with less pain.
One should never depend entirely on medication to control pain -- COT should only be one part of your treatment plan. Working with your doctor, pain psychologist, and other professionals in developing an effective pain management treatment plan requires a great deal of patience, practice, and knowledge. A successful pain patient learns a lot about the diseases underlying their pain syndromes, effective treatment options for those diseases, and where to get help. A pain psychologist is perhaps your most important medical professional for dealing with pain. I've had many good pain doctors in my medical experience, but only one pain psychologist for the past 20 years. Our relationship has helped me find effective new treatments, new doctors, has helped me to better communicate with my doctor, and has in general, helped me to get through some very tough times.
A final word -- say nothing about that 30mg oxycodone pill. Taking narcotics from outside sources is just the wrong thing to do. Do not mention it, and never do it again.
I believe it is time to begin a pain diary, where you make entries all day long, that track your pain level (1-10), activities including walking, exercising, sitting, laying down, and anything outside of your normal routine, when and how much medication you take, and your general mood. Note menstrual cycle if that is still relevant, any cold or flu, and other health issues.
Best wishes in getting your pain under control.
When you do not take your pain medication as directed, you are violating your contract, and put yourself at risk of losing your pain doctor along with access to your medication. Many others have lost their relationship with a compassionate pain doctor for doing less.
When one has signed a controlled substance agreement with a doctor to receive COT, one must abide by the rules of that agreement without exception. Accepting opioids from any source but that doctor, whether that second source be a relative, friend, licensed pain doctor, or your cat's veterinarian, is irresponsible, dishonest, and risky behavior.
While some pain doctors see this behavior within the context of pain management, most doctors see consider this "drug seeking" behavior as a sign of opioid addiction.
You just doubled your baseline dose, from 30mg to 60mg of morphine ER / day. You're being prescribed 30mg oxycodone / day for BT pain, which is already above average dosing for BT pain.
The ineffectiveness of your current medication and your desire to add 30mg oxycodone at night for sleeping, doubling your daily BT dose can mean a few things to your doctor:
1) Morphine is the wrong choice for your baseline medication. Perhaps you are a poor metabolizer of morphine. There are tests to assess your ability to metabolize various opioids -- perhaps your pain doc should follow up, or established the appropriateness of morphine via you urine scans.
2) your baseline dose of morphine is still too low to be effective.
3) your preference for IR medication may indicate developing opioid addiction.
Yes, #3 is shocking. IR opioids pass into the brain much faster than ER medications, and thus BT pain medications begin to work very quickly activating the pleasure centers of the brain. Some people enjoy this feeling (called a rush or euphoria), and become conditioned to seeking this feeling.
One must ask themselves serious questions about their own behavior, and provide honest answers to determine if they are becoming addicted to their BT medications:
-- Am I taking my BT medication too early?
-- Am I taking my BT medication when my pain is tolerable?
-- Do I look forward to that next BT medication like someone looks forward to that first martini after work?
-- Am I taking BT medication everyday, not as directed, and running out of these meds before the end of the month?
-- Do I receive a good deal of pleasure from taking my BT medications?
These are just some of the self-exploration one must practice when it comes to the use of BT medication.
I'm not accusing you of anything -- I'm only sharing the benefit of my experience of counseling chronic pain patients, and from being a chronic pain patient for over 30 years.
We all enjoy the relief we get from opioids, no doubt. But we must all learn to control our use of them so that they continue to provide pain relief, today, tomorrow, and 30 years down the road.
If you are still having pain, talk to your doctor. He/she may propose other treatments that can help reduce your pain by a point or two, helping you get through each day with less pain.
One should never depend entirely on medication to control pain -- COT should only be one part of your treatment plan. Working with your doctor, pain psychologist, and other professionals in developing an effective pain management treatment plan requires a great deal of patience, practice, and knowledge. A successful pain patient learns a lot about the diseases underlying their pain syndromes, effective treatment options for those diseases, and where to get help. A pain psychologist is perhaps your most important medical professional for dealing with pain. I've had many good pain doctors in my medical experience, but only one pain psychologist for the past 20 years. Our relationship has helped me find effective new treatments, new doctors, has helped me to better communicate with my doctor, and has in general, helped me to get through some very tough times.
A final word -- say nothing about that 30mg oxycodone pill. Taking narcotics from outside sources is just the wrong thing to do. Do not mention it, and never do it again.
I believe it is time to begin a pain diary, where you make entries all day long, that track your pain level (1-10), activities including walking, exercising, sitting, laying down, and anything outside of your normal routine, when and how much medication you take, and your general mood. Note menstrual cycle if that is still relevant, any cold or flu, and other health issues.
Best wishes in getting your pain under control.
2 Comments
You make very bad observations on people taking all aspects of pain medicine.
I just want to say this to you without any rudeness at all okay.
Sounds like you work around people that take pain medicine.
When people have serious injuries due to accidents, etc, and have severe pain all the time, why is it that just bc we have to tell our doctors how the medicine is doing, either not or great, that people like you automatically assume that it's drug seeking behavior??
See this is my problem with people that have no clue what a person feels and lives 24/7 in pain so bad that you want to stick a gun in your mouth. Then to top that off, we have to go to the doctor and deal with people like you who automatically judge bc were taking pain medicine.
I'm not singling you out but you did post your comment on here. How bout this, instead of saying that try having some compassion for us! If you don't have severe chronic pain your never goin to understand. But let me tell you this, when your in massive pain so bad and have to go get pain management I hope you get what your giving. It makes me so angry, I'm totally & permantly disabled, I hate taking pain medicine but if I don't I can't walk or even move.
STOP RUSHING TO A SNAP DECISION WITH EVERYONE!! Have compassion for the people that are taking it bc they have to.
Next time sit on any comment for 2 days before you post them!!!
I just want to say this to you without any rudeness at all okay.
Sounds like you work around people that take pain medicine.
When people have serious injuries due to accidents, etc, and have severe pain all the time, why is it that just bc we have to tell our doctors how the medicine is doing, either not or great, that people like you automatically assume that it's drug seeking behavior??
See this is my problem with people that have no clue what a person feels and lives 24/7 in pain so bad that you want to stick a gun in your mouth. Then to top that off, we have to go to the doctor and deal with people like you who automatically judge bc were taking pain medicine.
I'm not singling you out but you did post your comment on here. How bout this, instead of saying that try having some compassion for us! If you don't have severe chronic pain your never goin to understand. But let me tell you this, when your in massive pain so bad and have to go get pain management I hope you get what your giving. It makes me so angry, I'm totally & permantly disabled, I hate taking pain medicine but if I don't I can't walk or even move.
STOP RUSHING TO A SNAP DECISION WITH EVERYONE!! Have compassion for the people that are taking it bc they have to.
Next time sit on any comment for 2 days before you post them!!!
Your comment is the truest stament I have ever read on a forum. And I am reading it at a time where I ran out of my tramadol and morphine a couple days early and just got my refill today. I am disappointed with myself every time I run out early. And then when I get a refill I swear I wont over take my meds again. When Im in really bad pain, I always think, I can take an extra now and just make it up by taking less later, but I never do. The fact is, i did sign a contract, and i need to stick with it. My doc started giving me 2 weeks worth of meds instead of 1 month whenever we change up my meds, so im not stuck with a whole month of something that isn't working. Anyways Thank you. I read this at just the right time.
I am on Percocet 10's IR 3x/day and started off on morphine 15mg XR 2x/day & they were not working so he bumped me to 30 mg XR and they are not working either because I was taking 2 of the 15's by trying to get relief. I see him next week and want to suggest something stronger that the morphine 30mg XR because he will not increase my quantity of Percocet's. My cousin gave me a Roxi 30mg on night and it WORKED. I was not waking up in the middle of the night and taking another Percocet to fall back and stay asleep. So I am looking for what suggestions to give him. PLEASE HELP &THANK YOU
Hi, Iknow it has been a few years since your post, i was wondering how you are doing on the Opana ER. I am switching from Opana 30 mg ER to Morphine 60 mg ER.The Opana gave me side effects, dizziness, being in withdrawl if I missed a dose, and it did not help my chronic pain.. I have tried many ER drugs and I am having a hard time finding many of them. Plus my breakthrough meds are also hard to find. I am hoping the Morphine ER will lessen my side effects and cost, I was only on Opana for 2 months but it did not do the job for me. I know everyone has different reactions to meds. Please let me know how you are doning . Thanks ;)
I'm on 300 mcg of fentanyl for pancreatits. it doesn't completely take carw of the pain but worse off - it causes urinary retention. what dose, if any of the ER would help? my dr's suggested it, but now i'm fighting w/the ins. company. Any ideas?
Thank you for correcting my mis-type. I meant to say extended release instead of extended relief.....and you are correct. It is important as they stay in our systems for an extended period of time as compared to an IR (immediate release) medication.
Thanks for catching my typo.
~Tuck
Thanks for catching my typo.
~Tuck
I was taking 6-10/325 Percs a day when my doctor switched me to 2-20mg Opana ER & 2-10mg IR daily. I have RSD/CRPS in my foot/ankle.
This helped a bit but I was still suffering pain at a level that I felt was too high. My doctor switched me to 2-30mg ER Opana with the same 2-10 mg IR for breakthrough and the difference in pain control is astonishing. Some days I don't even have to take both break out meds.Of course, everyone responds differently to these opiates.
I 've not tried the morphine in pill form, so I can't give you a comparison. I would try different meds suggested by your doctor until you find something that works for you. If I'd listened to the majority of people on these med boards concerning Opana, I wouldn't have given it a chance. There's no euphoric side effects, which may have something to do with many not liking it, it just melts my pain away. Like I said above, different people respond differently to opiates.
Good luck with the Opana or whatever you find that works for you.
This helped a bit but I was still suffering pain at a level that I felt was too high. My doctor switched me to 2-30mg ER Opana with the same 2-10 mg IR for breakthrough and the difference in pain control is astonishing. Some days I don't even have to take both break out meds.Of course, everyone responds differently to these opiates.
I 've not tried the morphine in pill form, so I can't give you a comparison. I would try different meds suggested by your doctor until you find something that works for you. If I'd listened to the majority of people on these med boards concerning Opana, I wouldn't have given it a chance. There's no euphoric side effects, which may have something to do with many not liking it, it just melts my pain away. Like I said above, different people respond differently to opiates.
Good luck with the Opana or whatever you find that works for you.
A correction...ER stands for Extended RELEASE. This is important for several reasons. One of which is the medicines are released into your blood stream over an extended period of time. One needs to be cautious in following scripted orders without deviation. There is significant potential of fatal overdose.
I was switched to Opana a few weeks ago from Morphine. It is oxymorphone and is stronger when compared mg for mg to Morphine. It is supposed to be 3x stronger. So if you took 60mg of Morphine, then 20mg of Opana should be about the same strength. I, however, went back to Kadian. I did not like the way Opana made me feel. It made me really nauseous. I only took it for about 5 days, so I can't really tell you if it is any better or worse compared to Morphine. It seemed to be about the same for me in that short time.
Hi Scaredmom,
I take OpanaER 15mg twice a day. I can't tell you how it holds up to Morphine, because I'm allergic to Morphine, but I do get fairly good pain control. I've heard that It's stronger than Morphine but I have also heard some people argue that it is not. The only thing that I would wonder is if you have anything for breakthrough pain. I find that I do need breakthrough pain meds. Oh and the drug is oxymorphone hcl. Hope that helps and good luck to you.
Lainey
I take OpanaER 15mg twice a day. I can't tell you how it holds up to Morphine, because I'm allergic to Morphine, but I do get fairly good pain control. I've heard that It's stronger than Morphine but I have also heard some people argue that it is not. The only thing that I would wonder is if you have anything for breakthrough pain. I find that I do need breakthrough pain meds. Oh and the drug is oxymorphone hcl. Hope that helps and good luck to you.
Lainey
Hi Scaredmom,
I beleive that Opana is a brand name, it is very similar to Dilaudid. They are both opiates with the primary pain relieving substance being Hydromorphone. It is stronger than Morphine. Of course ER means extended relief.
I suggest you ask your pharmacist that can better explain the action of the drug as well as the difference between the two. It is my opinion that you should obtain better pain control on the Opana as compared to the MS.
I hope that helps and again don't forget to us the most valuable resource you have for information on medications, your pharmacist.
Peace, Tuck
I beleive that Opana is a brand name, it is very similar to Dilaudid. They are both opiates with the primary pain relieving substance being Hydromorphone. It is stronger than Morphine. Of course ER means extended relief.
I suggest you ask your pharmacist that can better explain the action of the drug as well as the difference between the two. It is my opinion that you should obtain better pain control on the Opana as compared to the MS.
I hope that helps and again don't forget to us the most valuable resource you have for information on medications, your pharmacist.
Peace, Tuck
The difference is Opana is 2 different compounds essentially. OxyMorphone if I remember correctly, so it should work differently than just Morphine alone.
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