Extended Release Pain Medication

sleeplessindenver · Post by **sleeplessindenver** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:35 pm

I need some help. I would like a list of Extended Release Pain Medications, of all sorts if I could. I try to look on the internet but get overwhelmed with it. As you may have read I have a script for Ultram ER but its to expensive to fill, so I thought if I could get names of other medications then I could tell my doctor and go from there? Worth a try I guess. I did read that MS Contin was an extended release morphine in another posting here, I don't think I want something that strong, but what else is out there in an extended or sustained release?

Thanks fellow RLS suffers.

pokerdiva · Post by **pokerdiva** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:57 pm

hey there neighbor, I live nearby in Broomfield. I too tried to fill an Ultram ER prescription but it was not covered by my insurance and very expensive. Yikes.

I did a quick search for ER pain medications and to got overwhelmed, the first thing that came up was something called Palladone http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2 ... 01315.html
It seems pretty strong, a schedule II narcotic. It would be nice to know what else is out there, has anyone else tried something ER?

FidgetBoy · Post by **FidgetBoy** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 1:47 pm

---MS Contin (Kadian, Avinza, Oramorph)= extended release morphine--- lasts 10-12 hours
---Oxycontin (available generic)= extended release oxycodone---lasts 10-12 hours
---Ultram ER= extended release tramadol---lasts 24 hours
---Palladone= extended release hydromorphone (dilaudid)---lasts 24 hours

rfishburn · Post by **rfishburn** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:47 pm

Denver and broomfield! I am from thornton but live in brighton right now. Anyways I think I am going to try methadone next...my neuro is pretty open and has let me try most of what I want so hopefully this will not be much of a stretch for him.

pokerdiva · Post by **pokerdiva** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 7:48 pm

Brighton is a nice little city, we almost bought a house there.

Tell me how the methadone works out for you. My doc gave me some MS Contin and it or something else I'm taking is keeping me up all night, now its not the leg pain that is keeping me awake the MS Contin does a gret job with the leg pain. I keep falling asleep t my desk I'm so exhausted.

if its not one thing its another.

rlsseattle · Post by **rlsseattle** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 7:14 pm

I have been on ms-contin for about 5 years at 15mg every 8 hours. (That's about 1 1/2 standard dose of morphine spread over 24 hours. Time release, low dose morphine.)

I have zero symptoms, haven't increased the dose in at least 3 years, and that only because the pain associated with my RLS became more significant. In short, I can't tell I am taking it or that I have RLS. (I have what my RLS specialist says is a "severe" case, involving all my arms, legs, and body.)

I discussed the morphine issue--addiction, etc. and strength--with both gp and rls specialist--and they had no more concern about it than with any other narcotic. In fact they preferred it over oxycodone because of the potential of oxycodone abuse and associated high, which I have never experienced, not once, with the ms-contin.

They did say there is the obvious problem of dependence, meaning that your body comes to rely on it, but that you don't necessarily get needs for ever increasing doses, and drug seeking behavior, which doctors are so worried about--as shown by problems our fellow sufferers write about all the time in here.

As for the new medication, it has hydromorphone in it, (dilaudid) which is a synthetic related to morphine, and is more addictive than most other narcotics. There is even a FDA/manufacturer program to manage it because of abuse, addiction, etc. I would be more worried about problems with that than with morphine, and the likely of that being described for your rls is about zero.

I would not hesitate to try ms-contin. But it will take some discussion with your doctors, and is not for everyone. (I am most definitely not a doctor)

pokerdiva · Post by **pokerdiva** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 8:21 pm

You are right about MS Contin not making you feel loopy or "high", thats why I am really liking it. Sometimes it keeps me up at night, my mind just can't fall asleep. I only take it at night, so I am wondering if the MS Contin is doing something with my ADD and getting my mind all amp'd. I know its a longshot but maybe it could happen. You know things that should get a child hyper like coffee and Ritalin actually settle down a child with ADD, well what about the opposite, something that is supposed to put you to sleep might actually keep you awake and hyper. Anyone? Am I crazy?

SquirmingSusan · Post by **SquirmingSusan** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:21 pm

It's actually pretty common with most of the narcotics that they make people a bit hyper and unable to sleep. I had that problem with Vicodin. It's a definite advantage with methadone; it doesn't keep me awake.

You may just need more sleeping meds to compensate.

rlsseattle · Post by **rlsseattle** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:32 pm

One solution I keep hearing about is Methadone. Am I wrong in understanding that this medication is, itself, addicting--and just substitutes one addiction such as heroin for another--methadone?

I have also been informed, and, again, correct me if I am wrong, that methadone is reasonably hard on the body in ways that something like morphine is not. If this is true, why do some doctors want to use this? It sounds, at least on this forum, that methadone seems to be preferred over narcotics.

Finally, I understand that once the needed level of morphine to treat the symptoms correctly is reached, the desire or need to keep increasing doesn't exist, as in my several years' experience. On the other hand some medications don't do that, and increased needs arise, as well as drug-seeking behaviors in other people.

Am I misinformed, and living in a child's garden of misinformation? Please educate me.

SquirmingSusan · Post by **SquirmingSusan** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:13 pm

Methadone is one of the better opioids as far as addiction potential and building tolerance. It doesn't give a "high" at all, so people aren't likely to seek it out for pleasure. That's why it's a good drug to substitute for drugs like heroin. It prevents withdrawal symptoms without causing people to crave more. And, as I understand it, it is also one of the easier drugs to stop taking.

As far as being harder on the body than other opioids, I can't imagine. The only side effect I have had is some unbelievable constipation. But otherwise I don't even notice that I have taken it.

It's a very safe and effective painkiller, and it has been on the market for something like 66 years. It even can be used safely in pregnancy if necessary.

I guess there is a stigma to it because of its use in helping drug addicts get "clean." And there does seem to be lots of misinformation floating around. All I know is that I'm happy with it - it gets rid of the RLS and the pain, and doesn't make me hyper when I want to sleep like Vicodin did.

We all choose our poisons.

Post by **ViewsAskew** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 5:31 am

Ditto what Susan said. There is simply so much mis-information around. Methadone carries such a stigma because it helps heroin addicts withdraw from herion. It doesn't really sub one addiction for another - the heroin addict had two problems (well. . .); they are physicially dependent on the drug (stopping it means being violently ill for an extended time) and the are pschologically dependent. All methadone does is replace the physical dependence. The user can then hopefully stabilize his or her life, stop being in such terrible risk for so many problems, learn to handle the psychological addition, etc.

For them, it may be tough on the body, but I am not sure - they use amounts much higher than we do for RLS. One time I had a question about it, so I went to a Methadone forum to ask it. They all laughed at me (nicely), saying that they took a minimum of 50 and upwards of 150 mg a day. I take 15. I was asking if I could stop it every month or so to prevent physical dependence. They had no idea. They take in 3 or 4 times a day, I take mine once.

I was able to find out about the physical dependency. According to one RLS doctor who has seen a lot of patients use this drug, almost none of them develop physical dependence as long as they use it once a day and use the correct amount.

In one study that was done, some RLS patients were on it as long as 17 years. Amazingly, few of them needed dose increases over time. I was very scared when I needed an increase in just 6 months. According to another RLS doc, this wasn't an increase - I never had the right dose. I wasn't sure he was right, but over 2 years later, I've never needed another increase.

KBear · Post by **KBear** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 1:22 pm

Personally if my RLS progresses to that point I would rather try Methadone than to go through the list of Dopamine Agonists and Opiods.

Methadone has less side effects and/or less chance of dependency than most of the other meds folks are taking for RLS.

Neco · Post by **Neco** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 1:30 pm

Just be careful how you go about it.. Remember I got labled a drug seeker just from trying to get information on it.. Didn't even WANT the stuff at that point

KBear · Post by **KBear** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 2:03 pm

Tell me about it, my doctor was hesitant about giving me a script for Ambien- no refills.

I'm going to have to talk to her again soon about a refill. However, since it has taken more than two months for me to go through 15 pills I think she may be more accomodating.

I do have to cut her some slack, I am a new patient to her and she doesn't really know me yet. I'm hoping I can stick with the same insurance for a while so I can stay at the same clinic, with the same doctor and develop a relationship.

pokerdiva · Post by **pokerdiva** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 10:09 pm

from what I can tell ER Morphine and Methadone seem to be less problematic then vicodin or percoset, if this is true, why is it such an issue to get it prescribed? It seems like they should be passing out scripts more often for meds like this. What is it about them that makes them so controlled?