methadone is a wonderful extended-release pain med.

i just stopped taking it (only bc i had to so i can try to get pregnant),
but to date it has made the biggest difference in my pain, hands down.
it's usually prescribed to be taken twice a day, twelve hours apart,
and it works wonders! a lot of people on the board either are or have
taken it ... something to look into, im my opinion.

i'm curious - how is your ms-contin prescibed? do you take it two times/day,
or three, or what? i'd appreciate you letting me know - i've just been put
on it, and am confused still by the instructions. thanks, and good luck!

xoxo, misa

I have to agree with Misa. I've been on methadone for the extended release med, and it does work well. I take only 10mg every 12 hours, and it really works pretty well for me. How wonderful that your doc is actually open to your suggestions! Hope you can find something that works well for you soon!

I go to the Dotor next week and I am asking for methadone as ms-cotin did did not help at all.
I am glad you have a Doc that will help you, my Doc is that way to. I know how you feel taking short acting meds.
I am so glad for this board, so I know what kind of meds that might help. I wish you the best!!

lovebaby8,

MScontin has VERY low bio-availability when taken orally. If you don't know, that means the body has a hard time absorbing morphine when taken orally. I know your Dr takes suggestions well, but I would just tell him that the morphine just doesn't seem to working too well. And ask him what he would suggest. MScontin is actually on the lower end of the extended release medicines. So you have a long way to go. Methadone is a pretty good medicine as well, but you have to be careful with it.

Lovebaby8,
My husband takes Opana as a extended release med and absolutely loves it. He broke his back about 7 years ago and shattered his t12 and a couple others. He works still as an electrician and in the winter time especially, his pain is real bad. He doesn't have a fast acting pain med but says during the day, once the Loans kicks in, he doesn't need one. He wants one for in the morning, for before the Opana has kicked in. He says it takes a little bit longer for it to kick in, but he really does love the relief it gives. Maybe you could try that? I hope that I have been helpful. The search for the right mess can be very tiring and frustrating, I know. Good luck to you in your search for relief. I pray you find some soon.
Many hugs and prayers to you,
Beck

This for me would be a hard question to answer mostly because different pills effect people differently so it's really hard to say, even more so with a medical degree and a speciality in pm. I could tell you I take oxycontin and oxycodone and it's working pretty well for me but that doesn't help you any. I would say best person to talk to would be your doc because your just going to get people like me saying what works for them but that doesn't really help you much because it may not work for you. I hope ya get your meds figured out

Welcome lovebaby, First off...we can only give our own opinions based on our own experiences about pain medication...we aren't Dr.'s and even if we were...giving advice over the internet would be irresponsible. That being said, I tried the MS Contin 2 years ago....I had been taking 120 mg. Methadone along with Oxycodone for several years...the Methadone wasn't working as well so my PM Dr. (also my Neurosurgeon) switched me to MS Contin....After only 3 days....3 days with major withdrawals....I begged to be put back on Methadone...it didn't help my pain and it sent me into severe withdrawals....It was HORRIFIC!!!

I will say that I agree with misababy that Methadone is a FANTABULOUS Pain med....especially for long term pain control...I am still going to try something else because after 8 years + my tolerance is way high...so I'm gonna try the Opana ER and maybe the Opana or stick with the 30 mg. Oxycodone.

I hope you get the advice you came here for...we all have so much experience with Chronic Pain and Pain medications that we could write several books....Glad to have to as a part of our FAMILY of MISFITS...

Rhonda

I feel like I've been very irresponsible....As Benny said, Methadone is a very good long term pain med...but, and it's a BIG BUT, it's also very dangerous. If you take it with something like Xanax, or other CNS drugs it can be fatal....stop your breathing FATAL.... also some people cannot tolerate it...it's good but it has a very long half-life...meaning it takes longer to leave your system then other pain meds so the withdrawals are horrific.... talk to your Dr., like Benny says if your Dr. is a good one he'll have you try other pain meds first....taking Methadone is nothing to consider lightly....go on the internet and find out everything you can...talk to other people that have taken it...and consider other pain meds that aren't as strong first....

Good Luck..
Rhonda

Methadone might do the trick.

i've only been on 2 low dose ER meds , mehtadone and MS cottin and the methadone worked way better on pain but it was really hard to come off of.

I have been taking Methadone for 2 years now, and I consider it the best pain medications that I have used. I did not get any side effects, no sleepiness, no constipation, no euphoria feeling, just pain relief. I can tell you that it works for me, but I don't know if it will be good for you, so you just have to try it and see what happens. Take care,