Dilaudid As A Oxycodone Replacement? (Page 2)

Hi. I suffered a L1/L2 complete SCI injury some 4 years ago. After 6-7 weeks when the spinal shock wore off I noticed I had a burning pain in my lower groin area even though I can't really feel much below my hips, we thought maybe it was a UTI but all showed negative. It was diagnosed as chronic nerve pain and it never goes away, I get acute nerve pains in my legs on top of this chronic pain.

I have been taking 10mg Oxycodone four to five times per day and methadone 10mg once a day for the chronic pain + 800mg Gabapentin three times a day for the burning in my legs. The only way I have been able to keep my doses so low over the years is by being very hard on myself as to when to take the pain meds but as hard as I have tried I'm now going up to around 60mg total Oxycodone per day and 15mg Methadone.

I have a very good pain Dr and we always wanted to do a pain med rotation before levels of any one drug got too high so we have changed the Oxycodone over to 2mg Dilaudid tablets. I have been told to try anything from 2-4mg at a time, four times per day to replace my Oxycodone.

I have only just started to try the Dilaudid like 1day ago but even at 4mg it doesn't seem to work on my chronic nerve pain as well as my Oxycodone does, all it seems to do is make me sleepy and I can't have that. I work a professional demanding job where I can't be feeling out of it or tired. I was wondering if anyone here that has tried both maybe let me know if Dilaudid is normally a replacement for Oxycodone?

Should I be giving Dilaudid a few more days before throwing it off my list of pain meds? Or should it have worked straight away if it was going to work at all for me?

If it doesn't work I'll have to return to Oxycodone and hopefully find something that we can replace it with that won't have terrible side effects and also let me work normally. I guess we could increase the methodone to make the oxycodone last longer, I find the methadone great like that but that is not a real solution to replacing the Oxycodone so we can give my body a rest from that kind of opiode and hopefully reset the switch so after a short period on the replacement drug I can return to a lower dose of Oxycodone.

I would be greatfull for any advice.

Cheers.

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Stay on Methadone and you can work and be alright.I have been do that for years.I do 70mg or 80mg a day.Everything has work out good for me.

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I have realized that no one has mentioned Suboxone to get OFF of any of the meds once the pain has stopped. I was taking 300mg of oxycodones a day for 3 months due to an intestinal ulcer.

Once the pain had stopped and I learned stress reducing techniques, there was no need for me to carry on with the meds.

I'm sure everyone that has written has gone through trying to quit or have run out a little early. Obviously the withdraws are horrible and can last a while 3+ days.

I didn't want to quit the oxycodones after trying to go cold turkey the first time. Thinking I was going to be hooked forever I started making calls to people to ask if there was any other treatment besides methadone.

Suboxone is the cure! It can handle large opiate useage. I was amazed at how well it dealed with the PAIN, sweats, restless nights, sleepy days, etc... It was a life saver and made the withdraws very little and more or less a walk in the park! The two most important things I can stress about Suboxone is that you must not take it until you start to feel some pain from the withdraws, typically after 12 hours. The second, is to remember the first pill on the first dose will normally make users really depressed and should be under supervision for 8 - 12 hours, but it will pass and the rest of the time is wonderfully easy!

Best of luck and a speedy recovery of pain and pain of pills.

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MIRICLE DRUG! I have suffered with chronic neck pain for 4 years. I had a C5-C6 fusion 3 years ago. I have had chronic pain ever since and have done EVERYTHING to search for relief Two months ago a neuroligist at the Mayo clinic told me that my neck was struturally sound - But my nerves never stopped firing after the surgery. I was given LYRICA to try. I gave it no chance just like the dozens of other remedies I tried. HOWEVER after a couple weeks of increasing my dosage from 50mg to 100mg X 3, I no longer experience the horendous pain that I have endured the last 4 years. LYRICA IS A MIRICLE! There is a similar drug that is far less expensive called Neorotin (I am not sure of the spelling). Demand these drugs from your doctor. They have changed my life!

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Hello there is a very good pain clinic in Winter Haven thats called the Gessler Clinic next to the Bond Clinic,don't go to Bond clinic if ya wanna get ya pain meds because they will detox you there! Go to Gessler Clinic only! ok Good luck trying to solve your pain problems I know its very hard at times & almost nothing works after a good while when taking pain meds,bye now & I hope this info can help you man,God Bless now!

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I tried both because in May I had a blood clot in my lungs which made my chest be in unbelievable pain so they gave oxy 10 every 4 and 1mg of dilaudid every 2 hrs. Personally I felt better with the oxys. I had already been taking oxycodone for my osteoarthritis. I have no cartilage in my left knee and w/o it I can't get up in the morning. From what I can recall the dilaudid wore off too quickly. I can't comment on methadone because I've never taken it. I was always under the impression that it was given to detox of heroin. I have recently come to the conclusion that I'm a prescription junkie but w/o the oxycodone, neurontin, and the celebrex I would be in immense pain. So sir my advice would to keep taking what keeps u out of pain and what doesn't make u a complete zombie all day so u can be a fully functioning person.

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After spinal fractures some 17 years ago I was put on morphine.I have been on MS Contin 200mgs, 8mg Dilaudid, 80mg Oxycontin as well as a stint on methadone. In my opinion, avoid methadone at all costs. It is what is used for heroin users when they withdraw. The stigma associated to it is abominable. Some countries will deny entry to persons registered to have taken it. (For whatever reason, legal or otherwise) It takes 6 months to come out of your system, you may also lose teeth, yes teeth. Oxycodone is ok but only lasts 4/6 hours, even the SR tablets. MS Contin are much stronger and last up to 10 hours,though working a job that requires attentativeness is not possible on them. Dilaudid are very fast acting and much more powerful than the Oxycodone, though wont knock you about like MS Contin. The Dilaudid are deceiving as they say 2,4 or 8 mg.This is not the same as it is HYDROMORPHONE, as doctors can tell you a very powerful morphine. Oxycodone are easier to come down off as they are codeine not morphine or the stronger hydromorphone. I have found the Diaudid to be the best to stop taking as the withdrawal is shorter in time, 4/7 days. But also the fastest at effecting sharp instant pain. MS Contin is addiction in a nutshell and makes sleep a big part of your life. Oxycodone is a waste of time as your dose goes up 10 fold in days, after a week you need 10x as much to do the same thing, even then it lasts maybe 90 minutes by then. Good for low end pain or pain that is not there all the time. It is codeine, thus the lesser of two evils.I hope this helps someone,if so then I havent wasted my time. Again, do not go onto METHADONE, it is for drug addicts to substitute heroin, you WILL be stigmatized.

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Thanks and
Merry christmas everyone

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I am having the same exact problem, on the same meds! I'm not glad you are having these problems, but it's nice to know I'm not alone. My doc now doesn't know what to do with me and pretty much just dropped me and is referring me to someone else. I'm very hurt and upset by this. I was having alot of side effects from Dilaudid and it was't working that great anyway, so I wanted to try something else. I figured that there were lots of meds out there to try but my doc couldn't understand why I am still in pain and I felt as if he just threw his hands up. I put so much trust and faith into him for the past 3 years and I feel like he just gave up on me. It makes me lose some hope about being able to get better when this doc, who is the top doc in my area, doesn't know what to do with me. It's very discouraging for me when something doesn't work, which has happened alot (with procedures, surgery, meds) and I think it's depressing to be in pain ALL THE TIME. But to have a pain doctor not understand your pain - that's a set back. It makes me feel like I have some rare freak thing going on that's never going to get better and I'm going to be stuck like this forever. As it is, I already worry about that. I can't do the things I want to do or even spend much time with family and friends. I can't go on vacation or even walk thru the mall. My whole life is on hold and has been for the last couple of years. I don't know what the next step is, if there even is one. I hope there is something someone can do to help me. But at least I don't feel like a total freak because the dilaudid didn't work well on me. I was also given this after oxycodone didn't have much effectiveness anymore. I find that cymbalta helps alot. When I'm not on it, I have pains that come back all over the place. But it doesn't cover everything and if I wasn't on pain meds, I would not be able to get thru the day or sometimes I'm sure I wouldn't even be able to get out of bed. It's very scary to be in this position where people don't know what to do with you or no meds are working to help you feel better. It's not only scary but frustrating and depressing too! I feel for all the people who have written on this page and I can't believe there are this many people going thru the same thing.

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I have bulging lumbar disks and gangrene on my shin for 18 months. My leg wound was recently infected and treated with daily rubbing of an acid wash. I just switched from oxycodone 15 mg. every four hours to 30 mg. every four hours. The doctor offered me dilaudid but I did not know the dose to ask for so I stayed with Oxycodone. I wanted dilaudid because it is made from opium, a plant. Oxycodone is man made pharmaseudical . It fools your brain and has no opiate in it. I can see the dilaudid making you drowsy but it still should lower your pain. You need a higher dose for the pain but after a week, if the dilaudid still makes you drowsy then it will always make you drowsy. I too wanted to switch to give my body a break from the oxy.Plus nature made opium; man made oxy I can drive safely on the oxy 99% of the time. It dulls the pain, it does not eliminate it. I'm like a horse so I need larger doses than most folks plus even controlled pain keeps me alert. Good luck.

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You are so true I found this out this week when i went to get my pain meds and they told me the cheapest was 500 t0 1200 because none of the real drug store had them such as cvs and walmart walgreen etc what the hell I cant afford that but because so many can pay for them and sell them at a profit Im left to suffer...

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I've seen Dr. Chun at Sarasota Pain Associates on the boarder of Bradenton/Sarasota. He's great and cares about his patients. He's right next door to Lakewood Ranch Hospital. His number is 941-429-5588.

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Dr. Chuns new number is 941-361-1123

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I have hypermobility type Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which causes me to be in constant, moderate to severe pain. I also have an undiagnosed neuropathy of some sort. I took Cymbalta for about a year with really no luck... Plus it was the worst thing ever to detox from! I have also tried MS Contin (which eliminated the pain, but made me sleep 18 hours a day), Oxycodone, Oxycontin, several benzodiazepines, and several types of muscle relaxers (currently on Zanaflex... works great.) The pain relief from oxycodone only seemed to last about an hour, then faded rapidly, while the oxycontin just did not seem to do very much good. At slightly more effective higher doses it made me throw up. I recently switched to dilaudid for breakthrough pain, which seems to help a lot better than the oxy, but it dies seem to have more side effects, except the yakking. So far I'm satisfied with it.

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Have you ever taken the OP's? They are pretty much the same as the Oxycontin's but not able to bump(sniff). It is an extended release, gel form. Here in Maryland you cant get Oc's anymore, just the OP's. They work pretty well and will last for hours since it gives you some every couple of hours. Recently I have been hearing about Opana and have been told it is about 2-3 times stronger than oxycodone. Does anyone have experience with them and can compare them to percocets? (ex. 30mg of opana=60 mgs of oxycodone.) That is not correct, i am just trying to specify my question. I normally take perc 30s,so how many mgs of opana would i need to match 30mgs of perc? I have seen a lot of good forums on this page and I would appreciate any help or information,thank you everyone!

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I have had similar back issues for over a decade...Was getting injections multiple times a year and the sciatic pain was so bad, it would wake me multiple times a night...My pain doctor decided to try a seizure medicine on me to see if it helped...apparently, a side effect was lessening of sciatica...My sciatic pain is virtually non-existent now...The medicine is zonagram....used for seizures...works miracles for sciatica....

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I had a similar surgery and then had steroid injections that later i found out wasted both of my hips. So by my 40th birthday i have had one complete hip replacement and am waiting for the second to stop the burning and bone on bone in my hips.
What i found that worked for me was to take the long acting Dilaudid (brand name Exalgo) it's a 24 hr drug, one pill in the am and your good for 24 hrs, then take your oxy for any breakthrough that you may have, but this seems to be strong enough that you can really limit your breakthrough pain meds down to minimum.
The dose pill is a 8 mg, my Dr started me out on two every AM for one week to see how i tolerated that, then if that was tolerated fine i was to stay with that, if not i could add up to one pill but not to exceed three pills in 24 hrs.
I hope that helps, maybe talk to your Dr and see if you can give this a try. It is a spendy drug and insurance will cover it but most of the time will require a prior authorization.
Feel free to e-mail me if you have any other questions, i have tried so many different things, i feel i have a wealth of information to anyone who needs some help in this trying time of getting yourself some proper help in pain management.
I am disabled because of my injuries and so if there is anyone out there that could use my help to navigate through the medical field to get the help they need but don't know how to get there, please get ahold of me.
I spent years doing this by myself and i understand the frustration, anyway i hope this helps you and anyone that is reading this. Good luck my friend.
Miles

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I feel for you friend, and all the others that are in similar situations, myself included.
We all must be strong and realize that we are the ones that have been "chosen" to carry this torch.
like it or not we are our own support group and we must keep reaching out to each other to help one anther to keep each other going when the going is tough and we are feeling that we cannot keep it up any longer.
Just try to look on the bright side and think that someday there will be a medication that will allow you to wake up and have a semi-normal day.
There will be a medication that will allow you to find that you can enjoy that walk outside, playing ball with your children, walking on the beach with your wife, the things we only dream of now.
But because of our struggles and our fighting spirit and our resilience, the people that can make that medication a reality, are working tirelessly to do so, because of your drive to push on every day.
Thank you and good luck.
I wish you a happy a prosperous future.

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I KNO HOW YOU FEEL THE NURSES TREAT YOU LIKE YOUR A JUNKIE ,RITE DOWN TO THE PHARMACY,IF ONE OF THEM HAD TO LIVE IN CRONIC PAIN FOR A DAY,I STILL WOULD NOT
WISH IT ON THEM EVER,KEEP THE FAITH

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I completely agree junkies make it had to get meds for people who really need it if only there was no such thing as addiction

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Guys the increased problem in Florida is legitimate pain patients being profiled and price gouged by pharmacies as well as pain docs too scared to treat patients because of pressure from law enforcement and dea
..i agree with the monitoring program and am happy they are cleaning up the lill mills and drug dealers that have made it difficult for patients who truly need the meds and dont abuse them access. I am a member of a Florida support group and unless all of us legitimate pain patients ban together and fight back, these meds won't be available AT ALL!! please look at and sign the petition (link below)...let me know if you are interested in joining our cause...our cause is fighting for YOUR RIGHTS!

Florida Pharmacies: Stop Florida pharmacies from denying pain patients vital medicines

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