Xtampza Er Users Effectiveness (Page 6) (Top voted first)

I need ppl who have tried the new Xtampza er med to tell me if it works the same as oxycontin? I need to switch so I wanted to know the strength of the new med in comparison.

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Hi Lynx, I have just started on Xtampza. I had to switch over from Oxycontin since my insurance quit covering oxy. The Xtampza is a good substitute but it does not last 12 hours. I think it will work just as good as Oxy once I get the dosage right. i am hoping to take one every 8 hours instead of every 12. They do make me a bit drowsy sometimes.

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Re: Lori B (# 83)

Same with me, I tried it for a month and was not happy. It takes about 2 hours to kick in and lasted only about 5 hours. Went back to my Dr and asked for breakthrough pills but she said that would exceed the cdc limit so she put me on 6 10mg perks per day. Don't like these either. I'm going through withdrawal big time . The perks do seem to help my pain better. I will try to get through the withdrawal and stick with perks. They are 20 mg less than Xtampza. 36 mg Xtampza = 40 mg OxyContin. When I was on Xtampza At least I did not have withdrawals.

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Re: Damage (# 90)

Hi, I am curious of you found the 8 hour dosing more effective than every 12. I have been on xtampza, and have never used OxyContin so have nothing to compare it too, other than the MS Contin which after 8 years simply wasn't working well. I like you have found the xtampza to be effective, how ever, notice it doesn't last as long as they say it should. Can I ask if you take it with or with out food and what type of effectiveness are you seeing at the hours apart... presage.

Thanks for any light you can shed on the dosages that work..

K

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Re: Kay (# 96)

Hi Kay, I was on Oxycontin 40 mg twice a day for about 6 years. My insurance quit covering it so they switched me to xtampza. I started with one 36mg every 12 hours and they weren't lasting long enough. I am now taking them every 8 hours and they seem to be working good. I do take it after meals or right before. Hope they work for you. Definitely try every 8 hours instead of every 12.Good luck Kay... Pain sucks!!

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Re: MrRyan (# 99)

Hi there, it's been almost a month and I am getting similar pain coverage I am having quite a few side effects from Xtampza. It's also very difficult for me to eat when I take it, but I'm learning that I have to or I just dont feel well. 2 weeks of withdrawal from Fentanyl were unpleasant but over with, thankfully. Honestly, I would go back on Fentanyl in a heartbeat but my Dr's are just so happy that they finally forced me off of it so I am going to make lemonade??

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Re: Damage (# 104)

Thanks it’s nice to hear from someone that feels it’s working. I go to Dr. today I’m hoping to get an increase in dosage or maybe 3 times a day. I didn’t know every 8 hours was a possibility till I read it here. Some fatty food does seem to help a bit but not that much. Thankfully im not having a bad reaction to the Xtampza ER. I can not take Morphine it just makes me sick and doesn’t work. My other choice was Fentanyl and quite honestly that stuff scares me.

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Re: John (# 113)

hey john,
i understand about the cost and your right about the govt. but the company does have a savings card. mine runs me with my insurance about 75.00 a month, your doctor should have them, mine did.i have been on this med for the 3rd month now and not happy, but i think its not knowing about food intake and other things, so i am researching on it befor i go back to my doctor with notes lol...

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Re: MR RYAN (# 115)

Hi Ryan, Yes you hit the nail on the head, I am not a big eater period especially in the AM. I am also plant based so that adds additional challenges but almond butter is high in fat so it's my go to in the morning and I've been just eating something with my PM so it works through the night, so far I'm not getting great coverage but probably because of the weather being cold more than the meds. I think I'm finally over withdrawal from Fentanyl, thankfully. Unfortunately talking about any of this with pain management has become a recurring nightmare where she tries to find something that might work because it's so difficult to transition from these type of pain medicines. I used to LOVE my Dr. now I dread going to see her. I have gotten so much help and support from you and I can't thank you enough! I honestly felt so awful and you were the ONLY person, including my Dr's who actually understood what I was feeling and had advice that helped. My Dr said I could take it on an empty stomach, seriously...it's the first line of patient care on my pharmacy sheet for Xtampza. Anyway, I am trying to eat more to keep nausea at bay. Thank you so much for your help! I sooooo appreciate you! Beth

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Re: Verwon (# 1)

It sucks has put me in worse pain then I'm in does not work one bit I have been in tears

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Re: Darlene (# 119)

Ask for 3 36 mg per day. That worked great for me. in fact i am disappointed that they are putting me back on regular oxycontin. Good luck, all this crap with the war on opioids is not helping those of us suffering from real pain issues.

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I agree to all of you that say Extampza simply does not work, it is like water down Oxycontin. I am on the edge of withdrawal all the time. My pain has returned and I also have been getting stomach aches not nausea. Feels like I have an ulcer. I hate this stuff.

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Re: Feeling Overwhelmed (# 112)

My insurance would not cover 3 a day. Only 2 because its still a brand new drug and it has not been released for generics. I just got switched to 2 36mg, they did give me a script previously for 3, 27mg but insurance would not cover and it was going to be 1k for it. It doesnt last but 8 hours, but within that 8 hours it works, its just hard to figure out what to eat with it. I eat almond butter granola bars and sandwiches, those help.

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Re: Lbell (# 126)

Same here. Just today i feel like i have electric charley horses going down both my legs and i ache severely, and that's with meds. Hopefully this med plus my breakthrough will eventually work better. I think my brain is still healing from the higher dose of morphine i was on for over 4 years. Good luck! You are for sure not alone in this!

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Re: Thatguy (# 127)

I have had a serious headache since my insurance changed me to this med.I don't like it. My head feels like I have a band on my head gripping my skull

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Re: Db (# 8)

I hear that. I am so sick of Drs having to comply with the CDC and then what ever Insurance company covers. Its causing more stress and pain for the patients who suffer. I think maybe they need to get hit by a semi at 70 miles an hour and be a total spinal cord nightmare 2 broken titanium necks and rods up your spine to keep you together and then you get a new knee and heel surgeries to go with it. I am over it and if i wasn't depressed, I am now!

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Re: BethB (# 130)

I was on 3, 30mg Extended release Morphine, and it took about a month... What is weird is that Xtampza is 1.5x stronger than morphine (percocet is stronger). I am well adjusted now. It however does NOT last 12 hrs. I take it in the morning with a small meal. then i take it at 3pm and it doesnt overlap, it seems to last 8hrs. Ohwell its better then being horribly in pain!!!

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Re: Kaila (# 133)

Hello Kaila. That was a really good post with great questions. My opinion as to why this medication is being pushed by doctors so hard is because of the Anti-Abuse Preventative the Xtampza has, with so much attention on Opiates right now due to drug abuse and overdoses. There are a lot of eyes on the doctors in regards to prescriptions and also over prescribing pill mills etc. Which has made life very very tough for us "ACTUAL VICTIMS OF CHRONIC PAIN" who do not abuse but rely on it for daily life & quality of life. My opinion I don't think the insurance companies want us to taking it. Xtampza is very hard to get covered and insured by insurance companies. It is a very expensive drug that there is No Generic for. I have Blue Cross Insurance and thankfully with additional prescription coverage cards offered by my Pain Management i finally after months got my prescription cost down to $35 per month. I just checked yesterday at a Local RITE-AIDE Pharmacy and to Purchase Out of Pocket with no insurance a 30 day supply of 36mg Xtampza taken twice per day (Every 12hrs) Cost $989.00. My opinion just like any drug people will find ways to abuse the drug just like fentanyl, which is now the leading opiate causing overdoses. What sucks is I will forever be reliant on pain medication fir the rest of my life. My pain issues will only worsen as I age, I have had multiple spinal fusion surgeries and I'm only in my mid thirties. I have many pain staking years ahead of me. With our current world opiate issues I definitely worries me as to my future of pain management. Its very scary. With so many people overdosing and deaths I fear it will extremely effect us and our long term pain management needs in the future. Thanks.

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Kaila (# 132) --

A problem I'm having currently is finding any pharmacy in my area that carry it. My insurance company will only approve Xtampza so I'm stuck. I had an Rx to fill on a Friday. Had taken my last dose that morning. When I went to fill it at my pharmacy they only had 46 pills so I had to forfeight the rest of the Rx. They said their supply has been on backorder for 3 weeks. So I don't know what I'm gonna do when my 46 runs out. That's a guaranteed deterrent if you ask me. But like you said, people will tend to hit the streets for illegal. The whole situation keeps me in a state of anxiety with a few panic attacks thrown in. Yikes! I wish everyone the best.

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Re: Lou (# 135)

Hey Lou,
Its been a while since our last post. My advice in regards to your partial med refil. Tomorrow call your doctor and let them know that you had to accept a partial fill of your presciption due to pharmacy medication shortage. Your doctor will most likely write you a script for the ballance of medication that is owed to you. Personally what i have experienced is that not many pharmacies carry Xtampza. What I did was spoke with my pharmacy technician and let them know that this will be a regularly filled prescription every month and that they need to start keeping it in stock. Also do not wait until you are almost out of your xtampza and then take your script to the pharmacy. What I personally do is after I see my pain managment doctor on my way home I stop at my pharmacy and drop off my script regardless of how long until I need it. The reason I do it this way is because the xtampza almost always needs to be ordered, this gives them time to order it and have it ready for when I need it.believe me I have suffered withdrawls because I made the mistake of waiting to fill it, I learned that lesson the hard way.

Take care, I hope all works out for you.
Ryan..

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Re: Thatguy (# 140)

It's really too bad that you had to change to Xtampza when the morphine was working. The last time I went to pm group, I talked to him about upping my Rx from 18 to 27 He didn't want to do that but he did agree to give me ONE 5mg oxy ir per day. I'm really spoiled so I would have liked to get Rx for 27 Xtampza AND another for maybe 3 a day for break thru. Did I say I am spoiled??. My idea was to have lots options for how I'm feeling from one minute to another. I can imagine everyone thinking, boy, that sounds like a drug addict. I'm not. I generally struggle with how much pain I can tolerate without taking more drugs. My pain management group keeps me grounded which I am very grateful for. I can see how things could get really out of hand if you combine a patient who is really persuasive and a doctor who gives in too easily. Since I only have one break thru a day to spend, the night time one you take isn't really an option for me. I'd rather save the oxy ir for daytime pain. If I'm having a bad night I just grab a Tylenol. I can guarantee I'm gonna have a bad day after I've been to grocery store, try to cook a little something, try to do dishes or if someone in my house stresses me. Might I add that my husband retired over 10 years ago! YUCK. Married almost 42 years. Working for him-not me so much. I digress. Sounds like taking your second dose of Xtampza a little earlier and then an IR around 9 pm works for you, I might try moving last one a little earlier and hope for the best. Maybe if I take all of posters' suggestions and try them all, I could possibly get the right combination. That would be awesome! One challenge I have to conquer is making sure pharmacy fills my Rx when I need it. That's turning out to be a little more complicated than I thought (shout out to Mr. Ryan, I'll post soon). Have you noticed I tend to write a book? Sorry it's one of my many flaws. You've given me more to consider. Thanks and sorry for the book.

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