Switch from hydrocodone to Oxycodone?

Hello to all of my fellow pain management patients. I’ve been suffering from debilitating pain for over 30 years and have tried everything but FENTANYL patches.
Firstly, every patient experiences pain differently. If there were ever a case for “NON ONE SIZE FITS ALL,” pain management is the epitome of that expression.
In short, keep trying different pain medications until you find the one and dosage with the best and most effective efficacy!
Personally, I use OXYCODONE.
Be absolutely thankful and grateful if you have a physician and pharmacy who are willing to fill any kind of OPIOID medications, it has and continues to be a struggle to obtain opioids for pain management for over 30 years and becomes more and more difficult all of the time,
At best, most of us will be able to manage severe, chronic pain. It’s a misnomer for most patients to be able to “control their pain!”
Type, duration and exacerbation of pain will require different dosages and strengths of pain meds at different times to try and maintain the same result.
Personally, I find it absolutely pathetic and dehumanizing that patients have to beg for their pain meds just so they can reduce the amount of tortuous suffering they must endure every day. It’s worse than dehumanizing. I am on pain meds throughout the day and without them I would be completely dysfunctional. As far as side effects are concerned. Unless I told somebody I was using pain meds they wouldn’t have any idea. They are like taking an effective dose of aspirin for me. I don’t get any kind of “high” and I certainly don’t feel any kind of euphoric state from them. I am similar to a diabetic taking insulin. If I don’t take enough than I will feel very badly. If I take what I need I feel much better. My medication just blocks the horrible amount of pain and discomfort I would be feeling if I weren’t taking them.
One of the biggest “MISNOMERS” propagated by the medical profession is that Pain meds, (especially opioids) don’t improve your underlying medical problems creating the pain. Therefore, they are of no benefit. That’s one of the most stupid and most irresponsible comments they could ever make. Opioids were never designed to treat the underlying problems or symptoms from any underlying disease or medical malady. However, if you don’t sufficiently treat the pain associated with patient’s medical malaise, the pain gets worse and worse and the patient feel.worse and worse which causes a serious decrease in the overall wellbeing of the patient! Opioids are the most effective pain treatment we have available to us as chronic pain patients. When the medical profession comes up with something more effective I will take it. Patients do not abuse or overdose on pain meds. Of course, some do just like anybody who uses alcohol could potentially become an alcoholic. However, most pain patients use their medication responsibly. The bigger problem to address is that most patients are “under medicated.”
Frankly, I could write for hours on the subject but do not have the cognitive or physical ability to do so. Good luck to everybody who seeks to be treated with genuine and authentic empathy in managing and treating their pain as effectively and empathetically as possible.
GODSPEED,
Phil

Hello to all of my fellow pain management patients. I’ve been suffering from debilitating pain for over 30 years and have tried everything but FENTANYL patches.
Firstly, every patient experiences pain differently. If there were ever a case for “NON ONE SIZE FITS ALL,” pain management is the epitome of that expression.
In short, keep trying different pain medications until you find the one and dosage with the best and most effective efficacy!
Personally, I use OXYCODONE.
Be absolutely thankful and grateful if you have a physician and pharmacy who are willing to fill any kind of OPIOID medications, it has and continues to be a struggle to obtain opioids for pain management for over 30 years and becomes more and more difficult all of the time,
At best, most of us will be able to manage severe, chronic pain. It’s a misnomer for most patients to be able to “control their pain!”
Type, duration and exacerbation of pain will require different dosages and strengths of pain meds at different times to try and maintain the same result.
Personally, I find it absolutely pathetic and dehumanizing that patients have to beg for their pain meds just so they can reduce the amount of tortuous suffering they must endure every day. It’s worse than dehumanizing. I am on pain meds throughout the day and without them I would be completely dysfunctional. As far as side effects are concerned. Unless I told somebody I was using pain meds they wouldn’t have any idea. They are like taking an effective dose of aspirin for me. I don’t get any kind of “high” and I certainly don’t feel any kind of euphoric state from them. I am similar to a diabetic taking insulin. If I don’t take enough than I will feel very badly. If I take what I need I feel much better. My medication just blocks the horrible amount of pain and discomfort I would be feeling if I weren’t taking them.
One of the biggest “MISNOMERS” propagated by the medical profession is that Pain meds, (especially opioids) don’t improve your underlying medical problems creating the pain. Therefore, they are of no benefit. That’s one of the most stupid and most irresponsible comments they could ever make. Opioids were never designed to treat the underlying problems or symptoms from any underlying disease or medical malady. However, if you don’t sufficiently treat the pain associated with patient’s medical malaise, the pain gets worse and worse and the patient feel.worse and worse which causes a serious decrease in the overall wellbeing of the patient! Opioids are the most effective pain treatment we have available to us as chronic pain patients. When the medical profession comes up with something more effective I will take it. Patients do not abuse or overdose on pain meds. Of course, some do just like anybody who uses alcohol could potentially become an alcoholic. However, most pain patients use their medication responsibly. The bigger problem to address is that most patients are “under medicated.”
Frankly, I could write for hours on the subject but do not have the cognitive or physical ability to do so. Good luck to everybody who seeks to be treated with genuine and authentic empathy in managing and treating their pain as effectively and empathetically as possible.
GODSPEED,
Phil

Hello to all of my fellow pain management patients. I’ve been suffering from debilitating pain for over 30 years and have tried everything but FENTANYL patches.
Firstly, every patient experiences pain differently. If there were ever a case for “NON ONE SIZE FITS ALL,” pain management is the epitome of that expression.
In short, keep trying different pain medications until you find the one and dosage with the best and most effective efficacy!
Personally, I use OXYCODONE.
Be absolutely thankful and grateful if you have a physician and pharmacy who are willing to fill any kind of OPIOID medications, it has and continues to be a struggle to obtain opioids for pain management for over 30 years and becomes more and more difficult all of the time,
At best, most of us will be able to manage severe, chronic pain. It’s a misnomer for most patients to be able to “control their pain!”
Type, duration and exacerbation of pain will require different dosages and strengths of pain meds at different times to try and maintain the same result.
Personally, I find it absolutely pathetic and dehumanizing that patients have to beg for their pain meds just so they can reduce the amount of tortuous suffering they must endure every day. It’s worse than dehumanizing. I am on pain meds throughout the day and without them I would be completely dysfunctional. As far as side effects are concerned. Unless I told somebody I was using pain meds they wouldn’t have any idea. They are like taking an effective dose of aspirin for me. I don’t get any kind of “high” and I certainly don’t feel any kind of euphoric state from them. I am similar to a diabetic taking insulin. If I don’t take enough than I will feel very badly. If I take what I need I feel much better. My medication just blocks the horrible amount of pain and discomfort I would be feeling if I weren’t taking them.
One of the biggest “MISNOMERS” propagated by the medical profession is that Pain meds, (especially opioids) don’t improve your underlying medical problems creating the pain. Therefore, they are of no benefit. That’s one of the most stupid and most irresponsible comments they could ever make. Opioids were never designed to treat the underlying problems or symptoms from any underlying disease or medical malady. However, if you don’t sufficiently treat the pain associated with patient’s medical malaise, the pain gets worse and worse and the patient feel.worse and worse which causes a serious decrease in the overall wellbeing of the patient! Opioids are the most effective pain treatment we have available to us as chronic pain patients. When the medical profession comes up with something more effective I will take it. Patients do not abuse or overdose on pain meds. Of course, some do just like anybody who uses alcohol could potentially become an alcoholic. However, most pain patients use their medication responsibly. The bigger problem to address is that most patients are “under medicated.”
Frankly, I could write for hours on the subject but do not have the cognitive or physical ability to do so. Good luck to everybody who seeks to be treated with genuine and authentic empathy in managing and treating their pain as effectively and empathetically as possible.
GODSPEED,
Phil

A friend of mine took Oxycodone for years after having a rod inserted to stabilize her spine. She often blanked out, even while driving. I believe it is now banned. Hydrocodone has been prescribed by my pain specialist and used when needed. No problems.

Hi Archie here--

Where to begin?I think you're asking the wrong question. the issue is not should I take Med X versus Med Y, the question is, WHY DO I STILL HAVE SEVERE PAIN AFTER MAJOR SURGERY?

Please start to keep a journal daily of your activities, pain levels and medicine taken. Make an appointment with a PAIN MANAGEMENT DR, bring your journal and start the diagnostic process.

Right now, you are making up your own answers--not a good thing. I've been where you are, exactly, and you need help. I hope you can find the answers you need.

Good luck, Archie

Thanks... I have done that process of keeping a daily pain journal, which meds I'm taking at that time, and what my pain level is each day. I have been to 3 different pain mgmt doctors in the last 3 years, and have had epidural steroid injections, SI joint injections, and RFA's. My current pain mgmt doc started me on 5/325, then 7.5/325, and finally on a 10/325 hydrocodone dose, which I'm currently on. I mentioned to a pain mgmt doctor friend of mine about the hydrocodone barely touching my pain, and he suggested trying Oxycodone or maybe ultimately, a fentanyl patch. So no, I'm not making up my own answers. I've been researching this for the last 4 years and was hoping for feedback from someone who had already made this switch.

Btw, I already know the answer to your question of "why do I still have pain after my back surgery?". As a matter of fact, that is kind of a naive question to ask. It's because after having 3 successive lumbar surgeries, your chances of success drop from 90, then 50, down to 30%. You are then put in the category of what used to be called FBSS - failed back surgery syndrome. The updated term is PSPS - persistent spinal pain syndrome. I am clearly in that category. If I have a 4th surgery, my chances of it being successful are only 5-15%, but unfortunately, the neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons rarely tell you about these statistics. I'm now left with either finding an opiod that suits me better, or maybe trying an SCS... which after trying a DRG stimulator, I don't hold out a lot of hope for.