Oxycotin & Anti's

[Tracey5399]

Hi,

I have been working w/a therapist for depression and we have been trying to find an antidepressant that doesn't make me flare.
My therapist stated that there are some SSRI's that can release too much seratonin and because of the oxy she wants to stear clear of them.
I was just curious if anyone else had this situation, and if anyone is taking oxy and a antidepressant i would like to know which one they are taking.
I tried prozac but that made me flare now we are going to try paxil...anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,
Tracey

[Kara Isabel]

My pain management doc put me on Norpramin (desipramine) along with MSContin and it is controlling my symptoms quite well........He tried elavil first, but I had a terrible reaction to it.

Kara I.

[Tracey5399]

Hi Kara,

Thanks for the post back. They wanted to try elavil w/me also but i was on that at the beginning for the pain and to help me sleep and it made me very tired so when she told me she wanted to try it, i was like no way and i explained why.
I do not want to be put on a antitricyclic for depression i do not know why i feel this way but i just do.
I appreciate the suggestion and hopefully the paxil won't make me flare.
Seems meds make me flare as much as the foods if not more, gosh so fustrating.

Thanks again,
Tracey

[Rbeemish]

Tracey5399,

Have you tried Cylexa? My burning pain has subsided with both MSContin and Cylexa. But I am also taking Topomax as well. This little cocktail has saved my life. For the first time in 18 years I am quite comfortable. Almost pain free. When I say almost...I have some break through days but NOTHING like before, when I had to take meds every 3 hours....I am a new woman!!!

Is the Elmiron working for you and IC Diet?

Rhoda 8 )

[sue041]

I am taking Pamelor 50 mg at night plus oxyir every six hours and zoloft. I thought zoloft was for bi polar people. To tell you the truth I don't know what half my pills are I am taking, I take Neurontin 300 mg 3 x a day and xanax 3 x a day and 50mg of patches. It seems to me I am on too much medicines and I still have pain, something is not right..
Thanks for the info.
Sue

[Rbeemish]

I am taking Pamelor 50 mg at night plus oxyir every six hours and zoloft. I thought zoloft was for bi polar people. To tell you the truth I don't know what half my pills are I am taking, I take Neurontin 300 mg 3 x a day and xanax 3 x a day and 50mg of patches. It seems to me I am on too much medicines and I still have pain, something is not right..
Thanks for the info.
Sue

I have been to so many doctors over the years but in the last 7 I have stayed with this one pain mgmt. doc and JUST found this amazing Uro/Gyno. I have struggled with different cocktails as I have mentioned and yes it seems you are on too many similar meds. I did try Pamelor YEARS ago when I was first diagnosed back in 1989.....sorry didn't help me either......I am in extreme pain without meds...completely incapable of doing anything. :tsk: I was on 300 mg of Neurontin, it didn't help me. I can't say anything about Xanax but the patches were too strong for me....made me sick, nauseous, dizzy....so I didn't give it a chance to work. Zoloft may be good for the depression and burning pain. My suggession would be to talk to your doctors and ask about just trying the Oxycontin higher dose...no xanax, no patches. But you have to get off all other meds slowly by your doctors advisement.

I have tried vicoden, percocet....no good for me. Didn't help long enough. I was so leary of trying stronger narcotics....was afraid of the addiction...but there is NO SENSE of a HIGH....only a sense of relief no pain. People don't get that. You feel normal. No more burning, throbbing, aching, pulling pain.

I hope that helps you.....just a suggestion...please feel free to keep writing me.:hi: :hi: :hi:

[sue041]

I talked to the doctor today and she wants me to cut down on the xanax and I guess the pain doctor is going to put another pain pump in after they find out why my hand shakes and take the old pain pump out.I think my problem with my hand is when they tried to flush the old pump out and my legs could not move for two days and now I have that pinching in my back at my spine where the catheter hooks onto the nervethat leads to the bladder.I was on the oxycotin before when I had the pain pump. 'thanks for all your help, guess I will just have to wait until they try something that makes me comfortable.
Good luck to you,
Sue

[Tracey5399]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies, i have not tried cylexa. i think right now my IC is as under control as i can get it for the time being. I have my days of course and i have the chronic fatigue that some of us get w/this nightmare. But as far as the pain, urgency,freq and burning the Elmiron is really helping.
I cut it down a few weeks ago ugh what a mistake so i am back to my regular dosage and when i get my SSI check i am going to look into the cystoprotek. I spoke to alot of women at the support group meeting i go to and they are having good results with it. Some have even been able to totaly get off the elmiron and just take the cystoprotek.
Right now i am just trying to work with my therapist on the mental part. Thats where my problem is right now, my mind is not catching up to my body. I never realized how depression can be so evil and mess with the mind. It's a horrible and lonely feeling.

I am so glad you gals chimed in and gave some advice and support. Thanks alot.

[ABliske]

Have you tried Effexor? It took me 2 days to adjust to in. I felt really sick, but it works pretty well. I'm still in pain a lot. I take MS Contin which helps a bit, but makes me tired.
Good luck with finding the right thing Tracey! I was dealing with depression last when I started being in pain all the time. It was really bad. I felt like no one understood what I was going through.
I think you are awesome. You are so honest and have really helped me through some bad flares. I really enjoy reading your posts. Hang in there!

[Tracey5399]

Abliske i am really sorry you are having a bad flare. I know how the pain meds can make us even more tired than we already are. Like being stuck between a hard spot and a rock. I take oxycotin and i hate pills but i am grateful that it works and when i do have a flare it helps alot.
I did try effexor a long time ago even before i was dx'd w/IC. Was given it for depression and i got really really sick after only taking 1, so when my therapist mentioned it i told her how sick i got and she was a bit worried to let me try it again. But i am def not ruling it out, i desperatly want to find something that will help me get out of this dark place. I know they aren't happy pills and i have to push myself but i def think i need help and i see how the anti's have helped the girls alot to deal with the emotional part of this disease.


You are so honest and have really helped me through some bad flares. I really enjoy reading your posts. Hang in there!

You have no idea how that statement made me smile, it's been along time since i have smiled. It means alot to me that i have been able to help you at times. Thank you so much for telling me that. I was becoming so discouraged again and again the boards and you ladies have made me feel alot better.

Tracey :)

[ABliske]

When I tried Effexor it made me really sick too. I stopped taking it after the first dose and then my doctor started me on 37.5 mg and I worked my way up to 75mg. I don't know how much of my improvement I can really attribute to the Effexor, but I am emotionally feeling so much better than I was this summer. I wish the same for you. I think the board has helped me immensely too. I started writing a journal just before I found this site. I thought, since no one can understand how I'm feeling, I might as well just vent on paper.
Happy New Year! Hope that it has great things in store for you.
Annie

[Jayson's Mom]

I'm on 60mg of oxycontin a day. I was taking Pamelor and Lexapro. I was put on Lexapro for anxiety before I was diagnosed with IC. The Pamelor was part of the IC cocktails but I really don't think it was having any effect. I stopped that and upped the Lexapro to 20mg a day.

I have had no problems taking the oxy with the lexapro. It really keeps me level and sane especially since I went up on the lexapro. From what I understand, it is a light antidepressent. I'm not sure if it's best for you, but it has worked for me.

Good Luck!!!

Erica

[sue041]

Thanks to all who answered my questions, we are all different and what works for one don't always work for other.
Take Care.
Sue

[Rbeemish]

I was just going to thank everyone as well and appreciate all of the insight. What I would like to know though what CYSTOPROTEK is?? Thanks Tracey as I can relate to constantly being fatigued from the meds, burning, aching pain and depression from having to deal with it all. I understand what you ladies are going thru. YOU AREN'T ALONE. YOU AREN'T GOING CRAZY. It's difficult to fight the pain everyday, go to work, pretend to look like you have it all together, be a mom, wife, lover....you know what I mean. It's OK.

For once like I said before thank goodness the meds that I am now taking seem to be working. Celexa seems to be working - I am not crying all the time any more - happier. Things still bother me but not for long! So guess it's working right? I feel like I can live a little. Plus I am happy I found this little world as well. Thanks again....

[jazz]

Hi
I think most of us out there have depression as having a chronic illness does that to you. I have been depressed most of my life but never went to be put on meds til I started having Panic attacks in 1995, then I was put on Klonipin .5 twice a day, and we tried Paxil, but it made me shake all over! I went thru a few more and I have been on Lexapro 20mg the past 3 yrs and it works good.
At least you are going to see some one as that is half the battle. I have so many different things with pain, (neck, back, IC) then I have Huntingtons Disease. So all of this can be overwhelming at times. Especially since I hade to quit work last year due to symptoms. I just don't want to go anywhere or do anything. In 2004 I tore my rotator cuff & herniated a disc in my neck and I got so down with all these things...watching my Mom go thru the HD and knowing thats what I was going to turn into was scary and I ended up trying to kill myself and ran my car off the road to wreck. Ended in hospital but didn't tell anyone I did it until a month later as it was eating at me and I was still feeling suicidal. I went inpatient for a while and that was the best thing I could have done. It finally gave me a chance to start to really deal with all my issues. So thats when Lexapro was started.
I just switched from OXY to MS contin and we are adjusting my dose as whatever I need . 60mgg makes me feel so groggy. and it doesn't cause any problems with the other meds I am on.
Good luck and I hope you find the right drug for you
jazz

[Jayson's Mom]

Jazz,

You have alot on your plate! I am glad to hear you are back on a positive track and I hope it stays that way for you. This message board truly is a blessing for me and I'm sure alot of people. I feel better knowing there are people out there going through the same things I am. People that can understand and can offer support when I'm down.

What was your reason to switch to MS Contin? I was thinking of making that move as well since I really don't like the oxy. Do you think it's better or more effective then the oxy? Also, did you have to ween from the oxy to start the MS Contin? If not, did you have any withdrawl symptoms making the switch?

Even though we are all going through rough times with our bodies, we have to remember to be strong and not let our sicknesses get the best of us. I know it's hard to get up and motivated but we all need to live our lives the best we can while we can! I wish you the best and hope you keep a positive frame of mind!

[jazz]

Hi Erica
Thanks for the support. This and my HD group help me soo much...I wish though there was a local IC support group to go to.
I had the Interstim 1 1/2 yr ago and that helped alot of my symptoms. I had SEVERE urgency, where I used to "hold myelf" all day as it was so bad. and peed 30 times a day. once that sucker was turned on my urgency was gone:woohoo: and I pee now 8 times maybe. So that taking a bigest part of my problem away it left me with pain issues which I can take as long as I don't have the other things the interstim fixed. I knew Interstim wasn't for pain, but I was doing it for U & Freq. I had been on Oxycontin a few years and my Dr doesn't believe in breakthru meds. So I just take that. My problem is the generic doesn't work at all and now it is going up to 160.00-200.00 if I get label oxy with my insurance coverage, otherwise I pay 10.00 for generic, but I couldn't see staying on it if I can't afford the label every month so I asked my Dr if I could try the MS contin. So for the last couple months I have tried it one month and then back to OXY , just because I wanted to compare how I felt pain wise. Since I was on Oxy 40mg every 8 hrs, he put me on MS contin 60mg every 8 hrs. I had no withdrawls from the Oxy at all since they are all Opiate family. I find 60mg makes me a little ucky feeling. I usually took it twice a day instead of every 8 hrs. This month, I just saw him yesterday, I am doing 30 or 60 to find the right dose for me.
I would like to be on a lower dose of MS as he won't increase the OXY from what I was taking, another reason to switch. I thouht maybe I could take 30mg MS then I always have the opportunity to increase that drug in time when I need to.
I was thinking about calling my insurance to see if they will cover label Oxy since I heard the generic was not going to be available after March?
I also take Elmiron 100 three times a day, Atarax 25 bedtime, do Heparin instills and hydrodistentions yearly as my capacity is 175cc.

jazz

[Jayson's Mom]

Good to hear back from you, Jazz. I find it comical that the doctors do not believe in "breakthru meds". We sure as hell KNOW that breakthru pain is real! I'm also believer that there is a difference between brand name & generic drugs. The doctors, pharmacists & insurance companies unfortunately do not agree.

My 1st uro had me on such a high dose of oxy so quickly! I was taking 100mg twice a day within a month of starting it. It worked, believe me, but I ran out over a weekend and missed 3 doses. Big NO NO...I was in the ER going through major withdrawl. I had no idea how dependent my body was on that drug. Since then my mind was made up to get off the oxy and find something else. I was hoping to get the Lyrica approved with my insurance but that didn't happen. I weened myself down off the oxy to 20mg every 6 hours. All that really does is take the edge off.

At this point, I am starting to realize that I might not have a choice about being on a narcotic for the rest of my life or at least until we have a cure! My body has such a tolerance to pain meds anymore. Last week I starting passing kidney stones. Right now I am taking the oxy & 4mg dilaudid every 3 hrs for the kidney pain. That should knock out a horse!!

I really would rather try a different med then upping the oxy. In the past few months of trying the MS, do you think the MS is better then the oxy or is it about the same?

[jazz]

You gave me a good laugh!! about the breakthru pain! When I asked he said, well if you think you need more I can send you to the Mayo clinic?

Yah! I really want to do that! I don't have time or energy for that. I just want pain control!!!!! Is that too much to ask for!
Im a burnin today as I have been drinking coca colas all day! I know right now I might have to do 60mg of MS tomorrow since I started with 30mg today! I was reading a post in one of the forums where this girl was cured when she put a cath in and wore it 24 hrs..... in my dreams...
I ll just keep on with the heparin, but I just started it this month so these instils are new to me. Have you been doing them long??
jazz:)

[SandyRN]

I had been taking 80mg of oxycontin 2x a day with the oxy IR for breakthru. When I was taking that my pain mgmt doctor gave me rx's for Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa, and Paxil. I think I am situationally depressed, who ISN'T with all we go through.

Just a warning...I switched from oxycontin to the duragesic patches and STILL had withdrawl symptoms that were pretty bad even though I was on another narcotic. At first I couldn't understand what was happening to me, but I'd been taking the oxycontin for years and years, and my body was really quite dependent on it. The breakthru meds did nothing at all for the withdrawl.

You're doing the right thing by tapering your oxy dose before you go off of it to switch to another pain med. It will make the switch MUCH easier for you. I switched from the oxycontin, to the duragesic patch, and now I'm on MS Contin and it seems to be helping me but I'll probably ask for one dosage increase and leave it at that.

There isn't an antidepressant out there that doesn't make me feel sort of manic so I just refuse to take them anymore...when I'm not taking them I don't get those manic feelings, so I guess those are not the meds for me.

Paxil is almost as hard to withdraw from as Oxycontin, in my opinion anyway...and it's a drug I would never, ever take again because of that. I've read different stories all over the web about paxil withdrawl....soooooo much to consider when we're trying to get our meds figured out!

[Jayson's Mom]

I did heparin on several occassions, 3 times a week for 3 weeks. I really didn't get a good response from them because I have significant urethral instability. It killed me to have the catheder in and out.

I have a foley catheder in now. The ER had to put it in when I stopped voiding all together. This all due to the kidney stone episode I am having right now. I don't think that theory about 24 hrs with a catheder holds any truth. I'm on my 6th day and I can barely stand the pain!! Would be nice if it were that easy though....I'd be cured 6 times over by now!

[jazz]

I tried the Duragesic patches a few months ago and I didn't like the way it made me feel, now to look back i wasn't taking any Oxy with that I was just starting to look at what else I could take...and I just switched from Oxy to a 50mcg patch..so I know now part of that was withdrawls....
I know in some back posts to you Sandy, I suggested the MS...so I am glad you tried that.
I am a RN too, I am out on disability, applying for SSD....

jazz

[SandyRN]

Jazz, I'm sure you must have told me before, but my scattered brain forgot...what kind of nurse were you and how long have you been on disability? It's really hard not to work isn't it? I loved my job! Thanks for the advice with the MS Contin, if not for this board I dont know if I would have asked for it. It's far from perfect and I need a dose adjustment, but it's MUCH better than the patch and now I can soak in my steaming hot baths again!

[jazz]

I had to quit work last January due to my symptoms of Huntingtons Disease. I was on STD first then LTD started in August. I just appleid for SSD the end of Sept. so I am waiting to hear on that. I have been nursing since 1979, got my LPN, then 1991 got my RN
I worked in ER then I had to go back to ICU as my symptoms were increasing and I couldn't remember things and couldn't keep up wit the ER so I went back to CCU (2 yrs ago now) as I figured 2 pts. was better then the ER. But last fall I was worse and was having Panic & alot of anxiety as I was trying to work like I was ok, and hide my sypmtoms...so I had to finally quit.
It has been a very hard adjustment for me. that was my life.I loved being a nurse, Im an adreneline junkie and it was the hardest thing to quit. I am just now, starting to accept it. I have been so depressed, I lie around all day, don't go anywhere, don't even shower for a week sometimes. Well! I am being honest. If it wasn't for my cats & my hubby, and my sweepstkes page I don't know what I'd do.
He has been great
what did you do
Jazz

[SandyRN]

I worked mostly in the Neonatal ICU, High Risk OB, floater to the postpartum unit and newborn nursery, floated to med surg and GYN surgery...did Recovery room for a short time too...I like adrenalin too, but the high risk ob unit was what did me in...I had so many SICK, SICK patients on lots of high risk meds like mag sulfate, heparin drips, anything and everything you could think of, worked nights and had up to 8 patients sometimes. It was crazy! But I sure do miss it!! I had women with triplets bleeding out and was running with the stretchers back to L&D, tons of labs we had to draw ourselves, PICC line care, just on and on. It made me feel important though, and I'd go back in a minute if I could!

I know what you mean about lying around...I'm tired of it, but most of the time I dont feel well enough to do anything else! My dogs, cats, kids and fiance are the only things that keep me sane, and they're the only communication I have besides this message board except for handling out neighborhood's website, and putting up with pushy neighbors! LOL

[jazz]

OOO I don't do babies!! I used to joke about it. We had a mixed unit and we would get babies and kids sometimes and they would always give them to me since I don't have children! Like I don't have feelings too...But that was one reason I went to the ER. I had always wanted to work there but I knew there would be alot of kids too, so I went there to get rid of my fear. I was scared
to stick them, but after about a year I felt better. So I was in the ER 4 yrs then went back to the unit. I wanted to stay at this hospital as I had worked there since 91, so I wanted to have pension and all that, as for my other jobs I moved around years ago from Fla-Texas so I really wanted to settle somewhere after I got my RN in 91. That is when I found out about having HD, and I had insurance so I could start seeing a Uro for my bladder, as I wasn't getting any treatment before that. I just delt with it and peed alot!
working in NICU is a very stressful place to, you have to know your stuff so I bet you were a great nurse!:)
jazz