New Analgesic on the market

Solo5010, thanks for the imprint info!

My Rhuemy told me this new med would not be benificial for someone with my spinal conditions. It sounds like we might be in a similar boat. I'm surprised you aren't on nuerontin, lyrica or cymbalta also(one of not all LOL)for the fybro, these meds are known to help the pain of fybro in combination with opiods. I think you are on the right track, give it 3-7 days and if you are not seeing relief, call back your MD. Keep in mind, you may go through a small withdrawl from stopping the roxycodone. Even though you are on another med, it's not what your body is used to and your body will let you know. Good Luck, sometimes it takes awhile to find the right combination for each individual.

You are correct, I am on Lyrica, Savella (new med for Fibro, replaced my cymbalta), Napralan, Soma, Zanaflex and Dolgic Plus for headaches.  I am also having an accelerated heart rate, more than my normal fast heart rate.  When I feel that my heart rate is elevated, it is reallying going fast usually in the 160+ range.  And yes, I did have it checked out a few years back...everything is beating normally it is just fast.  I have to be very careful when I exercise as if I don't watch it my heart rate will be 200 which really scares me.  I don't really know if I can hang in there for 3-7 days with the headaches and the excellerated heart rate.  I'll give it a shot.

Hey Q,

Thanks for the info, although Roxicodone does NOT have any APAP in it, it is strictly 15 mg of oxycodone, there are higher strengths as well.  Also, I thought Lyrica was an anti-convulsant and not an SSRI.  I'm not a doctor or a pharmacist, but I do look up medications that I take if I am not familiar with them.  I did read a whole lot about the negative effects of SSRI's and Nucynta, but I am sure he wouldn't prescribe the two of them together if they were not safe.....at least I would HOPE NOT! 

I did put in a call to my PMD's office this morning, and am waiting for them to return the call.  Hopefully, they will change me to something that doesn't have negative side effects like Nucynta and Opana.  I don't find Nucynta any better than Opana and I stayed on that one for a solid month and felt horrible the entire month until my next doctor appointment.  I told him I didn't want him to think that I wasn't giving it a fair try but he said I should have called.  Hopefully, things will work out with this situation.  I don't think I can take any more headaches or accelerated heartbeat (which is already fast to begin with).

Q, You made me look it up just to make sure I wasn't crazy either.  I knew for a fact about Roxicodone, but I temporarily forgot what Lyrica was so I looked it up and then I remembered.  Lyrica is supposed to be a little bit different from Neurontin, which I tried many years ago and couldn't hang with.  Opana is oxymorphone and is supposed to be stonger than roxicodone without lethargy.  I have been on opiates so long, I don't get lethargic at all nor do I feel anything other than pain relief.  Opana has both extended release and immediate release options, but that medication made me feel like I had the flu along with a terrible headach for the entire month.  My PMD treats me for Fibro, my crappy spine (had two neck surgeries), and the headaches which are common for Fibro.  When I first started being treated for my neck issues, the first thing they tried was Tramadol which did pretty much nothing for me, then I was on either on Lorcet (hydro) or Endocet (oxy) (not at the same time) until I started with the PMD a year and a half ago.    We tried several different things, but eventually landed on Roxicodone for BTP and Oxycontin for extended releif along with muscle relaxers, lyrica, cymbalta (now on savella in lieu of cymbalta).

Hopefully, he will put me back on the Roxicodone for BTP since I am not getting any relief with Nucynta.  I am with you on "Nucynta being another useless pain medication".  You hit the nail on the head with that comment, Q!

It only produces an intense HEADACHE for me.  And I have read that the brug company has a pharmacist on staff that tells all patients to continue taking the med for at least two weeks and some of the netative side effects will pass, but they never did for me.  There was no "intense euphoria" for me, like I said just an intense headache.  I have heard many other people with the same side effects of Opana as I had.  To me it is another "useless medication".

This is not my day, kjb. I posted an apology for causing you to doubt your sanity and where it went, I do not know. Once again, welcome to pharmer. I stumbled across this site researching the causes of the Oxycodone shortage earlier this year. Unlike all the other "rumor mills" on the 'net,  pharmer provided me with the incontrovertible facts, what a relief! I'm pleased to read that you took some time to check this board out before you decided to sign up, your writing is clear and obviously well informed. If only more new posters would do the same . . . yes, I'm an effete snob, an elitist, and an all 'round Picky Pete.

Shame on you for avoiding work. That sure got a laugh out of me, KJB. Do you guys own a small business or something? I have had my own Fine Art picture framing business for 18 years now so I guess that I'm level 5 self-employed. That means that I'll never be able to work for someone else again . . . it's sorta like a level 5 alcoholic that can never have another drink again or they'll die. As long as I don't hit level 6 I'm OK, that's when you can't even work for yourself! LOL

I'd better say something on-topic or I'll get frowned upon by the mods. j/k  Actually, I do have an on-topic question for you, I see that you have tried Tramadol . . . do you know if it shows up as an opiate on a urine test? Someone posted a topic about that and so far, he hasn't gotten any responses. It intrigues me since Tramadol, as well as Nucynta I think, act very weakly on the mu-opioid receptor and I don't know if that would show up on a test. Since Poppy Seed Cake does show up, maybe Tramadol does too. I know about the Poppy Seed Cake issue personally, really.

Also on-topic is this idea: I am Rxed Cymbalta, an SSNRI, for Chronic Depression (CD). It is also Rxed on-label for diabetic neuropathy and off-label for various CP syndromes. I was unaware of the CP implication when I began taking it 6 months ago but I did notice a marked decrease in my pain level. I just credited it to the fact that I was in a lot better mood but when I read a couple of posts where the writers stated that they were Rxed it for a combo of CP and CD I did a little research and found out some more about the off-label uses. This ties in with Nucynta and Tramadol since they are both low level SNRIs like Elavil/Amitryptyline, which is a high level SNRI. Just in case another reader wonders what an SSNRI is, here ya go:  Selective Seratonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor. The SNRIs lack the Selectivity, which is very important.

As I have stated in earlier posts on this thread, I think that Nucynta is just a dressed up Elavil at 100 times the retail price which angers me no end. There are other things on the market that do the job of analgesia through the workings of seratonoin and especially norepinephrine receptors much better than this worthless yet high priced "New Wonder Drug", Nucynta. Don't you just love the Nu prefix, it reminds me of "New Coke" and is just as fitting. LOL

                                                                           Q        

PS:  kjb, I posted a Topic about RA on the "CP and PM" banner yesterday. If you have the time, have a look 'cause there are some pretty good replies and such on it. Hope you have a great and relatively pain free weekend, now get back to work . . . Q

Yep, KJB, that's a fact. It's identical like Ultram/Tramadol. The DEA has it on the Class II schedule, personally, I think that's for P.R. reasons . . . makes it look tough and strong. I'm a cynic, I will not argue that fact, but there are just too many coincidences with this drug's release. The timing for one, Nucynta (the brand name) was released on the heels of an FDA panel's recommendation to ban Rx hybrid analgesics that contained Acetominophen or Tylenol and APAP. The reason given was the all too true and common O.D. problems suffered by idgits that would take massive amounts of Vicodin, Percoset, et al. for their opioid content. Being idgits, they obviously didn't take the APAP content into consideration when they downed 30 or so Roxicets. Inevitably, this would lead to a bad result . . . Darwin in action, I like to think.

So, here comes this Nu Wonder Drug to fill the void. As I've stated on this thread, Nucynta is not much more advanced than Ultram, though it is supposedly more potent. It would seem by your account, as well as others on this thread, that the increase in potency shows up as an increase in intensity of it's side effects and not it's analgesia. Oh well, same old same old stuff from Big Pharm and the DEA. As for the DEA being involved in drug classification, I am bewildered . . . their job is drug enforcement not drug treatment. Have a happy and pain reduced day good lady . . . Q

I was RXed this on Thursday, June 23rd. I have felt nothing, had no relief from my pain and have had a headache that feels like a reverse spinal headache, or a brain freeze. Luckily I only have to try it for 2 weeks instead of the normal monthly appointments.

A little history: On 7/7/07 I fell at work, landed half on some baggage and half off. Fractured my L5 Lamina completely, on both sides. I already had minor DDD but this made the S1-L5 disc completely degenerate. Ortho suggested I see a Neuro-Surgeon for a consult. NS said surgery or I wouldn't be walking in a few years. March 31st, of 08, I had a Laminectomy, Discectomy, and fusion of S1-L5. I was doing decent for a month or two, then in June of 08 my NS sent back to work (read railroaded) so he could go to Acapulco. In the three weeks that he was in Acapulco and I was at work with no restrictions, my pain increased ten fold. Went back to NS and raised ???$*, he said that he felt there was nothing more he could do fo me, referred me to another NS that specializes in SCSs. Consulted with him and he thought I'd be a good candidate. At this point I had debilitating pain in my low back (Myelogram said fusion hadn't even begun yet after 6 months), pain and numbess down my left leg, pain down my right leg, and my left testes felt like it was in a vice 24/7. New NS referred me to PM clinic for SCS trial. PM Dr immediately started messing with my meds, up till then I had been on Percs 10/325 for almost a year. The trial worked good for my legs but still nothing for my back. PM Dr suggested a Peripheral Nerve Stimulator also, connected to SCS generator. New NS agreed with that and the SCS was approved by Workers' Comp. Had the SCS and PNS implanted on June 18th of 09. It does pretty decent for my legs but I still have absolutely no relief for my back. I have been getting the run around from my PM's PAs about increasing or changing my pain meds. Prior to trying this Nucynta I had been on 40mg OC, Percs 10/325, and 350mg Soma. They have also reduced my OC to 30mgs. The PA that I saw on the 23rd actually listened to me about lack of relief and that's where we are now. She actually understood that since I had been on Percocets for almost 2 years that it didn't take a rocket scientist to see that the OC wouldn't be doing a #%^*! thing either. I also have not actually seen my PM Dr since March 9th when I had the SCS trial removed. Every appointment he is either covering for another Dr at the surgery center, or he's on vacation.

The nucynta is even more worthless than the percocets have been for me. I have tried Ultram, Tramadol, and Ultram ER, they all seemed better than this nucynta. I guess the newest pain ed in 25 years has ended up being worthless. I am also highly allergic to morphine.

BTW, I'm only 29.

editedmod3

I was RXed Nucynta 50mg pill, 4 p/d, 60 pills for 15 days. I have absolutely no idea what the cost is, mine was paid for through Workers' Comp and cost me absolutely nothing. Great, huh? I know. I also had it filled through the private pharmacy that is located inside my PM clinic, they don't give me much in the way of information on anything. The claim has yet to show up on the WC's claimant portal, so I can't even find out there.

I have to get used to the filter. I am a Mod on a firearms forum that doesn't have a word filter, pretty much because one isn't needed.

Thanks for the welcome. This place looks to have a lot of useful information.

I called my the new PA's voicemail and left a message explaining that yesterday at noon was my last dose because it was giving me terrible headaches and doing nothing besides that. I explained that I wasn't going to last until the 6th without some form of pain meds and then left my contact info. Hopefully I will hear something by this afternoon, which is when they usually return phone calls.

Quincy, Thanks for the welcome again, and sorry about not realizing about the censor. Like I said, I am a Mod also, but we don't have a censor on our forum because it is rarely ever needed. The folks there are adults and police themselves really good.

Thanks for the info and link. Have you read the posts from the pharmer folks that have tried "tramadol's harder cousin"? There has not been one positive post yet, not ONE. To top that off, all the folks report ineffective analgesia and moderate to severe headaches . . . some even report GI distress! The FDA and the manufacturers can crow all they want, I can't stop them. However, these strongly negative reports will hopefully influence you to inform any of your customers that are unlucky enough to have been Rxed Nucynta that you have read some empirical/experiential reports of these negative reactions rather than simply parrot the party line.

Sorry about coming on so strong about this awful NU product but someone needs to protect the consumer and you are on the product/customer interface. Reading your post above got me worried that you might have missed these informed "layman" posts. Personally, I would trust these accounts far more than a pharmaceutical professional's by the book recommendation. Nothing personal Pharm, but I use this site to learn what people who have actually been Rxed and have used a drug have to say about it first and foremost. The FDA and other scientific reports are easily available elsewhere. BTW, Goat ran a poll on the perceived efficacy of Ultram/Tramadol as an analgesic and a healthy 42% said it didn't help at all, 30% said that it helped "somewhat", and 13% liked it. The other 14% hadn't tried it. This sure doesn't say much for Nucynta's cousin . . . nothing times nothing is still nothing.

                                                                            Q      

Thanks, Goat . . . you da man!                                    Q      

Sounds like you didn't like being a guinea pig any more than Broomhead did, Lola. That Nucynta REEKS!!!

Hi Broomhead, Lola, Pharm, and all the rest of the previous posters on this thread. I've been following the reports/posts on Nucynta/Tapentadol since NJRx242 first posted this topic and I have to say, our prospects don't look good. It seems that a large majority of Big Pharm's govt. subsidized research is all directed towards the same neural activity as Nucynta claims to manipulate for an analgesic result. There is no hope for analgesic benefit along this line of research yet they are still planning to continue wasting taxpayer and shareholder money on it. The "line" that I refer to is the neurotransmitter norepinephrine . . . currently the pharm. co. Xenome has an analgesic called Xen2174 in early trials. It's action "inhibits norepinephrine transport", big deal, so does Elavil. This current trend towards allosteric drugs which do not bind to the active,as in the mu-opioid receptor site, are the "next big thing". Given all of your responses to Nucynta and Ultram/Tramadol, the future looks bleak.

In addition to reading the info available here on pharmer I have done a bit of research off line with my psychiatrist who is also a retired research psychopharmacologist. Dr. M is a great guy and he really knows his stuff . . . at 77, he's seen quite a bit of the shady side of Big Pharm. When I e-mailed him about Nucynta he immediately went to work on it . . . his notes are a bit complex and lengthy for this site but I'm convinced that this Nucynta drug reduces down to just another money grab by Big Pharm.

                                                                             Q

I have chronic back pain and my dr rxed 100 mg Nucynta for my pain. It works great for me. It is strong enough and lasts long enough to control my pain. I dont get any headaches that everyone else is talking about. All I get is good relief. Its rightfully a C2. Its a good, strong pain med that really helps. Everybody's bodies are different. I guess mine works fine with Nucynta.

Hey Q, the really next big field for pain killers won't be binding to the MU Receptors in an attempt to cut down on abuse and the effect of making folks feel good.  The goal is to make a painkiller that will have 0 abuse potential and won't even need to be scheduled.; Imagine that!

I called on, Tuesday the 28th, and left a message with the PA regarding the ineffectiveness, and killer headache, of nucynta. She called back and told me to make an appointment for Thursday, the 30th, and told me to tell them to make the appointment even if they have to double book it. I told he that my last dose of nucynta was at 12 noon on the 27th. After leaving a message with the scheduler on Tuesday I called back on Wednesday because I still hadn't heard from them. She wasn't happy because the PA never made a note of making a double-booked appointment for me. Anyway, I finally got to see my Dr!!!! This was after discussing and trying to convince the PA that Oxycodone was not going to cut it. He came in and asked them same thing, if I wanted to go back on Oxys. I talked to him and told him the same thing I told the PA. After thinking for a bit, he sighed real big and said that we will try Fentanyl patches. That we will just be taking the edge off from now on, and that fentanyl is strong stuff but that it can't easily be abused and it won't give you the high and lows like pills do. He RXed me 75mcg/hr Mylan patches. The nurse came in and destroyed my Nucyntas and my Oxycontins in a jug of 50/50 alcohol and water.

One thing they didn't do, and I don't know if this is normal, but they didn't give me anything for BTP. After reading a couple of threads on here I see that anything else would be just a drop in the hat, but I do still have pain. I put my first patch on on Thursday at about 10am and I didn't start feeling it till Friday about noon. I now have a very irritating and painful headache that lessens with ibuprofen, but isn't as bad as the nucynta headache. Is this a normal reaction? Sorry for the thread hijack, thanks for the help.

ps

I'm curious if anyone can tell me if it is posible to break the tollerance to the Norco so that they help the pain.

Tolerance is a fact of life, yes, but lowering your tolerance is possible too. The downside is that it will require a significant and prolonged reduction in your daily intake...

Thanks for everyones "opinions", I really appreciate hearing from other people who take some as I do, and have similar experiences. I don't exactly feel comfortable filling in other peeps on what meds I take. The stigma that comes with these meds; I didn't want anything to do with any type of oxycodone initially. My pm doc starting filling out a rx for Oxy's when I first saw him when I told him how long I'd been taking Norco. I told him no, and eventually I agreed to try after 3rd appointment.  

I have cut back on the inake of all my meds, been stretching more, and just kinda sick of hte whole thing. Back issues run in my family; my grandmother and father had to have multiple back surgeries. The neuro surgeon wants to cut on me again! One at UCSD wants to do a disk replacment and a fusion, another in Monterey wants to do a much less invaisive surgery.

I picked up the 75mg NU meds last night and they made me feel kinda weird, helped a bit with the pain, a little hot flashes cause it was new to my body, but no headaches! Without my insurance it cost $400, with my insurance it cost $155. IDK what my doc was thinkin. He has to know how expensive they are, plus his fees, and the cost of epidurals that only last a couple week... We need a major healthcare reform or I'm moving to Canada. I hated Canada and the French unitl I saw SICKO! Now I think they're great people that our Gov't tries to trash so they can keeping making that dough..

I haven't taken Norco in about a year up til a week or so ago, so I hope my tolerance will lower in time, and I can discontinue the Oxy's. Like I said the jury is out on the Nu meds. Those Oxy 30 mg ir are real trouble...

I can't say anything bad about the NU meds, thus far. I'll give an update in a couple days!!    

I hear you on the OxycodoneIR 30's, I was getting wicked bad calf and foot cramps from them . . . I was Rxed 6-8 p/d at the time . . . YUCK!! Imagine a 3-4 hr charley-horse and you're just about there. After conferring with a veteran Fentanyl user here on the board, I switched to the 72 hr Fentanyl patch and it's made a huge difference. I was really tired of dosing myself all day long, too many ups and downs. It's recommended for pill adverse people, perhaps you should give it some thought if the approach you're on now doesn't work.

Thanks for the current news on the NUs, I really appreciate it and I hope you are in the % that it helps. The price is outrageous though! That's the same price that's been given here from the other side of the country so I'm gonna consider it the standard going price from now on. Yeah, I guess you bought in to the "Freedom Fries" BS that was being handed out a few years ago, huh? I've written a lot on this site about the health care costs in this country so I definitely know where you're coming from now. That 30% on brand name clause in your HI policy really adds up fast. Good luck and I hope you have a pain reduced week . . . Q

We appreciate the info, I hope the NU works for you. Did you read the posts from other people that have tried it? A lot of them reported headaches as a side effect, forewarned is forearmed they say. Yeah, after 1.5 yrs you've probably built up a tolerance to the Norcos. If you cut way back on them for a few months (taper down slowly under your Doctor's supervision) you might be able to resume your old dosage and thereby avoid the ever increasing dosage spiral of opioids. The fact that you are only on about stage 1 of the opiate protocol increases the likelihood that the Nu will be successful. Most of the people that have reported it as a failure have been further along, ie. on a higher dose of opioid. Good luck, John . . . Q