Kadian Question(s) - Shoreline? - Pain Management Message Board

MomOf4VA · 03-23-2005, 04:09 PM

I got an Rx for Kadian today and went to SIX different pharmacies looking for it. Is it usually this hard to find? Also got an Rx for Avinza. The PMD said to try both (not at the same time!) to see which one works best for me. Is a weeks trial long enough for either of these? Has anyone had success with either? Shoreline??

Kim

SheSparkles · 03-23-2005, 04:18 PM

[QUOTE=MomOf4VA]Is a weeks trial long enough for either of these? Has anyone had success with either?

disclaimer: I am NOT Shoreline

A week might be ok for either med to see if you can handle the side effects but it might not be long enough in that the strength might need to be tweaked upward (or downward). But in a weeks time I would be able to tell if I liked a given med. I just may still have pain if ya ketch ma drift.
SS

Shoreline · 03-24-2005, 06:33 AM

Hi MomOF4VA, SS pretty much gave you the best answer in a lot fewer word than I could have? LOL

A week will tell you if you tolerate side effects, although sedatin is common with all morphine products and rarely a good reson to discontinue morphine untill you becme used to the sedation, it does deminish. A week may not be long enough for the initial drowsiness to subside, but that's expected with all morphine products. If you switched from one of the synthetic opiates that tend to be more stimulating the difference can be very noticable, but the sedation does deminish.

When I took Kadian I had to have it ordered in too. You also have to remind the Rph it comes in bottles of 60 not 100, This happened a couple times where the pharmacist thought they had ordered 2 100 count bottles and still didn't have enough to fill the script, because I needed 180 pills a month, 3 whole bottles. Most drugs come in 100 count so if the RpH isn't familiar with ordering, find that info at the FDA orange book or the manufacturers web site.

As far as titration, I have never switched meds and found the right dose on the first go round. Conversions are meant to be safe and get you in the ball park withut any risk of OD, so starting on the low side is very common practice.
Good luck, Dave