Daytime Sleepiness/Pain Control/Getting off meds (to do or not to do). . . - Pain Management Message Board

wrenegade · 05-20-2006, 01:51 PM

Hi all,

I haven't posted here in a while because I am going to try to come off of my medication and I have been getting advice over at the Addiction and Recovery board. The thing is, I have a dependance issue, not addiction, but I do want to try to get off of the meds I am on.

I am taking generic oxycodone two 5 mg 3 or 4 times a day with 500 mg Tylenol each dose. I am also taking 1 Soma and 1/2 to 1 mg Klonopin at night to sleep. This regime works pretty well for me except for 2 things. The "roller coaster" effect that goes with short-acting oxy plus the extreme daytime tiredness and fatigue which is my main reason for wanting to get off of these.

I told my PM doctor I wanted to try to get off of everything and this is what he wanted me to do: Switch the Soma for Skelaxin. Switch over to Ambien 10 mg for sleep instead of the Klonopin. Add Lyrica and try to replace the oxycodone with it.

Trouble is:
A. This would all shoot my med bill up by $100 a month (even though I have insurance now this is too much)
B. I have read bad side effects of Lyrica including daytime sleepiness.
C. I was only taking the Soma at night with 1/2 to 1 mg Klonopin. I stopped both the Soma and Klonopin and took 10 mg Ambien. Had trouble sleeping and went into w/d. No one ever told me the Soma was addictive, too.

I like Skelaxin for a muscle relaxer even though it is expensive, but I was mainly taking it with the Klonopin for sleep.

Someone suggested asking for Valium (which I used to take) to use for help in tapering down off of the Klonopin.

My goal was/is to get off of all of my meds and get a baseline idea of where my pain level is w/o the medication. (I know sometimes I am taking it to prevent w/d and not for pain).

If I do have to continue medication, I would probably go to longacting.

I had thought of asking to add a stimulant like Adderall or something because I cannot handle this daytime fatigue. Is anyone doing this and how does that work? I have to leave at 6:30 a.m. for work.

Any ideas/advice?
Thank you in advance.

wren

greeneyed girl · 05-20-2006, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrenegade

Hi all,

I haven't posted here in a while because I am going to try to come off of my medication and I have been getting advice over at the Addiction and Recovery board. The thing is, I have a dependance issue, not addiction, but I do want to try to get off of the meds I am on.

I am taking generic oxycodone two 5 mg 3 or 4 times a day with 500 mg Tylenol each dose. I am also taking 1 Soma and 1/2 to 1 mg Klonopin at night to sleep. This regime works pretty well for me except for 2 things. The "roller coaster" effect that goes with short-acting oxy plus the extreme daytime tiredness and fatigue which is my main reason for wanting to get off of these.

I told my PM doctor I wanted to try to get off of everything and this is what he wanted me to do: Switch the Soma for Skelaxin. Switch over to Ambien 10 mg for sleep instead of the Klonopin. Add Lyrica and try to replace the oxycodone with it.

Trouble is:
A. This would all shoot my med bill up by $100 a month (even though I have insurance now this is too much)
B. I have read bad side effects of Lyrica including daytime sleepiness.
C. I was only taking the Soma at night with 1/2 to 1 mg Klonopin. I stopped both the Soma and Klonopin and took 10 mg Ambien. Had trouble sleeping and went into w/d. No one ever told me the Soma was addictive, too.

I like Skelaxin for a muscle relaxer even though it is expensive, but I was mainly taking it with the Klonopin for sleep.

Someone suggested asking for Valium (which I used to take) to use for help in tapering down off of the Klonopin.

My goal was/is to get off of all of my meds and get a baseline idea of where my pain level is w/o the medication. (I know sometimes I am taking it to prevent w/d and not for pain).

If I do have to continue medication, I would probably go to longacting.

I had thought of asking to add a stimulant like Adderall or something because I cannot handle this daytime fatigue. Is anyone doing this and how does that work? I have to leave at 6:30 a.m. for work.

Any ideas/advice?
Thank you in advance.

wren

greeneyed girl · 05-20-2006, 09:52 PM

Try Provigil 100mg. Ask Your Doc. For It. It Has Really Helped Me.

wrenegade · 05-28-2006, 08:59 AM

Hi Greeneyed girl,

Thank you for your suggestion. I am feeling kind of discouraged today. I was thinking that I would be able to get off of all my medications, but I am now wondering if I'll be able to get off of any of them. Since school's been out (I started work as a teacher's aide last Dec.), I've tried to be more active, doing a little gardening, sitting more at the computer, and now I am in more pain.

Last Tuesday, my PM doc switched me to generic Percocet with just 325 tylenol. It does seem to last longer than the generic Oxy IR so that is good.

I feel like I should just quit fighting the fact that I do have pain, stop trying to get off the medication, go ahead and get on something longacting, and get some relief.

I am glad to know about the Provigil. I had heard of it, but never heard any personal experiences. Does it give you the "jitters" like amphetamines can? Do you have any trouble sleeping or do you take something for sleep, too?

Can you share what you take for pain and what kind of pain you have? If that's being too personal, don't feel obligated. Thanks again for your help.

wren

ARANGER · 05-28-2006, 09:39 AM

Hey Wren,

I guess the question you need to answer for yourself, is do you want to get of pain meds because you don't have pain that requires medication?? Or is it because of the current regime and being sleepy, but you have pain that requires medication??

I'm sorry, I don't know about your medical history. However, if you are taking pain meds for pain, there are many options out there that may be better for you.

You mentioned soma and addictive. I know many docs are saying this, but Soma actually causes no WD symptoms when stopped. I have stopped soma CT and never went into wd's.

Klonopin on the other hand can cause WD. In you case, a LA med may be the best route to go if you are taking these meds for pain. Maybe Oxycontin with Oxy IR for BT pain. You should notice a little more energy.

By swapping out the Ambien for Kolonopin, that should also help your daytime drwosiness. Kolonopin is a longer acting benzo. Where just regular ambien is short-acting and is not a benzo.

You're right about the Skelaxin, it is an expensive drug. But check with you doc, many of them have tons of samplees of that drug they will give out.

Hope everything works out for you. Take Care