Re: Gwen
From: Karla N (ifirgit@yahoo.com)
Wed May 1 14:19:52 2002
Gwen,
Helen is right. I am on MS-Contin. Originally when I was started on the drug ( the hospital pharmacist told my doctor he needed to prescribe this for me...and had told me to demand what I needed) the doctor started me on 15mg twice a day. It didn't do diddly squat. I did a little research, plus having talked with the pharmacist, and found out that the minimum effective dose is 30mg twice a day...or perhaps even three times a day. It is long acting. I take 60mg. three times a day and have liquid morphine for breakthrough pain. My doctor had prescribed the 30 but when I went out to California on vacation and got sick the hospital and doctors believed totally in adequate pain relief. I told them that I had been doubling up on the 30's at times still having pain. They were the ones that upped it to 60 and gave me the liquid morphine. Needless to say my primary physician was not too happy. But that is where I sit. I believe that I have adequate pain relief although at times I do have a lot of breakthrough pain. At those times I double up on the 60's...and I have told my doctor that. He didn't say anything so he must be okay with it. At this point he is primarily interested in just keeping me comfortable anyways. As for Helen saying that the addicts haven't discovered out to abuse it....they definitely have...in fact it is done in the same manner as the oxycontin, but for some reason it is not as prevalent. Maybe because it is more expensive...I don't know.
Karla
Hchalm@aol.com wrote: Dear Gwen:
Have you asked about ms-contin. Many people here on the board have been prescribed that and it works about the same as oxycontin and so far the druggies haven't figured out how to abuse it. I've heard so many people complain about the side affects of methadone so I don't blame you for being upset about her prescribing this medication. Ask about the ms-contin? Demand that she give you a chance to try the ms-contin. You could ask the board who is on the ms-contin and how much it has helped their pain and then print them out and take them to her. I have used the board many of times to tell my doctor what works and doesn't work from the experience of others here and he'll usually listen, but he's a very understanding doctor.
Love,
Hell-yun
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