Oxycodone, be aware that is has little effect for Fibro Sufferers according to a rheumatologist.

[deelightful]

I was on Oxycodone and OxyNorm for 7 years. Increasing the dosage to help the pain, in the end it had not effect, I was just hooked on the drug.

I went to see a Rheumatologist back in October 2012 and he informed me that any Opioid was no good for people with Fibro. I was told that Fibro affect the nerves and Oxycontin/OxyNorm has no effect on the nervous system. It may feel like the pain is in the muscles, it is just the way the body translates the pain.

It took me 6 months to clear the drug from my system, coming off was terrible. The withdrawals made me want to climb the walls, cold turkey is terrible. So if you are on it do not stop taking it, see you GP for help. I wish I had never taken this drug, it changed me, my moods were terrible, I became a horrible person, aggressive and very negative. Now that I am on something completely different I have my life back, I laugh and see the funny side of things again. I am amazed how a chemical can change who and what you are.

I watched a TV documentary from the BBC about this drug, it was very informative. If you want to know more do your research, there is plenty of info on the web. Do your homework, it is amazing what you can find out.

I wish you all well and talk to your GP or pain consultant/Rheumatologist before coming off any medicines.

Regards your friend.

[Mdaisy]

Hello Deelightful,

It sounds like your Rheumatologist has been very informative about opioid medications as to quote from the FibroAction website below;

'Research has suggested that opioid medications do not work as efficiently in Fibro patients as in healthy people because of a lack of available opioid receptors in the brain of Fibro patients'

For more info please see link below,

fibroaction.org/Pages/Analg...

As you say most of the time people taking this medication keep increasing the dose as it is having little effect then usually end up on high doses and become addicted too. It is important you always talk to your GP to discuss how to wean off these medications if you would like to stop taking them as deelightful has mentioned too.

If you would like to read more about Fibro please visit fibroaction.org

There are factsheets you can download & print in the 'All about Fibro' series. Plus articles that provide helpful information like knowing your diagnosis, listening to your body & dealing with doctors in the 'Expert Patient' range too, link below

fibroaction.org/Pages/learn...

I hope this helps

Emma

[Hidden]

Half a tablet of oxycodone lowest dose and I couldn't walk my speech was slurred my OH thought was having a stroke I have never touched the stuff since .. it was prescibed by a locaum gp .....my GP has. Said opiates are not the best for fibro and for me its certainly the case but I am sure there are others who get on great with opiates...

VG x

[ladymoth]

Yes - it's strange - my GP gave me tramadol, which of course is an opiate, and it didn't relieve my pain at all. He then said he didn't expect it to work on me with my fibro.

My rheumatologist told me to take it together with paracetamol, and 'Bingo!' instant comfort. This seems scientifically impossible, but I'm very happy with the result and can usually manage with 2 - 3 doses per day

Moffy x

[LindseyMid in reply to ladymoth]

Tramadol is an unusual opioid (it's lab made, not an opiate) and seems to have an impact on neurotransmitters like serotonin as well (why serotonin syndrome is a possible risk when combining tramadol with any antidepressant-type med).

Also, the mild opioids (codeine and tramadol) are recommended for Fibro for pain not otherwise controlled because as they're less strong, the side effects are also typically less strong, so the risk-benefit ratio is better even if they just take the edge off.

[Hidden in reply to ladymoth]

Hi, I have discovered this myself, tramadol alone do not relieve my pain unless accompanied with paracetamol.

I still have a lot of pain, but this combo does help.

Cazx

[spidey]

I started dropping my codiene dosage when I realised that I was taking it because my body needed it and it was not for the pain. Only take two in the afternoon now. Found that one gabapentin and one tramadol at night works very well. It amazes me how much different people react to different drugs.