Tapentadol for severe pain - any good?

[emmy-loue]

I'm being moved off Buprenorphine Subs (0.2mcgs x 3 PRN daily) onto Tapentadol 50mg SR 2x daily and 50mg IR 2x PRN daily. Has anyone else made this transfer?

I suffer from severe Lumbar/SI/Pelvic Pain after 3 fusions on my spine, plus Bursitis, and Cervical Spondylitis. I used to be on Fentanyl, but of course they stopped that. I'm worried that if the Bupe hardly helped that the Tapentadol at this low a dose will be a bust 😢.

Really really don't want to end up back in A&E again where they won't given me more than 5ml of Oramorph, and I'll be left in total agony for hours and hours on end 😫. PM & GP's don't seem to care how much we're suffering, as long as they look good when they're audited.

[Mollycooper11]

I take 50mg twice a day and it doesn't get rid of my pain but slightly takes the edge off. I weaned off it once and could barely move so I know it's doing something.

[CharlieJ22]

I've been taking 100mg tapentadol twice daily since August 2016 , it's worked better than anything else they've tried me on so far. One of the 1st things the pain clinic tried me on a few year's ago was the buprenorphine patches, they did nothing in terms of relieving my pain but made me feel really ill with side effects all the time and the patches blistered my skin at the higher doses.

I seem to get no side effects from the tapentadol , not even the withdrawal type symptoms I got from the morphine Sr tablets I used to take and missed a dose or took them late.

[emmy-loue in reply to CharlieJ22]

Hi Charlie. Thanks so much for your response. That's encouraging to hear. Because I really REALLY need to catch a break right now. I was rail roaded into trying Buprenorphine after an MDT meeting. It wasn't my choice.

I've been trying to get onto Tapentadol for over a year now, but the Pain Team have been really obstinate about it. Ever since I went on Bupe (Jan '19) my migraines and headaches returned with a vengeance. Which I later found out is the most common side effect, but they didn't take that into account. Bunch of frickin' morons 🤨. Instead of changing me onto something else, they just put me on Beta Blockers to try and manage the head pain. This just made me feel even worse.

Like you, I've also felt completely shitty whilst on Bupe. A few months ago, I checked the FULL list of side effects. They are almost identical to the symptoms of M.E, which I'm currently in the process of being assessed for. I'm praying that I don't have M.E and it's this horrible drug that's been making me feel so bad all along instead 🙏. Even Fentanyl didn't make me feel like this! Although, I will be extremely pissed if that is the case. As I could have avoided two years of absolute hell for myself and my family. It seems some people think it's wonderful and get on with it well. And others really struggle with it and/or find it ineffective.

Pain wise, the Bupe patch did nothing for me either. I was put on 35mcg, then 70mcg, after my pain got out of hand and landed me in hospital. I had to beg the Pain Team for IR Bupe too. But I need the whole day's worth of Subs (2-3 x 0. 2mcg) for just one flare up. It's beyond ridiculous. I literally can't do anything except lay flat in bed because I don't haven't sufficient pain relief. My life stopped when they put me on that stuff.

Anyways, thanks again for your answer. I'm very glad that you're on something that works and allows you some respite.

Emma x.

[emmy-loue in reply to emmy-loue]

So, I have FINALLY started on Tapentadol! 2x50mg SR daily (plus 2x50mg IR). Today is my first day and I won't really know if it's effective until my pain flares up. I'm crossing everything that it helps 🤞🏼.

I desperately need it to work because like many CP sufferers my MH has seriously gone down hill 😔. Hopefully, even if it doesn't, they won't be awkward about increasing my dose.

What are you taking Tapentadol for if you don't mind me asking? I have Post Op Chronic Pain after a revised Spinal Fusion done back in 2017.

Emma x.

[Madlegs1]

I'm coming in a bit late here, but am wondering how all those taking Tapentadol are finding it?

In particular, does it actually last the full 12 hours, unlike Oxycontin ( which I'm currently on and experiencing tolerance).

I note some people are taking the IR version at the same time- what is the reason for that ? And what is the schedule that people use?

Thank you for any feedback.

[emmy-loue]

Hiya. I've been taking Tapentadol for a few months now. I had a similar issue with building a tolerance to Buprenorphine IR.

It's supposed to last 12 hrs and couldn't say if it doesn't or not. I take mine around 8pm in the evening, but mornings can vary quite a bit (depending on how bad a night I've had and when I wake up).

Tapentadol can be taken either as Slow Release or Immediate Release in any combination up to 500mg per day. I'm on 200mg SR a day with 2 x 50mg IR a day. Unfortunately, I'm still getting a lot of breakthrough pain and need to take at least 100mg for an episode. So obviously this means that I literally have only 1 dose of medication for my BT pain a day. I pretty much can't do a thing without ending up in severe pain, so having just 1 dose really doesn't work well for me.

Tapentadol definitely makes you feel drowsy as well. Much more so than Buprenorphine or Oxycontin I'd say. What are you taking it for if you don't mind me asking? I have Spondylosis (Spinal arthritis) in my SI Joints and neck, and have had my discs fused at L4-L5 and L5-S1.

[Hardyboy196457]

Hi sorry to hear what your going through I’m in the same position I totally agree the doctors have not got a clue they are not even interested in helping they done even want to listen well I have been in dihydrocodeine for years with diazepam for fibromyalgia now I HSBC’s trigeminal neuralgia & left side nerve due to an accident I have tape I thin my k need to take them I can’t bear it anymore my head how did you get on ?

[emmy-loue]

Hello. Yes! I often wonder if my GP got their medical degree out of a box of cornflakes. Really though, you need to be referred to a Pain Clinic if you haven't already. That way, the Pain Consultant takes responsibility for your medication and the G.P just prescribes it. I think all of them are really leary when it comes to prescribing opioids. They are far more closely scrutinised than they used to be. I've been told by several G.P's now that they won't risk their licenses or its *their* name on the bottom of the prescription. Fair enough as it took them 7 years to get that licence. What isn't right or fair is if they refuse to give you medication that you have a legitimate reason for taking, have always been responsible with, and without it, your physical and mental health will be at high risk of deterioration. Sorry. Am having a bit of a rant! Not a big fan of Doctors.

The last bit was a bit muddled. Do you mean you now have Tapentadol for your Neuralgia? I'm sorry you have to suffer that. I had a BF years ago who had the same, and he was on a low dose of Amitriptyline for it.

As far as Tapentadol goes. It definitely helps my pain. Even my neck and head pain, which are normally non responsive to anything. I do have to double the dose to 200mg IR though (4x50mg). My back/pelvic pain I can get away with 100mg IR. It's fairly fast acting (around 30 mins) but be warned, like most opioids it can make you very drowsy.

I have finally managed to get my doses sorted out so that I have 100mg SR twice a day. I then have 8 x 50mg for my BT pain. So that's 4 doses and potentially a total of 600mg a day. Now I'm not fretting and anxious the whole time that I've not got enough meds to see me through the day.

How much have you been put on? xx