Just When you Thought Oxycontin was bad enough

[nygirl7]

With SO many people becoming so heavily addicted to Oxy's they needed to come out with something stronger?!  Now this, I just don't really understand - we all know pain but to make Fentanel pills?!!!!  Holy God.

Cephalon seeks ok for new use for cancer pain drug
By Linda Loyd

INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Cephalon Inc. said today it submitted a supplemental new drug application to U.S. regulators to sell its cancer pain medicine Fentora for chronic pain, such as lower back and neuropathic pain.

Fentora, which is a tablet form of the narcotic drug fentanyl, is currently approved to treat "breakthrough," or rapid onset of severe pain, in patients who can tolerate opioid medicines, such as morphine, and are already taking pain medication for their underlying cancer pain.

Cephalon in September sent warning letters to doctors to alert patients of serious side effects, including several reported deaths, in patients who use Fentora improperly to treat post-operative pain or migraine headaches.

Cephalon shares rose 97 cents, or 1.26 percent, to $78.23 on the Nasdaq.


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[Forseegood]

I'm a migraine sufferer myself, just came off a two day one that knocked me flat, haven't had one this bad in awhile...I find the computer screen really bad for it, because with mine it often involves eye pain too, and this time equilibrium, nausea, the whole shootin match...just wondering if yours manifest that way too sometimes?...fyi, I see good points with your post, and NYgirls too, sometimes I think that issues here seem contradictory, but often they are just different sides to an issue with a few facets to it. Hope everyone is well....

[cajunldy]

I see and understand both sides of this subject.  Oxy and fentanyl both long term pain killer and very strong.  Oxy is missused when the pill is broken; this is a time release drug and once opened it is a full blown dose and in turn causes death.  Fentanyl patches are the same in strength of pain killers that are time release.  Once you split a patch it is no longer time release you get three days of fentanyl in one dose, it absorbs through the skin.  If they do this in a pill as Oxy it will hit the streets and as a time release if it is split the coating seal for time release if gone and a full dose is given.  Hope you can follow what I was saying there.

ON THE OTHER HAND !!!!!
My husband is now on Fentanyl 50mcg and 7.5 ES Vicodine at the same time.  He has hodgkins lymphoma and has already had stem cell transplant, it is now in his bones and needs these drugs and the easier access and expense to them make things more simplified for many people. There are only certain pharmacies that carry these type of drugs.  I know I had to hunt them down to get my husbands rx filled. I have never seen anyone in that type of pain before this with my husband. I am glad they have these drugs for him, because things won't get better not even when I will have to call Hospice In, which leads me to:

The fear of my boys and these drugs, I am sure that there will be issues with them when they lose their father and my biggest concern is my youngest.  But, I will hope that I have instilled enough in him that will keep him from that direction.
So, I worry too about these drugs because of my kids and yet soooooo grateful they are here for my husband.

Just my thoughts,
Cajun

[Lonestar823]

A couple weeks ago I was browsing DebNevada's journal.  She made a post about a brief encounter with Oxycontin just recently.  It was frightening.  As sick as she's been with so many difficulties on tx, she knew.  She knew and she did something about it.  I'm wondering about her lately.  Haven't seen her and if you're out there Deb, you ought to check in.  

[Sunny37]

I had to chime in here......I have had crohnic pain for over 20 years of my life ....dealt with many serious surgeries and work in a very professional setting and my husband is a police officer....just to paint a picture for you.that I am not just someone who took pain meds for the fun of it...I do believe pain medication should be given to people who need it but addiction does happen very quickly.....I just took what my Dr gave me.....demerol shots....it did lead to needing more and more until I decided I couldn't live like that anymore...it happens to many people and you don't even realize it....what kills me are some of the aquaintences I have met though the years that THINK they don't have a problem and say they would have NO problem getting off it or getting addicted to it.....narcotic withdrawl is not nice and the addiction will build up over time....I guess how serious it is depends on the quality of life you want.....I have a friend with very serious migranes but takes nothing for them and another lady who has migraines who is now been in detox for the past 3 months....I guess it depends on personalities and other factors ..

[alagirl]

I guess I'm pretty libertarian in my belief system.  I just don't believe in living other people's lives for them or in essence, in protecting them from themselves.  In fact, I think drugs and prostitution should be legalized.  I don't engage in either activity but I'd love to see the taxes go to social security and the prison space go to pedophiles.

[hack41]

My concren is not about folks that need pain meds. I agree that people with cornic pain should be able to get treated. As you do by a Dr. I have not seen anything in your post that says you are less than responisilbe about the use of pain meds. It is making this strong of a med in pill form that bothers me. I have 3 kids under 16, my hope is that i have done a job raising them. This med being made in a pill form will hit the streets the day it hits the local Wal-mart. The people selling it on the street will tell others that it is just a little better than OXY. You should be entitled to get relife when needed, under the care of a Dr. My concern is for the folks that will get ahold of this without the advice of a Dr. The pill form will just make it easy for them. You may not have gone through addiction, but just like tx it hits people differently.

NYgirl Last year my mother was rushed to the hospital after O.D.ing. We removed 4 patches from her body She lived but has not really been the same since. Her script was for 1 every 4 days. It is not only the kids that get hooked. My Mom is 62 years old.