Mark, I take Opana-ER. Hopefully you will have read the package insert, because it actually says to take it on an empty stomach. When I asked my doctor about this, she actually had not known that, and had been telling patients to take it with food.
I have no problem taking my morning dose on an empty stomach, I take it at 6:00 am, and I don't eat before 7 (in fact I'm usually not out of bed before then). For my evening dose, it becomes a little more of a pain in the A$$. I stop eating by 4:00 pm, take it at 6:00, and don't eat until after 7:00 pm.
Apparently, unlike most other pain meds, taking it with food will actually cause it to enter your system more quickly (the effect on most pain meds if taken with food is to reduce the effectiveness, Opana is just the opposite).
Anyway, it took quite a while to get the correct dosage for me. The 5mg did nothing for me. And I had heard on another spine forum, people saying it wasn't as bio-available, and for some people not effective at all. One guy really thought it was crap, but I had to say that it was working for me, once I got the dosage right. I take 20mg twice a day.
I hope it helps you Mark.
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Cathy
46 years old. 12-15 years of intermittent pain, 2 years with constant pain.
DDD, L4-5 and L5-S1, pain confirmed by discogram.
PT, ESI's, Facet injection and block, Acupuncture - all no help.
2-level (Prodisc-L) ADR surgery with Dr. Bertagnoli, May 26, 2009.
Currently taking Opana-ER (tapering off) and oxycodone
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