4 ms·
As someone who has chronic pain, tapentadol has been a godsend for me. Its an opioid which also has norepinephrine agonist effects to help reduce pain in a mult
by goldenkey 11y ago
As someone who has chronic pain, tapentadol has been a godsend for me. Its an opioid which also has norepinephrine agonist effects to help reduce pain in a multi mechanistic way. It was developed as a 2nd generation version of Tramadol, which is also a very amazing drug. Tapentadol is brand name Nucynta and cost 1500 for a 30 day supply compared with morphine at <$50. But tapentadol is an engineered alkaloid..designed to be less addictivr, more selective for the mu opiod receptor and norepinephrine agonism for better medicinal use than morphine. I agree with other posters about prices necessarily harming those who are poor and more inclined to abuse drugs due to a dismal outlook on life. On the other hand, having taken various opiates and seen how effective and therepeutic Tapentadol is, makes me want to reward Depomed who researched and developed an improved version of their already very successful Tramadol. They took on an endeavor that needs to be justified by some type of risk rewarding lucrativity. Its not all carnal..
My energy levels and ability to be active during an entire day was borderline geriatric before I started taking tapentadol. Opiates are addictive but are also the gold standard for pain relief. Pain reduces energy levels, its fatiguing. I would sometimes want to just cry out of how weak I felt. No one should have to 'just deal with it' when it comes to nerve splitting pain.
- _acme 11y agoTo counter your anecdote, tapentadol (Nucynta) leaves me extremely foggy and out of it at doses below the required dose for pain relief -- far loopier than hydrocodone, oxycodone or oxymorphone.
- GordonS 11y agoI'm the same, as I was with straight SNRIs too. I think some people just can't tolerate SNRIs and SSRIs. But for those who can, they can make a big difference to pain levels
- goldenkey 11y agoI feel more awake and stimulated from it. A laser focus. And the pain relief is far better than Tramadol or conventional opiates that lack an adrenal boost. I would guess you are right and it can definitely be a genetic variability. Its actually difficult for me to sleep on Tramadol or Nucynta .. so exactly the opposite of drowsy.