I recently changed from Methadone 10mg x6 a day to Opana ER 20 mg x2 a day. I could care less about a "high". I need the pain relief. However, I am hurting like crazy. Is Opana suppose to be stronger than Methadone?
This is a tough one.
A number of factors are in play here.
On paper, oxymorphone is significantly stronger than methadone on a milligram to milligram basis.
However...
Oxymorphone has poor oral bio availability, to the point that its nearly equipotent to methadone.
In addition, the Opana pill formula further lowers bio availability in an effort to minimize abuse potential.
The main reason I would consider your methadone regimen superior to the Opana regimen is that methadone has NMDA effects that greatly enhance it's pain killing ability.
It also has a long halflife that leads to a smoother pain relief profile with less breakthrough pain.
TLDR;
Methadone is a a far more superior drug for treatment of chronic pain than Opana ER, though it does have a stigma attached that steers many people away from prescribing it or asking for it.
