I wanted to let everyone know a little about "Nucynta", or "tapentadol" (chemical name). Once a patent runs out, other pharm companies use the chemical name for sale of product. My husband is a Pain Management Doctor (named one of the top 10 in country), he has been practicing in Dakota Dunes, SD for 18 years. I am really frustrated with hearing "Tapentadol is similar to Tramadol", on the contrary, it is not really similar in structure to anything we have seen in 25 years. My husband says that it is complete garbage to consider the possibility of this new drug being anything like Tramadol. It is more like Demerol, hitting the mu opioid receptor which produces effects ranging from slight euphoria, hallucinations, and sedation. Please do not compare this drug to something that is not an opiate. Tramadol is considered to be more of an SNRI analgesic chemically unrelated to true opiates. It is a "big gun" as my husband calls it. It is also given to people the docs believe are drug seekers because it does not produce the true euphoria, possibly because of the SNRI component. I am a counselor, and have worked with adolescents my whole career, I have seen drug seekers. Nucynta is a Schedule II opioid antagonist, somewhat similar to Methadone in side effects. So, if a patient comes right back in to see the doc because this is not working, most docs will see it as someone who just wants to get high. I am also a pain patient, I am very patient because it is basically trial and error because pain is subjective. You have to be very honest with your Dr., they will take good care of you, and give you what you need if you ask for it, but do not abuse it. My email is
[email protected] if anyone has any questions about different pain treatments, I can consult with my husband and give you accurate info. I am on these boards a lot, and I see a lot of self-righteous indignation from people who think they know more than there Dr.'s; however, they cannot even spell medical terms correctly. The most dangerous aspect of people that think they know it all is that others are naive enough to believe it. No drug is going to completely get rid of your pain. If you go to a Pain Specialist, do injections first, do not question their techniques. These days, the Government is all over the PM docs about handing out these meds. If you want meds initially, and refuse the injections, they will see you as a drug seeker, you might get "fired" as they call it, then put into a system. They arrest people who come in and say they "lost their pills", btw. These doctor's are doing you a favor, every time they write a script, they have to cover their asses.