I'm a pain management patient. I've been taking about 500 mg. morphine per day for several years. The conversion chart says that 500 mg. morphine E.R. (Avinza) is roughly equivalent to 100 mg. Exalgo E.R.
I'm trying to switch to Exalgo due to excessive sweating from Avinza.
My pain doc prescribed me 16 mg. Exalgo, 6 pills per day. So that's 96 mg. But my insurance is trying to LIMIT it to no more than 4 pills per day (64 mg).
I've been hassling with my insurance for 3 WEEKS, probably because Exalgo is a VERY expensive med.
I can't seem to get a clear answer from insurance. One person from insurance told me that there is an FDA MAXIMUM DOSE of 64 mg. I have no idea if this is the truth or if insurance just doesn't want to pay for 6 pills a day. I just wish they'd be HONEST and give me an answer!
IF insurance will only pay for a MAX of 4 16 mg. pills per day, then I'd only be getting the equivalent of about 320 mg. morphine per day, probably LESS than what I need. 64 mg. really isn't that high for severe pain in an opioid tolerant individual.
I just thought I'd ask if anyone knows if 64 mg. really IS the "FDA MAXIMUM DOSE" for Exalgo?
If true, I'd think my pain doc would have known about this. He's been in practice for many years. He did warn me that insurance may try to limit my dose.
Also, I just wondered if anyone could recommend a long-acting pain med that is likely to NOT cause profuse sweating?
I've heard that morphine is the worst for sweating, and that's what I'm on. Maybe Oxycontin or Opana would be better? I had severe dry mouth from the Fentanyl patch, so that's not an option for me. Maybe methadone?
Thanks for any advice or answers!
Eva
I'm trying to switch to Exalgo due to excessive sweating from Avinza.
My pain doc prescribed me 16 mg. Exalgo, 6 pills per day. So that's 96 mg. But my insurance is trying to LIMIT it to no more than 4 pills per day (64 mg).
I've been hassling with my insurance for 3 WEEKS, probably because Exalgo is a VERY expensive med.
I can't seem to get a clear answer from insurance. One person from insurance told me that there is an FDA MAXIMUM DOSE of 64 mg. I have no idea if this is the truth or if insurance just doesn't want to pay for 6 pills a day. I just wish they'd be HONEST and give me an answer!
IF insurance will only pay for a MAX of 4 16 mg. pills per day, then I'd only be getting the equivalent of about 320 mg. morphine per day, probably LESS than what I need. 64 mg. really isn't that high for severe pain in an opioid tolerant individual.
I just thought I'd ask if anyone knows if 64 mg. really IS the "FDA MAXIMUM DOSE" for Exalgo?
If true, I'd think my pain doc would have known about this. He's been in practice for many years. He did warn me that insurance may try to limit my dose.
Also, I just wondered if anyone could recommend a long-acting pain med that is likely to NOT cause profuse sweating?
I've heard that morphine is the worst for sweating, and that's what I'm on. Maybe Oxycontin or Opana would be better? I had severe dry mouth from the Fentanyl patch, so that's not an option for me. Maybe methadone?
Thanks for any advice or answers!
Eva