Generic Name: Nucynta for Pain (tapentadol)
"I have been on Nucynta 200 ER mg 3 times a day and Tramadol 50 mg 3 times a day for two years now. I was on all the other pain meds from Percocet to fentanyl, and Nucynta has been great for me. I have degenerative disc disease, I broke my back at L4 and L5, and I have rods and screws. I have a chronic case of kidney stones and kidney damage. If you have chronic pain and nothing is helping, try Nucynta, hopefully, it might help you as it has helped me. One note, no pain medication will relieve your pain 100%, but for me, my pain is 70% to 85% controlled (depending on the weather), but I have learned to live and manage my remaining pain. Apart from the medication, I use ice and heat to also help with the pain. Good luck finding your pain relief because no one should live their life in chronic pain, and also good luck in finding a good pain management doctor that believes you. God bless."
"I have been on Nucynta for over 3 years now. I suffer from scoliosis, fibromyalgia, and RA. I’ve been on 100 mg 4x/day then went to 3x/day recently. Something interesting about this drug is the way it’s processed in the body. Some people lack particular gene functions that break down most pain medications. Nucynta is one of the only narcotics that bypasses this gene process, therefore, people who lack the CYP-2D6 (gene) “regulator” can get more adequate pain relief. But people not lacking this genetic predisposition often have not so good of an experience. OVERALL, for some people, Nucynta (tapentadol) can be a lifesaver when nothing else works, and I say all this for those who may want to research into why certain drugs don’t work as well for them. The only downside for me was, even though I have good insurance, it was originally over $1,200 for 90-100mg pills. Hope this helps someone!"
"I have been on Nucynta for over 6 years. I am a post-cancer patient. I suffer from nerve damage from chemotherapy, fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease in my lower back, dysplasia, and arthritis in my left hip after 5 surgeries and bad scarring. I have had injections and tried every opioid under the sun. Until my rheumatologist started me on Nucynta, life became different. I still have pain as with ANY of them. But I got my life back. There is no generic, and it is expensive, but taken properly, it works. It may not work for everyone. But to me, Roxys and oxycodone and all that are trash. The other part is I can't have anything with acetaminophen due to having cancer in my liver, so I'm very limited. I think it's worth a try. Methadone, ugh, no way. People never get off that. Try Nucynta! Good luck! Best!"
"I have ankylosing spondylitis since I was drafted and resulted in a 4F deferment. That was in 1970. This med has been a game-changer for me. I wake up not as stiff as I have been without the drug. To help with the bowel motion, I drink Smooth Move tea, and it works. If not for my doctor, I would be homeless, being unable to work. Good luck to all who suffer day by day."
"I have about 8 separate diagnoses in my spine, including severe degenerative disc disease and arthritis. I am in horrific pain all the time. I had been taking Vicodin 10 multiple times throughout the day and only got a short time of relief. I went to a new pain management doc, and he gave me Nucynta. I haven't had anything work so well! I take 100mg 3 times a day, and I have zero pain. I feel like a whole new person! I'm not counting the hours til I can take another pill. My copay is $50 with good insurance, but for me it's well, well worth it. Definitely worth giving this medicine a try."
"I was in a MVA in '05 that left me permanently disabled with a spinal cord injury. My spinal cord was less than 2cm from being severed. Nothing helped the pain, not Fentanyl or even Morphine. As my doctor suggested Methadone as a last resort, I was 37 years old and said no, not at my age. A PA offered Nucynta as she had just read an article, and on this day, I got my life back! This wasn't just a game-changer, it was a miracle drug as it worked miracles for me. How does one thank the makers of this one med that did so much to help me and my family?"
"Nucynta did not relieve my pain at all. I have seen many negative comments about this new medicine. Many government officials want to do away with oxycodones and force people with chronic pain to get physical therapy. It's unfortunate to punish those who don't abuse their medicines."
"I broke both of my feet falling off my roof in winter after fixing my satellite. I then got compartment syndrome in my left foot and had to have an emergency fasciotomy. For those who don't know, they basically had to cut my foot wide open in 3 places to relieve the pressure. The cuts had to stay wide open, so for about 3 months, I was in horrible pain. They prescribed OxyContin 60mg 2x a day and 30mg 3x a day. For pain, it did absolutely nothing. But in 3 months, I was addicted. I went to a pain management doctor, complained, and he gave me Nucynta. Life was so much better. I went from being in excruciating pain to barely any pain at all, not to mention I wasn't high off pills either, so I could actually function. Nucynta was a godsend when I needed it most. The only bad thing is most insurances didn't pay for it when I was on it. That was in 2015, so this might be different now. I had to pay $400 a month for 60 50 mg pills."
"I have numerous chronic conditions but I will speak about my pain. I have been attending the pain clinic for approximately 5 years and have tried every conceivable pain medication that I could get including a ketamine IV, nothing has worked until now. I am on 500 mg of Palexia/tapentadol/Nucynta and it works. I have nerve damage due to an undiagnosed neurological condition with symptoms mimicking Multiple Sclerosis. It has taken about 8 weeks for it to work but it has made a big difference. Side effects are lack of sleep (chronic), dizziness (goes away), and mood swings. I want to stay on it and hopefully my doctor can help with the sleep. So, anyone just starting it or considering it, please give it some time."
"After chronic pain for 5 years (bursitis and fibromyalgia), I think I've found a medicine perfect for me. I take 50 mg three times a day; it has helped so much with the fibromyalgia fatigue/fog. I have more energy, feel less depressed, and actually wake up without horrible pain. In the past I have been on Oxycontin, MS-Contin, Hydrocodone, Fentanyl patches, and Dilaudid. Nucynta is helping more than all of the above and it's much different than a typical narcotic. I am pleased!"
"I said I would come back and share. Nucynta has literally given me my life back. I have significant chronic pain issues. I was on oxycodone for a while but felt it was no longer working. Tried a few others until this one and I have felt like my pain has been relieved significantly and I am so thankful! Even my husband noticed the difference, he said it was literally like night and day. So much to the point where this medication is 4 times more expensive than the others, but he said with those results it's worth it."
"I am 35 years old and have had severe fibromyalgia, trigeminal neuralgia, migraines, and chronic fatigue. I have been suffering since my early 20s. I tried everything and backed it up with research. Nothing made the pain tolerable enough. Nucynta 100mg er, 2x a day, gives me 24-hour pain control when taken with 100mg of tramadol. I found the doctor who prescribed it just a year ago. I was a ball of pain on my couch, could not work, actually... I had no life. My doctor is conducting trials using this for fibromyalgia with 97% success. I had forgotten what a body not riddled with chronic pain felt like. He is a pioneer and trying to get this medication to those who need it to function. It was difficult to get approved. I have a life!"
"I've never had more side effects with any other medication. I ended up in the ER, I'll get into that more later. Blurry vision, can't read off my phone. Can't focus my eyes, they feel strained. It causes this 'psychedelic effect' where things look like they're moving with slight colors. Chest pain. Went to the ER. They gave medication to slow my heart rate, which was 150 bpm. Heart pounding, tightness in chest, fast heart rate, low blood pressure. Unable to concentrate/poor memory. Forgetting mid-sentence. Dizzy, the room is spinning. Uncoordinated. Depressed breathing. Hallucinations. I thought I saw a red bug on me, but it was just my birthmark, I was hallucinating! I've never hallucinated before. Restlessness. The skin on my hands and feet turned blue. Anxiety/depression. I have slight anxiety, but not like this, it made me depressed. Urinary pain (from the coating on these pills made to prevent people from misusing them). Heaviness in limbs. Trouble swallowing. Severe constipation. Indigestion. Low energy."
"I was just given Nucynta 50 mg twice a day for Peripheral Neuropathy following a botched surgical procedure by my PCP. The pain was constant and burning. It disrupted my life and is wrecking my relationship with my husband. He doesn't understand the pain of Neuropathy, Neuritis, and Neuralgia. I have been in pain for more than a year and I have tried many different pain medications such as Vicodin, Ultram, Percocet. Nothing worked! I have only taken 2 pills and I noticed that the pain is much improved. It went from a 7 to a 4. That is HUGE! I did get nauseated and my breathing was shallow. I also stumble a bit and I am not able to verbalize complete sentences. That is disturbing, but it's worth it if I can experience less pain."
"It seemed okay. I was more alert than when using oxycodone. After three weeks, the side effects outweigh the positives. It was more psychotic than I had planned. After the 75 mg dose wore off, the drop-off was steep. I felt very agitated and somewhat aggressive. Similar to prescribed amphetamine or steroid. It makes me so agitated that I have decided to go back to the Oxy. I also experienced some respiratory distress and diminished vision. Good try as an alternative but it is not for me. Kadian had similar reactions."
"I have chronic pain that wraps around the right side of my rib cage and believe it to be nerve/muscular. I was taking Tramadol for many years along with my Lyrica, but the Tramadol just wasn't working anymore. My pain doc replaced the Tramadol with 50 mg Nucynta twice per day. The results are phenomenal - I am basically pain-free and able to function fine at work on it with no side effects of any kind. This medicine has improved my quality of life and I can't believe how much better I feel."
"This medicine is a lifesaver! I have lupus and have been having extreme hip and back pain lately. I have been on numerous medicines and am allergic to codeine, Vicodin, and Percocet, so it's difficult to find adequate pain relief without other side effects like nausea, vomiting, and lightheadedness. Nucynta does not give me a 'high' feeling, and I have not experienced nausea with this medicine. The only downside to this medicine is it's expensive! I encourage people to call the company and apply for the savings card. I'm awaiting mine, and if it goes through, you will pay no more than $25 a refill. Hope some others get relief with this medicine like me. Right now, I could kiss my orthopedic surgeon for prescribing me Nucynta!"
"I don't want to give this medication a high rating. My husband was put on this medication last week. At first, he thought it was great, but then trouble came. He had problems focusing, broke out with a rash, had constipation, could not eat, and always felt like he was going to throw up. When I saw the rash on his leg, I immediately called the pharmacist, and the pharmacist told him to stop taking this medication. On top of that, he is on antidepressants and blood thinners."
"I take both versions, 150 ER twice a day, and one IR once a day. This works for me better than Vicodin 10's along with all the other stuff I had to take with them. I used to take 6 a day of Vicodin, or Ultram 300 and 6 Ultram 50 mgs and Soma 350 mgs. Now, all I need is the Nucynta, sometimes I have pain it doesn't totally control, but, you can't be pain-free 24 hours a day no matter what you take. I like that if you forget to take one, or whatever, there aren't any withdrawals for me. Nothing, no insomnia, no illness, it works like an opioid without the hassles. I don't know why it is schedule 2 because to me, it is like a super strong Tylenol, you never withdraw from Tylenol. I feel lucky that my doctor chose this to control my pain."
"I was taking Percocet for Facial and Scalp Neuralgia - very similar to Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN2 or ATN) but instead of just the face, nearly my whole scalp can have nerve pain. I was referred to a pain control specialist who initially put me on Nucynta ER. It was far less effective than the Percocet. Since I have a history of problems with extended-release (ER) versions, I begged them to let me try the IR version instead. VOILÀ! Real pain relief. I've been able to lower my overall monthly allotment of pills. I feel so blessed to have such good pain control."
"I found I had unusual energy and didn't feel my back pain, was able to do a lot of the manual chores involved in renovations and spring cleaning that I put off (due to pain and lack of motivation). So far no effects of longing for a dose. I take only when the pain comes back. I'm waiting for the negative but so far ... it's great!"
"I am a young uni student who has been experiencing severe chronic pain for 5 years. Two years ago, my doctor prescribed Nucynta, and it was a game changer. Before, I was taking four different types of meds for my EDS and spinal stenosis, but with no effect. Nucynta has allowed me to live with a tolerable amount of pain while performing in university."
"I've been living with lower pain for the better part of 10 years now and almost all pain medications have been ineffective for me. I've been on Darvon (until it was removed from the market), Vicodin, and Tramadol. All providing limited amounts of relief. Recently, my doctor decided to prescribe Nucynta IR 75 mg. From the first week taking Nucynta, my quality of life has improved tremendously. I've been able to resume moderate sports activity, and it's dropped my PDI from an 8 to a 2. For me, that's a huge improvement."
"Switched a while back from Hydrocodone, tramadol, Soma in combination for many years to this Nucynta ER and IR. I take 2 ERs a day and one IR a day. I am thankful for Nucynta, it actually melts the pain away and keeps your mind awake. I don't have to take 8 hydrocodones a day, 6 tramadols, and 2 Somas to get relief. I have been with my 'new' doctor for about 8 months and have been on this new combination for 5 or 6 months. It is nice to only have to take a couple of pills instead of eating them like they are candy to get relief."
"Nucynta was prescribed by my pain clinic a few months ago. Despite my complaints of severe anxiety, restlessness, elevated blood pressure, restless legs, my skin turning blue, inability to sleep, they continue prescribing it. I am losing my mind. I have spinal stenosis, DDD, RA and OA with cervical fusion surgery, two total hip replacements, and one hip revision. My life is governed by pain. Since I started taking this horrible Rx, I am losing my mind. I am 69."
