Question: Oxycontin/Oxycocet: 240mg/day prescribed for many years. Went into withdrawal IN HOSPITAL because they did not give me ANY in Emergency over a ten-hour wait for a transfer ambulance. HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE for both me and the Paramedics. They took me back and I was given a shot that kept me under for two weeks. More horrible experiences followed (as listed later). So, I decided to get off Oxy myself and, over three months, was able to. HOWEVER, I started to have strange things happen again -- hallucinations, paranoia, confusion, slow thought processing -- and these symptoms persist, although rarely now (twice a month or less). WHY? I am a 70-year-old woman and have since started to take 10-14mg./day Hydromorphone (not as effective pain-wise, but it helps). Also, I am careful not to over-imbibe, but do drink 1 or 2 (max) glasses of wine a day. I have never used non-prescription drugs, smoked dope, or even had a drink of hard liquor. I am a retired Freelance Court Reporter and would NEVER have taken a chance on my security clearance.

Thanks for your kind and swift response. I guess what I'm wondering is whether there can be lingering symptoms for such long-term Oxy use. What is your opinion?

I have been tested for Dementia and am getting "seniors' moments", but not to that extent yet, thanks be to our Good Lord.

With reference to the Hydromorphone, I take a 3mg long-acting one in the a.m. and p.m. along with a 2mg short-acting. I also have access to two more 2mg short-acting pills for pain breakthrough during the day. I can sometimes go a week without using those two.

I have been disabled since birth (congenital hip dislocation), spent a great deal of my childhood in the Shriners' Hospital in Montreal, had a partial hip done at 14 and was told to expect to be back in a wheelchair by 30. I hung on until 45 for a complete hip replacement and, as I told you previously, had two knees done much later, also (age 68). I am still walking.

Here is the dilemma: I suffer from severe pain and have tried MANY prescriptions, opiods and others. I was not a good candidate for injections because of both my spinal problems (5xDDD, Olisthesis, Spinal Stenosis) and my own fear of making things worse. My Spinal Specialist, affiliated with Queen's University, said I would have only a 20 per cent chance of success with surgery. So what should I be taking to enable me to get through the pain?

I would truly like your answer to my two questions. And I thank you sincerely. ( BTW, Greetings from the Great White North [of the 49th Parallel ] )