Opioids Oxycodone and its ability to reduce inflamation?

For the past two years Ive been rx'ed 120 7.5/325 lortabs a month for rheumatoid arthritis, and bad tmj (disk slipped off the joint.)

I usually run out of my rx in two weeks and either get some 30 mg oxies (I take a half at a time) or percocets. If I can't find those, I maintain on subs which is great to keep the wd away, but don't do a thing for the pain on a low dose (An 8mg sub lasts me a week).

My question is, is oxy known to greatly reduce inflation? It takes the swelling in my hands down similar to Celebrex AND gets rid of the pain while it's working. I have searched around on the web to find any studies that shows oxycodone reduced inflammation, but came up with nothing other than a few odds and ends that say that inflamed tissue has opiate receptors- which may be why I get the result I do.

I'm a runner (used to run 20-30 miles a week before this RA shit, now I am lucky to do 12 a week) when I am on the oxy, I can knock out a 5 mile run in 40 min like I used to. It's awesome.

Any ideas?

I also feel like a combo of two opiods (like hydro and oxycodone) are better at relieving pain than just one, and can do so with less overall medication. I have brought that up to my gp, but he seems more interested in getting me off of the 120 lortabs that I get than relieving my issues. nI don't want to push the issue in fear that I will get cut off completely.

In re to the inflammation, I have chronic low grade inflammation and I have never noticed a difference from oxy.

but in re to your question about two opiates, yes for sure.. Using 2 different painkillers is more than the sum of its parts..they kind of work synergistically together so you need slightly less of each . Just like sweeteners, for the bakers out there.

That's a weird smiley.

For the past two years Ive been rx'ed 120 7.5/325 lortabs a month for rheumatoid arthritis, and bad tmj (disk slipped off the joint.)

Oxycodone and Hydrocodone do not affect inflammation, period. They are pain killers BUT, the 325 part of your med IS a anti-inflammatory med. It's basically Tylenol, 325mg of it. Also on combining the two, I doubt many docs with do this. They will usually use on or the other and move it up to where you get the pain relief you need. That's in a perfect setting and it sounds like that not your case. You may need to be seeing a PM doc and leave this one behind. Good Luck though.

Tylenol isnt an antiinflammatory either.

Kittycat5 said:

Tylenol isnt an antiinflammatory either.

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I do believe you're right so why the heck to they include with the narcotics like they do. They're much more dangerous than the narcotic and provide an increment of relief as the narcotic and unless they work in tandem better than they do alone, it's senseless and a waste of a good liver. Basically they're both small potatoes in the world of PM. Sorry I missed on that one.

You are correct in saying they work in tandem better than alone, especially for certain conditions like cancer pain. Remember, most people are not using/abusing these drugs to the point that liver toxicity outweighs the need for pain relief.