Opiate tolerance?

[scarlette]

Hi, so basically I'm new here.

I always tend to lurk here when I'm in withdrawals though, it's always been extremely helpful.
Anyway, I've been taking about 15-30 mg of oxycodone daily for about a year and a half now. I had a reaaally bad fall when I was about 17 that messed up my life completely. I'm 19, I was accepted into Harvard and I can't even start college because of the problems I've had because of the fall. I've already had two surgeries on my knees, disc disease in my back, and now a 'habit' with these pills for my chronic pain.


I have a pretty major surgery coming up within the next month. My problem is, after surgery I'm given Fentanyl in the recovery room and sent home with a prescription for 60 5 mg Percocet.

I'm so worried that the 5 mg Percocet won't help me like they used to ever since my GP switched me to Oxycodone.
I'm currently at the very beginning of the third day of going CT and I feel fine.

I've decided to stop taking the oxycodone altogether and deal with my pain up until the surgery with hopes that my tolerance dwindles over the course of the next month.

Since I was only taking 15-30 mg to begin with, am I in for a rude awakening only taking 5 mg?

Any advice is sincerely appreciated.



Side note: My surgeon knows that my GP switched me to Oxycodone, but he is against using anything stronger than 5 mg.

 

[VitamaN]

From my own personal XP, once you get a real taste for this kind of drug, weather it's pain management or pleasure you're seeking,
your tolerance sticks around. Ya, the drug works again, once in a while but your body knows damn well by now what that chemical is and how to metabolize it. I take for euphoria, and a close friend takes for pain and we both have tolerance issues.
Seems like your dr has the right intent and does not want you to become a junkie ,
but to keep it real, dont be shocked if that low a dose doesn't help much at all.

 

[scarlette]

Thank you so much.

 

[JohnJohnsonthe3rd]

I would say that if you take a month off, you will absolutely lower your tolerance. I would say that your best bet is to take a month off, save up the oxycodone that your current doctor is prescribing you just in case 5mg isn't enough after surgery. Also, be upfront with whoever it is that refuses to prescribe any more than 5mg, that is ridiculous. Tell him that you are currently taking more than that and that you are worried it won't help.

 

[pasha]

homeless -> basic drug discussion

 

[drug_mentor]

I would think you could talk to your GP about this, explain the dose the surgeon prescribed is inadequate given your history and hopefully he can write you the remainder of what you need. I don't see any logical reason why your doctor would be hesitant, if you needed a higher dose before the surgery it makes no sense to reduce the dose straight after surgery.

If this is not possible for whatever reason, assuming you are physically dependent on your daily dose it is probably unrealistic to stop completely, but reducing your dose before surgery will have the dual benefit of lowering your tolerance slightly and giving you excess oxycodone for if the Percocet doesn't have you covered.

Good luck with the surgery, I hope it helps lead you on the path to recovery.

 

[nobodyk]

I would say that if you take a month off, you will absolutely lower your tolerance. I would say that your best bet is to take a month off, save up the oxycodone that your current doctor is prescribing you just in case 5mg isn't enough after surgery. Also, be upfront with whoever it is that refuses to prescribe any more than 5mg, that is ridiculous. Tell him that you are currently taking more than that and that you are worried it won't help.

This

I was taking 5mg hyrdrocodone up to 6 a day before hernia surgery and I told the surgeon straight up that I was concerned it would not help with the surgery pain because I've taken it for a few years. He said, ok then I will prescribe the next one up which is 7.5mg. I think good doctors who are really concerned about their patients comfort and being pain free will not hesitate or think that you are drug seeking.