Opioids Taking OxyContin With Percocets: Question

[bluesteyes]

About a week ago my doctor prescribed for me 15mg OxyContin tablets that I am supposed to take twice per day. I have been taking opioids for the past 6 months, and I am trying to wean off. However, like with many users, the OxyContin is just not lasting the 12 hours. It dies off at around the 8 to 9 hour mark. The LA Times did a investigative story on this in May:

http://www.latimes.com/projects/oxycontin-part1/

Moreover, I am discovering that the 15mg is just not strong enough, and I am going thru mild withdrawals, which obviously get worse at the hours tick by. So we are thinking about adding some 7.5mg Percocets to the mix. I generally take my first OxyContin when I get up at 6:30am, and my second one 12 hours later. It is to my understanding that Percs last 4-6 hours. I don't know if I want to be taking Percs every six hours. Maybe just two or three pills per day.

Does anyone have any suggestions on when to take the Percs in order ease my withdrawal symptoms and assist with pain relief. Maybe take one six hours after my first OxyContin, and six hours after my last OxyContin? Or maybe take three, and spread them out over the course of my 16 waking hours? I don't want to wake up in the morning in a sweat drenched bed with tremors, but I also don't want to set my alarm clock at 3am in the morning to take pills either.

 

[Ilove2nod]

You should ask to try a higher dose if the OxyContin isn't helping, or maybe take oxycodone IR 15s throughout the day if you, like myself, and most others don't like the newer OP oxycontins. I think they are shit! They don't work nearly as well as the old OC formula.. Your best bet would probably be to switch over to oxy IR as many times a day as you need, or your doc will prescribe... but you also say your trying to wean off, and were just prescribed them a week ago? I don't quite understand what you mean when your saying you want more, or something that will work better but your trying to wean off too?

 

[bluesteyes]

What I was given is not enough to keep withdrawals away. I need more script. Not much more, but more.

 

[Ilove2nod]

All you can do is ask and tell the doctor the truth! You are in pain, and 15mg of oxycodone ER isn't working and if maybe you could have your dose either upped or get something like oxy IRs for break thru pain relief. That is very commonly prescribed, that combination of OxyContin and oxy IR or Percocet, or another IR opioid of equivalent strength.. its your first script too you said right? That's usually like a trial run just to see how the meds affect you, and if you need more, less, or want to try something different the next visit.. I am sure the doc will understand, if you are honest with him.. Lots of doctors can see through you and know when your telling the truth, which I am sure you are! or if you are lying. I believe you though! And I think you should ask for more or try oxy IRs throughout the day as they are one of the best ORALLY taken pain meds, most other opioids have a terrible oral BA which sucks and its practically like they are supposed to be abused, almost like big pharma just designed them to be that way so people will get more addicted and spend more money on the pills they designed, using more addictive ROAs like IV! oxy however I believe has around 80-85% oral BA so that is really good considering many others commonly prescribed for pain, like dilaudid(only good IV, marginal at best when sniffed), morphine(also only good IV), and oxymorphone(opana, which is wonderful insufflated or IV) have like less than a 30% oral BA... So yeah I would try and see how maybe 30mg of OxyContin works for you, even though I myself HATE the OP oxys, they truly don't work like they are supposed to, not nearly like they are supposed to. They are much, much weaker feeling mg to mg compared to oxy IR or the old formula OCs.. which purdue has made unable to be manufactured by generic companies in the US, only they can distribute oxy ER in the US with their shit plastic matrix form OPs. So fucking stupid! But hey, good luck though.. hope you get what you need.. just tell him it didn't work, I am sure if he/she is a good doctor they will help you and try something better.

 

[Pixies]

You should ask to try a higher dose if the OxyContin isn't helping, or maybe take oxycodone IR 15s throughout the day if you, like myself, and most others don't like the newer OP oxycontins. I think they are shit! They don't work nearly as well as the old OC formula.. Your best bet would probably be to switch over to oxy IR as many times a day as you need, or your doc will prescribe... but you also say your trying to wean off, and were just prescribed them a week ago? I don't quite understand what you mean when your saying you want more, or something that will work better but your trying to wean off too?

Sorry, but anyone who says that, really means "we don't like the new OPs because we can't take off the coating and abuse them". The new formula (OPs, NOT OCs) actually works better for someone like myself with chronic 24hr pain. Although, consider yourself lucky they are lasting you 8 hours. They stopped at 4 hours for me, but I loved them. Problem is, my insurance sucks and doesn't cover the expensive bastards. I'm now on Fentanyl Patches for the first time ever, and they work better, although those too are supposed to last 72 hours, and stop at 48 for me, like a charm. :/ I'm also back to Hydrocodone 10/325's, x4 a day (For breakthrough pain, in conjunction with the patches), which work MUCH better than percs for me. As they have always lasted longer, and don't burn up as fast. Less "spiky", more smooth, is always the way to go imo.

 

[SS373dOH]

Percocet=oxycontin=oxycodone.. So yes adding an instant release oxy, to take for breakthrough pain, or as needed, would stop your wd. A lot of docs will rx both er and ir to cp patients.

 

[Slow_Mobius]

You can also mention to your doctor that oxycontin failed clinical trials as a 12 hr med. It only passed when patients were allowed to take rescue doses.

In short, do your homework.

 

[bluesteyes]

http://www.latimes.com/projects/oxycontin-part1/

The LA Times investigation tells you all you need to know. Also, a month or so after this article was published, Congress was considering investigating the company and their 12 hour claims. For the company to recommend that people take a higher dosage of OxyContin as opposed to taking it 3x per day at a lower dosage is flat out irresponsible.

One of the problems I have discovered with this tapering business is that there is no one size fits all tapering plan. And yet the drug laws in this country do not allow doctors and patients to 'experiment" with different tapering plans to find the one that's good for you. I already tried tapering with Percocets alone, and that was tough because once I got to the lower doses and my pain increased, it was too tempting to take extra pills. I also suffer from acute anxiety disorder (which is now being treated with psychiatric meds - but they haven't kicked in). As you know, anxiety and stress episodes increase your pain. So that was another reason to grab some more Percs. I live totally alone. If I had a spouse, live in partner or trusted roommate, I'd give them the pill box and tell them, "give me my daily prescription and my daily prescription only, no matter how much I beg, and keep the pill box out of sight. I'd probably be off of this crap by now if I had that support. I am doing it alone.