how to tell if I really NEED oxycontin

[happyginny]

After taking Vicodin for seval years, my dr stopped them a couple of years ago due to liver problems. I was put on oxycodone, an equvilant dose.

I had knee surgery and gained some weight and experienced increase pain. My dr recommended I go on a 12 hr pain pill/patch.

I tried MS contin due to lack of insurance. when I got insurance, I tried the fentynal patch, and had oxycodone for breakthrough pain. I am a sweaty person, and the narcotics made it worse and I had trouble with the patches sticking.

I am now on 30 mg oxycontin twice a day, and have 120 5 mg oxycodone for breakthrough. I also have flexeril, and elavil, for muscle pain/sleep help.

I am sorry it took so long to get to the question, but i wanted to lay the ground work..

I have now lost the extra weight. I know the oxycontin is to keep a level of med in my system, to keep the pain from flairing. I just dont know if I need to be on them. How do I know my pain level hasnt returned to my previous, before the 60 lb weight gain level? I have some days I wake up, and feel very little pain. I never have NONE, but it is low enough, I would not take an oxycodone, so it seems wrong to take the oxycontin. I know my dr would know best, but he is not a pain dr, he is my g.p. I am afraid that if i bring it up to him, he will send me to a pain clinic, and I have heard lots of bad things about people's realtionships with them. I would rather not have to go to one of them if I can avoid it.

I do not want to just not take the pills, afraid of withdrawal. If I dont take a dose, but later take a oxycodone for pain, would that keep me from withdrawal since it is the same narcotic?

Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

 

[Warm'nFuzzy]

if you feel like you dont need the oxycontin when you wake up its ok to skip a dose. if you start to feel like you might be getting w'ds id just take it. these are pain meds and arent the kind of thing you HAVE to take if you feel you dont need it. like with heart medicine youd have to take it daily regardless cause you dont wanna risk heart complications, yknow?

 

[halfoz]

well, if you were able to get a fentanyl patch post-op you must've had some serious shit happen. i recently had what is supposed to be one of the most excruciating knee surgeries around and they never gave me the patch, even though i asked for it. I did have a HUGE cocktail of pain meds though, so oh well.

its now 5 months since my last surgery, and while the pain is always there, I've found oxycontin to be a total godsend. I'm also on 30mg 2x/day. The oxys don't give me any kind of high at all, but they do take the majority of the pain away.

i'm also on Lyrica for neuropathic pain, and who knows if that's working.

finally, I take Vimovo which is just naproxen plus prilosec.

anyway, point of my post is: I feel your pain, believe me. And for me Oxycontin is awesome for pain control. Not for getting high.

I'm currently trying to step down my dosage veeeeeeeery slowly.

My doc has been all about scribing me suboxone (i go to a pain management clinic, in addition to the many other clinics I go to) for one to eliminate wds, and because suboxone has excellent pain relieving characteristics.

suboxone kinda scares me, cause i don't want my beloved Oxies taken away until i get my leg stronger and healed more, but i seem to have stumbled on actual real caring doctors - fucking miracle, i totally know - so i'm going with the program.

oxies aren't really used for breakthrough pain. that'd be something like Norco.

look, it seems to me that if your pain is controlled and you're having no side effects, other than paranoia - which might be an indication that you're taking other drugs - then just dont sweat it. anxiety and fear will definitely elevate your sensation of pain.

you're in no harm as long as you don't overdose. the opiate wds only really last for like 3 days and its not like Trainspotting. You just stay home on the sofa, get really hot and feverish, body aches, can't sleep, can't get comfortable, have to get up to shit constantly.... your doc can help with this too, with suboxone, or if you can get some k-pins or xanax, that will make any wds feel better. ambien to sleep.

you'll be alright