Opioids Hydrocodone question - first post

[gf1]

Hows it going

For the past two years I've been taking hydrocodone about once every two or three weeks. Throughout this time I've taken a few month or two long breaks. I find it curious that despite this, my tolerance seems to be very high and not decreasing. Originally, just 5 - 10 mg would be like heaven for around two hours... but now 30 mg, even after 1.5 month break and on an empty stomach is just a decent experience only lasting about 35 or so minutes. What do?

 

[Nozphexezora]

After continuous use all opiates lose their original "magic", so to speak. Time can reduce tolerance, but it can't minimize it to its original dose.

 

[gf1]

that's what i figured.. too bad. It seems like even when time does reduce my tolerance it climbs up much faster as well? If i switched to oxycodone instead, would my tolerance from the hydro carry over to that or could i enjoy that magic once again for a little while? I've only tried oxy on maybe 3 or 4 occasions, all a year ago.

 

[Tommyboy]

^ Opioid tolerance is opioid tolerance, so yes it will carry over. There is something called cross-tolerance which basically means that tolerance to one particular drug in a class of drugs will cause tolerance to the other drugs of that class. There is also incomplete cross-tolerance where an equivalent dose of another drug from the same class will get you a little higher than the equivalent dose of the drug you usually take, but it's not all that significant. It's enough of a concern that you shouldn't just jump to the equivalent dose of the other drug though, so take about 20% less of the equivalent dose.

Conversion charts vary, but this one says 10mg of hydrocodone is equal to 6.7mg of oxycodone, so if you are taking 30mg of hydrocodone then try 20mg of oxycodone (or 15mg to play it safe in case you have incomplete cross-tolerance). Please not that once you start taking oxycodone it becomes very difficult to get high off of hydrocodone.