Oxycontin NEW Formulation Question [urgent please help]

[Clarissa666]

Someone I love is taking Oxycontin New Formula. 60mg (20mg X 3) per day. It is prescribed by a doctor because of two injuries over the course of 2 years. One was a gun shot and the other was a torn disc (annular tear). My friend is a very law abiding person, never drinks never smokes. Until he took Oxycontin.

They chew the tablet into tiny pieces and swallows. It has been two years that he has been stuck on these pills and over the last 12 months, they have been abusing the drug, after noticing it helped their depression and gave them the mood to talk and play with their children more often. They have good intentions but it is ruining and controlling their lives.

They want to get off the pills really badly, and the only physical withdrawals they get is muscle aches and pains. However the mental pains are far far far worse. They can feel their mind not functioning without the pill, they worry all day about it when it's time to get their next script.

While only prescribed 60mg, they can take 80 to 120mg a day and then when the script runs out they panic, smoke cigarettes or alcohol and just freaks out badly.

The question. In Australia, does this new formula retain the time release status despite it being bitten into a billion pieces and swallowed down with soda? Does the 120mg all release in one go, or is it 10 or so mg an hour? He has tried to quit, and takes 1 pill and then he feels relaxed and takes another after another again, especially when he tries to do things that he was enjoying with the pills, but finds boring without it.

My loved one would feel a lot better if they knew they are only addicted to 10mg per hour, than 120mg in one hit.

He doesn't have any friends or family, but he is a good guy and has had a lot of bad luck. He was shot protecting me from a biker and he hurt his back playing with his son. I feel bad for him and he wants to fix himself, but without the pills, he said he feels as though he is drowning without any life jacket.

Any info would be great.

Much Love,

Clarissa.

 

[Crankinit]

I would suggest your friend consider the possibility of a maintenance program like methadone or suboxone, possibly alongside some kind of addiction treatment program or therapy. This way he can stop worrying about the oxy, get a "stable" level of opioids in his system without having to fuck around with scripts and running out of pills, work on improving those aspects of his life which make him feel that he needs oxy to face the world, then slowly taper off the opioids to avoid the acute withdrawal. I'm not sure what other options there are for him, it's very unlikely that he'll be able to go back to taking oxy as prescribed and his tolerance is only going to get higher, meaning he'll run through his script faster each time.

 

[SKR]

I've recently experienced similar problems. I'm tapering down 10mgs a day from a 200-500mg per day habit (pain patient). I found tapering lower than 200mgs that my depression and anxiety was too much to deal with so i end up taking more oxy to be able to function (at work & home as a parent). I bit the bullet and got prescribed the anti-depressant "sertraline" (Zoloft) and it has been the best decision for me that i have made in the last year or so. It has enabled me to successfully taper down beyond the 200mg mark, I'm now at 130mgs and it's been a breeze apart from some sleep issues every couple of days or so.

Maybe your friend should chat to their GP about their depression. For me i have avoided going on a program cos I'm going to be a pain patient for however long and will require oxy to help me function.

I have also had at least a 10% reduction in my pain since starting sertraline, its not just my perception of the pain either, the pain is actually less which runs inline with docs and scientists current theories with treating chronic pain.

 

[SKR]

And regarding time release, i reckon your friend is getting the whole dose in one go rather than 10mgs per hour etc. The sandoz oxycodone generics crush or chew to powder, and the oxycontin brand pills i slice into slivers with a razor blade to increase the speed at which the drug is absorbed and it definitely works. Its the pill coatings and/or the design which makes it a time release pill in my experience rather than some sort of chemically bound matrix that prevents quicker absorbtion.

 

[p i l l s]

The question. In Australia, does this new formula retain the time release status despite it being bitten into a billion pieces and swallowed down with soda? Does the 120mg all release in one go, or is it 10 or so mg an hour? He has tried to quit, and takes 1 pill and then he feels relaxed and takes another after another again, especially when he tries to do things that he was enjoying with the pills, but finds boring without it.

In my experience, If they have the new Oxycontin with 'OP' stamped on one side of the pill, Anything i tried did not mess with the time release. Cutting them into pieces did seem to work a little better than taking them whole. But compared to instant release, they were junk.

I would generally need nearly double the amount of the new OP's than instant release Oxynorm.

 

[Runtoparadise]

OP I've been in a similar place myself. I've actually just switched to mscontin to completely remove temptation as I was fighting a Neverending battle & consistently running out of oxycontin early & having withdrawls at least one week out of each month.

Is your friend still in pain? That really will be harder than any mental cravings in the long run. I wouldn't advise, actually, I'd strongly advise against any type of maintenance either subs or methadone.

It will be on his file for life & there's plenty of posts on BL alone regarding suboptimal medical care once you're branded a junkie let alone if you truly need pain relief anytime.

Btw, he'd be more or less getting the whole 120mg in the first hour of chewing. Believe me, it was my method too! I also had plenty of oxycodone & could/would happily interchange either. Upwards of 500mg daily. Phew, no wonder I had to stop at some point. It truly eats away at your insides when your happiness & state of mind all depends on one(?!?) little pill.

Rtp

 

[Clarissa666]

I've recently experienced similar problems. I'm tapering down 10mgs a day from a 200-500mg per day habit (pain patient). I found tapering lower than 200mgs that my depression and anxiety was too much to deal with so i end up taking more oxy to be able to function (at work & home as a parent). I bit the bullet and got prescribed the anti-depressant "sertraline" (Zoloft) and it has been the best decision for me that i have made in the last year or so. It has enabled me to successfully taper down beyond the 200mg mark, I'm now at 130mgs and it's been a breeze apart from some sleep issues every couple of days or so.

Maybe your friend should chat to their GP about their depression. For me i have avoided going on a program cos I'm going to be a pain patient for however long and will require oxy to help me function.

I have also had at least a 10% reduction in my pain since starting sertraline, its not just my perception of the pain either, the pain is actually less which runs inline with docs and scientists current theories with treating chronic pain.

He went to the doctor and was given Zoloft and he came clean about the addiction. They told him to keep taking the Oxycontin and only begin tapering off when he feels he is ready to come clean. They did tell him that he should stay on it because of his back issues.

He did go 3 days without Oxy and actually did very well without it. He just felt a bit cloudy headed and a bit of anxiety. He felt no pain or any psychical symptoms. The only pains he felt were some muscle aches. He didn't have any diarrhea or vomiting, but he did say he felt some nausea. The last pills he took were 60mg over a space of 4 hours.

After he went to the doctors, he took 50mg Zoloft and 60mg of Oxycontin and chew it as usual. He really wants to be clean of everything - but he has been through so much and says it feels like it might be PSTD.

He has been talking of trying some marajuana, but he doesn't know where to get it and I am thankful for that. I am worried that at first it will be just simple weed, then maybe he will get into harder stuff.

To think he was a lovely caring man, and it all vanished because he pushed over a criminal who was trying to put his hands on me. I feel sad that he got shot just because he was protecting his family.

Sometimes, drug addicts aren't all bad people. Bad things happen to good people.

I will keep you all posted.

 

[Clarissa666]

I have the worst possible news. This morning I awoke to find my other half non responsive. He left a suicide letter and outlined exactly what he had done.

He took the entire box of Oxycontin 20mg (28 pills), all of the Zoloft 50mg (I think 30 something pills) and all of the Temazapam. He also consumed 6 pack of VB.

I am now at home crying my eyes out because they gave him some sort of antidote but he is still in a coma, and on a respirator. I had gone to bed, and he remained on the couch playing video games. The only reason I woke up because he was making a really weird gurgling/snoring kind of sound and he never snores.

Ambulance personnel said I saved his life by catching it early. I am so angry at him, but at the same time I feel so sad.

The doctors won't really come clean with me about his situation because we are in a defacto relationship. I did see them attach nodes of some sort to his head and did an EKG? I think and they constantly put lights into his eyes and poke his fingers while they do it. I overheard one of the nurses speak about his doner card.

Does this mean he might be dead? I am alone at home now because I just went to get some food, and then I will be back to the hospital for 2 more hours. The respirator scares me, because the tubes go right into his mouth and he also has a catheter below and has another one into his neck where they are giving him some medication.

I think I have lost him.

 

[Clarissa666]

Well I went to the hospital (it is literally 2 minutes from my home) and I am already home. He is in a shared room in the ICU and the nurse told me they also found a huge amount of paracetamol in his system, literally 20,000mg of it in his system. They said there is a lot of blood in his urine and in his stool. They said the Paracetamol is very deadly?!?!?!

I am so confused. I thought Panadol was safe. They told me it has caused massive organ damage and they are doing their best. I checked here and yes, he seemed to have taken the entire packet of Panadol Osteo 650 mg or so per capsule. He tool like a packet and a half. Gosh.

They told me he might not make it through the night, mainly because of that. They also said he went a long time without breathing and even if he gets through he might have neurological brain damage.

This is a horror for me, as I am 5 months pregnant and all this worry is giving me lots of cramps.

I don't know what to do, I don;t want to lose him. I am sorry if I am not making sense, I don't know all the mg or grams with these pills.

What a disasteer. they told me to just go home and rest and they will call me if there are any changes. Im so angry!

 

[drug_mentor]

Clarissa I am so sorry to hear about your other half, that is a lot to be dealing with at the best of times, let alone when you are 5 months pregnant! My thoughts are with you and I sincerely hope that your significant other manages to pull through with his life and retain full cognitive functions.

To clarify the panadol issue for you a little bit, panadol is safe when taken at the intended dose, but high doses of paracetamol are very bad for the liver. My understanding is it takes a bit of time for paracetamol to do serious damage, I have a family member who has taken amounts similar to what you stated, in some cases 6-8 hours before receiving medical treatment, they have always managed to pull through with minimal damage, and they are a heavy drinker too, so their liver is presumably not in the best condition.

He has taken a seriously large quantity of oxycodone and zoloft, I don't know how much temazepam he had but even a small amount on top of all that oxy is not good. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to give you any advice on how likely it is that he will be able to pull through from this.

I really hope that everything works out for you and your partner, what a horrible situation. I know you are mad, but please try and be understanding if he does manage to pull through. He is obviously in a very bad place mentally, and if he is going to get better he is going to need your support.

 

[Crankinit]

Really sorry to hear that - I hope he pulls through.

 

[Clarissa666]

I am sobbing as I write this. My beautiful husband passed away a few hours ago. They said it was respiratory and circulatory failure.

They did a toxicology blood test and he had a lot more in his system than he wrote he had taken. There was Oxycodone, Lyrica, Paracetamol, Temazepam, alcohol, sertaline, mertazapine, ibuprofen, pantoprazole and olmesartan. All in massive doses.

He was also an organ donor, but I think they do not want to use his organs. I am not sure why - but it feel it would be nice for 1 life to save others. Maybe his organs were damaged, of which I do not know.

I just hope people that read this know that these drugs are not fun, they shouldn't be used for recreation.

My husband only used these pills to escape the horrors of PTSD, but eventually was using it to just "feel" happy.

It is 2:41am here and I will know a lot more tomorrow. He did not have any family left and nor did he have many friends. He did not even want a funeral and he just wanted his ashes in an urn near his family - so I will see if I can arrange that for him. If he did not want a funeral, then I will have to respect his wishes.

My baby will never know his or her farther. His son (my step son, but who I do not see very often) is only 3 and I don't think he will remember him.

God bless you all.

 

[DixiChik]

(((HUGS))) for Clarissa.

 

[poledriver]

Oh my, how horrible. Very sad.

 

[SKR]

My sincere condolences Clarissa, I cannot possibly understand what you must be feeling or going through right now but I hope you arrive at a good place and come to some understanding yourself in that it is unlikely that you could have prevented this. Unfortunately paracetamol is deadly, a very toxic substance that should never be underestimated. Once again my condolences, I hope you have some support by way of family and friends around you. This is probably the most trying time that you'll ever experience in your life. My heart goes out to you and yours.

 

[drug_mentor]

I offer my deepest condolences Clarissa, that is an absolutely terrible situation.

 

[the_ketaman]

Wow this is so, so heavy. When I began to read this thread I never would have thought it would end like this. I will say that my deepest condolences go out to you and the people that knew him but I really cant imagine how your feeling. This is just disastrous. He obviously really wanted to make sure that he died no matter what with all the drugs he took so it sounds to me that Chronic depressions and/or psychosis play a bit part in all this.

Im so sorry and I hope life gets better for you, this is terrible and im shedding a tear for you.

 

[chugs]

What a nightmare. As I read each post I was thinking the usual helpful advice would alter the course of future events but its so sad to see that this all went down in five days. Such a sad reminder of those who have gone before us.

Clarissa you should come back and talk to us. Its easy to think that "drugs" caused your husbands death but the truth is the anxiety of being labeled a junkie, an addict, the nightmare of PTSD (which I am very well acquainted with) and taboo of drugs and the pressure that being in the drug closet creates is enough to tip a normal person right over the edge let alone someone who has experienced all that your husband went through.

I know I have been to the precipice of that dark cliff your husband went over. I have had friends and family go over it and am seeing several standing a little too close to the edge some days.

I think thats the part that gets me more upset. Knowing that so many people in this country, this world have died alone overdosing, making that sound you heard as they gasp their last breaths. It didn't have to be that way. your husband, our friends and family should have gotten the help they needed. Instead our fucking governments spend billions of dollars every year arresting over tens of thousand people, imprisining thousands for drugs whilst letting tens of billions flow out to the cartels and mafia.

If those billions spent on the cops and prisons had been spent on public health your husband's drug use could have been picked up by closer monitoring of his doctor. THere are something like 400:1 patient to doctors in this country and in some areas its 10,000:1. Seriously your husband's doctor best option was to give a man who was suffering badly some fucking zoloft! Where was the referral to a psychologist?

Of course in a ten minute consultation what is there to do but write a script and send em out. I would be thinking seriously about the duty of care that doctor had.

My partner also suffers from PTSD. Seeing a psychologist has helped immensely though its hugely expensive and rare to get access them. Mainly because instead of helping drug users we're called names, labels whilst preyed upon by parasitic cops, doctors, lawyers, judges and prison guards. Too many people making money on our misery.

Keep talking. be angry, sad, mad, and happy. I think all you can do is remember the good times. Write them down. start collecting photos, contacting everyone you can thinking of before they all fall back to their own lives. Get as many memories as you can of your husband so your child can share in the good.

If you need help, money, someone to talk to, a place to stay or anything just come back here and we'll try to help out.