Does Oxycontin 20mg release 20mg within a few hours or is 20mg the total after 12hrs?

[Altered Perception]

I've been taking 20mg Oxycodone Instant Release for the last few years. It's a 20mg capsule containing pure Oxycodone Hydrochloride powder.

But Yesterday my Doctor switched me over to the Oxycontin 20mg Controlled Release which is a tablet that slowly dissolves, but I went into withdrawals after taking it.

I thought the 20mg Oxycontin was equal to the 20mg Oxycodone Instant Release but I found some sources online saying that the 20mg Oxycontin is not actually 20mg in strength like the instant release but in fact its the total amount in 12 hours is equal to 20mg so that's like only 2mg per hour. Which is ridiculous for someone who is used to taking 20mg Instant release.

Can anyone who knows for certain tell me if the Oxycontin 20mg is the dose that I will be getting once the drug reaches its peak plasma level within a few hours or is 20mg the dose that is the total combined amount contained within the tablet that i would have received by the end of the 12 hours?

 

[NeighborhoodThreat]

A 20mg OxyContin contains 20mg total. So yes, 20mg is total combined amount contained within the tablet. 20mg means 20mg. But yes, there is a difference between extended release (OxyContin- Oxycodone Continous Release) and instant release, that is, that 20mg is slowly released over ~12 hours vs. being all released at once.

 

[midnight11]

20mg is the total amount of oxycodone contained in the tablet itself with both preparations. In short, the 20mg will be released slowly, with peak plasma levels reaching at about hour 3 after taking it. This level will still be lower than the peak plasma level of oxycodone in your blood 1 hour after ingesting a 20mg IR tablet / capsule. The benefit is that the extended release will keep adding more oxy into your body so that you don't get really bad "rebound" pains, which can often lead to a series of yoyo-dosing that becomes dangerous with tolerance build.

Anyways, I think it's pretty ridiculous your dr would switch you from 20mg IR to ER. Typically, most doctors would switch you to a low dose ER while keeping you on let's say 10-15mg IR for breakthrough pain, and that would be if you had only been prescribed 1 20mg IR tablet a day originally.

 

[Altered Perception]

Ahh dam it!

No wonder i went into withdrawals, I was really hoping the info i read online was wrong! I don't think my doctor really knew either. in fact he asked me which dose to prescribe of the Oxycontin and I said the same of amount equal to what I'm taking now of the IR Oxynorm. I guess he also thought the 20mg Oxycontin was the right one.

In my post yesterday i didn't go into specific detail on my exact dose i'm on but I am currently on 20mg Oxycodone IR three times a day which is a total of 60mg Oxycodone a day. I thought the Oxycontin 20mg contained enough Oxycodone in it to be more than sufficient to last me for 12 hours. Looks like both my doctor and I messed up.


midnight11, he switched me over to the Oxycontin cause I am going overseas soon and he thought it would be easier for me to manage a sustained release instead of having to worry about taking my medication 3 times a day. But If i can make it through the withdrawals tonight I will have to change the Oxycontin first thing in the morning.

My doctor does not know much about breakthrough pain and neither do i to be honest, i have heard of the term for many years but i still can't get my head around what it means.

Thank you both for you help

 

[Morphling]

You could take two 30's twice a day, if they last that long for you. The way they release, is you get a dose dump within an hour of taking the ER's and then it slowly releases from there, over seven or eight hours total. You definitely shouldn't stay in withdrawal, that would be really really strange unless you're just not absorbing them right.

Breakthrough pain is simply the pain you experience whilst on extended-release pain medication, that the medication doesn't manage. So you'd take an IR medication for that, as needed, when in pain, while also on ER meds. Hope I explained that in an understandable way, not had my coffee yet

 

[Altered Perception]

The way they release, is you get a dose dump within an hour of taking the ER's and then it slowly releases from there, over seven or eight hours total. You definitely shouldn't stay in withdrawal, that would be really really strange unless you're just not absorbing them right.

Thanks for your help. Maybe the 30mg would be slightly better. And how much of a 'dose dump' would you initially get?

You seem surprised that I am having withdrawals but let me put it this way. before I started on the Oxycontin I was taking the 20mg Instant release 3 times a day. So within a 12 hour period I would have already had 40mg as opposed to the 20mg Oxycontin which is slowly delivered into my system.

That is like me taking a 20mg Instant Release capsule then dividing it into 12 little parts and then taking a minute little bit every hour for the duration of 12 hours. It's like a drop in the ocean. For me to get the same benefits I previously was I would have to chew the hell out of the 20mg oxycontins to the point where they release all its goodness right away and then I would have to chew 3 of them a day so why does it suprise you that I would be in withdrawals from taking one measly 20mg Oxycontin which is only delivers a very very small fraction of my regular dose and then spreads it out over a 12 hour period

 

[Morphling]

I assumed you would have taken several doses by now and would have achieved a blood plasma level that would keep you out of withdrawal.

I think you get a dose dump of half the total amount, initially.

How many daily doses of the 20's are you getting? If it's just one or two, yeah that would be total shit.

 

[Altered Perception]

How many daily doses of the 20's are you getting? If it's just one or two, yeah that would be total shit.

I took two yesterday, one when i woke up and one when going to sleep but neither did anything.

Maybe this is not the best example but lets say someone has been shooting a rock of heroin for 4 years and then suddenly one day their rock is divided into 12 little parts and they are asked to shoot up only 1/12 th of their regular dose every hour for the next 12 hours as opposed to taking the whole lot in one go.

Is my lack of satisfaction with Oxycontin any different? Even if I "achieved a blood plasma level" is it going to be anywhere near what i've been taking for the last 4 years?

What if I take two Oxycontin at once? is there any issues with doing that?

 

[Morphling]

No, I get it, I just assumed you had them three a day. You're taking 1/3 less than usual, so no wonder you're in wd.

Not really any problem with taking two at one, you'd just a much closer initial dose to what you're used to, so yeah it would work better.