Modification of oxycodone tablets to prevent abuse - unique to Australia?

[willy33]

I live in Australia and over the last couple of years the government has worked in conjunction with pharmaceutical companies to change the make-up of pills containing oxycodone. They have done this to try and make it impossible to inject oxy. They have added some sort of compound which, when added to water, makes the entire solution so gooey it is rendered impossible to draw back into a needle. Apparently there is a way around this, but as I don't use oxy I am not interested in learning how. I'm interested in whether this is a world-wide trend. The powers-that-be have also sent out memo's to prescribing doctors to suggest to patients they try a 'new' medication known as Tarign, which is oxycodone and naloxone in the same pill. I was just wondering if this is something happening around the world or is it limited to Australia? Thanks in advance for any answers.

 

[Runtoparadise]

I know the OP oxys are international. But oh the joy when you stumble across an old OC!!

Actually, think Targin is only nationwide. I've not heard of it much at all on BL. My dr's clinic puts new patients on this over oxy.

Beware Aussies, it's about to get a-whole-lot-harder for us opiate fiends ?

It's off topic, but I haven't time atm to start a thread.

This Monday coming, Heath ledgers father is heading a campaign called script wise. Gov initiative. Warning four ppl accidently OD each day in OZ from S8's.

What doctor will write our scripts now??

Rtp

 

[willy33]

Rtp - thanks for your response. As a self-confessed opiate-fiend I prefer to stick to good old-fashioned morphine, preferably Kapanol. A bonus in having to boil the water in a MS-contin or Kapanol prep is it sterilizes the water (which is more often from a tap, not a sharps-kit bottle), which I recently found out is potentially *very* important. I had a very painful, inflamed chest which was diagnose as osteo-myelitis. It was an infection caused by IV use of "unclean" (not boiled) water. It was treated successfully but could have been worse. Had the inflection reached my heart I would have had endocarditis, where they have to operate on your heart valves and replace 'em. Scary stuff. Oh, BTW, what does the "P" in "OP" stand for (assuming the "C" stood for codone?)

Willy

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

I am moving this thread to other drugs. They also did this to oxycodone pills in the United States.

 

[sekio]

"Old style" oxycodone time release tablets were stamped OC, for OxyContin (Oxycodone, Continuous release). Those were the crushable and "defeatable" ones. Some Canadian pills were stamped "CDN" too, but in this day and age any pill marked CDN/80 is likely a fentanyl filled fake.

"New style" oxycodone tablets were stamped OP or ON, presumably for OxyContin Purdue or OxyNeo. They are a formulation specifically developed to make the pills more resistant to abuse.

 

[Erikmen]

I wonder if people can still abuse those by taking much more than they should have considering they are extended release.

 

[tricomb]

This change happened over 5 years ago where I'm from. Opiate abuse has steadily increased regardless.

 

[Runtoparadise]

^ absolutely abusable unless taken as prescribed & swallowed whole :/

Big pharmas "tamper resistant" marketing & government ploys do not deter those amongst us seeking the milk of the poppy plant.

Opiate users/abusers take it as a given that they'll have to get crafty with their DOC & gladly accept that challenge

Willy, are you in or near Vic? You don't have to answer that here, PM me sometime. I think you can send one msg per day until BL status.

Welcome & glad to have another Aussie around,

Rtp

 

[willy33]

Rtp - How do I send a PM? I assume PM stands for "personal message"...

Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi!!!!!!

 

[SKR]

Oxycontin Brand cannot be crushed but can be sliced or shaved using a razor blade, those swallowed shavings definitely hit harder than a chewed or whole swallowed pill.

Now, if you want a crushable Oxy, then you get the generic Sandoz Oxycodone Controlled release pills - they crush to a powder and folks can get em into a needle. I'm an ex IV user but with an oral BA as high as it is with oxy then you are better off crushing the pill and swallowing the powder. Within 15 mins I'm feeling much better. I read these potentiating threads but really don't experience any potentiation with the methods going around....except more oxy lol....if you have some Endone 5mg IR oxycodone then say you normally take 100mgs of CR oxy, instead take 90mgs and after 10-15mins take 10mg Endone - for me it's like taking 110-120mgs CR - that's potentiation in my book. Can be the difference between a lil' buzz and Damn I'm high!

 

[dopemaster]

The P in OP should stand for plastic as that is essentially the makeup of the pill.

I don't know why pharm companies do this to the medications. It seems to do so much more harm than good.

It is in the best interest of pharm companies to come out with new formulas to extend patents, so it might be corporate greed.

I decided a long time ago to stick with morphine for many reasons with one of them being that the time release mechanism is wax and I am ok with that as a pain patient and as a drug abuser. It is easy enough to digest when taken correctly and easy enough to break down if you choose to abuse your drugs.

Everyone and their mama knows that people abuse medications so I do not see why they make them so tamper resistant where it just ends up killing drug abusers and at the expense of people in pain seeking genuine relief. I can't begin to tell you how the name brand opanas or the OP formulations of oxycodone hurt my stomach and stop the medicine from working when it used to work fine.

So due to changes in formulations I have changed my medications a few times and I gotta say it is not pleasant to change to a new medicine until you get your dose sorted.

 

[Erikmen]

This change happened over 5 years ago where I'm from. Opiate abuse has steadily increased regardless.

Yes, especially now that Colombia is processing heroin. I remember during the 80's when Coke had its peak, but now it's all about opiates.

The number of death numbers related to opiates ODs have also increased considerably.

The P in OP should stand for plastic as that is essentially the makeup of the pill.

I don't know why pharm companies do this to the medications. It seems to do so much more harm than good.

It is in the best interest of pharm companies to come out with new formulas to extend patents, so it might be corporate greed.

I decided a long time ago to stick with morphine for many reasons with one of them being that the time release mechanism is wax and I am ok with that as a pain patient and as a drug abuser. It is easy enough to digest when taken correctly and easy enough to break down if you choose to abuse your drugs.

Everyone and their mama knows that people abuse medications so I do not see why they make them so tamper resistant where it just ends up killing drug abusers and at the expense of people in pain seeking genuine relief. I can't begin to tell you how the name brand opanas or the OP formulations of oxycodone hurt my stomach and stop the medicine from working when it used to work fine.

So due to changes in formulations I have changed my medications a few times and I gotta say it is not pleasant to change to a new medicine until you get your dose sorted.

They are looking at the profits I guess..

 

[sekio]

for all the complaining some people do about the OP/ON formulations, I have found them to work just fine as time released oxycodone (e.g. used as directed).

 

[SKR]

^Agreed. They work well for me. oxy IR causes my tolerance to go through the roof even though it's only about 10mgs per day on top of my Oxy CR, I notice the difference big time.

 

[Runtoparadise]

@Will33, empty your inbox dude

Rtp

 

[Bliss26]

I'm on neo and I find they work inferior to the equivalent of IR, about half. I mentioned to my doc (I have intestinal issues so that could be why) he said no prob that protocol is to raise the dose in people with IBD... Though as per the manufacturer I shouldn't even be on neo.
IMO chewing makes sense for me because my body wastes so much drug otherwise, it really sucks as I would love to have a ER drug that my body could absorb. I know that now generic companies are making the old style oc again but don't really want to ask my doc for them . Don't want him to get any vibes or red flags.

 

[dopemaster]

They plastic formulas hurt my stomach, take forever to kick in, and come out like corn does.

Everyone's body is different so not everyone can process the pills.

Compared to the pain relief of the old formulations the new ones do not hold a candle and I am talking about when used as directed.

Also I personally do not think the ingredients in them are something that should be FDA approved for human consumption. I meant when does your doctor tell you to take plastic and silicone supplements?

I am sure it works for some people as opposed to everybody with the old formula.

I guess I hate when people want to fix something that is not broken especially just to line their pockets.

 

[Bliss26]

Word, and then doc think we're insincere when we say it doesn't absorb right so give me something that'll absorb or give me 4x the dose or something to make up for it- I already feel like I'm consuming so much plastic.

 

[dopemaster]

Well you can always call a pharmacy and see if they have the formulation you need.

I feel many doctors are loyal to a certain brand no matter what the rx is, at least that is the case in my pain clinic.

I chose to be on morphine er for among other reasons the formula. Morphine er uses more of a wax and I find that much easier to digest or if one was to feel inclined to abuse.

I don't think the formula discussion is unique to people who take it as prescribed and people who abuse other than the people who abuse being the scapegoats in public while corporate greed is the real reason.

All the same if I swallow an OP (for example) in hurts my stomach (now I get it does not hurt everyones stomach but it hurts most people's) & possibiliy give me cancer down the line and if I was to mainline it well it would adversely affect my health & possibly give me cancer down the line.