Opioids The world of the Oxy's

[Draugr]

Hi all.

I recently fractured to vertebrae and am on a course of oxynorm and OxyContin, I have some questions about the withdrawal. Now I will state first that 15 years ago I was addicted to smoking heroin. Now have a completely different life and the more I read into these drugs the more concerned I am going down a road I never want to set foot on again. I also have a problem with 'chasing the buzz' but have limited that to canabis and alcohol every now and then to for fill the buzz chase, if u will
At the moment I am managing to stay away from chasing the buzz of these pills and was on 40mg OxyContin a day and 40mg oxynorm. From what I read this is not much and I have been using them for 4 weeks so far. Now yesterday I cut out 10mg of the oxynorm, on today the second day I am really feeling it in the legs and reminding me of the cluck years ago, it is also causing me much pain with the back. So I suppose my questions are:
1) are these drugs really that harsh?
2) am I starting to cut down to early?
3) has anyone had experiences similar or at least to stopping the Oxy's because of injury and or any plans of how best to tackle it, to take one out first or cut out bit of both?

any help or ideas would be great, not sure if the doc properly gets it

 

[Znegative]

Oxycodone is one of the more addictive pharmaceutical narcotics available, and has created a generation of heroin addicts.

That being said, the fact that the new ER formula's are much harder to bypass (the old ones you'd just crush and bam, instant release) cuts down on OxyContins' abuse potential. Oxynorm, is Oxycodone IR right? I imagine it's for break through pain?

Either way, you don't have a huge tolerance and you haven't been on them for so long so the kick wouldn't be too harsh-but then again, kicking is relative. However if these drugs are helping with the pain and you haven't been chasing a high/abusing your meds, then I wouldn't feel guilty about it continuing with something that's effective.

Have you ever tried kratom? I ask because if you're looking for an alternative to pharmaceutical opioids that basically acts like a pharmaceutical opioid without having to go through severe withdrawals it might be something you're interested in, or if you need the oxycodone, it could be something that could help you get off of it in the future.

You could also maybe try a low dose of subutext or the buprenorphine patch 'Butrans', as most find that buprenorphine is not as psychologically addictive (partial agonist, long half life, limited euphoria, but at the same time, a potent opioid).

That being said I am not a pain patient but I had been addicted to heroin for a long time and have a lot of experience with opiates. I also sympathize for you, my father also has a fractured vertebrae due to multiple tumors growing in his spine and I see him in pain A LOT, and he's on a 25mcg fentanyl patch, as well as oxy IR for break through pain.

 

[yonkerski]

quick question-maybe you dont know...but is a Roxi worth shooting? Will you get a rush?

 

[Znegative]

no-it's not.

That being said, being an IV drug user, I have only ever used oxycodone intravenously, but that has more to do with my love affair with the hype than anything else. There is no 'rush', just immediate onset which is kind of a hard concept to grasp if you've never shot oxy before, but it is the truth. Some will claim there is a rush, but when compared to heroin, dilaudid, oxymorphone etc..There is no rush. Also it's not worth it because Oxy has such a high Oral bioavailability, that it wouldn't even be economical. If you want a quicker onset, I would plug it, and save your veins.

 

[Felonious Monk]

Draugr, those are questions best posed to your doctor. But if you're even thinking of getting high it's time to quit the pills. They were probably not the greatest idea in the first place. Were you honest with the doc about your history of opiate addiction?

 

[SKR]

Hi all.

I recently fractured to vertebrae and am on a course of oxynorm and OxyContin, I have some questions about the withdrawal. Now I will state first that 15 years ago I was addicted to smoking heroin. Now have a completely different life and the more I read into these drugs the more concerned I am going down a road I never want to set foot on again. I also have a problem with 'chasing the buzz' but have limited that to canabis and alcohol every now and then to for fill the buzz chase, if u will
At the moment I am managing to stay away from chasing the buzz of these pills and was on 40mg OxyContin a day and 40mg oxynorm. From what I read this is not much and I have been using them for 4 weeks so far. Now yesterday I cut out 10mg of the oxynorm, on today the second day I am really feeling it in the legs and reminding me of the cluck years ago, it is also causing me much pain with the back. So I suppose my questions are:
1) are these drugs really that harsh?
2) am I starting to cut down to early?
3) has anyone had experiences similar or at least to stopping the Oxy's because of injury and or any plans of how best to tackle it, to take one out first or cut out bit of both?

any help or ideas would be great, not sure if the doc properly gets it

Graugr, Sorry to hear about the injury, I'm a chronic pain sufferer myself and after 9 clean years of meth IV stimulant addiction which lasted 12 years I then began my chronic pain nightmare.
I used doses starting at 20mgs to 400+mgs which at that point I found them useless and literally sickening, sadly I'm on maintenance now but that's another story.

Basically you're fucked, Oxy is a serious opioid and yes your previous addiction throws you basically from day one of your use on a path you previously went down - that road you never wanted to set foot on is the one you are currently walking. As an ex-addict you have the ability to find a way for you to continue your use of opiates for your pain. Opiates/opioids are excellent for acute pain, they suck for chronic pain due to tolerance....they suck for euphoria chasing too for the same reason, the magic is lost and the chase is on but YOU already know this so your worries are real and your struggle has begun.

I really hope you mentioning your wariness regarding relapse and what these pills can do but to an opiate naive person 20mgs of Oxycodone felt like I had IV'd some MDMA & Meth the euphoria was warm but pushy - I was shocked at what these pills could do. Once around the 80mg per dose range I find a plateau in pain relief, beyond that is chasing your tail and a lot harder to come back from.

Reduce as soon as you feel you can regarding pain, I know all about the pain, but pain and opiate addiction psychologically damaged me, as a former addict the guilt was/is crushing.

Take care mate.

 

[Phil.McKeer]

The man (or woman? Sorry OP, I don't know your sex and don't want to be an assuming ass) had two fractured vertebrae. Its not exactly something an NSAID or ibuprofen can help with.

He/she needed that oxy or would have suffered excruciating (and needless) pain.

OP, you are going about your business perfectly fine. I'd taper the dose down to just exactly what is required to keep you out of pain then slowly taper to zero from there as you convalesce.

I'm sure you have some traumatic memories from the withdrawal you went through 15 years ago but don't let that cloud your judgment. If you fear withdrawal, it will own you. And anyone suggesting that after 15 years opioid free, this run of oxy will rekindle your w/d syndrome from last episode is needlessly scaremongering with you. No such thing will happen.

Go forth without fear, my friend. All will be well. If you think you can't just come off your dose abruptly, explain to your physician that you'd like to taper down gradually. He might even downgrade you to a weaker opioid (like say hydrocodone) which you can then taper down on subsequent to the oxy taper.

You're doing fine though and never let yourself feel guilty of taking the oxy or fear of what will happen in the future. All will go well.