My doctor prescribed me Oxycontin 10's today and I left his office without asking a few questions about it so I thought I'd ask here.
I have Fibromyalgia with lower back pain/sciatica. I'm 24 years old, 115 lbs. I am also on Lyrica 150mg. 2x/day and Xyzal (Antihistamine) 5mg/day. Since last September I have been on taking 3 10-325 Norcos/day. Usually I take two at once and then wait an hour or so and take the other because that is the only way I get decent relief. The problem with that is that after five hours I'm back in pain again and if I take them early in the morning I have difficulty sleeping. I have also tried Percocet. I would take a 10-325 pills, cut it in half--take one half, wait 30 min., then take the other half. Then six hours later I could handle one 10-325 at once. So usually 2-2.5 of those a day and I was good.
Never taken Oxycontin before. Will it hit me very strong? That's what I'm nervous about. Obviously I have some tolerance. The pharmacist said I can't break them in half. I know it's time-released so will I just have decent pain relief throughout the day? I don't want to be a zombie. With the Norco and Percocet I was able to do everything as normal--drive, work, etc.
Angela, I haven't personally taken oxy for FM but did for a herniated disc in my back. Oxy, as you likely know, can be highly addictive and I would exercise caution. And of course Percocet as well. I was told by my rheumy that FM symptoms can be exacerbated with the use of pain pills. I am currently taking Neurotin which affords me moderate relief for several weeks before my body cycles into MAJOR PAIN! Have you tried PT for your low back pain? Walking or swimming? Exercise is vital!
Angela, I haven't personally taken oxy for FM but did for a herniated disc in my back. Oxy, as you likely know, can be highly addictive and I would exercise caution. And of course Percocet as well. I was told by my rheumy that FM symptoms can be exacerbated with the use of pain pills. I am currently taking Neurotin which affords me moderate relief for several weeks before my body cycles into MAJOR PAIN! Have you tried PT for your low back pain? Walking or swimming? Exercise is vital!
Yes, I have tried PT. Works pretty well to have her massage my back/hips/etc. but costs me $30 every time I go, which adds up. I walk and stretch every single day. Pain medicine is actually they only thing that has helped me feel normal after struggling with Fibro since 2007 at age 20. I know the point of Oxy is to give you relief 24/hours I was just concerned if it was going to hit me too strong, even considering my tolerance.
Hi! ive been taking oxy for two yrs now. My first experience was after surgery.I was taking two every four to six hours at one point but was also doing chemo and radiation at the time. For the last year I take one to two a day as needed, usually just one works. Sometimes I go two weeks with nothing now. Follow the lable instructions .Its a strong pill but not as hard on your stomache like some other pain meds. It I found my pain within a short amount of time. It puts you in a good mood as well a little chatty. it didn't make me unaware of my surroundings (work wise) but everyones body is a little diff.If your a worried have someone with you (you trust) when you take the first one until you know how it hits you. good luck
Hi! ive been taking oxy for two yrs now. My first experience was after surgery.I was taking two every four to six hours at one point but was also doing chemo and radiation at the time. For the last year I take one to two a day as needed, usually just one works. Sometimes I go two weeks with nothing now. Follow the lable instructions .Its a strong pill but not as hard on your stomache like some other pain meds. It I found my pain within a short amount of time. It puts you in a good mood as well a little chatty. it didn't make me unaware of my surroundings (work wise) but everyones body is a little diff.If your a worried have someone with you (you trust) when you take the first one until you know how it hits you. good luck
Thanks! Do you know how the time release works? Is it 5mg oxycodone released every six hours? It confuses me a bit.
Oxycontin time releases the medicine at a near constant rate over the 12 hour period (supposidly). It doesn't just dump 10mg into your system as soon as you take it and drop another 10mg at six hours. It is more of a constant release type thing. If you take a look at some of the drug list websites, they have a section for the pharmacists and one for the patients. The pharmacist one shows a table that shows the blood concentration over the 12 hour period. I'm sorry but I don't fully understand how mg converts to ng/ per ml.
If you do not get the side effects feelings from your IR oxycodone 10/325, I don't expect you to get it from the 10mg Oxycontin. Of course everyone is different and tolerance plays a large role in this one. Please use good judgement until you know how it will effect you.
Remember that Oxycontin is to stay "on top" of your pain. You will most likely still have an IR medication (percocet, vicodin) for breakthrough pain. Those are for exactly that breakthrough. Obviously if you spend three hours cleaning house or doing yard work, you are going to hurt much more. That is when the breakthrough meds are needed.
I hope this helps and good luck,
"Joe"
__________________ Herniated L5-S1 in 2005
Herniated L2-L3 in 2008
Dynamic stabilization L2-L3 in 2008 (failed-spondylolesthis of L2)
PLIF L2-L3 in 2009
PLIF failed to fuse
Everyone is different. some people have high tolerance to narcotic pain meds. You start with 10mg oxycontin and go up to 40mg and up and up the dose. it is tolerance and there is nothing to do about it.
Have you tried Tramadol extended release? it is less addictive than the oxycontin one pill a day. I would try that first.
Also, ask your doctor for gabapentin for pain instead of lyrica. I have tried both. gabapentin worked a little bit better - no increase in appetite.
Oxycontin time releases the medicine at a near constant rate over the 12 hour period (supposidly). It doesn't just dump 10mg into your system as soon as you take it and drop another 10mg at six hours. It is more of a constant release type thing. If you take a look at some of the drug list websites, they have a section for the pharmacists and one for the patients. The pharmacist one shows a table that shows the blood concentration over the 12 hour period. I'm sorry but I don't fully understand how mg converts to ng/ per ml.
If you do not get the side effects feelings from your IR oxycodone 10/325, I don't expect you to get it from the 10mg Oxycontin. Of course everyone is different and tolerance plays a large role in this one. Please use good judgement until you know how it will effect you.
Remember that Oxycontin is to stay "on top" of your pain. You will most likely still have an IR medication (percocet, vicodin) for breakthrough pain. Those are for exactly that breakthrough. Obviously if you spend three hours cleaning house or doing yard work, you are going to hurt much more. That is when the breakthrough meds are needed.
I hope this helps and good luck,
"Joe"
Thanks Joe. I ended up taking it and although it did help with my pain, it made me very nauseous and sluggish. I called my doctor and he put me on 10mg. Percocet 2x/day instead.
The new OxyContin OP is a psuedo plastic shell with tiny holes laser drilled into it to release the medication slowly over a given period of time...... In theory the relief is supposed to last 12 hours, the reality for me was more like 6 hours.
Most people adjust rather quickly at 10mgs (myself included) and need to make changes within a few weeks. A common starting schedule is 10mg, bid, which is twice a day. I was climbing the wall after a week and needed tid, three times a day dosing.
For me, Oxycodone hyped me up too much, ticked up my anxiety, and caused me a sort of craving for more of it..... not a good fit for me.
As for strength, a 10/325 Percocet is more potent in the short run, 4-6 hours.
Just FYI...Percocet and Oxycontin contain the exact same narcotic...Oxycodone...
Oxycontin is just the brand name of Oxycodone released over 12 hours...
Percocet is the brand name of Oxycodone (immediate release) and Acetaminophen...
I actually stopped taking Percocet a few years ago...switched to OxyIR (Oxycodone immediate release...without any acetaminophen)...since I was having nausea caused by the acetaminophen...
My long acting medicine is MSContin (Morphine Sulfate...continuous release)...
To the OP and others....
Continuous medicines do release 50% of the medicine within the first 45 minutes of taking it...and then releases the next 50% after 6 hours....
I think unfortunately...lots of people have a negative view of the new OC medicine before they even take it...and a lot of times our minds are very powerful whether something works well or not...
It's best to always give a medicine a good 30 days (unless there are dangerous allergic reactions to require ER visit)....but it takes our body quite awhile to get used to the regular side effects...
Also...a Dr. when giving a new medication...should ALWAYS start with the lowest dosage and tirate up if needed....you can't ever compare one mg. to another...
When I first took the MSContin...I was very sleepy...and yes..had nausea....but this went away after a few weeks...
My PM Dr. is actually a friend of mine. We have gotten to know one another over the last years and he sees too many people who give up way too quickly on medicines because of the side effects...every medicine unfortunately has them...
As well as lots of people expect a pain medicine to do all the work and take away 100% of the pain...it's only meant to keep you at a 5 or 6 on a pain scale....
The other things to add are light exercise, healthy eating, possibly muscle relaxers, acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy, stretching/yoga, no smoking, tailoring our lifestyle to adjust to the pain, the list goes on and on...
A pill can only do so much...I try to take the absolute least amount of medicine each day as this is a life long battle...I keep my tolerance very low...I haven't had to 'up' my dosage in over 2 years...I have good days...a 5 or 6...and bad ones...7 or 8 on the scale...
I hope that the Percocet works...the issue with a short acting pain med is always chasing the pain....so it's a perfect medicine if you are painless a lot of time and have acute episodes from time to time...which that is what it is made for...
Just FYI...Percocet and Oxycontin contain the exact same narcotic...Oxycodone...
Oxycontin is just the brand name of Oxycodone released over 12 hours...
Percocet is the brand name of Oxycodone (immediate release) and Acetaminophen...
I actually stopped taking Percocet a few years ago...switched to OxyIR (Oxycodone immediate release...without any acetaminophen)...since I was having nausea caused by the acetaminophen...
My long acting medicine is MSContin (Morphine Sulfate...continuous release)...
To the OP and others....
Continuous medicines do release 50% of the medicine within the first 45 minutes of taking it...and then releases the next 50% after 6 hours....
I think unfortunately...lots of people have a negative view of the new OC medicine before they even take it...and a lot of times our minds are very powerful whether something works well or not...
It's best to always give a medicine a good 30 days (unless there are dangerous allergic reactions to require ER visit)....but it takes our body quite awhile to get used to the regular side effects...
Also...a Dr. when giving a new medication...should ALWAYS start with the lowest dosage and tirate up if needed....you can't ever compare one mg. to another...
When I first took the MSContin...I was very sleepy...and yes..had nausea....but this went away after a few weeks...
My PM Dr. is actually a friend of mine. We have gotten to know one another over the last years and he sees too many people who give up way too quickly on medicines because of the side effects...every medicine unfortunately has them...
As well as lots of people expect a pain medicine to do all the work and take away 100% of the pain...it's only meant to keep you at a 5 or 6 on a pain scale....
The other things to add are light exercise, healthy eating, possibly muscle relaxers, acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy, stretching/yoga, no smoking, tailoring our lifestyle to adjust to the pain, the list goes on and on...
A pill can only do so much...I try to take the absolute least amount of medicine each day as this is a life long battle...I keep my tolerance very low...I haven't had to 'up' my dosage in over 2 years...I have good days...a 5 or 6...and bad ones...7 or 8 on the scale...
I hope that the Percocet works...the issue with a short acting pain med is always chasing the pain....so it's a perfect medicine if you are painless a lot of time and have acute episodes from time to time...which that is what it is made for...
Good luck
You're 100% right. Oxycontin made me nauseous but then again, so did 5mg of Percocet the first time I took it (and now I can take 25mg with no problem). I will eventually give it another try. I think I'm just used to the 10mg. of Percocet working all at once and what a relief that can be.
I didn't know they made an IR form of oxycodone without Acetominophen? What's the brand name of that? I wonder if my doc would prescribe that.
It is OxyIR..I buy the generic as I don't have insurance...it's very inexpensive....I take it in 5mg...most times just by themselves.....if I want to add acetaminophen to it...than I can...or I can add ibuprophen for inflammation when needed...I like having the choice...
If I can add one word of caution and looking for that 'rush' of relief when taking a short term medication...that can cause wanting to go up in strength or taking more and more to sustain that 'feeling'....when pain medicine should be taken and really just have the 'lowering of pain' as the only feeling...
