| Re: First time on the board
Lostmary,
Addiction and Dependence are two totally different things. I will tell you that many, or most people on this board are dependent on pain meds. That happens naturally after about 7-14 days of consistent use. By no means is this addiction.
Dependece happens when you take pain meds like percocet for pain and your body becomes tolerant and requires those meds to keep you out of pain. You take if for a legitimate purpose as the doc prescribed, don't run out of meds early, and are treating a truly medical condition. You can forget the mgs or how many you take because everyone is different. I have had 9 surgeries in a little over a year and have severe fibromyalgia. I can't hardly function pain wise without pain meds. Due to the amount of time I have been on these meds, I require more than others and less then some. My body has built a tolerance and so I need more to keep my pain under control. I take around 120 mg of Oxycodone daily. To some that is a lot, and to others its a small amount. But for me that is what works or otherwise without them I would not be able to live a half normal life. I have never asked for an early refill, I have never lost my meds, and I follow my docs directions to a tee.
Addiction on the other hand is when a person takes these meds for other reasons then what they are prescribed. For instance the person may try and get high or feel euphoria. These people may buy drugs off the street or use multiple doctors and pharmacies. They take more than prescribed. The constantly lose their meds to get more. They fake pain and illnesses to get meds. They engage in criminal activity for these meds. They give up on everything (family, work, kids) for these pills.
There have been many studies done on people with true chronic pain. Those studies revealed that approximately 1% of pain patients are "addicted." That is a very low number. Granted, if I were to stop my meds suddenly, I would go into withdrawls. But that is because my body is dependent on these meds. I have many diagnosed medical problems and will probably take meds for a very long time or life. This is just so I can live like a half normal person and function in life.
You doc wanted to put you on OxyContin is common when you have been taking short acting meds like Percocet. If you have to take percocet daily for weeks, months, years, then your doc is going to want to get you to cut down by giving you a med that lasts 8 hours with one tablet. This way you achieve a steady stream of medication and don't have so many ups and downs as you do with short acting meds.
OxyContin is basically time released percocet without the Tylenol. Its the same drug, oxycodone, but is built with a time released mechanism. It maintains a steady stream for about 8 hours so you only have to take this med 3 times a day. You can then use percocet only as needed for breakthrough pain.
As other people respond, you will see that most take meds daily, just to walk, get out of bed, and function like normal. Many take high doses compared to you, but that is what works for them. Tolerance will happen. This just means that your body has become used to a certain dosage and you need more of that med to achieve the same pain relief. If you start taking more than prescribed or running out of meds early or start buying them off the blackmarket, then you have an addiction problem. But taking them for a legitimate pain problem and following all instructions, you will be dependant.
Good luck. Hope this answered some of your questions. Take Care
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