Help with reducing oxycodone dosage

Husband has an appt pn tuesday with pain management doctor. Have told him not to be fobbed off. He needs a monitored plan to cut down on drugs

Thank you. He is seeing someone at the pain management centre on tuesday for more info. He is alsp taking slow release and onstant relief oxycodone and for over seven years so i will be asking for advice.

The most upsetting thing is that he wont talk about it to me, so I am going crazy imaging all sorts.  First he hinted that he could die from organ failure within ten years and then started talking about making sure his will was upto date which sent my mind into overdrive!  Nowhere on the leaflet that comes with the drugs does it mention organ failure, just addiction which he definitely has and needs help with.  I will be in touch again after his appt, if thats okay?  Thank you.

Hi Natasha. .

Nowhere did I see organ failure as a side effect & even if it does state that as a side effect it will be extremely rare so please don't worry about that!!

What is his actual dose?

If he is on slow release also then I'm assuming that will be Oxycontin?

Please feel free to message me anytime at all. I know how horrible & frightened I was when I had no one to ask questions about it.

Are you in the UK or USA?

Also, if he would like to talk to me then please let him know i want to help. I would have loved to find someone that was going through the same as i was when I was at my worst!!

Not sure if I told you but my Dr prescribed me 800mgs per day of Oxycontin which is loads more than I should have been taking. Due to my addiction though I was on around 1500mgs per day for a while.

Please remember im here anytime.

God bless

Ritchie

We are in the UK.  He takes 10mg morning and night (slow release) and 10mg every two to four hours when he needs extra relief.  I think he is taking upto four of these a day so 40mg.  He has never exceeded the stated dose for a day.

Just to put your mind at rest a little Natasha, He is not on a very high dose at all, honestly he isn't.

Thinking back in the early days my tolerance had built upto where I was taking - 80mg instant Oxycodone every 3-4hrs & 200 sustained release Oxycontin x4 per day. So that was:

4x20mg = 80mg Oxycodone every 3-4hrs for breakthrough pain

120mg x1 plus 80mgx1 = 200mgs Oxycontin every 3-4hrs sustained release.

After a while my GP stopped the immediate release Oxycodone as I was "eating them like smarties" & the other GP'S at the surgery were having words with her regarding my very high dosage, (yes she actually told me this) & just left me with the 120's & 80's sustained release Oxycontin. Now this is where my big problem started.

Because I wasn't getting immediate relief from the sustained Oxycontin like I was when I was on Oxycodone I started to abuse them. I would put a 120mg & an 80mg in my mouth together & chew them up, then wash them down with the water. It's stupid when I look back now but I was even addicted to the taste of chewing the damn things. And I would do this 4 x per day, (officially)!!!!

So that was my prescribed 800mg per day. This was miles more than the recommended dosage, even though my GP put me on that amount!!

Bearing in mind Natasha, in the last 8 months or so, I was taking 1500mgs per day due to my addiction.

Im not just saying this Natasha but, I have always been the most honest, kind, caring person you would ever meet. Always thinking of & making sure others are ok before me etc etc. When you're an addict though, this takes over & completely changes who you are. I have never stolen anything & i didn't while addicted as I could always get my Oxycontin but, if I had needed to, then I think I would have done to get my drugs, & that makes me feel so ashamed, the thought of actually stealing to get my drugs. I used to lie there & imagine breaking into the Pharmacy & taking all the Oxycontin - Crazy hey!!!

I would lie to my GP just to get my prescription early. She told me I was costing them £3k per month in Oxycontin!!!

I really honestly don't think your husband is on a high enough dose Natasha to be overly worried, as long as you're sure he is taking what you think he is taking??

The problem will come where his body is used to that amount & it starts to crave more & the dosage starts to go up. Thats when you may start to have issues.

If you need to ask me any questions regarding if you think he is taking more but how he gets around it then just ask me, what I mean is, when it came to getting my prescription I wrote the book on how to get it by deceiving your loved ones & GP without them thinking you have a problem etc.

Sorry for waffling on so long but, if you do want to ask me anything at all i won't take it personally lol. I want to be able to help & to prevent your husband going down the same road to hell that I went down so please do shout up.

All the very best to you

Ritchie

sadly, even when a person never exceeds the recommended dosage, physiological dependence occurs and effectiveness decreases.

When one is experiencing pain despite taking pain medication it is difficult to convince that person that less is more.

If your husband were to reduce his intake, what difference in him would you expect to see?

Hi Richie iv just read your post and can't believe the struggles you've been through with pain meds, it's unbelievable what your doc aloud you to take, how are you now and what do you take for pain?

Can I just tell you that I was in tapentadol for 2 years but opioids for 5 years in total off and on, anyway I was taking 300mg per day but got to the point where I was still in pain, I lost so much weight I looked so ill plus all the other Horid side effects they bring, anyway for a while I was thinking daily about stopping them but as I'd been through withdrawal before from fentalyn I wasn't sure I could do it again also my doc didn't want me to come off them he was happy for me to stay on them and kept saying we can increase them up to 600mg but my fear was what happens when they don't work, so I took the plunge in sept and it took 7 weeks of hell and I never told my doc either, I had asked him but he was reluctant so I went ahead anyway, my problem now is im in chronic pain daily and not coping well and even last night said to my husband that the thought of the rest of my life with this pain will probably crack me up, I still get my script because they don't know iv stopped, iv got an app today but as much pain I'm in I can't bare the thought of more opioids I don't want to go through this again also my kids seen me go through withdrawal and I won't do that to them again either,

Still now I wake up with cold sweats and can smell chemicals coming out my body, the only thing I take it gabapentin at night for wrestles leg which is awful and if I don't take it I don't sleep, also diazepam only when I have muscle spasms which I only take once a week as I know how addictive they are

Thanks Caroline

Hello Caroline

WOW, your Dr was trying to give you 600mg of fentanyl?!!!!! And I thought mine was bad!!

I too lost loads of weight Caroline & everyone kept asking me if I was ok as apparently I looked terrible.

At the moment due to me being on methadone I don't take anything for the pain but, it really is a struggle. I went out last weekend for the first time in i dont know how long for a friends birthday, I had to come home early as I was really struggling with my back.

I don't know which is worse to be honest, being on all those drugs or being in this pain. Talk about devil & deep blue sea hey!!

So that's what that smell was when I was in withdrawals. I could smell it on my hands & fingers but never knew what it was!! Chemicals!!

I really feel for you Caroline, it's a horrible place to be.

When I tapered I went down to 320mgs without too much trouble but, then it hit me, and it hit me hard. I was suicidal, so very depressed, I couldn't do anything as I didn't want too. Restless legs & all the rest. I didn't look forward to anything. I didn't live I just survived & although I am a little better, I still have a very, very long way to go.

This stuff did something to me mentally I don't care how many times the Dr's say it didn't, I know it did as I've never been myself since.

I used to be an Operations Manager on £50k per yr. I lost my job due to me putting my addiction first. How stupid hey, I had it made & i blew it. I had a lovely new Lexus car on my drive, now, I have nothing.

Anyway, currently I'm only on 105mgs methadone, i was put on that to get me off Oxycontin and I've reduced that by 5mgs down to 100 and I'll keep going.

The addiction Psychiatrist said yesterday that when we get to 90mgs then, we can look at what to do regarding the pain im in.

He suggested morphine but, I just don't know with what I've been through addiction wise. I am with a different survey now from the one that put me on all the Oxycontin so it would be monitored better. Part of me says don't be stupid but, when you're in pain..............??

People have so got methadone wrong. Yes it's stops withdrawals which is what it should do but as for getting people high, i could take double that amount & wouldn't know I've had any, at all.

I have no money.

When I lost my job my hobby was buying designer watches from real auction sites. Repair & Polish them & bring them back to better than brand new. I would sell them & make a really good profit.

I have thousands of pounds worth just sat there waiting to get me out of this financial mess but I just cannot bring myself to do it.

I hate myself because I've put money on my credit card rather than sell a watch & use that money to but Christmas presents. Crazy hey!!

The damage on top of all of the above that this miracle drug, the same drug that the manufacturer Purdue Pharma have been fined over $650million to date by so many states in USA for saying it wasn't addictive. It is responsible for wiping a complete generation out in Kentucky through overdoses by killing thousands of people. Even though they made it so it couldn't be crushed a few years ago, even now in the UK I can still get the old type from a pharmacy that can be crushed. It's ridiculous.

I took the stuff for a total of 7yrs.

I've been left with a really terrible memory.

I forget more than I remember.

I lost my sex drive 4yrs ago due to this. I have very low testosterone which I have an appointment for this Friday.

I had a hospital appointment on Monday due to not sleeping. I now have severe sleep apnoea. And its all down to this wonderful, miracle drug that Purdue Pharma have made absolute $billions from called Oxycontin.

It totally ruins lives.

Apart from that Caroline im not too bad really.

If ever you need to vent or scream please feel free to message me.

God bless Caroline

Oh god I can relate to everything you've said, they tried me in oxcodine but it made me ill so I never passed a few weeks, lucky for me!! Sorry I got mixed up it was 600mg palexia/tapentadol not fentalyn that was minuscule in comparison and I was only on it 3 -4 months and went 8 days cold turkey and I thought that was bad, tapentadol is relatively new and I researched it first and it sounded like a miracle but after 2 years it was hell, also my pain management didn't know I was on it and wasn't happy when I told him, I just do t want to take anymore chemicals but don't know how I'm going to live each day with this.

This year iv had my daughters graduation and my sons 18th and they where torture but I kept it to myself and got through but these are mile stones in my children's life's and if I'd been ok the celebrations would have been over the top, as for work I was a fitness instructor and beauty therapist had started my own business and had to leave it all behind but thought I could start again after surgery as I was told I would return back to work after 3-6 months haha 13 years on and no such luck, it's been a long time but I can't help but feel angry about what should have been, I had so much ambition and feel iv been robbed. My husband works so hard running his own business but the financial side is getting harder every year and it scares me that by the time he retires he'll probably be knackered and scint.

Thank you for listening and I wish you all the best and hope you find some peace with daily struggles, much appreciated and god bless you to 😊

Oh and just to add Ye brain fog! I have the worst memory now and have lost so many conversations with my children, sex drive went but has come back and it has robbed me of confidence, friends and family, I became so withdrawn and didn't even realise, this is what stops me going back onto these distructive chemicals even though I'm in chronic pain I'm definitely seing life like before 😊

It's so unfair that you've been robbed of your own business.

There is no way i could do cold turkey you're so brave!! I've done it once......never again!!!

When I got my script I would give them to my partner to hide. I would always find them! I felt the worst ever as it felt like I was stealing them!!!

There must be something out there for you as no one should have to suffer in pain daily.

The thing is with all opiates I think they have realised they're only for short term rather than long term use, otherwise the more you take, it seems to cause pain rather than relieve it!!!

I've tried to get a solicitor to either go after that GP that put me on this or after the manufacturer but, no one wants to know, never mind.

I feel the same as you, like I've been robbed!

You trust your Dr don't you, I didn't even know what an opiate was till I looked into why I was having all these side effects. I promise you, if I knew then what I know now there is no way i would have gone on them!

I really hope someone somewhere can help ease your pain Caroline. And anytime you need someone to listen...

Take care

Ritchie

The brain fog is terrible! I don't even argue anymore if someone says, "i told you" or "i gave it you back ages ago" or, not turning up for appointments.

When I went for my sleep apnoea results appointment on monday, I also had an appointment 2hrs before for the brain scan results that I had to see if my Perturity gland is a problem causing very low testosterone, hence no sex drive. The receptionist looked for ages but couldn't find me, only to then tell me it's this Friday!! No idea how I got that wrong. Especially when i looked back at a text I had confirming my appointment on Friday 16th December. How embarrassing!!!

I look at it like this Caroline. I'm 48 now but, having had sleep apnoea confirmed, at least now I know i can get help to sort it & i will at least have some energy instead of wanting to sleep all day.

On Friday at the testosterone appointment (if i remember to go lol). I don't know what to expect but, possibly hormone replacement injections???

So after being treated for both of the above, in a few weeks I will be running around like an 18yr old with the sex drive to match Lol 😂 I can but hope hey!!! 🖒

Hahaha that's so funny, fingers crossed 😂😂

Thank you for your honesty and for clarify facts, it does put mind at rest somewhat. I will be keeping a close eye on what my husband actually takes, not what he tells me he is taking. Also going to ask for regular blood tests to monitor effect on the body.

It amazes me how doctors put people on these controlled drugs and them dont control how much patients are taking/increasing their dosage/etc. The lack of monitoring is frightening. Now husband has been told that a 10mg oxy tablet is actually 20mg of morphine, has anyone else been advised of this?

There is a chart somewhere on strengths & comparisons of different pain killers.

Yes, Oxycontin is actually 2.5 x the strength of morphine!

I would like to see him not craving the oxycontin (quick release tablet) as I believe it is affecting his ability to work and function.  He spends a lot of the day sleeping which he wasnt doing one or two years ago.  He is depressed but then is spending money meeting up with relative strangers/other patients in London which is costing money that we dont have.  I feel he is trying to escape from his problems instead of facing them.  I understand that it must be terribly demoralising for him that there is no other solution to his pain relief apart from Morphine and he feels abandoned by the NHS at times.

Bloody hell! I never knew that about OxyContin!! No wonder I get withdrawal within a couple of hours if I miss one of my scheduled times!! I asked my doctor about getting off of it and she said she couldn't help me and referred me to our local druggie clinic. Luckily the lady I met there has turned out to be a very great friend and has patiently waited for me to be in the right place to start the detox procedure. It's taken me two years to get there but I'm due to start mid-June (4 weeks time). I seem to be on quite a small dose compared to some on here, but it still makes me feel horrendous when I miss a dose. Fingers crossed for the future for all of us. 

Well good luck with it and keep us updated on your progress, also we're all here to help you through if you have bad days 😊

I really need to apologise to everyone that has posted on here. I'm really really sorry but, the last few months I've been through hell.

Due to the 1500mgs of Oxycontin I was addicted to for such a long time, I have also, even though I was brought up to work hard & I did that from the age of 14 till I was struck down with this degenerative disc disease in my back, been diagnosed with Severe sleep apnoea where I stop breathing on average 80 times per hour, even though I only manage roughly 3 hours sleep per night on average.

The DVLA have revoked my driving licence because of this so I can no longer drive.

I've also been diagnosed with zero level Testosterone (opiate induced hypergonad hypergonadism) embarrassingly meaning I haven't been able to make love to my loving partner for the last 4yrs.

I still suffer bad boudts of bad depression & suicidal thoughts etc etc etc.

All this in mind, I had my ESA benefits stopped on 11th April after an assessment by a so called health CARE!!!! Professional. Even though I took along a note from my GP that stated I was not currently fit to work, they stopped my benefits & I haven't received a single penny from our loving Tory government in over a month, even though for the last so many years I was paying 40% tax etc.

I have worked damn hard since I was 14yrs old, until I was struck down with this disc Desease that leaves me struggling to walk. Just when I need some help they stick, yet again 2 fingers up at every genuine person that needs help.

So I apologise for not being around.

I did appeal the so called healthcare professionals decision as, looking at the notes, she has blatantly LIED & I will be reporting her.

My mandatory reconsideration was upheld so, I had a meeting with citizens advice today who have filled out the paperwork for appeal against the DWP decision (I cannot get over the fact the assessor told so many lies & never asked me the questions she should have asked to gain points!!!) I guess it's all a sick game for the Tory government to save money & it's so very wrong!!!

Anyway, again I apologise for not replying to people struggling due to Oxycontin addiction.

I will do my best to reply to anyone struggling going forward.

So very sorry for the non replies & I hope whoever did ask any questions can either repost them or have managed to get help with this drug from hell

God bless

Ritchie xxx

Oh goodness, you have been thru so much! My husband hasnt wanted to be physical for seven years due to pain although the opiads may also be to blame. I dont know if his affair was physical, if it was then he lied to me i guess. Wishing you all the best in your fight against the govtment

Caroline.

Hello Sweetheart. Long time no speak (or type!!)

Just wondering how things were with you & really Hoping you're ok??

Loads a love

Ritchie xxxxx

Hi Ritchie great to hear from you, how are you?

I'm currently recovering from what they said was a flare up?? Well for 8 weeks Iv spent 95% of my time laid up and I can only describe it as walking with a broken back, the inflimation has settled but the feeling of my back coming away when I walk is still there, my chiro practor has been a masive help in getting me steady again.

Still no pain killers but I have to say I'm having a couple of glasses of wine at night to help me sleep otherwise I'm lucky to get 2 hour. Still chronic pain of 7-10 daily but my neuro said it's wear and tear, I'm having my scans looked at by a top radiologist as we speak (off the record) just incase there hiding something. The pain will probs have me sectioned real soon haha.

My scans don't show anything of great concern in the lumbar which brings me back to a botched up fusion??

Also I think my neuro dosnt want to touch me because his pal messed me up but he'll be the one that gets the blame, doctors eh..bunch of .....

anyway how are you, I was reading back on our convo as like you I forget real easy but what I picked up on is you have a great sense of humour so try not and loose it with everything your going through, I hope your doing well with your taper.

You will start to feel human again maybe not the same as before, looking back I was still getting withdrawals for longer than I thought but I'm getting there still and just have to take it 1 day at a time, do some research on arachnoiditis??

😊

Hi Natasha.

I don't know how I missed your post! Sorry!!

I am still awaiting a date for the tribunal. Seems to be dragging on & on. I guess it's just another money saving scheme from the government!

Funnily enough I read something the other day. Where, if someone has been turned down at their assessment by the government's "Healthcare Proffesional" (🤣🤣sorry but that title does make me really laugh, when the people who assess you aren't even qualified doctors!!) And, like I did, you then apply for a "Mandatory Reconsideration" the KPI target set by this government is 80%

I.e. what that means is that, everyone like me who has been for an assessment, they then get told they're fit to work so they write a letter to the robots at DWP explaining why they are finding it impossible currently to work, the other robots at the DWP actually uphold the original decision from the first robot. You know, the totally unqualified "Healthcare Professional"

So, 80% of the people turned down, who appeal to the next level, still get turned down. This is a target set by the government. No matter how disabled you Are, yet again, just trying to save money, inhumane & greed. I guess that's why this country is in the total mess it's in.

The rich get richer & the poor get poorer.

I'm gonna fight to get better & be the knew Ribbon Hood. Starting by knocking off all the Selfish Rich that don't help society & spread their I'll gained riches out to those who actually need it 👍🤣

It's been a while.

How are things with you & your husband?

Ritchie xx

Oh No Caroline, that's horrible for you Sweetheart!!!

I'm still plodding on thanks.

I'm trying to sort my head out so I can start to polish some of these many many watches I have so I can sell them to help me survive as I'm still cashless.

Still waiting for a tribunal date with the idiots from DWP. Honestly, if you haven't, I actually beg anyone to watch the film called "I Daniel Blake"

It is an absolute 110% REAL LIFE of how everyone & anyone gets treated!!

It actually took me 4 attempts to watch it as it was exactly how you get treated. I was so stressed watching it. I had to keep stopping it as it reminded me so much of how those robots there treat actual human beings!!

Even down to the lie when they said they rang him to explain their decision & didn't. Down to the music they play while you're waiting on the phone for 2hours. I now hate that music. I get physically sick when I hear it!!!

Anyway, I have an appointment with the Pain clinic at end of November. At first they refused my GP's referal saying there was nothing more they could do. But I rang PALS & complained as they said I needed to get off the Oxycontin & they would give me an open appointment. I did exactly as they asked & then they refused to see me!!! What is the matter with this crazy world!

I have now reduced the Methadone down to 50mils per day, just in agony 24/7 with my back as no one wants to know!!

Good luck to you in your fight Caroline.

Stay in touch

Big hugs

Ritchie xxxx

Ah Ritchie I feel for you, the system is bad and not sure who it's really meant to work for, never seen the film but it has been mentioned twice today so maybe worth a watch if I can sit long enough😂😂 

When I said I felt like my back was broke? Well I went to see my surgeon on Thursday and he said it looks like one of the screws is loose and probably always has been (failed back surgery) so there sending me for a ct scan, Iv said for 14 years I could feel something..oh well..

I had faucet joint injections 11 days ago and for 7 days I could walk again but it was short lived and back to "normal" well my normal😂

How are you doing with your taper? Are you taking supplements? Magnesium, calcium, Zini,  CRUCIALLY VIT D3, and k2, b12. Just a few suggestions as these helped me with muscle fatigue that I thought was pain coming from the cyst so it just shows you that if your deficient it has an impact, took about 3 months to see results but even the chronic fatigue got better, stay strong my friend you've got this 😊

Hi Ritchie!

I’ve been in OxyContin since December 1998 for a syndrome of ailments that are still incurable but I am on such a high dose that even my pharmacist judges me negatively. Last year I was taking 80mg 3x a day. I’ve got it down to 60mg 2x a day and 40mg 1x a day. The 40mg isn’t working though. I’m wondering what you think about this idea I have as to whether it may work or not to get down to 40mg 2x per day over maybe a year’s time.   I have several bottles of methadone tablets that I didn’t take when prescribed.  I was thinking maybe for 2 weeks of the month take only 2 10mg methadone tablets 2x per day and then that could lower my OxyContin dependence. Bad idea ya think? 5 to 7 years ago I was on 40mg 3x a day so that’s why I think I may take a year to get there. I’m sick and tired of being judged for being sick!!!