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MedHelp Member's Question

Was trying to stop taking unprescibed meds, now it's prescribed

by Roxy30mg, Jun 03, 2003 12:00AM
I was trying to stop using unprescribed Roxycodone30mg pills. Then I made an appointment to see a doctoer and he gave me Vicodin 7.5 ES. He prescribed it for chronic back pain. I feel like I can function much better at work with these pills. My job has me doing a lot of bending and lifting. Just the thing my back aches from. With the pills I feel a surge of energy and I can function much better at work. I may get a little hyper but I can perform my duties much better. So far my doctor has me taking a 7.5 every 6 hours as needed. He gives me 120 pills a month so far. I don't know what to do. Without the pills I feel I can't function at all but with them I feel scared that I may run out of the before my refill comes around. Should I try to live with the pain or continue with what the doctor has given me?

  I also feel guilty about taking other pills to fall asleep faster. I take a prescibed Amytryptolyne, anot prescribed Clonazepam 1mg and sometimes even a unprescibed Ambien. I do fall asleep faster but I worried if there will be any danger in taking these pills together. So far I feel fine when I wake up besides having bloodshot eyes. A little eyedrops and I'm ususually ready to function normally. Can anyone tell what possible long term dangers may occur if I continue this pattern?
Member Comments (53)

by mrmichael67, Jun 03, 2003 12:00AM
You may end up with a benzo dependence.  They are a very difficult detox.  I am sure that is an understatement.  I have used benzos, but I luckily walked away before a dependence could set in.  So, I haven't personally experienced benzo withdrawal, but I hear it is miserable.  That would be your big problem with taking those meds.  One thing that I would question is you taking Vicodin ES for chronic pain.  You would fare much better taking a longer acting med such as Oxycontin or something along those lines.  If you need to have pain relief around the clock, keeping an even level of drug in your system around the clock is much easier accomplished through the use of a longer acting opioid.  Otherwise, your levels will go up and down and up and down.  Many people complain of always waking up in withdrawal and the pain isn't controlled as well.  It is much easier to keep the pain controlled than it is to get rid of it when it is bad.  Also, the tylenol in Vicodin is not a very good thing to be taking chronically....especially if you drink alcohol.  Remember, the maximum adult dose of acetaminophen is 4 grams.  That is 4,000mg.  Of course, it is recommended to stay well below that.

by rodewc, Jun 03, 2003 12:00AM
To: MrM, et al
I know I have heard this.. but does Vike ES have acetometophin (sp) or Tylenol? How much? And what is the ceiling level, and how long is that ceiling applicable (as far as no damage)? Thx.

/rwc

by cosmicstargoat, Jun 03, 2003 12:00AM
To: roxy/rod
Same thing as far as the acetaminophen and the Tylenol.  Roxy, have you told you doctor about taking meds without a prescription?  It is important to level with your doctor so that there are no embarassing surprises down the line if you get into trouble.



Mr. Michael is right about the Acetaminophen, but I would not necessarily agree on going on to Oxycontin unless/until you have disclosed ALL to your doctor.



Good luck

by Kurt Cobain, Jun 03, 2003 12:00AM
To: rodewc
Vicodin ES has 7.5 mg hydrocodone and 750 mg acetaminophen (Tylenol) per capsule.  The Vikes I used to take with 10 mg hydro only contained 500 mg acetaminophen (the blue bombers), so go figure.  I think that all generic or brand-name Vicodin contains at least *some* Tylenol. . .it's once you get to the good old OxyContin that they realized that damn, junkies' LIVERS are at stake here, better just take out that nasty Tylenol and give the paying customer more of what they came here for!



Sorry for the sarcasm. . .and before anyone creams me, I know that Oxy is like a godsend for legitimate pain patients who take it legitimately. . .but has anyone else here ever wondered how the drug companies could be naive enough to not have considered the abuse potential of Oxy before putting it out there?  More likely, they DID consider it, and decided the benefits (enhanced profit margin -- whoops, I meant PAIN RELIEF) outweighed the risks (some dead junkies).  We are, after all, a renewable resource.



Peace (and sorry for the bitterness this morning),



Kurt

by mrmichael67, Jun 03, 2003 12:00AM
If oxy wasn't around, everyone would be doing something else.

by cosmicstargoat, Jun 03, 2003 12:00AM
To: Kurt
Kurt, I understand your frustration, but I don't think that it is appropriate to demonize a pharmaceutical company for developing breakthrough modalities for treating cancer pain.



M.S. Contin, and then Oxycontin were and are godsends for those cancer patients who must take large doses of narcotics to keep them out of agony.  The significance of the Contin drugs is that they allow the patient to dose q12, allowing a good nights sleep, and because the are single-entity drugs, they allow the patient to avoid acetaminophen, which can be toxic at even therapeutic doses.



Purdue Pharma is a privately owned company and does have one of the highest profit profiles of any drug company in history.  I think, however, that this fact is not really relevant to the problem, i.e. abuse of prescription drugs.

by Kurt Cobain, Jun 03, 2003 12:00AM
*sighs*  Yeah, you're right. . .and if Oxy were available *only* to cancer (or other terminal) patients with chronic pain, it would be a very good thing.  And yeah, if it wasn't Oxy, it would be something else. . .we'd freebase week-old **** if it would get us off.  There's just so many things wrong with the "control system" (LOL) for ALL prescription pain medicine that it's enough to just make you want to shrug your shoulders and give up. . .it's just hard to do that when so many people are dying and it seems like no one really gives much of a ****.



Peace,



Kurt

by cosmicstargoat, Jun 03, 2003 12:00AM
To: Kurt
As far as profits go, almost everyone gets emotional about Corporate America and big profits, especially drug companies.  



This, however, is the American way and I wouldn't HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY.  Just think, if drug companies were not allowed to strive for a profit, how many would be willing to invest in ANY sort of drug to fight heart disease, AIDS, or anything else?



The American free enterprise system is not perfect, but it is the best the world now has to offer.

by bmac, Jun 03, 2003 12:00AM
To: Mr.Goat sir!
Finally, you say something that makes sense! See you don't have to be an ******* all the time, I guess when you get bored huh?

Goodbye and Thanks! Big Mac

by suzieneedshelp, Jun 03, 2003 12:00AM
To: Roxy
Hey!  You sound like you are searching for answers.  I commend you for coming here and whereever u go to seek answers to your situation.  I wonder if you are wondering if you will become an addict or if you already have traits of an addict.  The disease concept says some of us are very susceptable to becoming addicts due to our physical difference in our brains.  It is about 80% true that addicts/ alcoholics have it in their families.  I was taught that anyone could become addicted...that once the switch is turned on, it cannot be turned off in our brains.  If one takes more than prescribed then watch out.  That is a clear behavioral warning.  I am not saying you are addicted or have the tendancy.  Certain behavioral tendancies indicate that one may have addictive behaviors/ personalities.  An addict can become addicted to many things depending on them, i.e., drugs, alcohol, work, sex, internet, being right, helping others, etc.

Whatever stimulates the pleasure centers in our brain.  Then our brain says " i want more now!"  about 600 - 1200 times per second they say this loop goes on in our brains once activated by any really individually  pleasureable activity or thought.

WEll enough of my ramblin about wut i was told by my M D  addictionalogist in inpatient treatment.

Keep postin and askin...

Peace...

Suzie

by bmac, Jun 03, 2003 12:00AM
To: Suzie
You messin' with me?, gurl!

You better watch yourself, you remember I only live around the block! LOL

Did you say you would bite me or was that to MethMan? LOL

Bill