Wondering what in the world I am putting into my body? Percodan or Percocet.

[blueeyedeagle2]

I have been using percocet(oxycodone5mg.,325mg.tylenol for almost a year now for chronic back pain.  My doctor gives me 1 tablet to be taken 4 times daily.  Recently, within the last month or so, I am finding that 1 does not work anymore and have been taking 2 at a time instead, which of course makes me run out of them early every month...I guess I have become quite addicted to them and have been purchasing more from someone I know on a regular basis. The first bunch I purchased seemed to be the same, but now I am finding that the ones I buy from this person seem to be weaker and are making my stomach upset.  They are generic and don't have either the name or the strength on them.  I am from Canada and the generic ones here have tec. on one side and then are scored on the other...these ones look like this, but I am wondering if they are in fact counterfeit or perhaps are percodan, with the asa in them instead of the tylenol and maybe are of weaker strength. My question is how would I know what they are?  Do the percocet and the percodan, which are of the generic brand here in Canada look the same or would they in fact look different and how would I know how much oxycodone is in them?  If someone could help me with this, it would be greatly appreciated...Thanks....Sheila.

[suffrr]

take one to a pharmacist and ask for it to be identified - you can make up some story if you want.  also tell your doctor to titrate your dose - few docs ever do this over long periods.  he can prescribe the 7.5/325 or 10/325.  Or you may try something a little different like hydrocodone 10/325 (Norco).  Sometimes switching similar opioids after long-term use keeps their effect strong.  it is natural to become tolerant and over one year moving up from 20 mg/day is very reasonable.  When you get to 70 or 100 mg/day then getting off them is a bear but it seems like you won't get there anytime soon.

I wish I had a doc like yours - I live in constant debilitating pain.

by the way, how much does a pill go for up there and where can you get them?

[Augs]

I cant believe I am offering you advice on this but I'm actually hoping after hearing my story and with time u will realize what you are doing to yourself and to your body. I have been very much addicted to percocet for three long years. well, percotet and any other pain medication I could get my hands on. (oxy's, morp's, liquid codeine)
The perk's that say "tec" on them are not the generic, the "5636" are. I'm from canada (Ontario) as well and have been buying them off the street for years.I can't see your doctor uping your dose especially when the medication prescribed isn't suppose to leave you 100% pain free. In my three year experience with perc's, I have been "clean" once for a 5 month period. In that five months, I was craving pills and the feeling that comes alomg with taking them the entire time. When I did fail and start on them again, it didn't take me long to be back up too. 14 pills a day. At a street price of 3 dollars per pill. Needless to say, I was getting to the point where my addiction was without a doubt controlling my life in every scense of the word. financially i was killing myself and at the same time, my heart was failing me. I had a mild heart attack at the age of 27 and didn't even know it. Even after discovering that, it wasen't enough to get clean. I was deing in every scense of the word. I would hate for anyone to go threw the termoil I have becasue I was to scared to find out who I really was without the pills.
So heres my advice to you. If you feel you can't go threw withdrawl on your own ( which takes a good 6-7 days of serious flu like symptoms) I would suggest the methadone program. it has saved my life. Please do some reading of something that could literly save your life instead of investigating what kind of pills your choosig to pollute your precious body with. No matter what your taking, whether it be generic perc's or percodan, its all doing the same thing....slowly draining all you are and all you are worth!!  Take mt advice, try the methadone program. Please

[blueeyedeagle2]

I had forgotten that I had posted that question on here.  I accidently came across it and while re-reading what I had written awhile back have come to the firm conclusion that I am in fact completely without a doubt in my mind hopelessly totally addicted to these horrible drugs and want to be free of them. Every time I run out of them, I am forced to go through the miserable withdrawl and once I get through it do find that my pain can be managed quite a bit with excercise(stretching & things) along with plain old aspirin. I have told my doctor more than once that I need more and he simply will not budge about giving me more anyway.  I am too afraid to get onto the oxycontin meds on a regular basis as I have in the past a few times gotten a hold of some and found that the withdrawl off those is much worse then the percocet and then they(the percocet) would not work at all anymore!  I want to get off these drugs, but am finding it so very difficult to stay away from them.  Thank-You all for all your input about this subject.  I have put my name on a waiting list in a couple of methadone clinics, but am thinking that it really is just another opiate. It really has become a serious problem all around the country with this medication and all the methadone clinics have very long waiting lists.  I have a girlfriend who has been on methadone now for a few years and she is tired all the time, has no sex drive whatsoever and she is still a young woman!  I don't want to end up in that predicament either.  I am familiar with the 12 step program of AA and when I am good and ready, so sick and tired of being sick and tired, I know what I must do.  I pray that this time will come soon...Also getting honest about my problem instead of pretending goes a long way in helping me to see that I do in fact need some help.  Again thank-you all for your input and suggestions around this terrible addiction and I pray and hope I have enough wisdom, strength and courage to beat this monkey on my back.

[QueenBean420]

DO NOT GO ON METHADONE FOR ANYTHING LESS THAN HEROIN OR MORPHINE!!  If your taking oxcodone pills like percs it makes no sense at all to go on meth.  Of you want to get off your pills switch to any SHORT ACTING Opiate in doses that are similiar to your current dose.  This will shorten the withdrawl time to five to seven days.  Methadone is long acting as is OXYCOTIN.  The drug stays in your system longer giving a steady burst of medication over a longer period time- this leads to a longer physical withdrawl.   After 2 weeks or so- go to your doctor and ask for the Clonidine Cocktail-  This is a mix a mostly non - narcotic medacations which include something for the jump out of your skin feeling, an anitinflamitory for pain, something to ease the stomach, something for loose bowels and they can give you valium(narcotic) or trazadone to sleep.  You'll feel better in a week and this will help ease your withdrawls during that time.  Toradol is a non narcotic pain killer that might help your back pain.  It;s the next best thing to a narcotic and it works well.
If you are taking pills for valid pain reasons you are not a addict because your tolerence has gone up over the last year.  You should talk to your doctor about increasing or switching your meds to something stronger.  Pain is seroius business and don't let anyone tell you that taking meds FOR PAIN is wrong.  If you detox you will still be in pain and that's worse than the stigma associated taking perocet.  What ever you decide it's your chioce but I bet living with that pain was unbearable and after the shortened less painless withdrawl you still get to look forward to a life of pain.  If you tell your doctor your valid concerns about your meds you should ask him/her what can be done to fix your problem so you don't end up at square one again. Maybe there is another treatment like a cortisone shot or something.  If the doctor feels that you are trying to investigate other options before more pills he might be more inclined to perscribe something stronger if there is no other options for you.  Also if your meds are at the proper doses and stregnth you should never feel withdrawI. If you take too many and run out you should pick up more regurarily from the pharmacy so you can't over do it.  Assess yourself honestly and plan ahead for your mistakes like doubling up. I hope it all goes well for you- (taking methadone for percocet is like taking heroin to get off tylenol 4's)  Please don't let societies narrow view on your meds make you live a physically painful life.  Only you can really judge you. Don't ever give up on yourself!!  Peace -Toronto out