Oxycontin Insufflation

[Dan258]

Hi Doctors,

I hope I have posted in the right place this time. My friend takes 30mg Oxycontin twice a day, for chronic pain. She is considering insufflation (crushing and snorting), as she has heard this may produce better analgesia. I am terrified this will lead to addiction, and also terrified that if she does this, and finds it produces better pain relief, her painkillers will be taken away from her altogether. If she insists on trying insufflation, and I pray that she does not, my question is this, will the Oxycontin show up the same in her blood as if she took it orally?

Every so often her blood is tested to make sure she hasn't taken too much, or even too little (then sold it etc.). So will 60mg insufflated a day show up the same in the blood as 60mg taken orally? Because if it will show up differently, she may have her Oxycontin taken away altogether, and she is already in so much pain, I couldn't bear to see her in any more.

I will do everything in my power to suggest she seeks alternative pain relief through physicians, but I need the reassurance that if she experiments with insufflating her Oxycontin, her bloods will at least remain the same.

Thank you for reading, please clarify,

Dan

[J T Junig, MD PhD]

The average level will be the same, but as eagle says there will be peaks and valleys, so it depends when she is tested in relation to taking the drug.  Insufflation produces a 'rush' of euphoria that is MUCH more addicting than oral use, and also MUCH more dangerous-- the fast change in serum levels causes rapid respiratory depression that can make a person stop breathing long enough to-- well, to die, to put it bluntly.  She is playing with a very hot fire.

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

Cant guarantee that one I dont believe.......the oxy is a time release medication .... crushing them to snort dumps them all in your system at once. Also spikes serum levels - and they both take effect and wear off more rapidly. Good luck with all ....... dont snort them.

[Dan258]

Dear Dr. Junig,

Thank you so much for your advice, and thanks to you too theeagle.

Just out of curiosity, is testing for Oxycontin levels in the blood a completely precise science as long as the medication is taken as prescribed? Or will food intake on a particular day, body weight etc etc affect the levels?

What you say about insufflation "peaks and troughs" is what I had assumed, and I am glad to have confirmation from you that this is the case - there is no way my friend can mess about with insufflation, because her bloods may be inconsistent. To have her painkillers taken away doesn't bear thinking about.

It sounds extremely dangerous in terms of addiction anyway, but to know that it may affect blood results is very reassuring. Armed with this knowledge, I hope that she will continue to take the medicine as prescribed, and I will do all I can to help her.

I just have to hope her "pain team" will be able to produce more effective prescribed analgesia somehow.

Thank you so much,

Dan