Oxycontin and liver damage?

[hygieneguru]

Does anyone know if long term use of Oxycontin for chronic pain can cause toxic hepatitis or medication induced hepatitis????? I have been taking it for 5 years for severe back pain.

[sallyo]

Not sure if the oxycontin itself is harmful but I think many pain meds that contain that ingrediant also contain large amounts of acetomyocin (tylenol).In large doses the tylenol part can be bad for the liver. Example are Lortab, vicadin and percocet I think.  Someone will correct that if I am mistaken please

[mauilady]

I looked it up in Wikipedia; Oxycontin is Oxycodone using ibuprofen instead of acetomenophrin (sp?) which is what's in Vicodin, or aspirin, which is used in Percodans.  Hope that makes sense...

[mauilady]

Try another tack:
Oxycodone+ibuprofen=Oxycontin
Oxycodone+acetomenophrin=Vicodin, Percocet
Oxycodone+aspirin= Percodan

[SnoWav]

Pretty sure oxycontin is just time relese Oxycodone with nothing else added. We know that acetomenophrin and ibuprofen are not good for the liver. I have never read that Oxycodone is bad for the liver but it like all opioids is a poision.Cheers

[Kalio1]

ibuprophen is processed by your kidneys not your liver

[sfbaygirl]

My hemo/oncol gave me oxycodone when my white count was down and I had severe bone pain. He told me that it is pretty safe for the liver. Of course, everything in moderation!

[mikesimon]

I'm a liver transplant patient and SVR. I wrecked my motorcycle and was on oxycontin and oxycodone for 4 months and if the transplant team didn't object to it I figure it can't be that hazardous to the liver. Of course, 5 years is quite a long time and I have no idea about proplonged use. Mike

[jmjm530]

No disrespect, but would you mind explaining your name? For some reason Howard Hughes comes to mind :)

-- Jim

[jmjm530]

Sorry about that, I guess I can't spell very well.

[gazebo1]

Oxycontin, as you probably know, is oxycodone, but continuous release, i.e. contin = "continuous".  There is no APAP like hydorocodone combos - Vicodin, Norco, etc.  I have chronic spine problems/pain and my hep doc took me off Norco and on to Oxy to eliminate the APAP toxic potential on the liver.  I then can take a Tylenol pre injection to help prevent some sx.  Oxy has its own sx and potential for dependancy of course.

Hope that clears it up for you - and I certainly can empathize with your back pain suffering.  I am really anxious about tolerating the tx on top of my acute spine pain (in the early weeks and really in much more pain from the Interferon).  But will do my best, I have to.  Regards, G

[gazebo1]

And to kindly correct the earlier post by Mauilady;  Oxycodone, or time released called Ocycontin, alone do not have anything added.

Combos are done with ibuprofen added - "Combunox" or acetaminophen - "Percocet", etc.  Oxycodone time release "continuous" is marketed as the Oxycontin and has nothing added other than the substances for time release and suspension in making the tablets, etc.

[NYgirl]

I don't really understand how you could be on it and not know the difference - one is straight up WAY more addictive and powerful which is why it's called HillBilly Heroin.

It's mad addictive.  It's like a LOT of aLOT of oxycodone in one pill compared to a little of it mixed with tylenol in a different pill.

If you have to take it and are already used to taking it then you don't have much choice except to withdrawl off the med and THAT is hard as I know.

But I'm not sure how you can't know or why you didn't just as a doctor about something this important.

[gazebo1]

Who are you addressing?  

hygieneguru and I certainly understand the uses and risks entirely.  The question was focused on weather oxycodone (or hydrocodone for that matter) alone is toxic to the liver and cause toxic hepatitis.  My doctors have all said very low risk IF NOT COMBINED WITH APAP or ibuprofen.  I only clarified the "combo" discussion.  

Acute pain is treated regularily with oxycodone and does not automaticaly lead to addiction, particularily when used for severe pain management.  Frankly nygirl, I would never be able to go through tx without controling my pain with narcotics. So what is the better path?  I grant you many, many people abuse these drugs and become severly addicted. But that is not the norm for us with crippling conditions.  Regards, G

[gazebo1]

Who are you addressing?  

hygieneguru and I certainly understand the uses and risks entirely.  The question was focused on weather oxycodone (or hydrocodone for that matter) alone is toxic to the liver and cause toxic hepatitis.  My doctors have all said very low risk IF NOT COMBINED WITH APAP or ibuprofen.  I only clarified the "combo" discussion.  

Acute pain is treated regularily with oxycodone and does not automaticaly lead to addiction, particularily when used for severe pain management.  Frankly nygirl, I would never be able to go through tx without controling my pain with narcotics. So what is the better path?  I grant you many, many people abuse these drugs and become severly addicted. But that is not the norm for us with crippling conditions.  Regards, G

[gazebo1]

sorry for the double post, browser showed error, so hit twice....

[Hanklive]

I'm new here althuogh not at all new to HCV...
I'm also nine years post liver transplant, and on low dose treatment also in order to "halt" the low grade 1/6 amount of fibrosis that is present...

I'm also being prescribed oxycodone 5mg x 6 pills daily but I rarely take that much on a daily basis because I'll end up being a "zombie", and never get anything accomplished so I usually do'nt take anymore than 3 daily for pain.

I was on vicodin 750mg x 3 pills daily for over two years but, I thought that it was too long to be on these especially since the amount of acetophetimin in each one, multiplied by 3 made me think about the long term ramifications that might be occurring as a result of all the "Tylenol" found in the Vicodin...
So I asked my PCP for an alternative and oxycodone is what he prescribed... Now I feel a lot better as far as the 'tightness' I felt sometimes while on the vicodin.

Not to go off track but, I read a post or two here on this forum from a person named "MikeSimon" who also had a liver transplant!!! Is it 5 years for you???

Wow!!! Now I do'nt feel so alone in "cyberspace"!!!

This site was suggested to me by a moderator on another HCV forum and I'm glad that I took him up on checking this forum out!!!

Nice to meet you'all!!!

Resepctfully,
Hanklive-Lives for Today and Tomorrow!!!

[Hanklive]

I'm new here althuogh not at all new to HCV...
I'm also nine years post liver transplant, and on low dose treatment also in order to "halt" the low grade 1/6 amount of fibrosis that is present...

I'm also being prescribed oxycodone 5mg x 6 pills daily but I rarely take that much on a daily basis because I'll end up being a "zombie", and never get anything accomplished so I usually do'nt take anymore than 3 daily for pain.

I was on vicodin 750mg x 3 pills daily for over two years but, I thought that it was too long to be on these especially since the amount of acetophetimin in each one, multiplied by 3 made me think about the long term ramifications that might be occurring as a result of all the "Tylenol" found in the Vicodin...
So I asked my PCP for an alternative and oxycodone is what he prescribed... Now I feel a lot better as far as the 'tightness' I felt sometimes while on the vicodin.

Not to go off track but, I read a post or two here on this forum from a person named "MikeSimon" who also had a liver transplant!!! Is it 5 years for you???

Wow!!! Now I do'nt feel so alone in "cyberspace"!!!

This site was suggested to me by a moderator on another HCV forum and I'm glad that I took him up on checking this forum out!!!

Nice to meet you'all!!!

Resepctfully,
Hanklive-Lives for Today and Tomorrow!!!

[Hanklive]

Sorry about that!!
I posted twice by accident!!!
I got an error message after the first time I pressed the button so I decided to press the button again...
Then it hit me! why do'nt I see if the post made it on the thread, and it did - YAY!!!

I guess that I can disregard that error message right after I post from now on!

Respectfully,
Hanklive-Lives for Today and Tomorrow!!!

[hurtsalot55]

Hi I am new here...was diagnosed with HCV almost 2 years ago...I have been tryin to find something for my back pain.I have a collapsed disc, arthiritis through my spine to where surgery is not an option,and nerve damage (due to a car wreck) One doctor gave me percocet...thats not good for the liver...but percodan is asprin based...what I am wondering ,would that be a better pain reliever? Some days are so long because of the pain,I just want to feel as close to normal as I can. Thanks if anyone can help ..