Oxycodone Abuse

Hello,
I have a family member who was prescribed oxycontin, for osteoarthritis and back pain several years ago.  He began (almost immediately) to snort his oxycontin instead of taking it as prescribed.  He also abused fentanyl patches.  This abuse went on for three years, and it was hell.  After the third year, he detoxed and was clean for one year.  Six months ago, he decided to go back on pain meds, for his pain he told me.  His doctor prescribed oxycodone and methadone.  I've seen him snorting his oxycodone several times.  He tells me he takes the oxycodone this way to get it into his system faster, so his pain will go away faster.  He has also traded some of his methadone for oxycontin pills several times.  He said he did this because during the middle of the winter, the oxycodone and methadone didn't adequately control his pain.
Would you all agree that with his history of drug abuse, he should be taking his opiods as prescribed?  Maybe he shouldn't take opiods at all with his history, but then what would he do for pain control?  What do addicts with chronic pain do to control their pain?
Thank you.

[bettie1976]

Coming from someone who has been prescribed oxy, dilaudid, hydro, and various other pain meds for legitimate reasons and being an addict myself, this sounds all too
familiar. Its a tough call for an addict who is in real pain to take or not to take these meds. Snorting the meds definitely doesnt get them into your system any faster than swallowing them the way they were meant to be taken. I had liquid hydro cough medicine for a bad cough and even that took just as long to get into my system as taking a pill.
Obviously he is abusing his meds.
But what can you do when youre in real pain? There are other methods for controlling pain where you dont need to use opiates, and to me thats the way to go for any addict. I know theyre not as effective but its either that or go thru the pain of wd's again and again when you run out. Personally I think as an addict, he should steer clear of the narcotics. Especially the way you described how he is taking them. It just sounds to me like he wants to get high.
Hope this helps a little.

Bettie

[wadlo393]

My doctor prescribed oxycodone 30mg 3x daily, percecet 10/325mg 3x daily, and soma;  all for a back injury.  After 6 months of taking these drugs I can say I was addicted.  I was getting 90 pills a month from my doctor and I wasn't getting enough.  I spent thousands of dollars buying more @ $10 each.  My pain moved to the center of my spine, and when I mean center, it felt like my spinal cord from my neck to my bottom was beaten by a baseball bat,  more right between the shoulder blades.  I finally told the doctor I couldn't sleep at night, he said it was from withdrawls, thats when he prescribed me methadone.  That was the best thing he could do and the worse at the same time.  Methadone takes away the narcotic feeling from methadone, then I would have to take 10 a day just to get the same feeling as 1.  Thats how keith ledger and many others have died, though they were taking zanax at the same time.  I stopped taking the oxycodone because I was tired of up and down cycle of needing more.  Taking the methadone made stopping oxycodone a lot easier.  About 10% of the sweating, tiredness, watery eyes.  My back pain stopped 5 days after stopping my medication.  I came across your comment while I was looking for informaiton on oxycodone actually causing the back pain.  I have heard from many that It will make your back really hurt, completing the cycle of needing more.  I think this drug is the evilest thing I have came across, of course it is a dirivative of herion so what can you expect.  There are drugs out there that will block oxycodone including methadone.  I would make sure he is taking his methdone stricly as prescribed.  I would also monitor where his money is going.  Good luck, I have been there and know what its like to wake up every morning and the only reason I would get out of bed is if I had this medication.  And if he is snorting it you know he is trying to get the high, not necessarly the pain relief, though I believe my pain was true in the begining, it soon moved to my mind.  

[wadlo393]

Methadone takes away the narcotic feeling from oxycodone, then I would have to take 10 a day just to get the same feeling as 1

[Mollyrae]

Hello and welcome to MH.

Your family member is absolutely abusing his mediation. He might be in some pain but the need for the euphoric high is greater. People who need the narcotics to function do not use their meds in this fashion. In fact, what he is doing is using his meds for the recreational purpose rather than controlling any pain. I would really question the amount of pain he has. He might tell you that he is in alot of pain but his actions prove otherwise.

Have you thought about discussing this with his Doctor? Maybe getting him on a non-narcotic medication.

Also, if you think he truley has pain then maybe it's a possibility to control his intake of the meds and give him what is prescribed...He might not swollow the medication but only give him the amount prescribed for that hour. I know that is probly not an option and he would not give you his meds but it's worth asking.

Anyway, I would talk with his Doctor.... If it were my family member recieving meds prescribed by a Doctor and they were snorting the meds, I would be on the phone in a heartbeat and finding a different pain med alternative.....

Just my thought...

[Mollyrae]

I neglected to tell you that there is a great "Substance Abuse" forum and they might have some really good info in this matter.

Take care and good luck, Mollyrae

[Tuckamore]

Hastostop is an old post from 2007. You have both made good points but I do beleive that this Betti has probably moved on.

But than maybe I am missing something. And Waldo I did respond to your post regarding pain fromd narcotic usage, called rebound. You can find this on you solo post.

Thanks all, be well. Tuck

[Mollyrae]

Thank's Tuck......I sometimes neglect to look at the date ,:-)