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Pain Management Community
This patient support community is for discussions relating to pain management, arthritis, back pain, cancer, fibromyalgia, headaches, movement disorders pain, and muscle pain.
Oxycodone Abuse
by hastostop, Aug 03, 2007 01:16PM
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.
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.
Post Comment
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