A doctor who prescribes 900 OxyContin a month!??!!

[lady_m]

I knew that one of the "big bosses", R, at work was on a lot of pain medication for his back.  Until yesterday I never imagined how much.  We started talking about pain meds and he said he takes 30 OxyContin a day.  On top of that he is on pure hydrocodone.  There is a pharmacy here that takes all the other stuff (tylenol, etc) out and just leaves the hydro.  He takes about 15 a day of those.  On top of that he wears a pain patch.  All this from ONE pain doctor.  His tolerance has grown and grown over the years so the doctor keeps increasing his doses.  He said the doc said he takes enough drugs in one day to kill a horse.  He saw the shocked look on my face so he actually SHOWED ME his prescription bottles!  I know my tolerance grew to crazy levels but I have finally met my match!!!  We talked for a good hour about drugs, etc.  He didn't know I'm an addict but I'm sure he has an idea now.  We were talking about how horrible withdrawals are.  I told him when I detoxed from Oxy last year I wanted to die.  He said that even when his pain isn't bad he has to constantly take the pills just to avoid withdrawals.  Another boss was listening and mentioned that he must be "high" all time time.  I explained to her that after awhile you have to take them to just be "normal".  R and I went back and forth about withdrawals, etc.  He asked me why I ever got back on them after stopping.  In all this time he never said anything about pain, so I think he realizes I was taking them for other reasons, just like I realized that with him.  I explained that the last time I stopped I tapered.  He asked me what and I did and over how long, etc.  When I said it was actually only 2 and a half weeks ago he was amazed.  He had no idea, especially since I didn't miss any work during this time.  R said he knows his back pain would probably not be as bad if he stopped the drugs because his body would start producing endorphines again, etc.  I said it would take time, but that it would.  I even told him my back actually feels better now than it did when I was taking the drugs.  It is amazing.  So he is thinking about doing the rapid detox where they put you under.  I told him about some of the risks I have read about it, but being on that much medication I might do it myself.  I guess he checked into it and it is about 11 grand and insurance doesn't cover it.

It is amazing how we are so close with people that use heavily and we have no idea.  This guy is very sucessful and you would never guess it.  I had my suspicious because I knew he was on a lot of stuff and he would ask me to track his packages because he has his pain meds sent to work.  I had no idea though.  And I know he had no idea about me.  Yet we have worked side by side for some time.  It just goes to show you that addiction doesn't discriminate.  People tend to get ideas in their head of what type of people addicts 'should' be, but it can hit anyone.

So I joked that now I know he keeps them in his briefcase I'll be in there more often... lol.  Although he did mention that towards the end of the month he keeps count of his pills so he doesn't run out.  So he jokingly warned me that he would be counting them more often now.

I wanted to tell him about the forum and what a great place it is, but even though we talked and he probably guessed, I never came out and admitted to being an addict.  Plus there is no way I would ever feel comfortable pouring my heart out on the forum if I knew he would be reading it.  It's just too personal, and not something you really want the higher up at work reading!  Especially around raise and promotion time!

Oh!  He also told me his first wife committed suicide using Vicodin.  She took two bottles of it.  I was really amazed with everything he told me.  

[oneway]

Is this 30 80mgs a day?  I couldn't imagine taking more then I was taking I would die.  I have literally fallen down the stairs after shooting up large amounts when my tolerance went down.  30 wow.

[Daisy Cr]

lucky guys with convertibles... i have a mountain byke and i thought i am very posh, ha ha

[oneway]

yo man its kind of funny because I keep track of my days by keeping track of your days because my thinking has been shot so I always know I'm one day behind you.  Good luck man.

[TimH2]

Congrats and you are doing it!!!! I am really happy for you and wish you continued success!!! Happy day #12!

[oneway]

oh and I have been clean for 12 days but when I went ct off of 1600mgs I was clean for 2 months and didn't even feel close to being normal but now this is the best I have felt off of drugs in 3 years.

[oneway]

Yeah I use to be in the game and thats about as much as I will say.  I lived a life of excess I was 23 years old making half a mill and over in cash money and having multiple cars, girlfriends, guns, and anything else that was bad for you.  Because of the drugs I ended up oweing 70 grand to some real a%^ dudes.  They put a hit out on me.  I use to wear a bullet proof vest in my house and have a shotgun and machine gun under my couch.  All while I was dope sic.  I finally have left that life alone but I have nothing now because the drugs took my mind body and soul.  I couldn't handle my business anymore and my connects started seeing me as unpredictable.