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.  

[darienguy]

I also was wondering who this dr feelgood was- although i doubt i would travel to California from Connecticut for a script

Be happy you got out as you have- i know having my eyes open now has made a huge difference

[darienguy]

i gotta ask- how were you supporting an $8K habit a week?

[oneway]

I actually was shooting 20 80mg tabs a day.  The doctor told me that I was probably gonna od soon because I was shooting up 4 to 5 80mg tabs at a time, and it would only make me feel normal.  I also was showing symptoms of overdose like slow breathing, confusion, shaking.  I was spending 8 grand a week because I was buying them off the street.  If this guy was taking 30 80mg tabs a day that is wild.

[lady_m]

Wow, that is amazing.  Are you clean now?  Wouldn't ever judge you either way, I'm just really interested in your story.  8 grand a week.  WOW.  Oxy 80s were my DOC for some time...

[darienguy]

still cant get over that 30 number- my guess is the doctor can be a very popular guy (or gal)

As far as your liver, you are young and that certainly helps. I'm guessing (just guessing) that your genetics are good as well. I have genetics on my side and i see how it has helped at my tender age of 45

Cleaning up vicodin is very, very easy. Another thing, taking out the other stuff actually makes the hydrocodone more effective.

As for your grandmother, i love them when they are fiesty :)

[lady_m]

Yeah, I wondered how many people were going to this "Dr. Feelgood".  I'm not going to lie, I IMMEDIATELY knew that if I were still using I would have asked R for his information in a heartbeat so I could go to him.  

Not sure what it is or why I got lucky (so far anyway) but I'm so thankful.  But I know I can only keep testing the waters so many times before I sink.  So I better quit while I'm ahead.

She is so funny, she's almost 80 and she would probably still whoop my a$$... lol