taking methadone and oxycodone together

[skg337]

My husband has been prescirbed oxy's for about 3 yrs now thur a pain managment doctor. He keeps increasing the daily dose but my husband got mixed up on roxy's and methadone during this time. Now he wants to try to come off all but what the doctor precribes but he is starting to have swelling in his ankles and feet. Could coming off some of this be the cause, or it is the possiblity of mixing some of this togther doing this. He is careful not to take to much, he knows he could OD. He's also on Xanax's and klonopin together too.

[shinty]

It showed up up on my watchlist for some reason. Thanks for the heads-up.

[Weathergirl21]

Again...this is a thread from 2010...so those responding to the OP aren't going to get a response back...

I suggest that if people feel this is a revelant topic to start their own new thread...

[shinty]

  
    "Under no circumstances should he be mixing oxycontin and methadone.

This is a prescription for death."

    I have been on both of these (along with others) medications for years. I'm still very much alive. please know what your talking about before giving other people advice. An opiate naive peson would certainly have problems taking these medications alone, nevermind combined. This isn't the case with the post in which I'm commenting on.

[Weathergirl21]

Just FYI but you are responding to a thread from 2010

[QualityPM]

I am currently Methadone 2.5mg q12h & Oxycodone 15mg tid prn for pain management and Klonopin 2mg qd for Anxiety, along with two other non narcotic pain relievers (SSRIs & SSRNIs). I can tell you from research and experience that Methadone is sometimes prescribed along with moderate dosages of Oxycodone as an alternative to increasing the dosage of Oxycodone. Methadone acts as a potentiator, increasing the efficacy of the Oxycodone due to increased tolerance. I have been on the on all three medications with no issue for some time now. However, and I don't know if it is related, but I experienced edema of my calves down through my toes since I started taking the Methadone/Oxycodone combination. I tried taking Lasix to reduce the edema but the swelling wouldn't subside.

You may want to ask your doctor to talk to his PMP or PCP regarding the edema to ensure that it is not a symptom of a possible illness (I haven't yet). I would hate to bare false attribution and have someone else suffer as a result of my ignorance.

Your husband may want to speak to his PCP regarding the concomitant use of Xanax and Klonopin. Klonopin is a long acting benzodiazepine and Xanax is a short acting benzodiazepine. Usually I would say that he should be able to taper off the Xanax depending on the dosage he is taking, however, they are also both considered CNS depressants (as are Methadone and Oxycodone) and opioid potentiators, which validate previous comments concerning legitimate lethality of taking benzodiazepines and Opiates concomitantly (depending on the dosages).

If he is taking a substantial amount of Xanax, tapering off may trigger both Opioid and benzodiazepine withdrawal which could be extremely dangerous.

[QualityPM]

I am currently Methadone 2.5mg q12h & Oxycodone 15mg tid prn for pain management and Klonopin 2mg qd for Anxiety, along with two other non narcotic pain relievers (SSRIs & SSRNIs). I can tell you from research and experience that Methadone is sometimes prescribed along with moderate dosages of Oxycodone as an alternative to increasing the dosage of Oxycodone. Methadone acts as a potentiator, increasing the efficacy of the Oxycodone due to increased tolerance. I have been on the on all three medications with no issue for some time now. However, and I don't know if it is related, but I experienced edema of my calves down through my toes since I started taking the Methadone/Oxycodone combination. I tried taking Lasix to reduce the edema but the swelling wouldn't subside.

You may want to ask your doctor to talk to his PMP or PCP regarding the edema to ensure that it is not a symptom of a possible illness (I haven't yet). I would hate to bare false attribution and have someone else suffer as a result of my ignorance.

Your husband may want to speak to his PCP regarding the concomitant use of Xanax and Klonopin. Klonopin is a long acting benzodiazepine and Xanax is a short acting benzodiazepine. Usually I would say that he should be able to taper off the Xanax depending on the dosage he is taking, however, they are also both considered CNS depressants (as are Methadone and Oxycodone) and opioid potentiators, which validate previous comments concerning legitimate lethality of taking benzodiazepines and Opiates concomitantly (depending on the dosages).

If he is taking a substantial amount of Xanax, tapering off may trigger both Opioid and benzodiazepine withdrawal which could be extremely dangerous.

[happyhbmom]

I don't believe she said he was on oxycontin, she said he was on oxycodone.

I read it that he is taking Oxycodone by prescription and Roxycodone and Methadone illicitly (since she said he wants to come off of everything but what his doctor is giving him).

Also does he have a doctor for the Klonopin and Xanax?  And does the pain medication doctor know about those meds?

[Agggony]

  It is VERY hard for some one who has been taking large doses of pain meds  for a # of years to O-D on them, Oxy Contin and Methadone are 2 of the most EVIL drugs to get off. There is a newer drug called Suboxon that is used to ween people of narcotic pain meds. It has had Great success if taken and PRESCRIBED properly. Suboxon will help control the pain as well. He either needs to stick to what his Dr. is giving him only, Or go in to a rehab & get clean. IT IS NOT the falt of patients prescribed Oxy Contin that they become so "Hard Core addicted , Purdue Frederick the maker was fines $600MILLION for the Deceitful way they lied to Dr.s and planned on creating Millions of Junkies to increase their profits. They told Dr.s that theu could prescribe a 12hr drug 3Xs a day, so that the Patients were constantly overlapping the doses creating a drug addict in a mater of Days! I will never take Oxy Contin ,EVER!

[aherbe]

my mother just passed away and she was taking methadone valium and oxycodone plus many other heart meds such as nitro and others i can't remember how to spell let alone pronounce and i am on a war path for medical malpractice against her doctor he was prescribing all of the medications she was taking

[mellie4]

I agree with the other comments. It sounds like your husband is in some trouble with the mixing of  these med?  It sounds like he needs to be under strict control of a pain clinic and/or addiction specialit

[jade_and_janessas_mommy]

I almost died from taking methadone with klonopin.  (Perscribed amounts, although one doctor didn't know about the other.)  I wouldn't suggest taking them together.  Not a good idea.

[avisg]

Mixing methadone xanax and klonopin can be a fatal combination .Try to convince him to speak to his doctor about what he should do .Does he get the drugs from all of the same doctor

[sandee1818]

Detoxing from benzodiazepines can cause serious side effects which could include serious anxiety, seizures, pulmonary edema, catatonic states and even death.
I am nor sure I understand the question regarding the methadone and the oxycodone. is he prescribed both? is he in a methadone program and taking the oxycodone and benzos?
It is very important for him to talk to his Doctor and tell him honestly what he has been taking and what dosage so the Doctor can help him ween off at a safe rate.
it is not advisable to do this himself, he really needs the Doctor's assistance in tapering off these medications.
Please let us know how he is and also he is welcome to join too:)
Jadedsweetheart mentioned the SA community, this is a good idea to get some information but remember to check with his Doctor before doing anything.

[Tuckamore]

Caregiver,

I think she means oxycodone (roxy's) and NOT OxyContin. Roxicodone is oxycodone and not OxyContin.

Methadone and Roxicodone are sometimes prescribed together. But you re correct that OxyContin and Methadone would not be a good combination.

Peace,
~Tuck

[caregiver222]

Under no circumstances should he be mixing oxycontin and methadone.

This is a prescription for death.

Both medications are opiates. He has an addiction problem. If he continues, without making a value judgement, he should only be on one opiate.

The medications have vastly different half-lives, for one thing. I cannot conceive of any physician that would prescribe oxycontin while a patient was on methadone. Mixing the two is a recipe for respiratory arrest.

[IkillCancer50]

   i cant stand it when you get people that just jump in and think they know all with without reading up on this stuff its common to use both these medications for severe pain and while the new MDs are scared to death of the new CDC recommendations fruit cake rules and would agree with you just to stay looking good and get there awards but to your surprise this is a normal treatment.  from my experience pain patients are never addicted just dependent lets be clear here addicts want to get high pain patients want to live a normal life without pain and you will always have addicts and regulation never works it just creates opportunity for criminals remember your history folks Prohibition just created the mob. I'm sorry but I get so tired of people forgetting to use good ol common sense please please pick up a medical book or a medical dictionary before you go acting like a doctor!!!

[Tuckamore]

Hi Skg,

Welcome to the Pain Mangement forum. I am sorry to hear about your husband issues. He is fortunate to have your concern and caring.

Can you clarify a statement for me? When you said your husband "got mixed up on roxy's and methadone" what did you mean? Did he get them confused, did it effect his thinking or did he abuse them?  Because you said he is careful not to take too much I doubt you meant that he abused his meds.

I doubt that reducing his narcotic use will cause extremity edema however I am far from and expert on withdrawal. Does he have other medical conditions that could account for the edema? I would consider that first. It's also important that he reduce his narcotics under a physicians supervision, especially if he doses have been high. It's been on them long enough that his system is depend upon the narcotic medications.

If he is seeing a PMP they are very strict about following exactly what they prescribe. A urine drug screen could reveal lower than prescribed opiates levels. If that should happen it may jeopardize his continued prescriptions and care through his current PMP. I only mention this because I am concerned for chronic pain patients when this happens. It can be a nightmare locating another PMP.

I hope to hear from you soon. Please keep in touch and let us know how your husband is doing...in addition to clarifying your post. Best of luck to both of you. Don't forget to take care of yourself too.

Peace,
~Tuck

[JadedSweetheart]

That's a tough one.  I would recommend the Substance Abuse forum.  They are really good about knowing what happens when you come off certain meds and they know about all kids of med mixes.  
Is he trying to come off the Xanax and Klonopin, too?  It sounds like it could be from withdrawing from the meds, but it could also be from the mix.  I have no idea.