Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
"Undiluted (oxycodone)oxycondin is much stronger since it is time release and has to stay effective for long period of time so can be abused much easier . It does, however, provide better control of pain since there is no 'wearing off' period, which can happen with oxycodone, in between doses.
The potential for abuse along with the actual abuse makes it less likely to be offered for 'single' issues.
That wearing off period may be why the op's kid still has pain.
How bad it is can be because of his pain tolerence....some people expect/want to have no pain at all or even any discomfort......others put up with it as normal.
There is also his tolerence to the med.
I can take 3 times as much as my husband.......he'll be out of it, I'll still have some discomfort.
We're getting really off topic. Can you please confirm for the poor OP that being prescribed OxyContin, a time released opiate, is a completely different scenario than taking OxyCodone? Taking OxyContin is a long term commitment and the patient will develop a dependence to the med (different than addiction). Oxycodone can be discontinued after a month or two without going through withdrawals.
That's not accurate at all. Oxycontin (which contains oxycodone) can be and is used short term with no problems. The short term version of Oxycodone (usually mixed with acetaminophen and sold as Percocet) can also lead to dependence if used regularly for a longer period of time. Two months of taking Percocet could very well lead to dependence and withdrawal symptoms although they should be on the milder side. Two months use of Oxycontin, unless the patient has previously been dependent, would also only lead to milder withdrawal if any at all.
Oxycontin does NOT have to be a long term commitment. I was prescribed oxycontin after surgery as are many people. Both Oxycontin and Percocet can be used long term for chronic pain. It is only for chronic pain patients treated by pain specialists where special contracts are usually required. It's required by the clinic though, not by law unless it's a local law.
That's not accurate at all. Oxycontin (which contains oxycodone) can be and is used short term with no problems. The short term version of Oxycodone (usually mixed with acetaminophen and sold as Percocet) can also lead to dependence if used regularly for a longer period of time. Two months of taking Percocet could very well lead to dependence and withdrawal symptoms although they should be on the milder side. Two months use of Oxycontin, unless the patient has previously been dependent, would also only lead to milder withdrawal if any at all.
Oxycontin does NOT have to be a long term commitment. I was prescribed oxycontin after surgery as are many people. Both Oxycontin and Percocet can be used long term for chronic pain. It is only for chronic pain patients treated by pain specialists where special contracts are usually required. It's required by the clinic though, not by law unless it's a local law.
OxyContin is no longer supposed to be prescribed for short term usage. Purdue's original marketing claimed it was less addictive than other opiates and as a result, it could be prescribed for short term purposes... That it was less addictive (or didn't cause dependency) was hog wash obviously.
The OP's son has only had one Rx filled so far. She is not sure of the dosage, but a "normal" first Rx for Oxycodone would be small and withdrawals should be minimal.
Prior to the heavy and inappropriate marketing of OxyContin, other opiates were routinely prescribed, and there was no ensuing epidemic of opiate addicts as a result, even though there was 80+ years of history. Some patients have tried similar opiates in ER formulations and have reported feeling more intoxicated from OxyContin as well as other serious side effects--although this is certainly not always the case.
You feel Oxycodone and OxyContin are interchangeable. I disagree. But my whole point was that certain posts were attempting to spook the OP, that her son would be at great risk for developing an addiction. People are simply paranoid from media coverage of OxyContin being abused...
OxyContin is no longer supposed to be prescribed for short term usage. Purdue's original marketing claimed it was less addictive than other opiates and as a result, it could be prescribed for short term purposes... That it was less addictive (or didn't cause dependency) was hog wash obviously.
The OP's son has only had one Rx filled so far. She is not sure of the dosage, but a "normal" first Rx for Oxycodone would be small and withdrawals should be minimal.
Prior to the heavy and inappropriate marketing of OxyContin, other opiates were routinely prescribed, and there was no ensuing epidemic of opiate addicts as a result, even though there was 80+ years of history. Some patients have tried similar opiates in ER formulations and have reported feeling more intoxicated from OxyContin as well as other serious side effects--although this is certainly not always the case.
You feel Oxycodone and OxyContin are interchangeable. I disagree. But my whole point was that certain posts were attempting to spook the OP, that her son would be at great risk for developing an addiction. People are simply paranoid from media coverage of OxyContin being abused...
A femur fracture is one of the most painful injuries known to man and surgery, open reduction internal fixation, is a very painful procedure.
It would not be uncommon at all to use Oxycontin in the postoperative period for this type of fracture and surgery, it will be painful for a long time.
If Oxycontin is not used, a "normal" first Rx for Oxycodone might be 90 to 100 tablets, not a "small" amount....
Again, very painful injury, very painful surgery, long anticipated course of post operative pain.
A femur fracture is one of the most painful injuries known to man and surgery, open reduction internal fixation, is a very painful procedure.
It would not be uncommon at all to use Oxycontin in the postoperative period for this type of fracture and surgery, it will be painful for a long time.
If Oxycontin is not used, a "normal" first Rx for Oxycodone might be 90 to 100 tablets, not a "small" amount....
Again, very painful injury, very painful surgery, long anticipated course of post operative pain.
I really think such a blanket statement is unfair, and potentially harmful.
When I broke several bones on the left side of my body in the car accident, there were two spots I vividly remember the pain: my ribs, and my knee where they inserted a long metal screw to suspend my leg up in traction during the 4 days I was in CICU. And the only reason I remember the knee pain so vividly, is because they thought I was fully anesthetized when they drilled the hole through - and I was only "mostly" anesthetized. I was just so out of it, pumped up with morphine and tubes in almost every orifice, that I wasn't really in any position to protest.
Then, four days later, I had the operation that resulted in a steel rod through a long slit in my left buttock, down through the upper half of the femur, and through the lower half, with another slit 7 inches long on my outer thigh so they could position the bone to place the rod, and then staple me all back up again. They also screwed a plate onto my radius, and another one on my ulna, in the same surgery. I was written up in some surgical journal because it was the first time they'd done all three in one shot. Usually it was two seperate surgeries, until that point.
The first couple of days I was so out of it, I was sore, but fed copious amounts of morphine through a drip tube so I only vaguely remember the pain. The third day after surgery was when I found out my best friend died in the accident, and I was too busy grieving about that to pay much attention to my physical pain.
The fourth day I was very sore, and that was also the day they let me wheel over to the solarium for a smoke (smoking was allowed in hospitals, in designated visitor areas, at that time in history).
I was in the hospital for a total of two weeks, including the first four days of CICU to monitor me for an embellism that had started travelling toward a lung. I had one week of recovery at a friend's house, and then it was right to physical therapy for the next six months. The physical therapy was gruelling, especially once they had me climb into a huge metal vat (that turnedout to be a therapeutic whirlpool bath) for 20 minutes, 3 times a week.
But as I said, after the first month, I no longer "needed" the percosets. I took them mostly because the doctor was willing to let me have a bunch more, and I was a college student, and it was a recreational kick at the time.
I was still sore, but nothing that a normal ordinary tylenol couldn't fix, after the first month. My ribs were sore for longer than that (I broke three of them). My arm was also sore. But "sore" and "very painful" are two different things.
I definitely wouldn't put my broken leg on the top 5 list of "most painful surgeries." Recovering from having a third of my cervix zapped out with a laser to keep the severe dysplasia from spreading and growing into full-grown cancer - THAT was the most painful. Recovering from getting my tubes tied easily took second place. Breaking my OTHER arm in 3rd grade - right near the elbow - THAT was very easily third place. Fourth was having my adenoids removed, and the only reason it isn't in 2nd or 3rd is because I had it done when I was so young all I remember of it was the hot fudge sundaes being delicious at St. Raphael's Hospital and my aunt bringing me a huge yellow stuffed mouse I named Mousey.
I'd say fifth was probably the needle biopsy on my thyroid, and sixth was the thyroidectomy that followed a few weeks later.
The soreness of the broken bones lasted longer, but the pain wasn't as severe as any of the above - even when I was fresh in the recovery room when the morphine was wearing off.
A femur fracture is one of the most painful injuries known to man and surgery, open reduction internal fixation, is a very painful procedure.
It would not be uncommon at all to use Oxycontin in the postoperative period for this type of fracture and surgery, it will be painful for a long time.
If Oxycontin is not used, a "normal" first Rx for Oxycodone might be 90 to 100 tablets, not a "small" amount....
Again, very painful injury, very painful surgery, long anticipated course of post operative pain.
Everytime a doctor writes a prescription for extended release opiates, he or she is potentially jeapordizing their livelihood. Maybe some parts of the country are more lax than others, but that is no longer the norm. The DEA has stated that the only doctors that they want to be prescribing extended release opiates are those specializing in pain management, but because of the intense scrutiny pain clinics are under, those docs are often the MOST conservative writing Rx's for ER opiates--and especially for patients that have never used ER opiates. WA has the strictest guidelines for opiate usage in the country, and while they were the first state to get that tough, they probably won't be the last. http://www.agencymeddirectors.wa.gov.../2006FAQV8.pdf
If a Rx is written for a patient to take 10 mg of OxyCodone every 8 hours, that's 120 pills. That is a relative small amount of opiates. For someone that has never taken them before it's an amount to be respected, don't get me wrong... But, if taken as prescribed the patient will not OD and the doctor has limited liability. The patient can taper down their usage without needing another Rx written if the pain is resolved, whereas an ER prescription doesn't lend itself to tapering off. Most docs will only write these Rx's for ER opiates if they see no other alternative, and if they're comfortable having a long term commitment to that patient.
Pain is subjective. What a patient needs for pain management is a decision for their doctors. After the major problems caused by OxyContin being marketed inappropriately, some guidelines have been put into place to try and make sure that only certain patients have access. Doctor's must then determine if the risk is worth it if they write an Rx that goes against that--if they do so with enough patients their practice will be scrutinized, if their patient/s OD, or have issues that involve law enforcement--even more scrutiny. If they're no longer allowed to write Rx's for pain meds and they are still able to hang onto their licenses, they're left with few career options.
Just to clarify litlluv a MD cant write a schedule II narcotic for more than 100 tablets.
I'm really not sure the point of this post, it doesn't help the OP at all.
I'm only familiar with CA rules. A 30 day supply (60 pills) of ER opiates are the maximum allowed. IR opiates (also Schedule II) are allowed in greater quantities, so long as the instructions match, so Rx's written for 180 pills, or up to 6 per day would be fine for example. It makes sense to have additional IR at a lower dosage (180 count at 30 mg), than fewer at a higher dosage (90 count at 60 mg) so such a law doesn't really make any sense, so that a patient can take the lowest amount needed to reduce pain, and not feel intoxicated, IMO.
I'm really not sure the point of this post, it doesn't help the OP at all.
I'm only familiar with CA rules. A 30 day supply (60 pills) of ER opiates are the maximum allowed. IR opiates (also Schedule II) are allowed in greater quantities, so long as the instructions match, so Rx's written for 180 pills, or up to 6 per day would be fine for example. It makes sense to have additional IR at a lower dosage (180 count at 30 mg), than fewer at a higher dosage (90 count at 60 mg) so such a law doesn't really make any sense, so that a patient can take the lowest amount needed to reduce pain, and not feel intoxicated, IMO.
In the case of federal or state rules the stricter rules apply.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
