Oxycodone Tolerance

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Question? I have been on oxy 30's for almost two years now. My body has built up a tolerance to it now. I used to look forward to taking it because it gave me the euphoric feeling and I was "happy" after taking it. Now my tolerance level is at taking 5 pills or 150mg. What can I do to get my tolerance down. I also have this med called suboxone which I take when I run out. I am thinking of stopping the meds altogether. I must say that I feel better off the oxys. I am not addicted to it but if I continue I could be. The only thing that keeps me from it is I am scared to die so I won't do anything for the euphoria. However, after taking the suboxone, I always feel better. It also provides a euphoric feeling that is great and it works great for the withdrawal symptoms. So I am in a catch 22. I need the pills for my painful back problem, but I also want to stop taking the pills before I become addicted but when I take them, I can do things like clean the house, cook, go places. It completely changes my mood. Any advice???

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I also am prescribed 5 30 mg oxycodone a month for almost 2 yrs bc of chronic back pain. I always take this responsibly. Last month, I couldn't fill the script anywhere. No one has it. I ran out, and decided I wanted to try to stop it. I started taking hydrocodone. Let me tell you, I went through withdrawal. I went back to Dr, and got a prescription for opana. This med is a mightmare. Helps with pain, but makes me very nauseous. The point I'm trying to make is, with the dosage of 30 mg of oxycodone, theres addiction of dependency. No matter what you want to call it, you will ho thru withdrawal without the med. The only way is to taper down very slowly, over months. I don't know much about suboxone, only that it's used to get off of opiods. I keber realized how addicted I was until I didn't have the oxycodone. I understand how you feel, I also used to loke the euphoria I experienced. I refuse to be on more medication. It truly is a slippery slope, and addiction is an awful thing. The brain gets so used to the drug, and there's pain that is more mental than physical. If you want to come off these meds, you'll definitely need the help of your Dr. It's very unlikely and dangerous to do it in your own. I know how you feel, I have tears in my eyes, bc I also would like to never have to take this med again. Good luck and God bless, you're not alone.

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Sorry for all the typos. I meant I'm prescribed 150 30 mg roxycodone a month. With the amount of medication, we are addicted/dependent. That's the reality. To me, they're both the same thing. I didn't realize the depth of my addiction/dependency until last month. Now I know the sad truth. You're reaching out, there's a positive thing in and of itself. Take care and always remember, you're not alone, I'm a wife, Mom, and not a kid. No one knows my secret bc I'd be too ashamed to admit my dependency, except my husband who is not happy about it. He worries, but doesn't fully understand the pain I'm in, and how it wears me down. God bless

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There are differences here in what you're describing.

Dependence occurs when you take a medication regularly and your body is just used to having that substance. A sudden cessation in these cases can cause some minor withdrawal symptoms and rebound effects, but they aren't usually dangerous.

Addiction occurs when someone enjoys how a drug makes them feel, such as the euphoria and they start to take more and more of it, to get that feeling. A sudden cessation in these cases can cause severe withdrawal symptoms, that can be life threatening.


Learn more Oxycodone information here.

Are there any questions or comments?

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Hey panic pain, thanks for your reply. The withdrawal symptoms are a killer but luckily I have not had to go through it without taking the suboxone. Its funny how you know when you are not on the oxy's because you feel so much better off it but because of the addiction/dependency, it makes it hard to stay off. Even though you feel better off of it. So I am deciding on taking the suboxone and getting off thr oxy or just to keep taking the oxy's. It is some comfort in knowing that if I run out of the oxy's, at least I have the suboxone, pills so that I don't go into withdrawals. I am just on the fence. Wanting to get off the pills, and continuing to take them is a hard decision. Especially, when I have the back pain which can be horrible and the oxy's are the only thing that works. I have tried hydro condone and opana and they do not work. I just think I am going to have get off them a while for them to be more effective. I am a mom of 6 and a wife to and I am like you, only my husband knows, also. No one else. I joke about it but people don't take me seriously.

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You are right. I am dependent/addicted. I am dependent on the medication and I do like how it makes me feel, however, I am not willing to take more than prescribed because I am scared of the effects like DEATH. I am supposed to take 90 mg every four hours. I have taken four before even five because I thought the more the med the pain will go quicker but I have not taken this dosage each time. I do want the euphoria back but I am not willing to take more to get it so I was wondering how to get it out of my system to get it back.

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Ldjp and verwon, I agree with you about the difference between dependence and addiction. I felt not that sick like I would think w/d feels like. I wasn't able to function loke I can on the med. I didn't get violently sick like I expected. I know I'm surely dependent, and walking that fine line of addiction. I only wanted to help lpjp in realizing that getting off these meds are nearly impossible to do on your own, whether addicted or dependent. I appreciate you explaining the difference, but at the end of the day, this will be one of the hardest things to stop I've ever faced. I've lost 100 lbs, and yet getting off this med seems to be the impossible mission,especially when you're in a lot of pain. Thank you, and I wish there was an easy answer and God bless each of you, this is my only way to express my feelings and the war within myself to stop this awful yet relieving medication.

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After being on oxycodone at the high doses, I don't think you'll ever attain the euphoria even if you stopped for awhile. I would be very afraid to take 90 mg every 4 hrs too. I have a high tolerance, but that's an awful lot of medication. I can tell you're not a druggie dirtbag, you're a wife and mom who is reaching out. I commend you for that. You have my support and like I said, you're so not alone. Take care, and keep up the mindset you have. You have a friend here. God Bless

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I understood what you were saying and thank you for your honesty. So what do you do or when do u have the withdrawal symptoms? On the oxy's I feel a lot of anxiety when I am close to my last set of pills. I am wondering what I am going to do if I run out to quickly. With the suboxone, I can just take that now, so I am not worried about it this time. I have cut back on my pills and not taken the max dose so that is a start! I often shake too. Well my hands do when I am typing.

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I always count mine amd have made sure I never run out. The pain mgt I go to every 28 days counts my pills bc they give a 30 day supply. This keeps me in check of never running out. I wish I had my roxycodone, I took it for granted, amd now I can't fill them anywhere. Last month, I drove over 200 miles around to over 30 pharmacies, to be told we don't have them or Walgreens said were not comfortable filling them. Ive been a patient of theirs for close to 2 yrs. It's ridiculous. I've been so sick to my stomach and in pain on this opana. Then the independent pharmacy screwed me by only filling 90 of the 150 I was prescribed. Had to give up the other 60. I always took out at least 25 and put them away, so that helped. I know I be in the same boat next month, won't be able to get my roxycodone. I don't get any other narcotic, it's so unfair. I'm furious with the dea for doing this to pain patients. :(

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10

Everyone needs to get together to start a petition. If you have HBP (which kills down the line), the dea does not come knocking on your door asking to check your medication. Frankly it is no one's business but YOUR own! Sorry about the rant but the government is getting WAY out of control with the monitoring of medical information. Regarding the tolerance issue, it seems that everyone has a different tolerance depending on your "at home and personal" situation. I have heard good things about the suboxone but what happens when you wean yourself from that and you still have a messed up back or neck or whatever medical problem you may have? That has always been my worry. I dont want to go through all the constant pain everyday which is completely crippling w/o any narcotic meds. All the other OTC meds taken together do as much good as one single pill of oxycodone. Good luck with your situation.

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You say the pharmacy only filled a portion of the Rx? Can they do that? Couldn't you have gotten the balance of the prescribed med when they were able to obtain more of it? Or did they not fill the entire Rx because of other reasons?

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Good point Jan. After reading this earlier today I called my pharmacy and was told that pharmacies are not allowed to do that (by both store policy and law). If the medication is in but the quantity is low then they partial fill which is noted on the rx label. Laws are different from state to state though....

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13

I forgot to say I am in Mississippi. ( North Mississippi so dont judge j/k)

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I live in Fl and if they can't fill the remainder of script within 72 hrs, they must notify the prescripting Dr of the partial prescription. I checked this on the dea's website fo my state. I guess the pharmacies will be pulling this bs because they can get away with it. Not only did I not get my medication I've been getting, now I have less of a med that doesn't work. It's a freakin disgrace. No one cares, least of all the pharmacist. They're now playing God, deciding who and how much med the will or won't dispense.

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I forgot to add pharmacist said he only had 90 and wouldn't be getting anymore in. I made sure he didn't charge my insurance co or me for the full script. The script does say 90 on the bottle. I'll be calling my Dr to make sure pharmacist did call to notify of partial script and insurance co if I'm now entitled to fill another script 12 days early. I'm still covering my butt by only taking 3 a day. I can't go thru having no med again.

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I would definately follow up with your Dr. The Dr. wrote a script for a certain amount of meds and you got half! Sounds like some shady stuff going on at that pharmacy. Of course that is just a possibility and I am a pessimist so I think of the worst things first!

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Thanks Marque. It was a small pharmacy, and after going to cvs and walgreens and being told they don't carry opana, I was desperate. I was out of meds by then for 2 wks. Took some hydrocodone, which did nothing, and I had no choice but to take the 90. Im pretty sure the pharmacy lied, and just didn't want to give me the 150. He even said he only had 1 bottle, when I'm pretty sure 1 bottle has @ least 100, not 90. Now, I'm scared bc the beginning if the second wk I was out, I was so desperate., I smoked something I shouldn't have had, bc I was nauseous and in pain. My appt is this wk, so now I'm really in a jam. I'm so pissed off @ myself, but it's too late. Haven't smoked in a wk, and before that it was yrs. Really messed up, if I tell them, Ill get thrown out. I'm a nervous wreck now. :(

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I really hope that your Dr. would understand that you were ripped off of almost half your meds, bring your bottle with you. Doc's know that withdrawing from that much medication can make people smoke the worst of drugs! I get mad at myself also but you/we have to get over that! I get angry sometimes when I go to the pharmacy and some new pharmacy assistant looks at me like I'm a bum because I am getting a large quantity of pain meds and I am (quite frankly) embarrassed! I know I should not feel that way but I do. I am also quite sure you did not want to be in the pain you are in. I know I sure dont want to be taking these meds just to not be in pain for doing everyday normal stuff like getting out of bed, taking a shower or whatever! I am going to sleep now (for the normal 4 hours I get haha) but when I pray I will include you in my prayers.

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From what I have been reading on the news and seeing on tv, they are really cracking down on the meds in Florida because of the drug selling issues. Do you find that to be true? Especially the oxy selling. I heard that people are robbing the pharmacies to get to the medication. That's probably why they looked at you crazy. Pay no mind to those people. I find people like that to be the ones who are doing worse things to get those meds while you are getting a script!!!

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Yes, it's very bad here in FL. Lass than a yr ago my local cvs was held up for oxycodone. I understand they're scared to carry this med. But where does that leave us? I've been in bed for days bc of this opana making me so ill. I know I won't be able to get the roxycodone script filled even if Dr writes it. I can't tolerate most other pain mwds. I'm very prone to nausea, and having gastric bypass has made it worse. I lie awake for hrs last night, in so much pain and so sick to my stomach. I'm so upset and depressed, I don't know where to turn. There's a section here under oxycodone shortage, and peple are posting daily how they're unable to fill med. I'm so sick of being turned away, and having scripts thrown at me. Sick of the dirty looks, the judgement in their eyes. Im tired of fighting, crying, and suffering. God bless and I wish people don't gave to go thru what some of us are going thru to fill a prescription.:((

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Stay strong. I know, easier said than done. I'm on oxy 30s four times a day because of an amputation so it's really difficult for me to taper off if I wanted to plus I have some this to generation diseases facet joint disease in my back and I'll try this it's a pain in the butt butt again thank you for making a statement that I'm not alone because I stay in my house I don't do anything and it's like it the pills took my life away I could be out there you know walking in nature even with my prosthetic leg you know but instead I choose to lay in bed and don't get me wrong I'm a clean person but I can see where it would take that away from you even God bless you and if you want to reply feel free I've been on Suboxone and not suboxin that generic form because it's the only one my insurance would pay for it sucks but I would much rather I guess being the suboxin because I heard good things about it my I guess I would have to actually admit myself in some sort of treatment center to get that but any suggestions feel free to have an open discussion with me okay my name is Charlie I am a 45 year old female and your post really moved me so please honey take care and good luck

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31

Well following up from last message. Doc tried to send me for Suboxone and had an allergic reaction. So since my last script for oxycodone 15 was filled in June, and the Suboxone didn't work, its been a rough ride. Well,its 3 weeks later and found someone who was willing to work with me because I'm kinda done with the IR's and am in chronic pain. Anyone who can let me know about any experience they had with Nucynta, I would really like to hear. I'm truly hoping this works and will post an update soon.

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30

Hi. I have been on oxycodone 30mg 4x/day for chronic back pain. I have had issues with my back for years. I have had multiple surgeries, including a neurostimulator inplant procedure that failed ( and removed) twice. I have been seeing my doctor now for 4 years and recently told me to seek a pain management doctor because he is unable to write this medication for me anymore. I have been trying to find one and it became increaingly difficult since now I was left with very little of the medication. When I checked back with my doctor, he recommended another doctor for suboxone. I have never tried and really wasn't fond of the idea. Unfortunately for me, I was left with no choice because the pain management centers I contacted were either not accepting, not interested, or had a really long waiting list. Reluctantly I started the suboxone after weaning myself down over almost 2 weeks with the little I had. Well now I can barely move around without pain in my back and lower legs.. I am so uncomfortable and l really don't know what else to do. Can anyone recommend a doctor in Suffolk on Long Island for oxycodone? Any input would really be a help.

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29

Yes you guys are not alone. I just want to cut.myself in half sometimes and i hate taking these fn pills. They ruin me i can't seem to get off them my back hurts regardless. I really need something for my withdrawals. I need something for pain but withdrawals I can't do it definitely not happening I quit on my on and went 18 months and craved it the whole time i dont have no clue what to do and my doctor is willing to help me with any meds so im open for anything that will actually work. I'll say it once again " I CANNOT STAND BEING ON OPIATES " Thanks for any thoughts.

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28

I completely agree about the goverment being to involved with our medical problems. I wonder what they would feel like if they were being treated in the same manner as the normal day person. I have two hern disks and two bulged disks. In my area the problem has got so out of hand that I have trouble even getting a dr to prescribe five miligram of hydrocodone. How can I get my dr to understand that at that dose of two a day isn't enough. I'm tired of laying on the couch.

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27

Hello, I was just reading your post. I had been on oxy for 8 years I believe. I don't know what your religious beliefs are but I can tell you I prayed about it and it worked. I was afraid to stop because of the withdrawal . The first time I quit I had no withdrawals at all. I quit for about a year. But the pain was still so bad I had to go back. I went back for about 6 months. This time I had withdrawals for about 5 days but nothing awful. Now I have no insurance so I had to stop as I have $3000 worth of medicines I also have to buy. So, this time is it I had no choice due to all my health reasons. I have been free of it for 7 months now and I am so proud of myself. I wasn't as lucky as you to have the other medicine prescribed. That is supposed to help you quit with methadone as well. This last time I wasn't so lucky I hallucinated but just people for about 3 days I was just out of it. Now I am free but in pain. As I said above try to pray about it. I feel very lucky most people from what I read hallucinate rats like on meth. I know the lord tuck care of me because if it had been rats I probably would not have been here to reply to you. Good luck I will be thinking of you.

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26

I have been on opioids for over three yrs now. I have always taken the drugs responsibly, to the point that I have perposely taken lower dosages to "take the edge off" vs taking a higher dose and becoming more dependent.

My sister had back problems, or so she said, and her MD put on opioids to help alleviate her pain. When her MD decided to remove her from them, she decided to "shop around" for an MD who would keep her on them. Eventually she ran out of room and involuntarily detoxed while visiting my parents out of town and you can imagine the mess this caused. She was put in rehab and has been on Suboxone ever since. This was over five yrs ago.

Flash forward to today and I am now dependent myself. My pain is caused by a major injury which doesn't respond to any other treatment. I managed to stay on Norco for three yrs, but since I built up a tolerance, the breakthrough pain forced me to move up the opioid ladder. I recently switched to Percocet, but I am finding that even this switch isn't completely helping. My pain over the last three yrs has increased to the point where I am no longer trying to take the edge off but completely manage my pain responsibly.

My question is if there is any other opioids that are longer lasting that will help alleviate the pain and extend the happiness feeling associated with it as I believe this feeling helps with my pain and my overall demeanor towards other around me.

Thanks for the help!

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OxyLatin.....Yes, I agree with you. It does make you feel better and who wants to be in pain. See I have five boys and one girl and it helps me enjoy my time with them. I have got off and I was depressed, in pain, and no good to the world. There is a difference between being addicts and defendant. I know I am dependent but I know I can function without the pills. My Prozac helps with that. I would not do any surgery because once you start u have to keep going. My best friend had surgery and it seems like she is worse than before. She had herniated discs as well. What meds are you on? My tolerance is really high now so I am glad that my meds still work. I started on Vicodin and that stop working. Went to percusets, and they did not help so the oxy 30's help a lot. They used to make me a little "happy" and confident. They need something legal to give like that!!!!

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I dont really agree with liking the way it makes you feel labeling you as a drug addict I have been on meds for 2 yrs off and on my tolerance is so high though i can take 300 mgs in one day very easy I love the way it makes me feel because beside the other things it lets enjoy my time with my children and not just be in pain I have spinal stenosis and Degenerative Disc Disease as well as a few hurniated discs and some bone shards before the medicine I went into a state of deep depression I tried to get off the meds once but they always ask the same thing what are your plans for after im off so none of them want to take me off I am very interested n surgery so maybe I can correct and not be on pain meds but I do love it strictly i enjoy my time with my kids I have 6 girls and 1 boy all under 10 my wife and I have great jobs so I just want to spend my life enjoying it and not being in pain and fearing it

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23

Had the same thing happen to me on a Schedule II, they didn't have the full script amount so if I take the partial I forfeit the remainder or I can wait until they order more and get the rest. This is only with Schedule II's and I agree that this is absurd but this is how it's done. Now could someone please explain to me why I keep hearing that pharmacies won't fill for Roxicodone and Walgreen's especially. What does the DEA have to do with it and if this is regulated for some reason, don't you think your doctors should be writing for something else otherwise what's the point of going to pain mgmt.? If your normal meds aren't available, which it seems they are not, your doctor should know this and put you on something comparable OR see you every 2 weeks (which I know stinks, but what choice do you have) so you can get your full script. I can only assume this is most prevalent in Florida. Why is/was Florida the capitol of pill mills? Can someone please tell me why in this one state did pain meds get dispensed so irresponsibly and now everyone that truly needs their meds are suffering?

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