Percocet Dosage Limits 5/325 (Top voted first)

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I am taking the percocet 512 white tablets 5mg/325 for severe back pain due to degenerating disc(s). I have been told 1 pill every 8 hours, but find the pain so excruciating after about 5 hours that I cannot even stand... even to use the bathroom or shower. My MD cannot get me into a specialist until August, but I am having real stress here. Will it be harmful for me to take more than the one tablet per 8 hours??

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8

I take 3 percocet 10/325 in 24 hrs and 1 30mg Avinza every 12 hours for degenerative disk disease and arthritis, does anyone think this is over medication? Since I started taking these medications my activity level has been drastically improved and I seem to be able to function well. Just seeking other opinions.

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10

After stopping percocet, how long does it stay in your blood/system?

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your comment seems strange to me brcause my MD prescribed me some of same percocet and on the bottle it says take 1 or 2 tablets every 4 or 6 hours according to pain or even as needed for pain. I have been taking 2 every 9 or 10 hours Lately, though, I realize that if I do not take a pill I start to feel pain in my shoulders, and my chest is agitated. So I just stopped taking them altogether. I had a slight withdrawal effect it lasted for maybe a day. I am glad that I stopped when I did. but to answer your question. I do not think 2 will hurt as long you are not taking them like candy. I think 2 every 8 or so hours would be okay. But please check with your MD first. I think the most harm would be trying to stop taking them when the time comes.By the way, I am taking the Oxycodone a generic from of Percocet or at least thats what the bottle says. 5mg/325(512) Good luck managing your pain. I think I know how you are feeling.

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12

Chronic fibro pain patient 20yrs.Narcotics are only meds that've ever helped. started with APC w/codeine, then Norco, then Lortab, then Vicodin, till I'm now at 15 mg Percocet every 4-6 hrs. My new MD doesn't feel comfortable with this high dosage, he says, and doesn't want to prescribe it. I'm guessing IT IS a high dose, but I so dread the thought of starting all over again. I've been unable to take anti-depressants, anti-inflammatories, and any of the brand new Fibro meds, like Lyrica, that sometimes helpglide Fibro people, due to side effects. Narcotics are what has worked for me. Any ideas? What would happen if I detoxed, with MD's help, and got it ALL out of my system,. Could I then start on a lower dose? or would this even be feasible? Any thoughts?

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9

I take 5/325: 1-2 every 4-6 hours is what is on the bottle, I take two ever 5 hours. Don't exceed 12 in a day. (I'm assuming that's a 24 hour period.)

Many doctors write it at for too long because they are overly cautious about addiction.

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14

You can take more than 8 percocet a day. 8 pills is only 2600 mgs of tylenol and you should not exceed 4000 mg. I have had four failed hand surgeries and i was on norco 7.5/325 and i took 2 every four hours or 8 a day. Now on percocet 5/325 8 a day and MD has no problem with me taking that many. Not very strong so going to go up in dose, i have been on the meds since my first failed hand surgery a year and a half ago. I would not detox from the meds and start over. If you get off of them stay off because it wont take long to get right back to the amount you were at. The 15mg oxycodone is a strong dose and chances are if you detox then go back to them they wont put you on them again it takes a lot of time to get a dose that high. Plus oxycontin is an amazing drug for people with horrible pain, but so commonly abused unless your are going to die from your illness you wont get it. Also if you ask for it specifically the doc will think you have a drug problem because they are super particular with it. They put me on a drug called nuncynta that i had a reaction to but they told me it is the drug of the future it is a synthetic opiate so man made, and it compares to the 15mg oxycontins and hydromorphone but half the side effects and does not actually contain opiates so its very hard to have withdrawls or get addicted to it, if anyone would like to avoid opiate drugs maybe ask your doc about it. Didnt work for me because im allergic but have read great things about it. Hope this helps someone out there

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15

Since most people seem to be severely misinformed, percocet AKA oxycodone, is given in a smaller dosage compared to vicodin (where in sever pain cases is 1-2tabs every 4-6 hrs, compared to percocet, 1 tab every 6 hours) the main reason for decreasing dosage is oxycodone has a significantly higher chance for addiction then hydrocodone. overdosing on these pills is caused by the tylenol, and NOT the oxycodone. When you take too much oxycodone it stresses the respiratory system, and can cause shortness of breath. BUT you will overdose on the tylenol before you overdose on the main drug oxycodone itself. a safe dosage of tylenol is 3000 MG a day, or 3 grams. 4,000 or 4 grams if you are in excellent internal health.. If you take it over a period of time and become mildly addicted, after you run out or stop taking it, drink a soft drink or some coffee, the stimulating effects of caffeine help the effects of withdraw.

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26

There are so many people in real pain everyday like myself. Most of us dont have alot of money and must work every day just to make ends partially meet. we have to take some kind of drug just to make it thru. if at all. i will not let anyone cut on my back until i have to . so what if your addicted. we must survive. and if and when the time comes to get rid of it. then deal with it then. meanwhile we live from day to day.

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the TYLENOL in percoset has a dose limit of 8 a day. Double that and you risk death. HOWEVER the tolerance level varies and NINE pills can cause liver damage and fatality for the suseptable. A friend lost her daughter to tylenol overdose, but i never learned the amount. The main pain killer is available as a timed release oxycontin in various strengths so you can get the pain relief you need without the tylenol fear . This is the abused version and your doctor my not prescribe cavalierly

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5

There is always that concern of addiction when dealing with medications like percocet. However, you can take up to 6 in a 24 hour period, basically taking 1 every 4hrs, during your times of great pain. If you feel like that is just simply to much? Try taking one every 6 hrs with an Anti-flamatory with it. In other words you can take more that what has been prescribed to you but ask the doctor what he or she may think. I know that they don't like to give you a high dosage when your pain is chronic, which sounds like yours is.I hope you find some relief, and remember to first speak to your doctor as you already know!

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60

I've been taking percocet 5/325 since my c3,c4 herniated disc fusion & subsequent back surgery.. It's been a godsend & just need 1 or 2 a day if I'm hurting. My Dr retired & my new Dr wants me to try Advil which does nothing... I'm suffering big time especially at end of day when I'm done working... I feel like a criminal asking my Dr for this medication.. I am in NJ .. Does anyone know who is out there that can help me???

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1 to 2 tablets every 4 - 6 hours as needed is a very, very common prescription and absolutely will not hurt you physically, but, but make no mistake...taking more than prescribed is substance abuse. It is an opiod painkiller and is very, very addictive.

Try not to compare your usage to others here. It is easy to say "heck , I am taking a really low dose compared to X person(s) with X problem(s)".

Look, for 15 years I was opioid dependent. It consumed my entire life. I took more and more and more (for my severe R/A). I used my diagnosis to justify my continued heavy use. In the end, I lost my wife, the house, and she took the kids with her.

I have been clean for 4 years, and can see that she did me a huge favor. I turned myself around, and enjoy a good life with 3 beautiful daughters. I still have bad pain, but I manage it very differently, and have less pain than I ever did with the narcotics.

I know you didn't ask for this response, but I feel strongly that you see how bad things can get over a little, white pill.

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17

Hey Theresa...I understand completely how severe the pain of a herniated disc can be. About a month ago I started having severe pain from my buttock all the way down to my foot. I went to an orthopedic Dr. he was initially suggesting injections and sent me for an MRI, the pain had gotten so severe one night that I cldnt get off of the couch I cldnt even move my hips I had to lay there all night in pain. Next morning I managed to get off of the couch n my hubby took me to the ER and they gave me a shot of dilaudid and an anti inflammatory. The inflammation was what was causing most of the pain in my hip so the shot helped a lil bit, but later that night my foot went numb and by the next morning my whole leg was numb and I had little strength in it. I called the Dr. And he bumped my return appt. to the next day because I tld him the pain was unbearable. I took the MRI disc in and as soon as he viewed it and realized I was losing feeling and strength in my leg and foot he suggested surgery which was yesterday...I had a partial discectomy/laminotomy. The numbness is still there in the foot but he said it should go away and the pain has left in my leg. My bck is sore from surgery it takes about 4 to 6 weeks to feel better. But they told me to take percocet 5/325 and the dosage was 1 to 2 pills every 4 to 6 hours. But if I start hurting on the 3rd hour then I go ahead and take 1 and when the 4th hour gets there I take the other 1. But u cld just ask ur pharmacists or Dr. Hope this helped:)

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31

Medical marijuana would solve all of everybody's problems on this thread, just saying. Takes care of chronic pain, no risk of addiction, and no proven serious health risks.

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41

I was mis-diagnosed for 8 years on my lower back problem...first sciatic nerve, then sciatic joint, then peraformis muscle, then one-leg shorter than the other (I'm 40+...I would think I'd discovered issues earlier with a shorter leg!). My pain management regiment was 1000mg of tylenol or aspirin, 4 hours later 800 motrin, 4 hours later 1000 MG tylenol or aspirin, 4 hours later another motrin etc just as long as I did not exceed 3000mg tylenol and 2400 mg motrin a day.

The true source of my pain was discovered 6 years ago that I have a bulged disc (L4/L5 S1) that presses on a nerve in my spine. I was on 5/325's allowed to take 1-2 tabs every 4-6 hours as needed. I did that for 4+ years and have no addiction or problems. I've had a rhyzotomy that removed the shooting pain down my leg...now just in a waiting game until the disc gets worse for a fusion.

About 18 months ago, my doc changed my pain management to just 5mg oxycodone tabs without the tylenol. I'm allowed to take 6 a night....that's 30 mg. If I need to, I can take an aspirin or tylenol. The main reason is taking six 5/325 tabs would exceed the acetaminophen limit, so the two of us made a decision to just take the oxycodone alone. The pills are much much smaller as well...but you definitely have to take them with food or milk, otherwise you'll get quite noxious and throw-up in about 45 min to an hour.

The main issue with taking too much percaset 5/325 is the quantity of acetaminophen...not the narcotic.

If I'm having a really bad pain during the day at work, I take 2 pills. The 10mg of oxycodone relieves the pain, but still allows me to correctly function at work and drive fine. When I go to bed is when the 4 - 6 pills are needed to block the pain so I'm able to sleep.

Obviously my tolerance has increased because of how long I've been on these...and yes there are times I've run out before my new script comes in...so I use the tylenol/motrin regiment. It's not as effective...but does help. I do not have any withdrawal symptoms when not taking it -- but every body is different. You know your limits, so it's best not to exceed them. If in doubt ask your doctor next time you see them, or ask for a telephone consult and you can discuss the matter over the phone with them. (if your doctor allows this... you can call your doctors office, they can tell you if this is allowed or not).

In lieu of motrin, you can use alleive or ibuprofen. The key is to ensure you take the anti-inflammatory at least 4 hours apart from the tylenol or aspirin. The anti-inflammatory I'm on is Naproxyn. I tried Mobic after Motrin but it upset my stomach too much even with food; Naproxyn seems to be working.

But Mobic and Naproxyn are prescription only.

The best case is to discuss a pain management regiment with your doc or ask if you can be referred to a pain management specialist...if your health plan allows it, and if you want to pursue that course. It remedied some of my issues.

A massage every now and then does help the muscular tension I have in my lower back as the muscles are in constant struggle to help with the disc. Sleeping on a heating pad at night on my lower back also helps to loosen the lower back muscles as well...and of course stretching if your able. Even sitting in a chair and bending down so your head goes towards your feet helps to stretch the lower back and provides some relief.

Take this for another opinion for consideration for someone who's been dealing with chronic pain for a very long time.

Lastly, I do have good days, bad days, ok days, and really bad pain days...so I adjust the oxycodone accordingly.

Thanks for "listening". :)

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49

Medical Marijuana may be thse best solutions to all of this in conjuction with your meds!

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72

OMG no, never combine opiates with alcohol. I know the alcohol helps make the meds work better, but very hard on the liver.

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148

I had the same situation! I had herniated discs L-4, L-5 and S1. My dr yelled at me too, I had titanium rods and a spinal fusion also. I thought the same thing that no one else would take my case . The dr thought I was taking too many pain pills but I could hardly walk either. He finally yelled at me do you want a second opinion? I said yes. I was referred to a great neurosurgeon . He did s laminectomy on the same spots. I just had the surgery two weeks ago . I still have some pain but nothing like before . Try a neurosurgeon ! Good luck !!!

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Verwon. Your comment was very insightful. However, would you consider taking 4 pills every 24 hours to much, and why does different MD's prescribe different doses. My prescription bottle clearly states 1 or 2 pills every 4 to 6 hours. So why was the original poster claims to say 1 pill every 8 hours. This is something that I am going to ask my MD about on my next visit. Also as I stated before, I have stopped taking them for about one month now, and aside for a slight pain in my toes I feel fine. I did have a little withdrawal for about about a half of a day. I would like to ask you if you think that any perscription pain meds are safe to take without fear of addiction. JUST WONDERING!

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I am a sufferer of the same problem. I know you can take one every 6 hours cause that's what I am prescribed. But if you run out sooner than you should they will not refill them and you could be left with nothing. My surgery is June 6th I hope I will get some relief. I have been in excruciating pain for a year. Good luck and god bless.

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