I'm Chuck 70 Years Old-need Advice On Addiction To Oxycodone

Hello, I have taken 10/325 Percocet for over 12 years now. Up until I was in my 3rd car accident recently, I got by with 30 pills every 3-4 months. After, my MRI showed 3 herniated discs-2 in neck 1 in lower back and rather extreme arthritis in my whole spine. I got to where I could not do much more than sit in a chair with ice / hot packs for a month or so, but was still afraid of addiction, so I just took 1 10/325 in the am and 1 at about 4:30pm.
Then, my family Dr sent me to a pain doctor and he put me on 2 - 10/325 am and 1- 1 1/2 at around 3-4pm and more at night, if needed. I get by with the above schedule and don't take any at night-just 2 times a day.
My question is: Taking these every day now for 9 months, I would assume I would have an addiction? How does that work? Assuming an addiction exists, am I to be addicted to this schedule? Will I feel withdrawal sickness if I take less mg at a time, or miss a complete dose, or am I just plain addicted to the total mg a day?
= 30 - 35mg a day? The pain is reasonably controlled, not gone-by far! But, I can live and function to an almost acceptable degree. Now, the Pain Dr wants me to go on time released! I go see him in a week and what further advice can you offer about what time released med to try? I definitely don't want to go back to all the pain again! Thank you for explaining what to expect as to just what addiction would mean in my case and for suggestions on what time released pain med to try.

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Hi Chuck,

Sorry to hear about your situation. In my book, having an addiction vs being dependent on something are two totally different things.

The fine line between the two is that when it comes to addiction, your seeking a euphoric feeling and not necessarily pain relief. However, with dependence, you seek pain relief and the psychological feeling of euphoria comes secondary. Addicts repeatedly dose to achieve heightened euphoria and dependents repeatedly dose to main tolerable pain levels. Unfortunately, to the untrained and unempathetic eye, both types of people are wrongfully treated the same. Other's may feel differently about this, but that has just been my take on the opioid madness currently infesting America.

As far as withdrawals are concerned, withdrawals don't discriminate between addiction and dependence, so it's plausible to think that one may have some degree of discomfort coming off opioids after being on them for an extended period of time. Titrating (weaning) off a substance with your doctor's assistance is usually the best way to minimize potential withdrawal effects.

While I don't have any personal recommendations on an extended-release med to try, I hope that you and your doctor can continue working together to find that happy medium.

Best wishes and a happy pain-free new year!

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