Oxycodone Tolerance (Top voted first)

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

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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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panicnpain..I'm in Georgia, get 15MG MS Contin ER 2 x day and 4@15mg Roxy's a day for chronic pain...EVERY Month I have these filled at the same pharmacy and EVERY month they say the same thing...."Let us make sure we have these in stock". I have a mild panic attack everytime I go to the pharmacy as I can only find the one Rite Aid across from a hospital that carries my meds. I have had many times where the pharmacy has had to call other pharmacy's in the area to find my medication. They have also offered a lesser quantity which I CANNOT accept. I need every last pill. In Georgia you cannot take a partial of a narcotic prescription and then come back a couple days later to pick up the balance of the pills they may have been short. I do not understand this policy or law or whatever it is. It is ridiculous! If I was prescribed 90 tablets and they only have 45 then I should be able to get the 45 they have on hand and come back in a couple of days to get the balance of my prescribed quantity. Unfortunately I don't have 30 extra of these pills laying around that I can use until they order my meds, when I hand in my paper prescription I am down to my last couple if not VERY last pill. Does anyone know what the purpose is of this practice or law...what's it supposed to prevent? I am so sorry you are in such misery...I feel your pain..literally....i keep hoping for a miracle but nothing yet...i keep fighting. I am thinking about you. Take care xxoo

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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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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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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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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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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 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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Hey Guys and Gals, I do not know if this will help BUT if your Dr. is good AND you have problems getting these meds filled, DEA schedule II (2) narcotics cannot be "refilled". I suggest you ask the Doc to write you Rx's for half of your meds every 15 days. I have tried this in Louisiana and it works. That way you can find a legitimate pharmacy (CVS, Rite-Aid, Walgreen's etc..) and go every two weeks and have them refilled. That way you do not have the problem of trying to get 180 (or more) at a time. I understand that not all Doc's will do this so I suggest speaking to your physician about it and see what he/she says. I think it is absolutely ridiculous that sick people have to go through this much trouble to get properly prescribed meds. It sickens me! Good Luck to you all.

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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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